48 Best Sights in Malta

Catacombs run under much of Rabat. Up Saint Agatha Street from Parish Square, the Catacombs of St. Paul are clean of bones but full of carved-out burial troughs and feature the most comprehensive information on the rituals of the city's underground world, including why each tomb is a different shape. St. Agatha's Crypt and Catacombs, farther up the street, were beautifully frescoed between 1200 and 1480, then defaced by Turks in 1551. Back on the square lies arguably the most impressive surviving tunnel area, the Wignacourt Complex, which includes St. Paul's Grotto—believed to be the site where the apostle St. Paul lived during his time in Malta. This labyrinthine network of burial chambers here dates from Punic times and holds one surprise: just below it are a series of World War II bomb shelters (some 50 rooms) carved by hand from an existing water cistern dug centuries earlier by the Knights of the Order of St. John. The Wignacourt museum upstairs houses reliquaries, relics, and paintings by Mattia Preti.

Built in 1552 by the Knights of St. John to defend the harbor, this fort was completely destroyed during the Great Siege of 1565 by the Ottoman Turks and was rebuilt by succeeding military leaders. Today, some parts are still off-limits to visitors as restorations continue, but it has both fantastic views and is also now home to the excellent National War Museum. Malta's history is one of invasion, and the museum charts this in gripping detail through the ages. It is particularly strong on the reign of the Knights, who, when kicked out of Rhodes in 1522 by the Ottoman Turks, resumed their struggle for religious hegemony in Malta over countless battles, sieges, and raids. It also delves well into the tug of war between Napoléon and the British, as well as the island's fate during World War II, offering easily the most comprehensive historical overview of Valletta. Its audio-visual tales are also often nail-biting, particularly the tale of "Operation Pedestal," in which the Allied forces sought to squeeze a supply ship through enemy lines to Malta in 1942 and, in doing so, changed the course of the war. Alongside this are a collection of rare military objects, including President Roosevelt's Jeep, "Husky," and one of the Gloster Sea Gladiator biplanes that defended the island so stoutly.

Imagine domes rising from the heavy stone walls of eastern Xagħra's 5,800-year-old Ġgantija Temples, and you will get a sense of their original power. Each bears the classic five-apse plan that is the signature of Maltese megalithic temples. This is currently considered to be the oldest free-standing man-made structure in the world, created more than 1,000 years before the first stone was laid of the Pyramids of Giza. Much of it has been reconstructed from sketches by European travelers who visited over the centuries, as locals slowly picked away at its stones. An adjoining museum puts it all in context and shows many of the carvings discovered here.

What appears a rather functional-looking building from the outside is deceiving. Inside, this is one of the world's most lavishly decorated Baroque cathedrals. The discrepancy between its exterior and interior reflect the different eras through which it has stood. It was completed in 1578 by the Knights of St. John as their own church. In the 17th century, the order's mounting treasures from the Holy Land and the desire to build a cathedral to rival those of Rome saw it get a spectacular makeover. A floor made up of a patchwork of colored-marble tombstones (the final resting place of some 375 knights and officers of the order) shines beneath a breathtakingly intricate arched ceiling largely decorated by the Calabrian artist and knight Mattia Preti. In the Oratory is Caravaggio's only signed work, the dramatic and unsparing Beheading of John the Baptist (1607), which hangs above the very spot where the rogue artist was defrocked and deknighted following a brawl (he had already fled to Malta to escape punishment for murder). Also hanging here is another of the artist's works, the touchingly frail image of Saint Jerome Writing (1606), which found infamy after it was stolen from the Co-Cathedral in 1984 and held hostage. The cathedral museum is currently being extended (work is set to be completed in 2021) to include a special area dedicated to Caravaggio and its collections of silver, tapestries, and vestments, set to be completed in 2021. The entrance fee includes an audio guide. Public access (main ticket office) is on Republic St.

Narrow heeled shoes such as stilettos are not allowed, but slippers can be purchased at reception; women in short skirts will be given coverings.

Carved under the town of Paola, a few minutes drive to the west of Cospicua, this massive labyrinth of underground chambers was used as a subterranean necropolis and funeral hall, dating from around 4,000 BC, and remains the only one of its kind in Europe. It reopened in 2017 following a year-long restoration (even the carbon dioxide exhaled by visitors can damage its walls), adding an audiovisual show that outlines its history. Many chambers are decorated with red ocher or fine carvings, including the Oracle Room which was cleverly shaped to amplify sound. Because of its delicate state, only 10 visitors per hour, for a maximum of eight hours a day, are allowed inside.  Book tickets for tours at least a month in advance.

Housed in the 17th-century palazzo Bondi, the museum exhibits objects from various ancient periods through the early 20th century.

