23 essentials: what to see and visit in Malta on a getaway

Connoisseur of great cultural interest having Malta, I had been meaning to travel to that country for a long time, which I have recently done on two occasions.

This has allowed me to discover the most important attractions of cultural and landscape heritage of this small island Central Mediterranean.

Malta It has a very long history marked above all by the presence for centuries of the Knights of the Order of Saint John, Also known as the Hospitallers, and currently as the order of maltese.

Curiosities history of Malta

In fact, during the 16th century Malta It was considered as the bastion of Christianity to stop the advance of the Muslim Ottomans through the Mediterranean coast.

Therefore, from a cultural and historical point of view, this very small country shows very peculiar and interesting characteristics that mark your visit.

With two official languages, English, after almost two centuries of being a British colony, and Maltese, whose base is Arabic with a curious mixture with Italian and English itself, your trip to Malta You should focus on discovering your cultural heritage.

You should know that despite its location in the Mediterranean coast, Malta It is not a specific sun and beach destination, since on the three small islands that make up the country there are no large sandy beaches but rather small coves.

Of course, due to the transparency of its waters and its orographic characteristics, it has become a famous diving destination.

Best places to see and visit in Malta

Taking these premises into account, for a visit on your own, here you have 23 places to see and visit in your first sightseeing trip to malta, both on the main island and on the Gozo. for which you will need several days.

If you are only going to visiting Malta during a cruise stopover, you can sign up for this Malta excursion for cruise passengers with guide in spanish during which in four hours you will make the essential visits to Valletta and the citadel of Mdina.

Senglea Watchtower (Malta)

A very good way to start your trip to Malta is, just as we did on my last visit, heading from the airport to a beautiful gazebo What is there in Senglea to see the typical panoramic views of Valletta.

Senglea It is one of those known as Tres Cities, which extend in front of the country's capital, forming an impressive complex of fortifications that surround the entire bay where the Valletta Grand Harbor.

This complex is one of the reasons why Valletta has been declared Heritage awarded by the Unesco.

The aforementioned viewpoint on the wall has a beautiful watchtower (gardjola), which has become one of the iconic images of Malta.

Birgu (Vittoriosa) in Malta

Next to Senglea is Birgu, another of the three cities, which is currently called Vittoriosa.

I can tell you that walking through the interior of this small walled city will be one of the most charming moments during your trip to the small Mediterranean country.

Fort Saint Angelo in Birgu (Malta)

Due to its special location in front of the capital, throughout history since the time of the Phoenicians it has been an enclave with great defensive importance.

You can check it right from the entrance, with some robust walls, which open with a large door, and right at the tip of the peninsula of Birgu is the Fort San Angelo, which is thought to have been the first fortification on the island.

In your Birgu's visit you will have to walk through the narrow streets of its medieval neighborhood, which offer very beautiful corners with a succession of palatial buildings and old hostels.

Inquisitor's Palace in Birgu (Malta)

El Inquisitor's Palace from 1574 is one of the best examples of these palatial buildings from Birgu.

the Inquisition until its abolition in Malta in 1798, now you can visit it to discover curious corners such as the Court room.

Other places of interest in Birgu are the church of San Lorenzo, the main one of the city, or the war museum dedicated to Malta's participation in the Second World War.

Valletta (Malta)

Of course, one of the focuses of your trip to Malta it's going to be the visit of Valletta.

Don't expect to find a big city, because in reality it is a small, completely fortified city where barely 8.500 people reside.

During your visit you should walk along its main pedestrian street, the Republic, and its surroundings, where you will find many charming corners.

Barakka Gardens in Valletta (Malta)

Notable places are Barakka Gardens, where if you arrive by cruise ship you can go up from the port pier in a modern elevator.

It is an excellent viewpoint of the fortifications of the Three Cities, which you will see opposite, on the other side of the port.

En Upper Barakka Every day at 12 in the morning the cannon firing ceremony, which has become one of the main tourist attractions on the island.

En Lower Barakka a small one will catch your attention classical style temple, monument dedicated to a British officer who was sent to help the Maltese during the revolt against Napoleon.

St. John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta (Malta)

The great monument whose visit you cannot miss in Valletta is the St. John's Co-Cathedral, building from 1577 with an impressive interior decoration in the Baroque style.

Inside you will see what is considered a great masterpiece of Caravaggio, , The beheading of Saint John the Baptist.

Fort St. Elmo in Valletta (Malta)

Others places of interest that you can also visit in Valletta are Fort of San Telmo, one of whose corners you may recognize as it was the setting for the Turkish prison in the film The midnight express.

In addition to walking along the walls seeing the entrance of the Valletta Grand Harbor, you can tour the rooms of a war museum.

Knights Hospital in Valletta (Malta)

In the old Knights Hospital, current headquarters of conferences and exhibitions, you will be able to see the largest hall in Europe.

Basilica of the Carmelites in Valletta (Malta)

If there is something that is going to attract a lot of attention in your trip to Malta is large number of churches in the country, more than 500, many of them covered with enormous domes and built relatively recently.

That is the case of the Basilica of the Carmelites en Valletta, a very modern building from 1981 that culminates with the large dome that dominates the skyline de la ciudad.

