Wish You Were Here In Valletta

OVERVIEW

Wish you were here in 16th-century Valletta, when knights, palaces and new churches were reshaping Malta’s rocky peninsula into a fortified capital. Exploring today’s city, each landmark you visit represents. Exploring today’s city, each landmark you visit represents a different time period that reveals. another layer of its story. You can first expect to browse the 16th-century St. John’s Co-Cathedral, whose severe exterior belies its sumptuous interior. The altars depict watershed events in the life of St. John and Caravaggio’s masterpiece “The Beheading of St. John the Baptist” hangs in the oratory. The Grand Master’s Palace is noteworthy as it was the seat of government from the 16th century until 2015. It was built as the residence for the head of the Order of the Knights of St. John, a Catholic military order that once ruled Malta. Although rebuilt in the 18th century, the Baroque-style Auberge de Castille is one of several surviving auberges or modest inns where the knights lived. For the ultimate view of Old Town and the harbor, you will visit the Upper Barrakka Gardens, a colonnaded greenspace created in 1661, where terraces, arches and sea views bring the whole picture together. By the end, it feels like quiet time travel for the soul—from the Valletta of the knights to the capital you see unfolding around you today.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Step into the Valletta you wish you could have seen in the age of the Knights of St. John, moving from their cathedral and palace to their auberge and harbor views.
• Browse its magnificent architecture of the 16th-century St. John’s Co-Cathedral from the outside.
• Get a glimpse into the city’s Baroque-style architecture in the Auberge de Castille.
• Gaze out over the harbor and Old Town from the verdant Upper Barrakka Gardens, where terraces and views connect the historic city to the present day.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.