Two Visits to Valletta

Earlier this week we drove to Valletta and spent a wonderful day just walking and admiring.  Today, we thought we’d do the same but this time we took the bus!  Much easier! For 2.6 euros each we could have a “go anywhere” day pass and, with the cost of parking the car as well, it was a no brainer. So we had a second wonderful day in this beautiful city.

From the top of the Saluting Battery you get a fantastic view of the Grand Harbour (and Doug) with Fort St Angelo centre (and someone’s blooming big yacht on the left!)

Looking out to sea from the Grand Harbour.

Much of the city is made up of steep, narrow streets – many of them stepped.  Building of the city started in 1566 by the Knights of the Order of St. John and much of it is now showing its’ age.  However, there is a huge amount of (European?) money being spent on some very ambitious renovations.

A view of the west side of Valletta showing the huge bastions built to defend it.  The dome belongs to the massive Carmelite Church and the spire to St. Pauls Pro Anglican Cathedral.

The Maltese love their balconies and nowhere are they better than in Valletta.

Across St. Georges’ Square is the Grand Master’ Palace – known locally as just “the Palace”. 

Today we went off the “tourist trail” for some lunch in a ‘local’ bar.  We found one  in St Pauls’ Street opposite St. Pauls Shipwrecked Church.  Fantastic food at locals’ prices!  These places are exciting to find – they’re usually just a door in a wall and when you go inside it’s full of people eating and drinking!

On our way back to the bus station we walked out through the city gates and we took this shot of just one small piece of the monumental job the Maltese people have of saving this beautiful place.  Valletta really was built as a fortress.