36 Best Sights in Malta

The importance of St. Paul to the Maltese explains the work lavished on this Baroque marvel, with its raised central vault, oval dome, and marble columns. The os brachii (arm bone) relic of the saint is housed in a chapel on the right, a splendid gated chapel is on the left, and a baptismal font stands by the entrance.

An interesting companion to the nearby Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum, the four interconnecting Tarxien Temples have curious carvings, oracular chambers, and altars, all dating from about 2800 BC. Recovered stone figures of the broad-hipped fertility goddess, now lying in Valletta's National Archeology Museum, indicate it was dedicated to the Earth Mother. An audio guide accessed via a downloadable app (iOS/Android) narrates the history of the site and shows images of artifacts now covered for their protection.

Before they were famed for their military exploits, the Knights of St. John were a medical order, set up by Pope Gregory in 603 AD to care for sick and injured pilgrims arriving in the Holy Land. When they opened La Sacra Infermeria (The Holy Infirmary) in Valletta in 1574, it was one of the most revolutionary in Europe, with amazing results partly due to the Knights' predilection for serving food on silver plates—the metal has antibacterial qualities, which weren't understood at the time; the knights just found them easier to clean. This building (now a conference center) is the setting for the 45-minute Malta Experience, a multimedia presentation on the history of the islands that is given here daily on the hour. It spans 7,000 years, all the way from early settlers and the Great Siege of the Knights to World War II, and concludes with a tour of the building itself, offering a more tangible glimpse of the history that unfolds on the screen.

Here, knights once honed their fencing skills under a covered loggia (now open to the sky). Today, a troupe of stray cats and some greenery occupy this lofty lookout offering the best uninterrupted views of Grand Harbour and the Three Cities across the water. A cannon is fired at noon, daily, at the Saluting Battery following a practice that, from the 1820s on, served to help Ship Masters calibrate their onboard chronographers, which were used to help navigate. Once you've soaked up the views, take the elevator 165 feet down to the harbor below.

A pair of UNESCO-listed megalithic sites that predate even the U.K.'s Stonehenge, the 4,800-year-old Ħaġar Qim ("ha-jar eem") gives a clear picture of the massive scale of Malta's ancient limestone temples. Along the external wall you'll find the largest megaliths, some weighing close to 20 tons. The altars are well preserved, though some are reproductions. Just a short walk away lies Mnajdra, a series of three temples encircled by hard coralline limestone walls. Built between 3600 BC and 2500 BC, what survives is thought to be the remains of a much larger complex. Visitor centers for both sites offer as many answers as fascinating mysteries about their use.

Carved under the town of Paola, a few minutes drive to the west of Cospicua, this massive labyrinth of underground chambers was used as a subterranean necropolis and funeral hall, dating from around 4,000 BC, and remains the only one of its kind in Europe. It reopened in 2017 following a year-long restoration (even the carbon dioxide exhaled by visitors can damage its walls), adding an audiovisual show that outlines its history. Many chambers are decorated with red ocher or fine carvings, including the Oracle Room which was cleverly shaped to amplify sound. Because of its delicate state, only 10 visitors per hour, for a maximum of eight hours a day, are allowed inside.  Book tickets for tours at least a month in advance.