Valletta

Valletta is one of Europe’s smallest capitals, yet it holds more history inside its golden stone walls than cities many times its size.

The city was built in the 1500s by the Knights of St. John, after Malta survived the Great Siege of 1565. That battle saw the Knights and Maltese villagers resist the powerful Ottoman Empire. Their victory gave birth to a new capital.

The city was named after Jean Parisot de Valette, the Order’s leader during the siege. He wanted Valletta to be both strong and beautiful.

The result was a fortress city with straight streets, massive bastions, and grand churches. Even today, children can spot the old cannon positions designed to scare off invaders.

History didn’t end with the Knights. In 1798, Napoleon arrived, forced the Knights to surrender, and angered locals by seizing church treasures.

The Maltese rebelled within months and called in the British Navy for help. The French held Valletta under siege until 1800, when they finally surrendered. Malta then became a key base in the British Empire.

During World War II, Malta was one of the most heavily bombed places in Europe. The people endured with extraordinary courage. King George VI awarded Malta the George Cross, which still appears on the national flag.

But Valletta’s story is not only about battles. For centuries, it has been a hub of trade and culture, alive with markets and languages from around the Mediterranean.

The Knights also brought great artists, including Caravaggio. His dramatic works still hang in St. John’s Co-Cathedral, including a famous painting of the beheading of St. John the Baptist, the Order’s patron saint.

Today, Valletta feels like a living museum. Music echoes in the squares, cafes spill into the streets, and ferries crisscross the harbor.

You can walk the same narrow streets the Knights once planned, step into the cathedral to see Caravaggio’s masterpiece, or climb to the Upper Barrakka Gardens for cannon salutes and sweeping views of the Grand Harbour.

For a city barely larger than a neighborhood park, Valletta offers a time-travel adventure at every corner.