Valletta – The Fortress City

Valletta
“a city built by gentlemen for gentlemen”

is Malta’s capital city: Valletta is named after its founder, the respected Grand Master of the Order of St. John, Jean Parisot de la Valette. Started in 1566, Valletta was completed, with its impressive bastions, forts and cathedral, in the astonishingly short time of 15 years. Today, it is one of the most concentrated historic areas in the world. (source)

(click an image to scroll through the gallery)

St Ursula street Valletta
lantana
Auberge de Castile
Fort St Elmo
Les Gavroches (street urchins)
Lower Barakka Gardens
Maltese Bus
Victoria – Republic Square
Valetta from the parade in Sliema
Pot plants
Upper Barakka Gardens
Valetta enclosed balconies

If you visit Malta take time to wander the streets of Valletta, you will find hidden gems around every corner. Look up to see statues, niches and interesting lanterns.  Doors, windows and covered walkways and interesting door handles.

(click an image to scroll through the gallery)

Maltese Cross
Skull
Covered Passage
Door Handles
Look up!
Courtyard-at-Manoel-Teatro
Teatro Manoel
Courtyard of Grand Master’s Palace

If you love history, you will love Valletta.

the same to all
the same to all

Published by

Heyjude

I have lived in the UK for most of my life, but when young I definitely had wanderlust and even ended up living in South Africa for several years which was a wonderful experience. I now look forward to a long and leisurely retirement doing what I like most - gardening, photography, walking and travelling.

39 thoughts on “Valletta – The Fortress City”

  1. Great stuff Jude. I have never been to Malta, but read a lot about the siege, and the history of the island in WW2 as well. Thanks for posting this one!
    Regards as always, Pete. x

    1. It’s a lovely island, I think you would like it there – maybe a birthday trip for Julie? We went in late May in 2006 and the weather was very good. I spent a month living there way back in 1978 and loved it then too. I’d stay in Valletta itself when I go again!

    1. Ah, you’d love it there. It has such a sense of history. Warning though if you hire a car, the Maltese drivers are manic! Buses all go via Valletta so it can take a while to get around. We used buses though and found them very good, which is why I’d base myself in Valletta.

        1. Only a week on the last visit, but you can see an awful lot in a week and we went over to Gozo for a day and even a day trip to Sicily! I’d avoid the summer months – it can get very hot and crowded. Spring or autumn would be my choice.

    1. Thanks! It is a great place. The photos are inserted as a gallery in WP and I use Tiled Mosaic. You sometimes have to rearrange them so they look good, and I have found that an odd number work better with a couple of portrait sizes (I always resize my photos to about 1000 pixel wide for landscape or 600 long if portrait). Just play about and keep saving and previewing!

        1. Both my blogs are free and they have the gallery. When you insert media you have the choice of creating a gallery, where you select the photos then decide how to display it.

        2. Thank you. I went into Dashboard and found I didn’t have the gallery clicked, although in February I clicked on two photos at once and they landed perfectly.
          Thanks, now I can experiment with a little knowledge…
          🙂

  4. The Saturday Argus’ Travel section had a double page spread on Malta about a month back and I fell in love instantly. The photos conjured up images of Templar Knights and hidden catacombs, fortifications and elaborate city walls, the Crusades …….. my kind of magical place 🙂

    1. It’s definitely got all that in spades! We travelled all over the island including Mdina and the Three Cities. Plus Gozo, the sister island which is a bit greener – I will have to write a post about Gozo!

  5. Well this is certainly a little geographical and historical gem I need to learn more about. We have gorgeous nature and some historical architectural beauties here in the states, but nothing matches the 1300s or the 1500s of Europe 😉

    1. Malta is fascinating for its history. Not great for beaches though! The Knights of St John are fascinating.

    1. The Upper Barakka Gardens Sue. With amazing views over the Grand Harbour to the Three Cities! Loved the double arches ❤

  7. My mum visited Valleta a few years ago and told me all about it so it was great to see your wonderful photos. I didn’t know that it was the most concentrated historic place in the world, fascinating!

    1. It’s a lovely city Sherri and the rest of Malta and Gozo are pretty good too. I will have to do some more posts about Malta.

  9. Malta is a place I’ve always wanted to visit, but never got around to it. Thanks for the tour of this interesting city. Love the architecture, and the Barrakka Gardens must be stunning. What a view from there, too. 🙂 The pretty Lantana is now a ‘noxious weed’ in South Africa. 😦

    1. Interesting. Malta seemed so brown to me, not much in the way of gardens or agriculture. Then it does get hot in the summer. I wonder where she is based?

      1. Ask her ! – Lea is a really nice person ! There’s always stuff in the local press about her, too; but it’s largely in the local language … She’s quite a celeb., but you wouldn’t know it. I have to eschew most of her recipes, as they contain something around 50 million calories, and I’m one of those women who puts on weight by thinking about food. Sighh …

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