Should I spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Valletta?
Should you spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Valletta?
Many travelers spend one to three days in Valletta during their visit. After all, the cultural town has plenty to explore such as the famous sights and museums, the historic old town, and the restaurant scene.
Valletta is the small but impressive capital of the Mediterranean island nation of Malta. The town is compact and rich in history and culture. It looks out over one of the most magnificent harbors in Europe and is surrounding by ancient fortifications. The old town is easily explored on foot as you soak up the Mediterranean sunshine and dine at longstanding local restaurants.
Do you have one or two days to visit Valletta? Here's our comprehensive breakdown of how much time you might need for your trip along with some suggestions for things to do.
Is one day enough time in Valletta?
Valletta is popular with tourists and offers some fun sights and attractions. So with one day, you'll probably feel rushed to see the main attractions. You really need more time to appreciate everything that the cultural town has to offer. Many visitors prefer to have one to three days to fully enjoy the town. If you have one day or less, we still have some great ideas for what to do while you're in town.
How to spend a day in Valletta
Valletta is home to renowned museums and iconic landmarks, so dive into the town's famous attractions. The city's historical sites rank among the most awe-inspiring globally. With its rich culture and compact old town, there are countless museums, sights, and monuments that are worth visiting. Some options include Saint John's Co-Cathedral, the Grandmaster's Palace and Armory, the National Museum of Archaeology, Manoel Theater, and the Upper Barrakka Gardens.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Skip the Line: Malta Classic Car Museum Admission Ticket ($11)
- Valletta Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour ($7)
- The Knights of Malta Museum Entry Ticket ($7)
The culinary scene in Valletta is world famous, and draws visitors from around the globe. Make sure you spend time enjoying breakfast, lunch, and dinner at some of this town's best restaurants. And consider a food tour, too. Many are either a half day or just a few hours, so you can fit one into your schedule easily. The town's culinary scene has a long history with many traditional flavors. You really must experience a meal in one of the traditional stone cellar restaurants, which often serve local meze. Head to Republic Street for a stretch of longstanding restaurants in town. Local dishes include stuffat tal-fenek (rabbit stew), bragioli (rolled meat covered in sauce), and lampuki pie (fish pie).
A few tour suggestions include:
- Valletta Food Tour ($49)
- Valletta Food Tour - Eat like a local ($46)
- The Valletta Food Tour Experience, a private tour ($150)
Valletta is a walkable city and easy to explore on foot. With only a day in the town, you'll have no trouble seeing the local sights. The town is compact and easy to walk around with many sights within a short distance of each other. There's also very little street traffic.
Is a weekend (two to three days) enough time in Valletta?
A weekend is the perfect amount of time in Valletta, as many visitors prefer to spend around one to three days here. You'll be able to explore the major attractions and take part in this historical town's most popular things to do such as the famous sights and museums, the historic old town, the restaurant scene, and the gorgeous scenery. We have some suggestions for what to do and where to start your adventure below.
Valletta, Malta
How to spend 2 days in Valletta
With a weekend (two to three days) in Valletta, you'll have a bit more time to enjoy everything that the town has to offer.
The charming atmosphere and history of the old town area is worth exploring, so spend the day learning about the history and culture of the area. The old town is laid out with a uniform grid and the streets are lined with hundreds of historic buildings. At the heart of old town is Republic Street, which divides the area in half and is where you'll find a large concentration of restaurants.
A few tour suggestions include:
- The Valletta Street Food and Culture Walking Tour ($49)
- Mdina and Rabat - City Walking Tour ($20)
- Mdina and Rabat Food and History Tour ($74)
Valletta is known to be such a beautiful destination, so just exploring and taking it all in should be one of the top things to do on your list. With its long running history and striking cream buildings against the blue Mediterranean waters, this is a truly beautiful town.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Blue Lagoon SUNSET Cruise ($33)
- Private Boat, Blue lagoon, Crystal lagoon Comino, Gozo Malta Ultimate Highlights ($174)
- Okikoki Banis - Comino Blue Lagoon Speedboat Trip- Fast Ferry ($54)
The public transit in Valletta is fast and efficient. Over the course of a few days, you should be able to explore the town quite easily and affordably. If you're not up for walking up and down the hills, there are some buses around town.
More Info
If you're looking for more information about Valletta, we have even more advice to help you plan your journey.
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