One day in Valletta

After breakfast, we board the bus at Bugibba bus station, which should take us to Valletta. In winter, the bus ticket costs 1.50€ – in summer, the fare increases to 2€. As several bus lines have Valletta as their final destination, we decide to just take the first bus that leaves. We drive for almost an hour through the villages and the bus becomes more and more crowded. Soon the first passengers have to stand – it’s good that we got on at the first stop.

The journey finally ends at the central bus station in Valetta. From here it is only a few steps on foot and we are standing in front of the Triton Fountain, which is located directly in front of the city gate.
The fountain stands on the former lunette (part of the fortress construction) of St.Madeleine. After the lunette was dismantled in the 19th century, the moat was filled in and a bridge was built into the city. The Triton Fountain was completed in 1959. It has a diameter of about 30 metres. In the middle, three 2.5-metre-tall tritons rise up and carry an almost round water bowl. The figures look towards the city gate through which we now enter Valletta.

History of Valletta

In 1565, the siege of Malta by the Ottomans ended. The Knights of the Order of Malta decided to build a fortified city on the headland around the destroyed Fort St. Elmos. This was to be adapted to the latest findings in military architecture and serve to defend the island. The Grand Master of the Order, Jean de la Valette, laid the foundation stone for the city “Humilissima Civitas Vallettae” (Most Humble City of Valletta) in 1566.

If you look at the ground plan of the city, you will notice the rectangular street system and the geometric arrangement of the fortress walls of the entire complex. This still makes orientation in the city very easy today.

When you enter the city today, you still pass by the enormous walls and get a good impression of the architecture of that time.
After 20 years of construction, with the financial support of the church and the Spanish king, the city was almost finished. About 4000 inhabitants and knights of the order lived in Valletta at that time.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the military importance of the city receded into the background. Administration and trade became increasingly important. The city developed into a monumental baroque city. When the Suez Canal was opened in 1869, Valletta became a well-visited port city.

Despite major air raids during the Second World War, the city’s fortification walls held, but many buildings in the city were destroyed.

Short city tour of Valletta

Immediately after entering the city, our path leads us to one of the few green places in the city, the small park Upper Barrakka Gardens.

Here you come to a beautiful vantage point that offers a good view of the Grand Habour. The park is at the highest point of the city’s fortifications, and as you stroll between the arches of the arcades, you can enjoy the cool breeze.

You should definitely take a look at the terrace below the Upper Barrakka Gardens. This is where the Saluting Battery is located.

Saluting Battery – Upper Barrakka Garden

Every day at 12 noon and 4 pm, a cannon shot echoes through the city. Traditionally, this sounds from a cannon of the Saluting Battery, which stands on the terrace below the Upper Barrakka Garden.
This location for the cannons appeared as early as 1566 in the plans of the Order of St John for the new building of Valletta. From here, the cannons were to protect the entire length and depth of the Grand Habour, but also be able to fire inland.

Those who would like to visit this platform can access the ticket office via a staircase in the Upper Barrakka Garden. Here, not only tickets for the Saluting Battery are sold, but also tickets for the Lascaris War Rooms, the Malta War Museum and Fort Rinella. During our visit – and we knew exactly what we wanted – the staff member at the ticket office tried to sell us more tickets, saying that we would then save money. I’m sure she meant well, but I had to make it quite clear that my choice of ticket had already been made.

Address:

Saluting Battery,
Battery Street,
Valletta, Malta

Opening hours:

Monday – Saturday: 10-16.30h

Admission fees:

Adults 3,-€
Discounts are offered.

Lascaris War Rooms – underground in Valletta

Through a gate and with very nice directions from a uniformed staff member, we went directly from the Saluting Battery to the Lascaris War Rooms about 20 metres below. A long passage carved into the rock led us to the entrance of the former command post in Malta.

