Valletta has been built on a peninsula in the central eastern part of Malta and has a population of just over 6000 people. Valletta is named after the French Grandmaster Jean Parisot De La Valette who headed the defence of Malta from the Ottoman invasion in 1565. The entire city of Valletta has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Valletta boasts many buildings from the 16th century, mostly baroque architecture that was built by the Knights of St. John. Amongst them is the majestic St. John’s Cathedral, several auberges that hosted the Knights in their times, the bastions surrounding the city, and several gardens.

In fact, one could say that Valletta is actually a monument donated by the Knights. Nowadays, Valletta hosts the National Parliament, the Law Courts, many Government Ministries and Departments, Administrative Offices, museums and many shops.

The streets have a grid-like shape, so one could never really get lost while navigating through this open-air museum. The city is busy by day, but the Upper & Lower Barrakka Gardens offer a calm spot with incredible views of the Grand Harbour.

Then as the sun sets, Valletta calms down and turns into a magic fortified city where the architecture stands out under the gentle lighting. Yet, with plenty of cafes, wine bars, theatres, exhibitions and other cultural events from time to time, Valletta is a living city all year long.