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Heading to Valletta on your next trip and looking to take a tour or excursion to see some of the highlights there?
You’ve come to the right place.
In this article I’ve curated the best Valletta tours and excursions that will take you past some of the best places of interest in Malta’s capital city.
Save big on sightseeing Valletta with iSeeMalta museum combo tickets and their Valletta harbour cruise ferry.
These are the types of Valletta tours that I’ll cover today:
Valletta is not a big city, in fact, it’s one of the smallest capital cities in Europe. But within its thick 16th century walls are so many interesting things to learn within short walking distance from each other. And the fun part about all this is that you can tour Valletta in a number of ways.
The below are a few Valletta tours and excursion options to consider. I’ve also included links to a few providers that I recommend booking with online for each.
Stretch your legs and warm up your muscles! The best way to explore the city is the most traditional – on foot. Even better if you have a guide to pinpoint items of historical significance which you might otherwise never notice, who can also provide interesting background info.
During this half day Valletta tour, you’ll visit the most important highlights of the city:
The cost of this tour is €40 per person for persons 13+ and €17 per person for children under 12 years.
Going to a new destination can be daunting and the easiest way is to book a tour, but with Valletta being so small, it’s super easy to do your own sightseeing.
Although I don’t offer tours myself, I’m a huge Valletta fan and wrote a fully-fledged Valletta guidebook. There’s a ton of info in there, but the content is centred around a few itineraries with easy-to-follow walking routes in which I’ve prioritised the best places to visit in the city.
So if you’re only around for one day (on a cruise stop, for example), I’ve presented the best of Valletta on a silver platter.
Either way, if you’re keen to get to know Valletta better before you visit, it’s a very informative guidebook that’s well-reviewed by my readers.
More info here: Valletta guidebook by Malta Uncovered.
There’s the city from the inside, and then there’s the city from the outside. The Grand Harbour is closely tied to Valletta and its rich history. And what better way to explore the two natural harbours on either side of the city than by boat, one of the few Valletta tours at sea?
Hop on board a Wi-Fi-enabled harbour boat for a cruise around Marsamxett Harbour and the captain will take you very close to the fortifications. Meanwhile, a detailed audio commentary provides you with info on the rich history that shaped Valletta and the harbours around it.
You can get on or off at three points of the journey for added flexibility:
Tickets are just €10 per person and €7.50 for children (ages 4-12).
Get tickets here and learn more here: Traditional Harbour Cruise Malta.
If you’re looking to explore Valletta with the rich insight that a private tour guide can offer you, there are a few highly knowledgeable and experienced tour guides that do a great job.
For cruise passengers who have a short amount of time available for sightseeing, taking a private tour is the best way to maximise time on shore. These are a few options to consider, starting and ending at the cruise port terminal:
If you’re not a cruise passenger, you can still join these private walking tours. The cruise port terminal is a 10-15 minute walk away from City Gate, located at the end of the Valletta Waterfront down at the harbour.
Probably the most fun way of exploring Valletta is taking a segway tour. Hop on these noiseless two-wheeled contraptions and follow the leader around the straight streets of the city.
With 3 choice tour durations of 1.5 hours, 2 hours or 3 hours, you can go on a segway tour during mornings, afternoons and evenings. Your guide will help you get familiar with the easy-to-steer segways, and then show you around the most interesting places in the city.
Segway tours can be enjoyed by persons from 14 years to adult and prices start from €45 per person.
Tip: My Valletta travel guide book shortlists some of the best places to see and visit, so you don’t have to depend on excursions or tours to explore the city!
This half-day trip takes you around the three fortified cities of Birgu, Cospicua and Senglea. Popularly, these are known as the Three Cities (also referred to as Cottonera). On their arrival on the islands, the Knights of the Order of St. John made these cities their domain. They built some of the most impressive fortifications in the world, famous for having repelled a massive Ottoman invasion (known as the Great Siege of 1565).
During the duration of the tour, you’ll experience Malta by car, on foot and also by small boat ferry. First, there’s an informative drive through Cospicua. This is followed by a walking tour of Birgu (Vittoriosa), visiting several historical buildings and churches.
Next up, is a harbour cruise on a traditional Maltese boat from where you can truly be amazed by the immensity of the fortifications built by the Knights. The tour ends in Senglea, with a visit to the watchtower overlooking the Grand Harbour.
The cost of this tour is €32 per person for persons 13+ and €15 per person for children under 12 years.
Leave a comment below and let me know!
Edward is the Founder and Editor of Malta Uncovered and author of two guidebooks on Malta and Valletta.
As a tourist-turned-expat with Maltese roots, he knows the islands inside out and helps thousands of visitors enjoy a memorable trip every year.
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