36 Best Sights in Malta

Catacombs run under much of Rabat. Up Saint Agatha Street from Parish Square, the Catacombs of St. Paul are clean of bones but full of carved-out burial troughs and feature the most comprehensive information on the rituals of the city's underground world, including why each tomb is a different shape. St. Agatha's Crypt and Catacombs, farther up the street, were beautifully frescoed between 1200 and 1480, then defaced by Turks in 1551. Back on the square lies arguably the most impressive surviving tunnel area, the Wignacourt Complex, which includes St. Paul's Grotto—believed to be the site where the apostle St. Paul lived during his time in Malta. This labyrinthine network of burial chambers here dates from Punic times and holds one surprise: just below it are a series of World War II bomb shelters (some 50 rooms) carved by hand from an existing water cistern dug centuries earlier by the Knights of the Order of St. John. The Wignacourt museum upstairs houses reliquaries, relics, and paintings by Mattia Preti.

Built in 1552 by the Knights of St. John to defend the harbor, this fort was completely destroyed during the Great Siege of 1565 by the Ottoman Turks and was rebuilt by succeeding military leaders. Today, some parts are still off-limits to visitors as restorations continue, but it has both fantastic views and is also now home to the excellent National War Museum. Malta's history is one of invasion, and the museum charts this in gripping detail through the ages. It is particularly strong on the reign of the Knights, who, when kicked out of Rhodes in 1522 by the Ottoman Turks, resumed their struggle for religious hegemony in Malta over countless battles, sieges, and raids. It also delves well into the tug of war between Napoléon and the British, as well as the island's fate during World War II, offering easily the most comprehensive historical overview of Valletta. Its audio-visual tales are also often nail-biting, particularly the tale of "Operation Pedestal," in which the Allied forces sought to squeeze a supply ship through enemy lines to Malta in 1942 and, in doing so, changed the course of the war. Alongside this are a collection of rare military objects, including President Roosevelt's Jeep, "Husky," and one of the Gloster Sea Gladiator biplanes that defended the island so stoutly.

What appears a rather functional-looking building from the outside is deceiving. Inside, this is one of the world's most lavishly decorated Baroque cathedrals. The discrepancy between its exterior and interior reflect the different eras through which it has stood. It was completed in 1578 by the Knights of St. John as their own church. In the 17th century, the order's mounting treasures from the Holy Land and the desire to build a cathedral to rival those of Rome saw it get a spectacular makeover. A floor made up of a patchwork of colored-marble tombstones (the final resting place of some 375 knights and officers of the order) shines beneath a breathtakingly intricate arched ceiling largely decorated by the Calabrian artist and knight Mattia Preti. In the Oratory is Caravaggio's only signed work, the dramatic and unsparing Beheading of John the Baptist (1607), which hangs above the very spot where the rogue artist was defrocked and deknighted following a brawl (he had already fled to Malta to escape punishment for murder). Also hanging here is another of the artist's works, the touchingly frail image of Saint Jerome Writing (1606), which found infamy after it was stolen from the Co-Cathedral in 1984 and held hostage. The cathedral museum is currently being extended (work is set to be completed in 2021) to include a special area dedicated to Caravaggio and its collections of silver, tapestries, and vestments, set to be completed in 2021. The entrance fee includes an audio guide. Public access (main ticket office) is on Republic St.

Narrow heeled shoes such as stilettos are not allowed, but slippers can be purchased at reception; women in short skirts will be given coverings.

The turnoff for the Blue Grotto, a dazzling series of sea caves off Qrendi's coast, is 1 km (½ mile) beyond the lookout on Triq Wied Iz-Zurrieq road, which offers parking and fine views. From there, a steep road takes you down to a rocky inlet and harbor where noisy boats (€8) leave for the grottoes and the stained-glass-blue waters that splash their walls.

Get your tree fix at Buskett Gardens, a short drive (or 40-minute walk) south of Rabat. This pleasant stretch of woodland was a former hunting ground for the Knights of St. John, and, as such, is one of few surviving patches of forest on Malta (trees cover barely 1% of the islands) after the Knights cut down the rest to build their warships. It surrounds Verdala Castle, a 16th-century hunting lodge that is now used by the president of Malta to host distinguished visitors and is sadly not open to the public. Just up the road are the prehistoric "Clapham Junction" cart ruts, a dense collection of V-shape gouges (some up to 60 cm-deep) thought to have been used for transportation, and the il-Kbhur cave complex, which was inhabited up until 1835.

One of the last of Malta's patrician houses still to be occupied is the first to be opened up to visitors. The ninth Marquis de Piro and his family can trace their lineage back to when the Knights of the Order of St. John fled Rhodes for Malta in 1530, and you can see the family history laid out in their home's decor. The exquisite 16th-century house displays generations' worth of what the family calls "aristocratic bric-a-brac," including stools given to them for attending the wedding of Queen Elizabeth II; a beautiful, 18th-century, portable, Baroque chapel used for baptisms; and works by the artist Giuseppi Cali, the Marquis's great-grandfather and painter of the Rotunda at Mosta. Each charts the history of the family, the house, or Valletta itself, while beneath the house lies the remains of a vast World War II bunker, one of around 30 built across the city as the bombs started falling. It was dug from the quarry in which the stone for the house was cut some four centuries earlier. If you pay extra, you can get a personal guided tour by a family member, who can share some rather unique tales of Maltese history.