We enter a hand-built complex that has existed since the 17th century. During the rule of the Order of St John in Malta, the rooms and corridors were used as slave quarters.
After being unused for a while, they were put back into use during the Second World War. The Allied Forces now used the well-protected chambers as an operations centre during the Second World War. From here, they controlled the defence of the strategically important island and offensive operations in the Mediterranean.

Today, there is a lot to discover in the museum. The rooms are equipped with authentic exhibits and thus offer an excellent insight into the working methods of the military stationed there. I found the rooms of the operations centres particularly impressive, where strategic manoeuvres were prepared on large maps at tables.

A lot of things reminded me of the visit to Churchill’s War Room in London. I found the visit very exciting and also here in Malta I learned a lot about history in Europe and the history of the Second World War.

Address:

Lascaris War Rooms,
Lascaris Ditch,
VLT 2000, Valletta, Malta

Opening hours:

Monday – Saturday: 10am – 4.30pm

Admission fees:

Adults 14,-€
Discounts are offered.

St. John‘s Co-Cathedrale

Our next sightseeing point in Valletta was to be one of the most impressive churches in the city. We queued up in front of St. John’s Co-Cathedral. Despite the low season, we had to wait for some time before we could enter the church. If you are in Valletta during the high season, you should allow some time and be prepared for a full church.

In any case, if you wait here, there is enough time to take a look at the façade of the church. I particularly notice the clock on the south tower of the church. It has three dials. One dial shows the day of the week, one the date (day) and one the time. It is noticeable that the minute hand is missing.

Included in the entrance fee is an audio guide tour. We listened to it at a few points, but I preferred to let the nave work its magic on me.
The interior of the church is from the High Baroque period. You almost don’t know where to look first. Everything is ornate and richly decorated. The first thing that strikes me is the design of the floor. You walk over artistically designed grave slabs. Some show skeletons, others ornaments – just walking over these slabs is like an art exhibition.
My next gaze goes to the ceiling of the nave. The vault is beautifully painted and richly decorated. Sometimes I wish there was a kind of “deck chair” in churches that would make it possible to look at the art on the ceiling in peace without a stiff neck.
But it is not only the floor and ceiling that are worth seeing in St. John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta. The stone carvings on the walls and the tapestries are also beautiful and make the church look like a total work of art.

Address:

Triq San Gwann, Il-Belt Valletta, Malta

Opening hours:

Monday – Friday: 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Saturday: 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Closed: Sunday, public holidays

Admission fees:

Adults 10,-€
Discounts are offered.

Shopping Street of Valletta

After so much culture, we treated ourselves to a short stroll along the city’s pedestrian zone and heavily tourist-oriented shopping street. From souvenir shops to expensive boutiques, you can find everything your heart desires here at every conceivable price. If you go a bit into the side streets, you can discover small restaurants with acceptable prices.

Once you have passed the Military Museum, the pedestrian zone ends. Many visitors to Valletta now turn around and miss following the road to the tip of the peninsula. But it is worth it, because here you will find Fort St. Elmo and the National War Museum.

Fort St.Elmos

We mainly wanted to discover the fort, the National War Museum is also located on the grounds in some of the building complexes and therefore we “visited” it as well. The exhibition is quite interesting. In several building complexes, one period of time is thematically presented. For us, it was just too much input after several visits that day. If you are interested in the history and history of war around Malta, you should take your time, there is a lot to discover.

The fort itself has stood largely unused since the withdrawal of the British troops. Many sections are closed, and one area houses the police academy. Only a small part – the area with the museum – can be visited.

Nevertheless, the visit was well worth it. You have a great view of the entrance to the Grand Habour and over parts of the city. We also found the sections of the building that can be visited very interesting.

Address:

Fort St Elmo,
Valletta VLT 1741, Malta

Opening hours:

March – October: daily 9-19h
November – March: daily: 9-17 h
closed: 24.12., 25.12., 31.12.,1.1., Good Friday

Admission fees:

Adults 10,-€
Discounts are offered.