Valletta: Mysterium Fidei Monastery & Secret Garden Tour

What happens inside a monastery garden that's been sealed for four centuries?

You enter a cloistered monastery in Valletta's heart that was closed to the public for four centuries. The audio tour takes you through original kitchens, bedrooms, and a crypt, then into a walled garden where nuns grew their own food and where cats still live. Plan for about an hour inside. The quiet and the smallness of the spaces are what make it feel real.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Mysterium Fidei Monastery and Garden

• Enter St Catherine’s Monastery
• Visit original kitchens and bedrooms
• See washrooms and crypt
• Walk through the enclosed garden
• Observe monastery cats and surroundings
• Listen to audio tour

The experience

You walk past the busy Valletta streets and find a narrow door on St Christopher Street. It doesn't look like much from outside. That's partly the point. The nuns who lived here took vows never to leave, so the whole place was built inward: kitchens, bedrooms, washrooms, a crypt where they were buried, and a garden that stayed hidden while the city grew around it. Now you get to step into that world with a free audio tour, moving through rooms that still feel lived-in because, in a way, they are.

The garden is what stays with you. It's small, enclosed, and completely quiet. You can actually hear the chickens moving around, see vegetables growing in raised beds, fruit trees in corners. The nuns had to be self-sufficient, so everything they needed was here. Cats live in the monastery now and apparently they're used to visitors. They wander through the garden while you're listening to the audio, sometimes stopping to sit in the sun while you take photos. It's not a performance or a reconstruction. The architecture is original, the spaces are narrow and low-ceilinged the way they were built, and the whole thing has the feeling of walking into someone's actual home, just one that's been preserved.

The audio tour guides you through the crypt, their final resting place, and the bedrooms where the nuns slept, and you start to understand what "closed off from the outside world" actually meant. No windows facing the street, no way out once you took your vows. It's sobering and strange and somehow the garden makes it less bleak. The fact that it was sealed for over 400 years and only recently opened means there's no gift shop energy, no crowds. You're one of maybe a handful of people inside at any given time. Strollers work fine if you're traveling with small children, and the walk from the main Valletta streets is short enough that it doesn't feel like a trek.

What’s included

Your visit includes free audio tour access, entry to all monastery spaces (kitchens, bedrooms, washrooms, crypt), and access to the enclosed garden. Service animals are welcome, and strollers work throughout the site.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (11 and older) · Child (5 to 10 years) · Infant (under 5): free

Audio guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Polish and Russian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go 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.

Prices and times updated 9 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Mysterium Fidei By Hidden Valletta

Is this one for you?Right for travelers exploring Valletta who want something quieter than the main attractions: a real monastery, not a museum recreation, where you move at your own pace with an audio guide. Expect to spend about an hour inside. The narrow spaces and low ceilings are part of what makes it feel authentic, not cramped.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 10 years); Infant (under 5): free.

How long does the Mysterium Fidei monastery tour take?

The visit typically takes around one hour, moving at your own pace with the audio tour.

Is the audio tour included in the ticket price?

Yes, the audio tour is free and included with entry.

Where exactly is Mysterium Fidei located?

It's on St Christopher Street and Strait Street in central Valletta, easy to find while walking through the city.

Are service animals allowed inside?

Yes, service animals are permitted.

Is there public transport nearby?

Yes, public transportation options are available near the monastery.

What will I actually see inside?

You'll see the original kitchens, bedrooms, washrooms, the crypt, and the enclosed garden where the nuns grew food and still live today.

Can you take photos in the garden?

Yes, photography is allowed. The garden and cats are popular photo spots.