Why Honeymoon in Valletta
Few European capitals are this compact or this handsome. Valletta's streets are lined with palaces and townhouses, many fronted by the enclosed wooden balconies the Maltese paint in bright greens, blues and reds. Look down any cross street and you see water.
The art is serious. St. John's Co-Cathedral is plain on the outside and overwhelmingly gilded within, its floor paved with the marble tombstones of knights. In the oratory hangs Caravaggio's Beheading of St. John the Baptist, the largest painting he made and the only one he signed.
The city has also become a good place to eat and drink. Since Valletta was a European Capital of Culture in 2018, many old townhouses have turned into boutique hotels, wine bars and restaurants. Strait Street, once the rowdy lane where sailors drank, now hosts some of the best bars in town.
Above all, it is a city made for evening walks, with the harbor always nearby.
When to Go
Valletta is pleasant almost year-round, but April to June and September to October are the sweet spot. Days are warm, evenings are mild enough for dinner outdoors and the sea is swimmable from June.
July and August are hot, with highs near 88°F. The stone streets hold the heat and cruise ship passengers crowd the main sights in the middle of the day. Plan your sightseeing for early morning and evening. Rest in the afternoon.
Winter is cool and quieter. Highs hover around 60°F and rain comes in heavy bursts, mostly from October to January. It is a good season for museums, restaurants and long walks, with lower hotel rates. December brings Christmas lights and nativity displays.
Watch the calendar for events. Malta's Carnival fills Valletta's streets in February. The city's own festa, honoring St. Dominic, falls in August. Notte Bianca usually lights up the city on an autumn night with free performances.
Where to Stay
Stay inside the walls if you can. Valletta's best hotels are small boutique conversions of palazzos and merchant houses, often with a handful of rooms, original stone vaults and rooftop terraces. Rooms on the upper floors catch harbor views and more light. Ground-floor rooms can be dim.
Casa Ellul, a small luxury hotel in a Victorian-era palazzo, is a classic couples' choice. The Phoenicia Malta, a grand five-star hotel with gardens and a pool just outside the City Gate, suits couples who want resort space within walking distance of the old town.
Self-catering apartments in restored townhouses are another good option, especially for longer stays.
Location matters more than it seems. The streets slope steeply toward the harbors and many are actually stairs. If you have heavy luggage or simply dislike climbs, choose a place near Republic Street or Merchants Street. Ask about air conditioning for summer and confirm how the hotel handles luggage from the taxi stand, since cars cannot reach every door.
Romantic Things to Do
Watch sunset from the Upper Barrakka Gardens, a terrace of arches above the Grand Harbour. Below, the Saluting Battery fires a ceremonial cannon at set times each day. The view across to the Three Cities is the classic Valletta postcard.
Take a dgħajsa, the traditional painted water taxi, across the harbor to Birgu. Wander the quiet lanes of the Knights' first Maltese base, then dine on the marina.
Spend an unhurried hour inside St. John's Co-Cathedral with the audio guide, then step into the oratory for the Caravaggio.
See a performance at the Manoel Theatre, among the oldest working theaters in Europe, with its gilded, oval auditorium.
Walk the sea walls around the tip of the peninsula past Fort St. Elmo in the evening. End with a drink on Strait Street.
Book the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum well in advance. This underground Neolithic burial complex in nearby Paola is one of the most extraordinary sites in the Mediterranean.
Getting There and Around
Malta International Airport is about three miles from Valletta. A taxi takes around 20 minutes and public buses connect the airport with the main bus terminus just outside City Gate.
Inside the walls, walk. The city is only about a mile long, though the streets are steep in places. A small circular bus loops around the peninsula if your legs need a break. Horse-drawn carriages wait near the main squares; agree on the price first.
Ferries are the most pleasant way to leave the city. Short crossings run across Marsamxett Harbour to Sliema and across the Grand Harbour to the Three Cities, both in a few minutes. A fast passenger ferry goes to Gozo in about 45 minutes. Catamarans to Sicily also depart from Valletta.
Do not bring a car into the city. Streets are narrow and many are pedestrian or one-way. Parking is hard to find. If you rent a car for the rest of the island, pick it up when you leave Valletta.
Food and Drink
Start the morning with a pastizz, a diamond of flaky pastry filled with ricotta or mushy peas, eaten hot from a paper bag with a coffee. Lunch can be a ftira, Malta's ring-shaped bread split and filled with tuna, tomatoes, capers, olives and oil.
At dinner, look for stuffat tal-fenek, the slow-cooked rabbit stew many Maltese consider their national dish. Lampuki pie, made with dolphinfish, appears in autumn when the fish are in season. Bigilla, a bean dip, often comes with bread and Gozitan cheese.
Valletta's dining scene runs from family trattorias in the side streets to ambitious modern restaurants in vaulted cellars. Book ahead on weekends.
Try Maltese wine, which has improved markedly, especially wines made from the native Ġellewża and Għirgentina grapes. Cisk is the local lager. Kinnie is a bittersweet orange soda sold on every corner. A glass of wine on the steps of a side street at dusk is a fine ritual.
Honeymoon Tips
Dress for the cathedral. St. John's requires covered shoulders and knees. It also bans high heels that could damage the marble floor.
Visit the big sights early. Cruise passengers arrive mid-morning, so aim to be at St. John's when it opens.
Wear comfortable, grippy shoes. Polished limestone steps can be slippery, especially after rain.
Book the Hypogeum as soon as your dates are set. Tickets are limited each day and often sell out weeks ahead.
Pack a Type G plug adapter, the three-pin British style.
If you are celebrating, ask your hotel to arrange a private boat around the Grand Harbour at sunset. It is one of the best ways to understand the fortifications.
Finally, slow down. Valletta rewards wandering without a plan, especially in the lanes that run down to the water.
