When you are standing inside the Upper Barrakka gardens in Valletta and when you look across the Grand Harbour, you notice there are three ancient towns on the other side. That is the Three Cities—Vittoriosa, Senglea, and Cospicua. And they are a must-visit when traveling to Malta.
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The Three Cities are in fact older than Valletta and have played an important role in Malta’s epic, many-times-invaded history. The Three Cities are a great place to visit during an afternoon, to escape the busy Valletta streets. There are also some splendid restaurants to have lunch or dinner there, whilst enjoying the views over the harbour.
During our stay in Malta, we rented an apartment in the Three Cities, so we had many opportunities to explore this area. In this post, we’ll cover the most important things you should see when heading to the Three Cities. We also included a map to help you plan your visit.
How to use this map / Click on the top left of the map to display the list of locations. You can also click on the locations to display further information. Click on the top right corner of the map to open a larger version of the map in a new tab. Click the star (favorites) next to the name of the map to save to your Google Maps.
If you’d rather prefer a guided tour in the Three Cities, click here.
Table of Contents
Where are the Three Cities?
The Three Cities sit just across the Grand Harbour from Valletta, Malta’s capital. They are made up of three parts:
- Vittoriosa, also known as Birgu. This area is filled with history and full of character.
- Senglea, also known as L-Isla. This is the most narrow peninsula with splendid views of Valletta.
- Cospicua, also known as Bormla. This is the largest of the three and a bit more residential.
Together, they are the birthplace of the maritime history of Malta. These peninsulas were the original homes of the Knights of St. John, even before Valletta was even built.
How much time do you need visit the Three Cities?
You can easily see the main attractions of the Three Cities in one day. This distances are walkable and the main sights are close together. But in our opinion, the Three Cities are best visited in the afternoon. So we suggest you try something different: Spend your mornings ticking off the main highlights of Malta, like Valletta’s St. John’s Co-Cathedral or the Blue Grotto. Then in the late afternoon, make your way to the Three Cities. You’ll see, it will be worth it! The golden hour will make the limestone walls even better and the temperatures will be more moderate, thanks to the sea breeze.
So if you have different days in Malta, do not necessarily dedicate a full day to the Three Cities, but instead, try spreading your time there.
Read more: The best things to do in Valletta in Malta.
How to get to the Three Cities?
There are different options to get to the Three Cities. Our favorite option is by ferry, from Valletta. Other options are by bus or with you own car. We wrote an extensive post on how to get to the Three Cities from Valletta.
The best things to do in the Three Cities
Take a stroll along the waterfront
One of the best things to do in the Three Cities? Taking a stroll along the marina in Vittoriosa. You’ll pass yachts, fishing boats, and cozy cafes under stone archways, ideal to grab a coffee and enjoy the views.
Explore Fort St. Angelo
This fortress stands at the tip of Vittoriosa and has some of the best views of the Grand Harbour. The fort used to be the headquarters of the Knights of St. John. Nowadays, it is a great place to learn more about the colorful history of Malta.
Discover the Malta Maritime Museum
Set in an incredibly stunning building, this museum is a must if you’re into ships, sea stories, or if you just want to understand how Malta became such an important naval state. We enjoyed our visit to this museum a lot! The museum is very interesting but even the architecture of the building itself is worth the visit.
Get lost in the streets of the Three Cities
Wandering in the narrow streets of the Three Cities is half the magic. You’ll find nicely decorated houses, friendly people and secret corners. Our favorite discovery was an impressive stair taking you to the upper parts of the Three Cities.
Visit the Gardjola Garden
The Gardjola Garden is a little public garden, dating back to 1551. What makes it special is the postcard view of Valletta you get here. Inside the garden, you’ll find a watchtower (called a gardjola, hence the name of the park) with iconic eye and ear carvings, symbolizing alertness for danger.
Learn more about the knights of St. John at the Inquisitor’s Palace
This is a fascinating museum about justice and the daily life under the knights of St. John. Inside the palace you’ll find original prison cells and a chapel.
That’s it! With this information, we assure you you’ll get to see the best things in the Three Cities. We hope you enjoy your visit to the Three Cities. Let us know if you discover other sights we should include in this post.
Not only the Three Cities area is fabulous, Malta really has so many great things to discover. Make sure to read our perfect 7-day itinerary for Malta to get more inspiration.
Happy travels!
Matthias & Mieke
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