Grand Master's Palace in Valletta (Malta)

En Valletta you can also visit the Palace of the Grand Master, which was the historical residence of the highest authority of the Order of Saint John.

Currently it is the residence of Republic President and on your visit inside you can see several official rooms and a armor museum.

Sliema (Malta)

Among the cities surrounding the peninsula where Valletta is located, it is worth highlighting Sliema, because it is the most commercial and leisure area that is around the capital.

It is a place where hotel establishments abound, along with the nearby St. Julian's, and there you find interesting restaurants.

Furthermore, since his promenade you can see one of the most beautiful panoramic views of the walled city of Valletta, or get on a boat to take a cruise around the area.

St Julians (Malta)

The aforementioned St. Julian's has gained fame as the preferred place for Maltese and tourists to enjoy the nightlife, specifically in the area of paceville.

In this coastal enclave also close to Valletta, the largest number of five-star hotels in the country are concentrated, and it is the place where the Casino.

Mdina Citadel (Malta)

One of the really essential places on your trip to Malta is Mdina, ancient capital of the island.

It is a small walled city Located on a hill, through which the Phoenicians, the Romans and the Muslims passed,

In the Middle Ages It was the place of residence of the Maltese aristocracy who called it the Noble City.

After the arrival of the Knights of Saint John and the transfer of the capital to the new city of Valletta, Mdina lost importance.

Now also known as the City of Silence, riding a Mdina You find a place with enormous charm, with a mix of medieval and baroque architecture, and with numerous palaces and churches scattered throughout its alleys.

St. Paul's Cathedral in Mdina (Malta)

Building built in the 17th century, inside the San Pablo's cathedral Above all, you will be struck by its floor covered with marble plaques that cover the graves of bishops and clerics of the church.

Palazzo Falson in Mdina (Malta)

If you want to know what the palaces in the heyday of Mdina, you can visit the Falson Palace, an original building from the 14th century.

It is now set up as a museum managed by the foundation of the Norwegian owner who bought it at the beginning of the 20th century.

Rabat (Malta)

Next to Mdina the city spreads Rabat, where you also find other interesting historical corners, from archaeological remains of the Roman times, even numerous catacombs visits that extend through its subsoil.

El origin of Rabat dates back to the Roman city of Melita, time in which archaeological vestiges They confirm that it was of great importance.

It is a city that preserves several monasteries witnesses of the presence in it of the Franciscans, Dominicans and Augustinians.

Catacombs in Rabat (Malta)

There are several places where you can visit catacombs in Rabat, among which those of San Pablo, with 4 kilometers of extension through the basement of the city.

These tunnels used as burial places date back to the Phoenician era, being expanded by the Romans.

During their stay in Malta, the Muslims changed the catacombs of use, since they removed the burial sites and converted them into agricultural warehouses.

It is also worth noting the Catacombs of Saint Agatha, which preserve some paintings, although they can only be visited in the mornings.

Roman villa in Rabat (Malta)

As a reflection of the presence of the Romans in this enclave of the island, in front of the main access door to the Mdina wallalready in Rabat, you find a museum where the remains of a Roman Village.

Inside, the central patio of the villa has been recreated where you can see its main attraction, a large Roman mosaic.

What to see and visit on the island of Gozo (Malta)

If your stay in Malta is several days, you must reserve one of them to make a excursion to the island of Gozo.

There you find various interesting enclaves in a more rural environment, with a coast with cliffs and coves.

For cross to Gozo have a Ferrys that leave with a frequency of every 20 minutes from a port in the north of the island of Malta, Cirkewwa, and in less than half an hour they take you to Mgarr, where the port of the island of gozo.

During the journey you will navigate alongside the Comino island, a natural park where excursions are also made, from which you can see the enclave known as the Blue Lagoon.

Megalithic temples of Cgantija in Gozo

Another reason why this small country is on the list of World Heritage it's for their megalithic temples, of which there are up to 27 enclaves located both on the island of Malta and on the island of Gozo.

Precisely on this island is one of the most important enclaves where you can see these temples of a civilization that had settled on these islands between 3.900 and 3.200 years BC.

These are megalithic temples of Cgantija, a complex of two sets of stones that have remained despite the passage of time, which are considered the oldest monuments in the world.

The Azure Window in Gozo (Malta)

It's about what was one of the Malta icon images and one of its main scenic attractions on some islands that when the Knights of Saint John described as a “dry".

I mean the rocky arch known as the Blue window…which collapsed at the beginning of March 2017 as a result of the large waves caused by a storm.

But in view of our traveling experience, the place has not failed to arouse the curiosity of tourists who travel to Malta, who still want to see the cliff landscape where now the Blue window, In the Dwejra Bay.

Citadel of Vitoria in Gozo (Malta)

La capital of the island es Vitoria, whose current name was given in 1887 in tribute to the Queen Victoria of England.

The corner of greatest interest is its fortified citadel dating back to the Phoenician era, place where the main monumental enclaves are concentrated.

La Citadel of Vitoria It was almost destroyed during a major earthquake and most of the buildings were not rebuilt.

Currently, the cathedral, but without its great dome, and only the bishop now resides in the ancient citadel.

Also noteworthy in the most modern area of Vitoria, outside the walls, the St. George's Church, which shows a very sumptuous interior decoration and, above all, a canopy of incredible dimensions.