Things to see in Valletta

Just across the Grand Harbour from Valletta, the three cities have six names among them (Vittoriosa/Il-Birgu, Senglea/L-Isla and Cospicua/Bormla), so to make it easier for everyone they are collectively known as the Three Cities. Take a short ferry ride from Valletta and spend a few hours walking around its labyrinthine alleyways, exploring old churches and simply absorbing the local atmosphere. The views of Valletta are superb too.

The best audio-visual show on the island, set in a historic building, offering an excellent introduction to the history and special sights of Malta and Gozo. It covers Malta’s many magnificent landmarks, such as the ancient prehistoric temples of Malta’s stone-age settlers, the cities of Mdina and Valletta. Claiming to be one of the island’s most popular tourist attractions, the show has attracted over four million visitors to its purpose built auditorium near Fort St Elmo and is told in 17 languages.

Mon-Fri 1100-1600, Sat-Sun 1100-1400 - each show lasts 45 minutes and starts on the hour.

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Located 6km (4 miles) from Valletta city centre, the Hypogeum (the word means 'underground chamber') is easily the most interesting and atmospheric of Malta's many famous prehistoric temples, and because of its excellent state of preservation, it is the key to understanding Malta's ancient temple culture. It consists of halls, chambers and passages hewn out of the living rock featuring diverse shapes and sizes. The complex is split into three levels – the upper level (3600-3300 BC), the middle level (3300-3000 BC), and the lower level (3150 -2500 BC).

Mon-Fri noon-1600.

Admission is by guided tour only, and must be reserved in advance.

This small star-shaped fort is where the bloodiest, most epic battle of the Great Siege of Malta was fought and its history is brought to life by daily guided tours and the spectacular In Guardia costumed re-enactment which is staged weekly. Commanding the peninsula that divides Malta's two harbours, the fort dates back to the 16th century when a watchtower existed on the site. By 1565, it had been reinforced and extended into a fort by the Knights of St John but although it managed to withstand the Turkish seige for a month, eventually it fell. Today, the fort is used by the police, an office for the Refugees Commission, and Heritage Malta’s National War Museum. Tours take place on scheduled Sundays.

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Deep under the Upper Barrakka Gardens lie the secret WWII war rooms, composed of a network of underground tunnels and chambers that housed the British HQ in Malta. In July 1943, the War Rooms were used by General Eisenhower to plan Operation Husky - the invasion of Sicily. After the war, it played an important role in the Anglo-French invasion of Egypt during the Suez crisis in 1956 and during the Cuban Missile Crises of 1962. Five years later, it was taken over by NATO as a strategic Communication Centre for the interception of Soviet submarines in the Mediterranean. After 10 years in this role, the rooms were finally closed down and eventually opened up to the public.

Mon-Sun 1000-1700.

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The headquarters of the knights before neighbouring Valletta was built, Vittoriosa today is a quiet atmospheric residential district retaining many historical landmarks open to the public, most notably the Old Naval Bakery (now the Maritime Museum, which is currently undergoing restoration) and the Inquisitor's Palace.

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Tableaux, touch screens, talking heads, videos and other special effects whisk you through the history of the Knights of St John, culminating in their finest hour during the Great Siege.

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These beautiful arcaded gardens sit astride the bastions at Valletta’s highest point and were built by the Knights. They offer panoramic views of The Grand Harbour and the Three Cities. The noonday salute is still fired from the cannons of the Saluting Battery below the gardens each day to a background of British military music. A new lift connects the gardens to the wharf below.

Open daily.

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