1 DAY in VALLETTA | Malta | Tour April 2023

1ST STOP: The Upper Barrakka Gardens are located on the upper tier of Saints Peter and Paul Bastion, which was built in the 1560s. The bastion's lower level contains the Saluting Battery. The garden's terraced arches were built in 1661 by the Italian knight Fra Flaminio Balbiani. They were roofed initially, but the ceiling was removed following the Rising of the Priests in 1775.
In the park, there are several monuments and memorials to several prominent people, including Gerald Strickland, Sir Thomas Maitland, and Sir Winston Churchill. A replica of the statue Les Gavroches (the Street Boys) by the Maltese sculptor Antonio Sciortino is also located in the garden.
The gardens are linked to Valletta's ditch and the nearby Lascaris Wharf by the Barrakka Lift. It is the highest point of the city walls, and thus its bordering terrace offers a clear view over the Grand Harbour, the Three Cities, as well as over the shipyard and the lower-lying parts of the capital.
Going out of the gardens you'll find the Auberge De Castille palace (built in 1570) which is now used as an office to the Prime minister of Malta, among other monuments and structures. Walking further toward Republic St. we came across Jean De Valette Square.
You'll find a lot of shops, cafeterias, restaurants, and bars. The city looks the same as when it was built in the 16th century after the Great Siege.
2ND STOP: St. John's Co-Cathedral was built between 1572 and 1577 by the Knights of St. John, a Catholic military order that played a significant role in Malta's history. The cathedral was designed by the Maltese architect Gerolamo Cassar and was built in a high Baroque interior style. The walls are adorned with intricate decorations, including sculptures, reliefs, and carvings, all of which were created by some of the most talented artists of the time. The most notable artwork in the cathedral is the famous Caravaggio painting, "The Beheading of St. John the Baptist.
Perhaps the most unique feature of St. John's Co-Cathedral is the ornate marble floor, which is considered to be one of the finest examples of Baroque art in the world. The floor is made up of more than 400 individual tombstones, each of which is decorated with intricate designs and symbols. All of them of Knights and officers of the order.
On the other hand, the cathedral's exterior is built in the Mannerist style (renaissance architecture) which has a simple appearance and it reflects the somber and military mood of the order after the Great Siege (1565 AD).
It was first built as a conventual church. Then in 1816 was elevated to the status of a co-cathedral, along with St. Paul's Cathedral in Mdina.
Around 100 m. from the co-cathedral, down Republic St. seats the hearth of Valletta where you can relax with a drink at Republic Square, visit the Bibliotheca, walk around St. George's Square, or visit Casa Rocca Piccola.
3RD STOP: The Lower Barrakka Gardens have a view of the Grand Harbour and the breakwater. It includes the Monument to Sir Alexander Ball, which is a prominent feature in the form of a neoclassical temple located in the center of the garden. In addition, the terrace area features various commemorative plaques dedicated to, amongst others, the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, the Prague Spring, Giuseppe Garibaldi, and the 50th anniversary of the European Union.
Perched above the Grand Harbour, the Siege Bell Memorial is a simple monument symbolizing the plight of the many people who fought and died for Malta during the Second World War. It was built in 1992 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of when Malta received the George Cross for the display of bravery and valor shown during the attacks on the island from 1940-42. The Siege Bell Memorial was unveiled by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth in 1992. Its subtle design blends with the natural surroundings and majestic fortifications built by the Knights of St John, leaving a lasting impression on all those who visit. Below the Bell, a catafalque lies. There, visitors can see a statue dedicated to the ‘Unknown Soldier’, symbolizing all the people who died at war.
Here you'll find the best tours on the islands:
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#travelogues

[@ActNaturally]

Cool to see the old cannons so well preserved near the water front! Good to see the city street life and buildings!

[@honestholidayreview]

Thanks for dropping by! ✌🤓

[@ladyintheskyuk]

Thank you for sharing. It's been many years since I was on holiday there. 😊

[@honestholidayreview]

You're welcome. I hope it brings back good memories.

[@xxxxxx-kr4ss]

Gefällt mir sehr 👍 👍 👍 🔔🔔🔔

[@honestholidayreview]

Thanks! ❤️

[@vlada3442]

Amazing video! Incredible views! The music is perfect. Thank you!

[@honestholidayreview]

Thanks very much! We’re glad it was useful… 🤓👍

[@lu.do-box]

Wonderful architecture and beautiful visite. You are lucky 👍4

[@honestholidayreview]

Thanks Lu.Do! 👍

[@hiromitravel]

It's such a beautiful place! Hope I'm lucky enough to be able to visit Malta soon!😊

[@honestholidayreview]

We hope, too! You'll enjoy it very much.😃😍

[@Alberto-84]

Beautiful appreciate 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻🔝

[@honestholidayreview]

Thanks, my friend!

[@GreatCityAttractions]

Nice video Honest Holiday review.

[@honestholidayreview]

Thanks, Great City Attractions.

[@GreatCityAttractions]

you're welcome @@honestholidayreview

[@theresabigwideworld2632]

I loved Valletta, I caught that ferry the opposite way as I stayed in Valletta and went to Sliema for the day. The old town of Valletta is wonderful, especially when you go up along the Grand Harbour.

[@honestholidayreview]

Yes, it's beautiful. The whole islands of Malta & Gozo are wonderful. Thanks for stopping by. 😀

[@JumisVisuals]

Nice shots of Malta. Was there in 2017. probably a lot has changed since then.

[@honestholidayreview]

This was taken in April this year… you can compare your impressions! 💕

[@JumisVisuals]

@@honestholidayreview i was there in april too 😀

[@honestholidayreview]

@@JumisVisuals the temperature was perfect but, not for swimming! We wanted an active vacation and we got it! It was beautiful! It is beautiful! 😍

[@MENSA.lady2]

I doubt it. Malta is proud of it's history and won't all much change.

[@koreasoundscape]

It is a beautiful and wonderful place. I'm glad I found a good place, and thank you.

[@honestholidayreview]

You’re welcome!✌️🤓

[@chadoltv]

Sharing your video is good😂

[@honestholidayreview]

Cool!

[@istasyoninsani]

how was the weather in April?

[@honestholidayreview]

nice, warm but, windy... around 20 degrees. Some people were swimming in the pools in the hotels. :)

[@MENSA.lady2]

Shame. You need at least 2 weeks to hope to see most of Malta. Then there's Gozo to explore.

[@honestholidayreview]

We were there for a week and saw a lot of places but, there was a lot more that we haven’t got the time to visit. 🤓 We visited Gozo as well… expect the guided tours of Gozo in the upcoming weeks… and yes we saw just a fraction of the island! ✌️

[@calypso22]

Nice video with really annoying "music".

[@honestholidayreview]

Sorry about the music… we usualy don’t edit the sounds of the original video material but, we did edit this one. Hope it was informative. See you around. 🖐️🤓

[@betterfuture2572]

Thank you for this wonderful video with very nice memories. But one question: You show Republic Square but not Valletta's most important building, the Grandmaster Palace. Why not?

[@honestholidayreview]

Our time there was very limited and I guess this building kind of slipped away from us. There are so many beautiful and important places that we couldn’t visit and show in this video. Maybe in another video. Thanks for watching anyways and we are glad you like it! ❤️

[@honestholidayreview]

Also, the Palace was temporary colsed! We are sure we checked that because we can't miss such a monumental structure!