Valletta Street Food Tour: Pastizzi, Ftira & Local Bites

Taste your way through Valletta's streets and centuries in one morning

A three-hour walking tour of Valletta blending Maltese history and street food, led by a local guide who shares stories at Republic Street, Castille Square, Upper Barrakka Gardens and the old market. You taste Pastizzi, Ftira with Kinnie, spiced coffee with Mqaret pastries, and finish with a traditional Maltese platter and Cisk lager at a local restaurant. Pickup and drop-off transfers from your hotel are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Valletta with food and history

• Meet at New Parliament Building
• Taste Pastizzi pastries
• Visit Upper Barrakka Gardens and Castille Square
• Eat Ftira flatbread with Kinnie soda
• Try Maltese spiced coffee and Mqaret pastries
• Dine on traditional Maltese platter with Cisk lager

The experience

The tour starts at 9:30 AM in front of the New Parliament Building at Valletta's entrance. Your guide meets you holding a City Walking Tours Malta sign or red umbrella, then leads you through the city's charming streets, stopping to taste what locals actually eat. You begin with Pastizzi (flaky golden pastries filled with creamy ricotta or spiced pea mash) the street snack Valletta is known for. From there you move through iconic landmarks: Republic Street, Castille Square, Merchants Street, and Upper Barrakka Gardens, each stop a moment to taste and hear the story behind it.

Midway through, you try Ftira, a freshly baked flatbread loaded with Mediterranean ingredients, paired with Kinnie, Malta's citrus-herb soda. Then comes Maltese spiced coffee, a unique local blend, alongside Mqaret, crispy pastries filled with dates, cinnamon and orange blossom water. The tour wraps at a local restaurant around 1:00 PM with a traditional Maltese platter: an assortment of tapas with Cisk lager. The menu rotates seasonally and may include handmade ravioli, rabbit stew, or other regional specialities your guide will reveal when you arrive. Your return transfer is scheduled for 1:45 PM from the Phoenicia Hotel, where your morning drop-off left you.

Vehicles cannot enter Valletta's city centre, so your driver drops you at the Phoenicia Hotel: a three-minute walk from the Parliament Building meeting point. Children under six are not permitted. The tour suits all fitness levels, and strollers are welcome for infants. Since the food is traditional Maltese cuisine, special dietary requests and allergies cannot be accommodated, so confirm any concerns with the operator when you book.

What’s included

• Sampling of Pastizzi, Ftira, Maltese spiced coffee, Mqaret pastries, and a traditional Maltese platter with tapas and Cisk lager.
• a licensed local guide leading the walk through Valletta's streets and landmarks.
• pickup and drop-off transfers from your hotel.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day except Wednesday and SundayDeparts at 09:30

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (6 and older) · Under 6: can't be booked

GroupUp to 20 · max 6 per booking

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Robert Arrigo & Sons

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you're traveling as a couple, a small group, or a family with children over five who want to eat and learn at the same time. The fixed three-hour schedule and set menu mean you're not choosing stops or dishes. You're following the guide's route and tasting what they've planned, which is what keeps the history and food woven together instead of feeling like two separate things.

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Top questions

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 exactly is Pastizzi and why does the tour start with it?

Pastizzi are flaky, golden pastries filled with either creamy ricotta or spiced pea mash, and they're Malta's most beloved street snack. The tour begins with them because they're the perfect introduction to how locals eat and the flavours that define Valletta's food culture.

How long is the walk and what landmarks do we actually visit?

The tour is three hours total, with walking through Republic Street, Castille Square, Merchants Street, Upper Barrakka Gardens and the old market. The pace is leisurely. You're stopping frequently to taste and listen to stories, not rushing between sites.

Does the tour include a full meal or just tastings?

It includes tastings throughout the walk (Pastizzi, Ftira, spiced coffee and Mqaret) plus a traditional Maltese platter with tapas and a glass of Cisk lager at a local restaurant at the end. The platter is a proper meal, not a sample.

What if I have food allergies or dietary restrictions?

The tour cannot accommodate special dietary requests, food intolerances or allergies because the food is traditional Maltese cuisine with fixed menus. If you have concerns, contact the operator before booking to discuss whether the tour is suitable for you.

How does the pickup and drop-off work?

Your driver picks you up from your hotel and drops you at the Phoenicia Hotel in Valletta, a three-minute walk from the Parliament Building where the tour starts at 9:30 AM. The return transfer departs from the same hotel at 1:45 PM after the tour ends around 1:00 PM. Confirm your pickup location and time with the operator a few days before your tour date.