Valletta Travel Forum

Always interested in the Knights of Malta and the Great Seige. Unfortunately our cruise ship (HAL Westerdam) is only stopping for a total of 7 hrs. (11x 6P on 10/6)
Any advice on how to maximize this short stay (probably concentrating on Valletta - Grand Masters Palace, fortifications, St. Elmo, etc). Would a personal guide for the two of us make sense to maximize this short time frame? Any thoughts would be sincerely appreciated. Walter & Carol

Valletta is not big.

I suggest to skip the Grand Master's Palace.

Go to the Upper Barakka Gardens.

Visit the Cathedral. I didn' visit it.

Take a tour at Casa Rocca Piccola, it is on Republic Street, quite at the end of it.

We did a port stop there for about the same amount of time. I would forgo a formal tour and just read up and figure out what you want to see and walk. The pier to most of the good stuff is not that bad of a walk.

Beg, steal or borrow "THE GREAT SEIGE; MALTA 1565" by Ernle Bradford.
It is a small book and a minute investment of money and time.
It is the best, overall, book I have read about the Siege.
It is also a magnificent tribute to the place you are visiting.

Once you read this book you will not need a guide.
You will be able to follow in the footsteps of the Knights.
In that fateful year, 1565, years after being beaten at the gates of Vienna, The great Ottoman Empire battered itself to death on the shores you will be visiting.

Saint John's Co-Cathedral is a must.
There, you will walk among tributes to the dead heroes.
It is as the world once was…uncompromising.

Take your time. Read the book, buy a map and work out your own it nary.
Only then should you travel there.
Negotiate a price with a Taxi driver for the 7 hours.
Only then can you understand the history surrounding.
Time does stand still for those who want to understand.

If you do some research you should be able to visit Valletta by your own. As other VTers said, the place is not big so should not be a problem.

Unfortunately, in 7hours you cannot see much,otherwise I would also suggest that you include also Mdina. Maybe you could have a look at it,if you take a Taxi from Valletta.

Thank you very much for your amazingly prompt response. Your advice is very much appreciated. Walter & Carol

Hi,

I don't know if this post will be too late or not but thought i'd write it anyway just in case. If you're really interested in the Knights and the Great Siege then a visit to 'The Malta Experience' is a must. It is a 45 minute show (cinema) that goes through all the history of Malta. It is located just in front of the Mediterranean Conference Centre. (if you keep walking along the coast you will find it easily).

this is their website for more info... www.themaltaexperience.com

Hope you enjoy your cruise!