John (also known as the Knights of Malta or the Knights Hospitaller), on a peninsula with large natural harbours on both of its flanks. The city was built by the Knights of the Order of St. Was the (joint) European Capital of Culture for 2018.īesides being one of the smallest capitals in Europe, it’s also one of the youngest, having been founded a little over 450 years ago.The main public transport hub (bus route terminus) for Malta is located on Valletta’s doorstep.Over 25 churches in Valletta alone, despite its small size.Rich in Baroque architecture, some buildings date back to the 16th century.Named after Grandmaster Jean Parisot de Valette, who founded the city in 1566.Valletta was strategically built like a fort with bastion walls surrounding its perimeters by the Knights of Malta (Knights of the Order of St.Parliament and a number of ministries reside within the city.Commercial centre and place of work for thousands of Maltese working in government, finance and tourism.Also called il-Belt (‘The City’) by the locals.Flanked by two natural harbours: Marsamxett and Grand Harbour.Malta’s capital (since 1571), and the smallest capital city in the EU (at just 0.55 sq km).Intrigued? In this article, I cover the basics of what you need to know about Valletta, what makes it so special and what’s worth seeing and experiencing when you decide to pay Malta’s capital a visit. That doesn’t mean the place is swarming with tourists, however, although tour groups aren’t an uncommon sight, particularly during the summer months. That’s right, the city of Valletta as a whole is recognised by UNESCO for its historical and cultural value. So much so that it’s been an officially listed UNESCO World Heritage site since 1980. Valletta is Malta’s administrative and commercial hub, with several government departments occupying some of its historical buildings and several financial and logistics companies having their offices here.ĭespite its small size, Valletta is packed with sites of historical significance, with buildings dating back to the 16th century. Its streets were aligned in a grid-like layout, being wide and straight, which is said to have been chosen to allow the sea breeze to provide respite from Malta’s hot summer weather. Built on a peninsula between two natural harbours (Grand Harbour and Marsamxett Harbour), the city sits perched on higher ground.

La valletta