Casa Rocca Piccola recently added B&B stays to its repertoire, with five rooms set aside for guests (doubles from €160), offering a taste of aristocratic life. Breakfast is taken in the exquisite courtyard, complete with the family parrot for company.

Below Vittoriosa's main square, the Church of St. Lawrenz served as the Order of St. John's conventual church when the Knights landed in 1530, long before they relocated to Valletta. The present building dates from 1697, though its interior is scattered with artworks by 17th-century painter Mattia Pretti. A visit to the neighboring museum (open 9–noon) reveals a curious array of items, including Grand Master Jean de la Valette's kneeling prayer mat.

Malta's prettiest beach, also known as Golden Bay, is also it's wind and kite surfing center, with onshore breezes being particularly advantageous outside the main summer season. Between May and the end of September the beach is very popular with visitors, many of whom stay at the nearby Radisson Blu hotel. Weekends can be crowded with Maltese families who come to spend the day. The soft fine sand is some of the best on an island that has more rocky bays and inlets than sandy beaches. Shade is provided by rented sun umbrellas (summer only). Best for : swimming; wind surfing. Amenities : food and drink; lifeguards (summer only); parking (no fee); showers; toilets.

From the time of Malta's independence in 1964 until 2015, this building doubled as the nation's parliament, and it still remains the official residence of the Maltese president. However, ongoing renovations over the next few years to the State Rooms and courtyards mean chunks will be off-limits at different times, and state visits also restrict what can be viewed, which is why the ticket price currently bundles in the city's new art museum, MUZA, as well. The palace, completed in 1574, has a unique collection of Gobelin tapestries; the main hall is decorated with frescoes depicting the history of the Knights and the Great Siege. Usually on view are works by Ribera, Van Loo, and Batoni, and at the back of the building is the Armory of the Knights, which is housed in what used to be the stables, exhibiting arms and armor through the ages; an audio tour taking you through it lasts about 45 minutes.

The semifossilized remains of long-extinct dwarf elephants and hippopotamuses that roamed the island some 125,000 years ago were found in this cave, on the outskirts of the seaside town of Birzebbuga, next to Marsaxlokk. The fossils are now on display in the small museum.The earliest evidence of human occupation on Malta, dating from 7,000 years ago, was found in the excavated upper layer on the cave floor.

The displays in Birgu's Inquisitor's Palace reveal less-discussed aspects of less-tolerant times in Malta. The palace dates from the 1530s, and the first Inquistor General and Apostolic delegate to Malta arrived here in 1547.

If you are here in opera season, don't miss a show at the third-oldest theater in Europe, which had its opening night on January 9, 1732. If you can't make a show, you can still enjoy the baroque interior on a guided tour, which run every half-hour during the day (weekdays 9:30–4:30, Saturday 10–2). Intimate and splendidly decorated, it was designed after Palermo's theater at the time.

The Rotunda (Church of St. Mary) has one of the biggest domes in Europe—after St. Peter's in Rome and Hagia Sophia in Istanbul—and took 27 years to build. Towering above the center of Mosta, a town with a population of less than 20,000, it's a striking sight. Remarkably, a German bomb fell through the roof during World War II while the town held mass; it failed to detonate, sparing the lives of 300 people.

The museum is housed in the Auberge de Provence (the hostel of the Knights from Provence). The building's Gran Salon alone is as breathtaking an example of the Baroque style as you'll see in Malta outside of the Co-Cathedral, though its intricate painted walls are undergoing major restoration. The museum has an excellent collection of finds from Malta's many prehistoric sites—Tarxien, Haġar Qim, and the Hypogeum at Paola. The intricately carved figurine of the Sleeping Lady, found at the Hypogeum, dates back almost 5,000 years. You'll also find information on the ancient "cart ruts" that you'll see in the northwest, not far from Rabat.

Mdina's medieval Patrician stone mansion dates from between the 13th and 15th centuries and reveals a wealth of original architectural features. The mansion's rooms display more than 45 collections of silver, furniture, jewelry, armour, paintings, and more, including art works by Anthony Van Dyck, Nicolas Poussin, and Mattia Preti. There is a free audio guide.

Gozo's widest beach has fine ocher-color sand interspersed with areas of pebbles and boulders. The water conditions are good for children and nonswimmers. It's calm with an easy entrance into the sea and a wide stretch of shallow water. There are stones underfoot in the shallows, so beach shoes are a good idea. There's no natural shade but a concession rents sun umbrellas. The beach is especially busy on summer weekends when local families spend the day. Best for: swimming. Amenities: food and drink (summer only); lifeguards (summer only); parking (no fee).

Offers PADI courses ranging from beginner to technical, and has a comprehensive list of dive sites that it visits around the islands of Gozo and Comino.

Mdina's St. Paul's Cathedral is famed for Mattia Preti's intricate 17th-century apse mural The Shipwreck of St. Paul. It along with the 900-year-old Irish bogwood sacristy doors were among the few surviving relics of the 1693 earthquake, which destroyed the Norman-era church that stood previously on this site. Rebuilt in the Baroque style in 1703, its interior is second only in Malta to Valletta's Co-Cathedral in terms of grandeur, its floor similarly lined with the marble tombstones of Maltese nobles. Across the square lies the CathedralMuseum, set inside a former seminary. It is home to an excellent art collection, the highlight of which are a series of Dürer woodcuts and illuminated manuscripts.