Ticket includes admission to The Old Prison, Gran Castello Historic House, and the Natural Science Museum.

A pair of UNESCO-listed megalithic sites that predate even the U.K.'s Stonehenge, the 4,800-year-old Ħaġar Qim ("ha-jar eem") gives a clear picture of the massive scale of Malta's ancient limestone temples. Along the external wall you'll find the largest megaliths, some weighing close to 20 tons. The altars are well preserved, though some are reproductions. Just a short walk away lies Mnajdra, a series of three temples encircled by hard coralline limestone walls. Built between 3600 BC and 2500 BC, what survives is thought to be the remains of a much larger complex. Visitor centers for both sites offer as many answers as fascinating mysteries about their use.

The turnoff for the Blue Grotto, a dazzling series of sea caves off Qrendi's coast, is 1 km (½ mile) beyond the lookout on Triq Wied Iz-Zurrieq road, which offers parking and fine views. From there, a steep road takes you down to a rocky inlet and harbor where noisy boats (€8) leave for the grottoes and the stained-glass-blue waters that splash their walls.

A natural inlet of languid azure waters sheltered by golden-hued rocky islets, its white sand and clear waters make this one of the finest spots for swimming and snorkelling in Malta. A lack of silt results in excellent water clarity and a good range of sea life means there's always something of interest even in the shallows.

Blue Lagoon is regularly used as a film location, most famously for the naval scenes in the Hollywood blockbuster Troy (2004) with Brad Pitt. Today the area has become a must-visit day trip by boat from Malta and the numbers of visitors—thousands in a single day—can overwhelm the site during peak season (July and August).

To escape the crowds, try kayaking trips from the mainland, which drop in on the lagoon but then go on to explore less crowded coves and inlets, with plenty of time for snorkeling.

Get your tree fix at Buskett Gardens, a short drive (or 40-minute walk) south of Rabat. This pleasant stretch of woodland was a former hunting ground for the Knights of St. John, and, as such, is one of few surviving patches of forest on Malta (trees cover barely 1% of the islands) after the Knights cut down the rest to build their warships. It surrounds Verdala Castle, a 16th-century hunting lodge that is now used by the president of Malta to host distinguished visitors and is sadly not open to the public. Just up the road are the prehistoric "Clapham Junction" cart ruts, a dense collection of V-shape gouges (some up to 60 cm-deep) thought to have been used for transportation, and the il-Kbhur cave complex, which was inhabited up until 1835.

One of the last of Malta's patrician houses still to be occupied is the first to be opened up to visitors. The ninth Marquis de Piro and his family can trace their lineage back to when the Knights of the Order of St. John fled Rhodes for Malta in 1530, and you can see the family history laid out in their home's decor. The exquisite 16th-century house displays generations' worth of what the family calls "aristocratic bric-a-brac," including stools given to them for attending the wedding of Queen Elizabeth II; a beautiful, 18th-century, portable, Baroque chapel used for baptisms; and works by the artist Giuseppi Cali, the Marquis's great-grandfather and painter of the Rotunda at Mosta. Each charts the history of the family, the house, or Valletta itself, while beneath the house lies the remains of a vast World War II bunker, one of around 30 built across the city as the bombs started falling. It was dug from the quarry in which the stone for the house was cut some four centuries earlier. If you pay extra, you can get a personal guided tour by a family member, who can share some rather unique tales of Maltese history.

Casa Rocca Piccola recently added B&B stays to its repertoire, with five rooms set aside for guests (doubles from €160), offering a taste of aristocratic life. Breakfast is taken in the exquisite courtyard, complete with the family parrot for company.

Below Vittoriosa's main square, the Church of St. Lawrenz served as the Order of St. John's conventual church when the Knights landed in 1530, long before they relocated to Valletta. The present building dates from 1697, though its interior is scattered with artworks by 17th-century painter Mattia Pretti. A visit to the neighboring museum (open 9–noon) reveals a curious array of items, including Grand Master Jean de la Valette's kneeling prayer mat.

The original city here is the hilltop Cittadella, which was built by the Knights of the Order of St. John at the turn of the 17th century, after 200 years of attacks by marauding Turks and Berber corsairs. In one raid in 1551, some 6,000 Gozitans (most of the island's population) were abducted into slavery. At night, the villagers on the island could sleep behind the citadel's walls, knowing they were safe. These days barely a handful of people still live here, but its steep, winding streets yield great views from its ramparts. As you enter you'll see the Cathedral of the Assumption to the right; its dome collapsed in an infamous earthquake in 1693 and the event is marked by an excellent trompe l'oeil painting on its interior (€3.50). Several small museums in the Citadella offer displays relating to the history of the settlement that developed within; the pick of these is the recently opened Visitor's Center, which is situated in two disused cisterns and has a fine audio-visual presentation.

