We have arranged to see literally all of Malta over the five days of our stay. Kim hss booked four of the five days we are here with tours that run 9am to 4pm. That’s more dedicating touring than we are used to doing, but that is a testament to the amazing and interesting history of this island nation. Malta is basically a rather dry rock of an island that might have gone uninhabited were it not for two attributes. The first is its strategic location in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea and the second is its naturally formed large and elaborate deep water harbors that dominate the north side of the largest island of the Maltese Archipelsgo. These are Valletta Harbour and Marsamxett Harbour. To the west on Marsamxett are the four fingers of Silema, Lazarette, Miesida and Pieta Creeks. To the east are Rinella Bay, Bighi Bay, Kalkara Creek, Dockyard Creek, French Creek and The Marsa, all of which comprise Valletta Harbour. Every inch of this elaborate set of Harbours is bounded by a combination of limestone fortifications and maritime warehouses that give testimony to the history and challenge to this coveted island.
This barren rock can support less than 20% of its natural inhabitants (which now stands at 600,000) and this has always been the case since it was an ancient outpost with only 15,000 souls. And yet the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Moors, Greeks, Sicilians, French, Spanish, Ottomans, British, or Germans all coveted this rock at one time or another. It has passed from Pagan to Christian to Muslim and back to Christian in its religious foundations and I suspect that between limestone forts, limestone churches, limestone mosques, limestone government buildings and limestone Auberges (where the Knights Hospitellers and Knights Templar hung their Armor hats), it is no wonder that the island’s quarries are finally run out of stone with which to build.
This all lends itself to a magnificent and interesting Harbour that is chock-a-block with giant cruise ships, massive luxury yachts (A Jeff Bezos extravaganza was on display today), dry docked military vessels, and small wooden gondolas. After touring the Harbour by van in order to get a perspective, we boarded a shaky gondola for a thorough tour of the Valletta Harbour side. The Sun and sea breeze made it a resplendent day to be on the water, which, by the way, was as clean and blue as any I’ve seen. This defining characteristic was a great introduction to our tours of Malta and was followed by a drop off on the eastern side of Valletta where the ramparts and cliffs create an imposing entrance to the city (noting that Valletta was only built after the Ottoman siege, given that the three cities of Valletta Harbour were the first locale of choice.
Valletta Harbour in Malta is surrounded by three historic cities known as the “Three Cities” (Cottonera): The first is Vittoriosa (Birgu), the oldest of the three, which was the original seat of the Knights of St. John when they first arrived in Malta in 1530. It’s home to Fort St. Angelo and features narrow medieval streets with beautiful baroque architecture. The second is Senglea (Isla), a small peninsula city known for its impressive fortifications and the famous Gardjola Gardens, which offer spectacular views across the Grand Harbour to Valletta. The city’s bastions were crucial in defending the harbor during the Great Siege of 1565. The third is Cospicua (Bormla), the largest of the three cities, serving as the main entry point to the other two. It was heavily fortified with the Santa Margherita Lines and contains several important churches and historic buildings. These three fortified cities played a crucial defensive role throughout Malta’s history, particularly during the Ottoman siege of 1565. Today, they’re popular tourist destinations offering a more intimate and less crowded alternative to Valletta while showcasing Malta’s rich maritime heritage. The cities are connected by narrow streets and historic bridges, which we were able to explore a bit on foot before taking the traditional dgħajsa (water taxi) around and then sctoss the Harbour.
We scaled the ramparts of the Victoria Gste via an elevator sponsored by some combination of EU and UNESCO funding. Valletta is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1980, making it one of the earlier additions to UNESCO’s prestigious list. Valletta was recognized for being “one of the most concentrated historic areas in the world” – the entire city is the World Heritage site, not just individual monuments. UNESCO cited its outstanding universal value as a masterpiece of late Renaissance military architecture and urban planning. What makes Valletta particularly remarkable is that it was planned as a single unified project – a rare example of a European city built entirely according to a Renaissance urban plan. The grid layout, baroque palaces, churches, and fortifications all work together as a cohesive architectural ensemble. The UNESCO designation covers the entire 55-hectare area within Valletta’s fortifications, including over 300 monuments spanning centuries of Malta’s history. This makes it one of the most densely packed World Heritage sites in terms of historical monuments per square kilometer.
We finished up our tour by visiting St. John’s Co-Cathedral. It is one of Malta’s most magnificent architectural treasures and a masterpiece of Baroque art. Built between 1573-1578 by the Knights of St. John, it serves as the co-cathedral of Malta alongside the cathedral in Mdina. The exterior is surprisingly austere – a simple limestone facade that gives little hint of the opulence within. This was intentional, as the knights wanted to avoid ostentatious display on the outside while creating breathtaking beauty inside. The interior is considered one of Europe’s finest examples of high Baroque art. The entire barrel-vaulted ceiling was painted by Italian artist Mattia Preti between 1662-1666, depicting scenes from the life of St. John the Baptist. The intricate stone carving, gilded details, and marble work create an overwhelming sense of grandeur. The cathedral’s marble floor is actually a vast collection of over 400 tombstones marking the graves of Knights of St. John. These inlaid marble tombs feature elaborate heraldic designs, creating what’s often called one of the most beautiful floors in the world. The cathedral houses Caravaggio’s largest and only signed painting, “The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist” (1608). This dramatic work was painted during Caravaggio’s time in Malta and is considered one of his greatest masterpieces. Eight side chapels represent the different “langues” (language groups) of the Knights – Provence, Auvergne, France, Italy, Aragon, England, Germany, and Castile. Each chapel has its own distinct artistic style and decorative scheme. The cathedral remains an active place of worship while also serving as a museum, offering visitors a chance to experience this extraordinary fusion of art, history, and spirituality.
It was a long day for us, but left us near enough to our hotel to collapse for a nap before yet another great evening meal at a nearby restaurant on the Main Guard Square. We have effectively seen all of Valletta and the three cities and did so while hugging the Harbour for the day.