Valletta day tour: Archaeology & St. John's Cathedral views

Walk Valletta's streets from Parliament to the Grand Harbour, then descend into centuries of Maltese history

A full-day guided tour of Valletta, Malta's capital, starting at the Parliament building and moving through the city's main landmarks on foot. You'll stand in the Upper Barracca Gardens overlooking the Grand Harbour, walk through the National Museum of Archaeology to see artifacts from 5000 BC onward, visit St. John's Co-Cathedral with its Caravaggio painting, and tour Casa Rocca Piccola, a 16th-century noble house. Lunch is served at a family-run restaurant, and the Malta Experience audio-visual show rounds out the afternoon before returning to the start.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Upper Barrakka Gardens30m
2. Auberge de Castille5m
3. National Museum of Archaeology1h
4. St. John's Co-Cathedral1h
5. Casa Rocca Piccola45m

Full day tour of Valletta highlights

• Meet guide at main entrance
• Walk past Royal Opera House ruins
• Visit Upper Barrakka Gardens
• Admire Auberge de Castille facade
• See Palazzo Parisio on Merchants Street
• View Auberge d'Italie building
• Tour National Museum of Archaeology
• Visit St. John's Co-Cathedral and Museum
• Lunch at family-run restaurant
• Visit Casa Rocca Piccola palace
• Experience The Malta Experience audio-visual show
• Return to starting point and end tour

The experience

The tour begins at the main entrance opposite the new Parliament building, designed by Renzo Piano, and heads straight toward the Upper Barracca Gardens. The gardens sit on Valletta's eastern edge and open onto views of the Grand Harbour, the fortified cities of Senglea and Vittoriosa across the water, and the Breakwater. You'll have time to see monuments including a bronze bust of Winston Churchill before moving on through the city streets.

The walking route takes you past the Auberge de Castille, built in 1741 as a residence for the Grand Masters and now the Prime Minister's official seat, and through Merchants Street to the National Museum of Archaeology. Housed in the Auberge de Provence, the museum holds artifacts spanning Malta's Neolithic period around 5000 BC through the Phoenician period at 400 BC. St. John's Co-Cathedral comes next: the interior is covered floor to ceiling in marble memorials and decorative inlay, and the right side chapel holds Caravaggio's "Beheading of St John the Baptist." You'll also pass the Collegiate Parish Church of St. Paul's Shipwreck, built in 1570, which houses a gilded statue of St Paul carved in Rome in the 1650s.

After lunch at a family restaurant, the afternoon includes Casa Rocca Piccola, a 16th-century palace that remains the home of the de Piro family and offers access to World War II bomb shelters built beneath the house. The Malta Experience wraps up the day with a 45-minute historical documentary and a 30-minute visit to La Sacra Infermeria, an old hospital built by the Knights of St. John. The tour returns to the starting point by late afternoon.

What’s included

• A professional guide fluent in English, Italian or French leads the full day.
• lunch is served at a family-run restaurant in Valletta.
• entry to the Malta Experience audio-visual show and La Sacra Infermeria is included.

Before you book

Days and timesNext departure: 3 Feb 2027

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, French and Italian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 9 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Sans Frontiers Europe

Is this one for you?Choose this if you want a guided walk through Valletta's main sites (cathedral, museum, harbor views) with a professional who handles the route and pacing, rather than navigating and deciding stops yourself.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, French and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 12 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What can I see from the Upper Barracca Gardens in Valletta?

The Upper Barracca Gardens overlook the Grand Harbour and the fortified cities of Senglea, Vittoriosa and Kalkara across the water, along with the Breakwater. The gardens also hold monuments including a bronze bust dedicated to Winston Churchill.

What artifacts are in the National Museum of Archaeology?

The National Museum of Archaeology, housed in the Auberge de Provence, displays artifacts from Malta's Neolithic period around 5000 BC through the Phoenician period at 400 BC, spanning the island's earliest human settlement and Bronze Age occupation.

What is inside St. John's Co-Cathedral?

St. John's Co-Cathedral features walls, ceilings and floors entirely decorated with marble memorials and colorful inlaid patterns honoring dead knights. The right side chapel holds Caravaggio's famous painting "Beheading of St John the Baptist."

Can I see World War II shelters on this tour?

Casa Rocca Piccola, a 16th-century palace visited in the afternoon, offers access to World War II bomb shelters built beneath the house during the island's wartime occupation.

What does the Malta Experience include?

The Malta Experience combines a 45-minute historical documentary show about the Maltese Islands with a 30-minute visit to La Sacra Infermeria, an old hospital built by the Knights of St. John.