Valletta Travel Forum

Hello VT,

My wife and I are from Sweden. Our cruise will visit Valletta on December 2, 2009. We want to do some walking in the morning but the up-hill steps will be too much for us. I have 2 ideas and hope you can help us with your comments.

We could go to the "Upper Barrakka Gardens". Can you get a bus at the waterfront or do you have to walk to the bus station at the fountain? What bus number would we take? From Barrakka Gardens we could walk back down to the waterfront. Are there several roads leading from the garden to the waterfront? Do you have a favorite route or triq? Do you have favorite places to get a cool drink and/or something light to eat along the way?

Second could walk from Valletta to Sliema and take the ferry back. Maybe we would walk to the bus station and then thru Maglio Gardens to the strand and then on to Sliema. Do you have special places you like along this
walk?

Which of these walks would you recommend for a 62 year old couple in average health? We have about 4 or 5 hours, from early (8 am) morning to around noon or 1 pm. We really like local hang-outs and a cold Cisk or 2 would be great even in December at noon.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to answer this question.

Not sure about steps from the waterfront (cruise ship dock?) to the town but the walk from the Bus Station (fountain) to the Upper Barracca Gardens is fairly flat with maybe a slight hill just to the right inside the main gates.

The main street leading away from the gate through the town to the cathedral and palace is a slight incline leading to a steeper section towards the end. There are cafes/bars along there as well as shops. We loved to visit "The Pub" - a tiny british-style pub where the actor Oliver Reed died. Although that sounds morbid, the setting is a small tribute to a reportedly generous and funny man. Definitely worth a look and a small beer - The Pub, 136 Archbishop Street, Valletta. (Just off the main stree mentioned above)

Personally I would not walk to Sliema but would take the ferry across both ways or take the bus one-way if you wish to explore the "other side" - You might enjoy the Grand Harbour cruise that is run from the waterfront at Sliema - see my Malta page and tips - the larger boat run by Captain Morgan cannot get as close to some of the sights as the smaller boats. We took the Luzzu cruise instead of the Captain Morgan boat. In the time you have you might just fit-in this mini-cruise (about 1 hour?)
Have a great time! I hope these suggestions are of interest.

Taxi costs here (fixed tariff):
http://www.maltatransport.com/en/ptd/passengertransport/Taxis.pdf

Thank you for your reply. I have seen some photogaphs which make the uphill walk look terrible. I remember some of the walks we took on Santorini. The views were breath-taking and so were the stairs. After reading your reply we might just take a shot at walking to the gardens. I had read the review on "The Pub" and it is on my list for a cold brew. Because we are on a cruise, which means eating more than we should, we want to walk non-stop at a good pace for about and hour or so. I thought the walk along the waterfront to Sleima might provide a good place for that. Thanks again for your help.

I have been to the waterfront and it is a steep clinb out but only a short distance to Valletta so probably no buses I never saw one anyway you could probably get a cab it is very close so it will be quite cheep. Upper barrakka is just inside Valletta but I have walked from Sliema to Valletta and it is a very long walk I think about 5 miles if it is hot it will seem longer.
The ferry from Sliema is at the bottom of a realy long steep bank back into Valletta if you use it it is better to go from Valletta to Sliema at least then you are walking downhill. please feel free to ask me anything Ian.

This was a great help. I was not sure which way to take the ferry. Now I know. I like to walk, but prefer down hill to up hill. The legs are still good but the lungs have been better. If I have any other questions I will ask. Thanks so much for your help. Lee

Hi!
It’s for people who are in Malta or interested on visiting Malta…
I arrived here a few weeks ago and I have visited several places since then, around the island. However, although I had been several times in Valletta (the capital city in the country), I haven`t discovered a really interesting service that gave me the opportunity of enjoy the city on my owns… I could say that, from now, I would see the city in a different Light!
I thought that Malta was a very small country without a lot of things to do or places to visit, but it wasn’t true: there are so many things to discover!!! And we start in Valletta, a treasure!:
There is an innovate way to visit Valletta, it’s by using MyGuide service, an audio guide service that allows people to visit the city during an all day, in a more free a comfortable way and with a really interesting description of each place… I spent an all day enjoying it and I want to get back to each place in the city to continue enjoying the sights, the experience!!!This is the website of the service:
http://.myguide.com.mt/Main.html
Of course, don´t forget visiting St. John’s co-cathedral, really, really interesting and amazing!!!
Regards! and enjoy your tour in Valletta!!!

This is an interesting idea but I cannot find a price.