VallettaCapital
Malta · Country profile
Valletta is the tiny golden fortress capital of Malta, the walled city of the Knights that commands the great harbour of the island from its sealed bastions and its grid of straight streets, built after the great siege of the sixteenth century on the rocky peninsula. Named for the grand master who raised it, it is the smallest of the classic fortified capitals of Europe and among the most beautifully preserved, its palaces, its cathedrals, its churches and its squares all cut from the warm limestone of the island. The co-cathedral of the order with its painting and its marbled interior, the palace of the grand master, the forts of the harbour and the museums of the town anchor the essential visits, while the rest of the island, with its temples, its cliffs and its beaches, lies a short ride away. Golden, baroque and gloriously walkable, Valletta is the proud heritage capital of the island republic.
About Valletta
Valletta is the capital of Malta. The city's documented population is around 6,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Euro (EUR) and Maltese and English are spoken; the dialling code is +356.
The Cathedral of the John and the Palace of the Grand Master
The city is a walkable fortress on its peninsula, where the essential days move between the cathedral, the palaces and the ramparts, with the gardens and the viewpoints distributing the open-air life. The co-cathedral with its painted vaults, the palace of the grand master with its armoury, and the museums of the war and the fine arts anchor the classic stops, while the upper gardens with their harbour views, the fort of the point and the ferry and the lift of the waterfront frame the water access. The island beyond, with its temples, its villages and its beaches, and the nearby harbour towns across the water fill the wider days.
The Fort of the St Elmo and the Ramparts of the City
The climate of the island is the Mediterranean of the central basin, with the hot, dry summers, the mild, short winters and the long pleasant springs and autumns of the sea. The euro is the currency, the Maltese and the English the languages, and the island is small enough that the buses and the harbour ferries tie the capital to all of it. The cathedral, the forts and the museums make the core visits, and the temples and the beaches of the island lie a half-hour away. Comfortable walking shoes for the steps and the cobbles, light clothing and modest dress for the churches complete the simple kit.
The Gardens of the Upper and the Views of the Harbour
The co-cathedral of the order, the understated baroque church of the Knights that hides its extraordinary interior behind the plain facade, with its painted vaults and its masterpiece in the oratory, its inlaid marble tombstones of the knights and its gold-leafed altars, is the greatest treasure of the capital, while the palace of the grand master in its square, with its great halls, its tapestries and its armoury, tells the story of the order. The ramparts and the bastions of the city, with the forts guarding the two arms of the harbour, the upper gardens with their view over the great harbour, the war museum in the fort and the fine arts and the archaeology museums of the town anchor the rich millennium of the island story. The lift and the ferry of the waterfront, the girdle of the harbour towns across the water, and the ancient temples, the cliffs and the swimming bays of the island complete the essential, golden circuit of the fortified capital. Small, storied and magnificent, Valletta is Europe at the gate of the sea.
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- Country
- Malta
- Population
- 6,000
- Capital
- Valletta
- Region
- Europe
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Languages
- Maltese, English
- Calling code
- +356
- Country code
- MT
Entry requirements for Malta
Visa status for travellers from common origins visiting Malta for tourism.
Frequently asked questions
Is Valletta the capital of Malta?
Yes — Valletta is the capital of Malta.
What currency do I need in Valletta?
The local currency is the Euro (EUR). Languages spoken in Malta include Maltese and English.
What is the dialling code for Malta?
The international dialling code for Malta is +356.
Do I need a visa to visit Malta?
It depends on your passport. Among the origins we track, travellers from Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda and Argentina currently enter Malta visa-free for tourism. Use the entry requirements tool to check your own nationality and purpose of travel.
Flying out of Valletta? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.