For years, the site that drew visitors to Dwejra Bay was the Azure Window, a huge rock arch steeped in mythology—it even made an appearance in the first season of Game of Thrones (as did a lot of Gozo). In 2017, it collapsed into the sea during a storm and inadvertently became one of the most popular diving sites on the island. But it wasn't the only lure to Dwejra, where a rather touristy series of cafés and stalls has built up. The Blue Hole, a spectacular inland sea pool lures swimmers and divers alike, while just to its west stands Fungus Rock, famed during the days of the Knights of St. John for a rare parasitic plant that grew on its summit. They banned all locals from the rock, as they believed the plant had powerful medicinal properties—it didn't. These days, the Inland Sea, a lagoon connected to the ocean by a 100 m-long rock tunnel is perhaps the biggest draw to the bay. Once a busy haven for fishermen, now boatmen ferry visitors (€4) through the tunnel in a loop around Dwejra Point to get the best view of the unusual rock formations and to peer down to try and see the remains of the arch.

Malta's prettiest beach, also known as Golden Bay, is also it's wind and kite surfing center, with onshore breezes being particularly advantageous outside the main summer season. Between May and the end of September the beach is very popular with visitors, many of whom stay at the nearby Radisson Blu hotel. Weekends can be crowded with Maltese families who come to spend the day. The soft fine sand is some of the best on an island that has more rocky bays and inlets than sandy beaches. Shade is provided by rented sun umbrellas (summer only). Best for : swimming; wind surfing. Amenities : food and drink; lifeguards (summer only); parking (no fee); showers; toilets.

This intriguing museum was formerly known as the Folklore Museum and occupies three 16th-century houses, featuring displays relating to the traditional crafts and rural lifestyle of the island.

Your ticket also includes admission to The Archaeology Museum, The Old Prison, and The Natural Science Museum.

From the time of Malta's independence in 1964 until 2015, this building doubled as the nation's parliament, and it still remains the official residence of the Maltese president. However, ongoing renovations over the next few years to the State Rooms and courtyards mean chunks will be off-limits at different times, and state visits also restrict what can be viewed, which is why the ticket price currently bundles in the city's new art museum, MUZA, as well. The palace, completed in 1574, has a unique collection of Gobelin tapestries; the main hall is decorated with frescoes depicting the history of the Knights and the Great Siege. Usually on view are works by Ribera, Van Loo, and Batoni, and at the back of the building is the Armory of the Knights, which is housed in what used to be the stables, exhibiting arms and armor through the ages; an audio tour taking you through it lasts about 45 minutes.

The semifossilized remains of long-extinct dwarf elephants and hippopotamuses that roamed the island some 125,000 years ago were found in this cave, on the outskirts of the seaside town of Birzebbuga, next to Marsaxlokk. The fossils are now on display in the small museum.The earliest evidence of human occupation on Malta, dating from 7,000 years ago, was found in the excavated upper layer on the cave floor.

The displays in Birgu's Inquisitor's Palace reveal less-discussed aspects of less-tolerant times in Malta. The palace dates from the 1530s, and the first Inquistor General and Apostolic delegate to Malta arrived here in 1547.

Before they were famed for their military exploits, the Knights of St. John were a medical order, set up by Pope Gregory in 603 AD to care for sick and injured pilgrims arriving in the Holy Land. When they opened La Sacra Infermeria (The Holy Infirmary) in Valletta in 1574, it was one of the most revolutionary in Europe, with amazing results partly due to the Knights' predilection for serving food on silver plates—the metal has antibacterial qualities, which weren't understood at the time; the knights just found them easier to clean. This building (now a conference center) is the setting for the 45-minute Malta Experience, a multimedia presentation on the history of the islands that is given here daily on the hour. It spans 7,000 years, all the way from early settlers and the Great Siege of the Knights to World War II, and concludes with a tour of the building itself, offering a more tangible glimpse of the history that unfolds on the screen.

If you are here in opera season, don't miss a show at the third-oldest theater in Europe, which had its opening night on January 9, 1732. If you can't make a show, you can still enjoy the baroque interior on a guided tour, which run every half-hour during the day (weekdays 9:30–4:30, Saturday 10–2). Intimate and splendidly decorated, it was designed after Palermo's theater at the time.

The Rotunda (Church of St. Mary) has one of the biggest domes in Europe—after St. Peter's in Rome and Hagia Sophia in Istanbul—and took 27 years to build. Towering above the center of Mosta, a town with a population of less than 20,000, it's a striking sight. Remarkably, a German bomb fell through the roof during World War II while the town held mass; it failed to detonate, sparing the lives of 300 people.