Valetta Walking Tours

Valetta (actually spelt Valletta) is an old city steeped in the rich history that is evident throughout Europe. Home to many battles, Valletta was walled after the Great Siege of Malta in 1565. It is a city so rich in historic buildings that it is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Fortunately, it is not that big, making it ideal for a walking tour to take in the sites. The city is only a couple of kilometers in length!

And there are certainly plenty of Valetta walking tours available.

In fact, some of the best of them combine modern technology - the ipod - so that you can have your own walking tour entirely at your leisure. These inexpensive walking tours can be downloaded from the internet, and give you a history of the place as you walk.

Valetta walking tours cover the most important tourist sites in Valletta, including:

The Site of the Royal Opera House

The Royal Opera House is in a state of disrepair, having not been fixed since it was bombed in WW2. It was once a thriving cultural center in Valletta.

St. John's Cathedral

St. John's Cathedral is rather boring looking on the outside, but richly decorated inside. The knights from each of the langues (see below for an explanation, in the Auberge de Castille section), had a chapel. And they tried to outdo each other in opulence when decorating them. If you don't like walking on people's graves, you might be unnerved to discover that the floor is composed of the Knights' graves, inlaid in marble of different colors. The ceiling is a single fresco by the artist Mattia Preti.

The Palace of the Grand Masters

Named no doubt from it's genesis as the central governing location of the Knights, the Palace of the Grand Masters was also used by the British, and the Government there today. It is closed to the public when Parliament sits, but is otherwise open. It is decorated with tapestries made in France for one of the 'Grand Master', and there are many other art objects, armor, and coats of arms inside.

St. Paul's Anglican Cathedral

St Paul's was the first Protestant church built in Malta, at the behest of Queen Adelaide in 1838, who contributed 10,000 pounds to the construction of the project. It was built on a site that used to have the Auberge, or inn, of Germany (see the Auberge de Castille for an explanation). Completed in 1844, it includes a Gothic spire and 8 ionic columns.

The Manoel Theater

The Manoel Theater is used these days for many classical music performances, as well as plays and operas. It was built in the 17th century, and has been maintained in its' original state. It was built to provide leisure activities for the Knights, and has internationally recognized acoustics.

Auberge de Castille

The Auberge de Castille is not open to the public as it is now the home of the Prime Minister of Malta. The facade of the Auberge de Castille is a great example of 18th century Baroque architecture, and was designed by the architect Andrea Belli in 1741. It was created on a building built in the 16th century that reflects the varied history of Valletta under the 'Knights of St John'.

This Auberge, or inn, was one of seven built for each of their languages, or nationalities (langue). (There were actually 8 langues, but only 7 built). The auberges were to be homes for the knights who didn't have their own home in Malta, though they were also used to extend hospitality to those travelers of note who visited Malta.

And the Auberge de Castille was the home to those knights from Castille, Leon, and Portugal. These knights were responsible for the defence of part of the fortifications of Valletta, and were quite powerful in the Order.

The Upper Barrakka gardens

There are actually Upper and Lower Barrakka gardens. Both have excellent views of the Grand Harbor. From the Lower Barrakka gardens you can also see Fort Ricasoli, Bighi Palace, Fort St. Angelo and the creeks of Vittoriosa and Kalkara.

The Upper Barrakka Gardens also provide panoramic views of the Three Cities, and is a place many go to in order to relax. It was once a private garden of the Knights, and is near the Prime Minister's offices at the Auberge de Castille.

Both gardens have monuments of various historical figures.

Fort St. Elmo

The Fort St Elmo played an important part in the Dragut Raid in 1551. It was defended to the death by the Knights when the Turks were invading, giving valuable time to the other Knights to prepare a defence. When they were wounded, they continued fighting in chairs until they couldn't raise their arms any more.

You may find your Valetta walking tour a little tiring, as the city os located on hills that can be quite steepn in parts. But fortunately there are plenty of restaurants and bars along the way to break the tour!

Walking Tours News:

The Talented Stone Masons of Selca on the Croatian Island of Brac
On a gentle slope of a hill called Plis you can find the lovely little town of Selca. It is positioned on the hill at a moderate height, halfway between the highland in the background and the sea. Stone cutting and tourism are the current main occupations of the inhabitants of Selca...

Food & Drink » Blog Archive » A few facts about cultural walking .
Today, cultural walking tours can be found that really capture the essence of their respective customers. A visit to Rio de Janeiro, Lake Orta, Savonlinna or St Petersburgh is a new experience for everyone. And being as unique as they ...

Finding Fun in Tauranga, New Zealand
Tauranga City, New Zealand. If you've never been there then you are really missing out. I don't say this about just any old place. If you've never sat on top of 'The Mount' watching the sun rise or had a cold beer on 'The Strand' then you should get in a plane, train or automobile and get there as soon as possible!..

Getting to Mumbai
You are planning a trip to Mumbai and are worried about getting to Mumbai. Getting to the city should not be a major cause for concern, as it is served by excellent airline services and a wide network of railways and buses...

A Little About Grenada
Grenada, often called "The Isle of Spice" is located in the Caribbean. It is said that everywhere you travel within this country, you will be able to smell the sweet combination of the spices...

India Holidays - Exploring the Land of Diversity
Thinking about spending your upcoming holidays in India? The thought of taking holidays in India is simply exotic and magical. This spell binding, ancient, mystical civilization is truly awesome in its diversity and extent...

Malaysia's Traditional Games Are Cultural Attractions
One of the pleasures of visiting villages in the rural areas of Malaysia is to watch the playing of traditional games. With the advent of modernity, these cultural gems are fading away. Catch them before they follow the footsteps of the dinosaur...

Bodrum in a Nutshell
Bodrum is one of the most popular tourist resorts on the Aegean coast of Turkey. With the benefits of a legendary sea, amicable inhabitants and an abundance of first-class restaurants, Bodrum has everything one could wish for in a holiday destination...

Adventure in Cowes - Isle of Wright
The first thing that one will notice as they make their way by ferry to Cowes-Isle of Wright are the boat filled harbors. You will quickly realize that this lovely island town, located just off the southern coast of England, is an avid boating community. This beautiful island town is a very popular tourist destination that you can get to from any inland harbor by high speed ferry...

Shining a Light on England's Black Country
A visit to the Black Country Museum in England's midlands region reveals the history of hard working men, women and children in the tough trade of nail making. The spacious open air museum in Dudley is a tourist attraction with re-enactments, amusements for children and a great deal of history...

Google
 


After a walk...      Travel and tourism

Technorati Tags: , ,