A day after Christmas, I started the final stretch of the SAS EuroBonus million-point challenge, where I would end up taking 20 flights on 16 different SkyTeam airlines over the course of 25 days in order to nab 1 million SAS EuroBonus points.
How to See All of Valletta’s Highlights on a One-Day Walking Tour
08.01.2025 - 10:36 / matadornetwork.com
Valletta, the capital city of the archipelago of Malta, the southernmost capital city in Europe, and a UNESCO World Heritage site, is tiny. At just 0.24 square miles, you can see all its highlights in a matter of a couple of hours, which is good news for the cruisers who tend to have one day, or less, on site.
Upon getting off their ship at the cruise port in Valletta, travelers will be overwhelmed with offers for electric car rentals, sightseeing bus tours, private taxi tours, and even horse-and-buggy rides. If you’re able-bodied and don’t mind putting in a few thousand steps on your Fitness app, say no to all of them. You won’t find it difficult to see the best of the city on foot. In fact, you’ll probably like it better than on board any sorts of vehicles — you really don’t want to pass on the beautiful architecture, including the traditional enclosed balconies of the residential buildings, that you’ll see by strolling the narrow pedestrian streets.
With a comfortable pair of shoes, a hat to protect yourself from Malta’s ever-present heat and sunshine, and a bathing suit in your pack, you can set off from the cruise port and quickly take in Valletta’s top spots, with enough time for a traditional drink and snack, and without having to rush to make the ship’s all-aboard time.
While the starting and ending point of this walking tour is the cruise port, which is very close to the city center, if you’re not traveling by cruise ship, you can pick up the tour from anywhere on the map and follow the circuit.
The map and walking tour below only offer suggestions from my first-hand experience in the city. You can adjust it to your preferences, budget, and walking abilities.
Starting your walking tour of Valletta early allows for more reasonable temperatures than if you set off later in the day. It gets hot in Malta, even in November.
Photo: kerenby/Shutterstock
From the cruise port to the peaceful Upper Barrakka Gardens is an easy but ascending 20-minute walk. The public garden built on top of the SS Peter and Paul Bastion has benches where to rest, a lovely fountain, a small café, and a row of arches that lead to a large balcony. The balcony provides great views of the Grand Harbour and The Three Cities (Vittoriosa, Senglea, and Cospicua) across the water. The Upper Barrakka Gardens get very busy, especially around 12 noon, when the canons located at the Saluting Battery, just one level below the balcony, are fired.
Photo: kavalenkava/Shutterstock
If you want to see the time-gun, as it is known, you have two options. Get to Upper Barrakka Gardens early, find a spot on the balcony by 11:30 AM, and stay there until the canons are fired. Or pay the entrance fee of $3.15 (€3) to go down to the level of the Saluting
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