Things to do in Valletta

Dominating Valletta’s highest point, the Auberge de Castille is the largest and most impressive of Valletta’s four surviving auberges (historic inns for regional groups of Knights). This monumental Baroque building stands as a reminder of the superiority of the Knights of Castille, one of the brotherhood’s largest chapters. Though designed in the 1570s by Girolamo Cassar in the austere style the Knights then preferred, it was rebuilt in grand Baroque style during the eighteenth century to occupy a whole block. The large column-framed doorway is topped with a bust of Grand Master de Fonseca, who initiated the rebuilding. Today, the Auberge de Castille houses the prime minister’s office and isn’t open to the public, but with two imposing cannons flanking its front door, it’s a popular stop for photo opportunities. This is one of the most impressive things to do in Valletta by far.

What to do in Valletta if you’re looking for more history? Head to the Lascaris War Rooms of course. This fascinating (albeit damp) underground complex, gouged deep into the bedrock, was originally used by the Knights as living quarters for their slaves. In 1940, it was converted into the Lascaris War Rooms, the British forces’ Maltese centre of operations and the headquarters of the Royal Navy’s Mediterranean Fleet during World War II. Conditions were claustrophobic - one thousand people worked here, 240 at a time in six-hour shifts - but it was from Lascaris that the Allies changed the course of World War II in the Mediterranean by severely disrupting the Axis supplies to North Africa, launching the invasion of Sicily, and eventually engineering Italy’s surrender.

The Saluting Battery , accessed from within the garden, spreads over a series of chambers that once served as ammunition stores. Today it holds a display of weaponry from the three hundred years it served as an artillery battery for protecting the Grand Harbour, including an anti-aircraft gun that was installed on the terrace in World War II. For history buffs, guided tours are offered on the hour (included in your entrance fee), and two films are shown in rotation: one on the history of “timeguns”, and another about the history of the Saluting Battery. At noon and 4pm every day a cannon is fired as a salute - resurrecting a practice dating from the British period.

Set high behind the ramparts of Valletta’s fortifications, the Upper Barrakka Gardens are sprinkled with fragrant flower beds, was created in 1661 by the Italian knight Flaminio Balbiani as a retreat for the Knights. Much of it, including its arcaded section, is the original design (the arcaded section was originally roofed, but when Grand Master Ximenes de Texada discovered that dissident Knights were meeting here in 1775 to plot against him, he ordered the roof stripped off as a symbolic warning). The garden still provides a refuge from city bustle and summer heat, but the main reason to visit is for the panoramic view from Valletta’s highest point: a vista taking in the breadth of the Grand Harbour, including the fantastic medieval townscapes and fortifications of the Three Cities. For some peace and quiet, this is one of the best things to do in Valletta. Looking for Valletta holidays? We recommend staying at the Phoenicia Malta Hotel.

Located in a polverista, or gunpowder magazine, built during the construction of the outer fortification walls of Valletta in the 1640s, the Victor Pasmore Gallery features a compact but compelling permanent display of works. Find exceptional pieces of work by British abstract artist Victor Pasmore (1908-98), many produced after his move to the island in 1966.

Set behind Valletta’s fortifications, Hastings Garden is dedicated to Lord Hastings, a former British governor who died at sea in 1827 and is buried in the Neoclassical shrine at its centre. The garden’s small oaks, pines and shrubs lack appeal, but its lofty viewpoints are reason enough to visit (especially at sunset) - you can see how the Floriana Line fortifications fold over each other to give a 180-degree fire-range; in the moat below, more than a few Hollywood movies have been filmed. Further in the distance, you’ll spot Marsamxett Harbour with its yacht marinas, then Manoel Island with its pretty fort and the skylines of urban Sliema and St Julian’s.