Views From Valletta, Malta

Malta, has been one my most cherished travel experiences from the recent past. I can still visualize the vivid scenes and the charming laid back vibe of the cities. Today I am sharing about Valletta - Founded in 1566, Valletta is Malta’s capital city and is one of Europe’s smallest (and southern-most) capital cities, with many buildings having a strong Baroque character.

Built on a peninsula between two natural harbors (Grand Harbor and Marsamxett Harbour), the city sits perched on higher ground. Its streets were aligned in a grid-like layout, being wide and straight, which is said to have been chosen to allow the sea breeze to provide respite from Malta’s hot summer weather.

Despite its small size, Valletta is packed with sites of historical significance, with buildings dating back to the 16th century. So much so that it’s been an officially listed UNESCO World Heritage site since 1980.

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Valletta has a neat grid street system, so it’s extremely hard to get lost. The city is largely pedestrianized, but it is hilly, built on a thin peninsula by the Knights of St John on Malta’s east coast after they withstood the Great Siege of 1565 (repelling a huge Turkish army).

Valletta is also abundantly rich in sites to see and explore, intriguing buildings around every corner: votive statues, niches, fountains and coats of arms high up on parapets. Narrow side streets are full of tiny quaint shops and cafés, while Valletta's main streets are lined with larger international branded shops for fashion, music, jewelery and much more.

The city is busy by day, yet retains a timeless atmosphere by night, that gives the feeling that you are walking back in time.

Things to know:

Malta joined the EU in 2004 and uses the Euro
Malta, with its strategic position in the Mediterranean, is one of the most conquered countries in history and Valletta has been controlled at various times by the Phoenicians, the Romans, the Ottoman Empire, the Angevins, the Aragonese, the Knights of St. John and the British
The Italian painter Caravaggio was briefly a Knight of Malta, before he was expelled from the order and imprisoned when he injured one of the other knights in a brawl, and for generally being "a foul and rotten member"
Valletta was used as a film set for numerous movies including Munich, The Count of Monte Cristo, Gladiator and Alexander
The app: The Valletta Map and Walks app offers guided walks around the best sights in Valletta and can be downloaded from

Warning: This is a photo-heavy post!