In this article I will show you all the best things to do in Valletta in one day. Valletta is Malta’s stamp-sized, but picture perfect capital city. This city will bring a smile to your face from the moment you enter through the City Gate. It’s like venturing into a world of adventure and historical wonder. Visit all of the best things to do in Valletta in this article in the order described for a fantastic walking tour.
More time in Malta than just one day? Then check out my article for a one week in Malta itinerary.
11 Best Things To Do in Valletta in One Day
1. Enter Valletta through the City Gate
To start your perfect one day in Valletta you enter the city through the Renzo Piano designed City Gate. As you cross the bridge and see the fortifications you feel like you’re embarking on a great adventure.
2. Parliament Building
Love it or hate it, Renzo Piano’s Parliament Building. Nothing has changed much in Valletta since the city’s establishment in the 16th and 17th centuries. So this modern piece of architecture is surely making people have an opinion on it. What do you think?
Malta’s parliament moved into the building in 2015 and despite how controversial the building may look it seems like a great place to work and keep democracy going.
3. Royal Opera House (Teatru Rjal)
Walking past the stelae of the Royal Opera House you might assume the building is thousands of years old. That’s not the case at all, but the building did have an exciting past. Possibly more exciting than it would’ve wished it had.
The Royal Opera House was constructed in the 1860’s, but only a few years later the interior got extremely damaged by a large fire. And then not even a century later, in 1942, the building got completely destroyed during a German air raid.
With new seats installed it’s now a wonderful space to catch an open-air concert.
4. MUZA – Museum of Fine Arts
MUZA which is also called the Museum of Fine Arts is, situated in the Auberge d’Italie. The museum’s collection features four main narratives, of which each showcases cultural works from different ages.
The building dates back to the 16th century and was once inhabited by the Knights of St John.
5. St. John’s Co-Cathedral
One of the highlights of any day in Valletta is a visit to St. John’s Co-Cathedral.The church was built between 1573 and 1578 and despite its very understated exterior, wait until you get inside.
Once inside the church every nook and cranny is shouting for your attention. All the chapels are richly decorated, which is showcased on the marble floor tiles. These are like a large patchwork. Stunning! And on top of it all the church has two paintings by Caravaggio.
6. Grand Master’s Palace
Another building of great significance in Malta’s history is the Grand Master’s Palace. It was here where the Grand Masters of the Knights of St. John would reside. More recently this is where the Maltese parliament was housed before it moved into its new Renzo Piano designed residence.
When visiting at the end of 2022 the building was closed for visitors, but usually you can visit the Armoury in what once were the stables. Furthermore, you should then also be able to visit some of the State Apartments. Finally, the Grand Master’s Palace is the official residence of Malta’s President.
7. Wander the little streets
The historical buildings in this list of things to do in one day in Valletta are all nice and well, but don’t forget to just look around while wandering the streets.
Continue on the eastern side of the peninsula on Triq San Pawl (St. Paul’s Street), where you’ll find a lot of side streets with steep stairs. Now I’m not suggesting you ramble up and down all of them but they will offer you some great views.
8. Fort St. Elmo & National War Museum
At the very tip of the peninsula you’ll find the Fort St. Elmo. This fort was built by the Knights in 1552 and must have been the perfect location for guarding the peninsula and its harbours.
In 2015 the fort was restored and now also houses the National War Museum. The displays are very interesting, because they give you a good and interactive overview of Malta and its history.
9. Siege Bell Memorial & Lower Barrakka Gardens
Following the road on the eastern side of the peninsula from Fort St. Elmo and back towards the city gate you come across the Siege Bell Memorial. The memorial was instigated to commemorate the siege of Malta during WWII. Walk up the stairs here and enjoy the views.
On the other side of the road you can take the stairs up to the Lower Barrakka Gardens, where you’ll find a nice Doric temple. This is the temple to commemorate a certain Sir Alexander Ball, who in 1800 successfully captured Malta from the French.
10. Upper Barrakka Gardens
Where there’s something called a ‘lower’, there’s certainly something called an ‘upper’ not far away. Such is the case for the Upper Barrakka Gardens in Valletta as well. With even better views across the Grand Harbour from the balcony, these gardens provide a lovely bit of shadow. There’s a cafe here too, to get you rehydrated after a long day of sightseeing.
Tip: Take the lift down to the terrace from where you can catch the ferry to Birgu, one of the Three Cities on the other side of the Grand Harbour.
11. Finish your day in Valletta at Palazzo Parisio and Church of St. Catherine
And because a circle is round, if you have followed all the things to do in this article when you’re exiting the Upper Barrakka Gardens you’ll find yourself pretty much back at the start of this one day in Valletta.
Check out the wonderful Palazzo Parisio and the Church of St. Catherine. At the end of the day these should be catching golden hour light in full glory.
How to get to Valletta?
Public transport
It’s easy to get to Valletta from pretty much anywhere on the island. The Valletta bus station has connection to anywhere on the island. A ticket should cost €1.50-€3 for a ticket that’s valid for 2 hours. You can also buy blocks of 12-tickets for €15 to save some money.
Rental Car
When you’re visiting Valletta as part of a longer vacation in Malta most likely you have a rental car. I recommend finding a rental car through rentalcars.com. You can browse through pretty much all available cars on the island and easily purchase car insurance directly through them to avoid any hassle when checking out the car from the operator.
When deciding on a car, remember that smaller is better in Malta, since you’ll discover that many roads, especially those heading to the beaches tend to be very narrow.
Where to park in Valletta?
It’s best not drive your car into Valletta, because most streets are very narrow, one-way or inaccessible for cars altogether. Instead park you car for a mere 3 euros per day on the car park with the entrance on the southern side of Triq il-Mall. Make sure however to have the right amount in cash.
If you want totally free parking, then there’s also a small chance you can find a spot around the corner from the paid parking area on Vincenzo Dimech Rd.
How to get around in Valletta?
You would be seriously doing yourself a favour if you walk everywhere. The city of Valletta is so small that you can easily walk everywhere. Any other mode of transport would just be a waste of your time.
The best rated tours in Valletta
You can do most things yourself when it comes to sightseeing in Valletta for a day. However, if you feel you want more context, then a walking tour or a food tour could be a great option. I have selected some great tours below that you can try out.
Where to stay in Valletta?
Valletta is a good base to explore the rest of Malta from, but parking next to your accommodation could be a challenge though. If that’s something you really want, then perhaps stay in nearby Sliema or St. Julians.
Follow the below links for the 5 best areas to stay when you want to visit Valletta:
Final Thoughts
Thanks for reading all the way to the end of this article. I’m sure you now have all the information in order to make your day in Valletta unforgettable. Leave a comment in the section below if you have any further questions about Valletta or Malta, or if you simply want to leave your thoughts about this article.
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