Article and photography by Judi Cohen (Traveling Judi)
Malta, a tiny island nation in the heart of the Mediterranean, lies just south of Sicily and north of Africa. For North American travelers, it may still feel like an “off the beaten path” destination, but Europeans and seasoned travelers have long discovered its golden stone cities, sparkling harbors, and rich cultural history. Cruise ships regularly dock in Valletta, bringing day-trippers eager to explore its UNESCO designated old city.
When to Go
Summers in Malta are hot, and the city’s limestone streets radiate heat into the afternoon. Peak season runs from July through August, with temperatures above 30°C (86°F) and cruise ship traffic is at its highest. For fewer crowds and more comfortable sightseeing, plan your visit in April to early June or September to October.
A Morning of Heat, Crowds, and History
We began our day passing through Valletta’s City Gate into the grid of the old city. By mid-morning the sun was already blazing, and the streets were packed with cruise ship passengers, crowding souvenir stands and snack shops and queuing outside St John’s Co-Cathedral.
Even in the bustle, Valletta’s character is on full display with limestone palaces, carved wooden balconies, and shaded laneways with centuries of history. Upper Barrakka Gardens offered a brief escape from the heat with its sea breeze and sweeping view across the Grand Harbour, where ferries and cruise ships glistened at the docks.
Inside St John’s Co Cathedral and Behind the Scenes
Stepping into St John’s Co-Cathedral is like entering another world. The austere exterior hides a Baroque interior of golden vaults and marble floors with 405 tomb slabs of the Knights of St. John (only some have bodies buried beneath them), and ceilings painted by Mattia Preti. In the oratory is Caravaggio’s The Beheading of St John the Baptist, his only signed work.
Beyond the public galleries, we were given a behind the scenes glimpse of the cathedral’s ongoing restoration project, led with passion and dedication by CEO of the St. John’s Co-Cathedral Foundation, Tonio Mallia. He and his skilled team of conservators work tirelessly to clean and preserve priceless paintings, source old marble to match centuries old slabs, and restore tombs and crypts with painstaking care.
The cathedral’s expansion project includes a new Tapestry Chamber and a restored Caravaggio Wing, built with 2,700 hand cut limestone blocks to integrate seamlessly into Valletta’s historic streetscape. Watching the team’s craftsmanship in action, shaping stone, conserving art, and installing modern lighting, felt like witnessing history being preserved for generations to come.
From Midday Heat to Evening Calm
By early afternoon, Valletta’s streets grew hotter and quieter as visitors retreated to restaurant patios and bars. We walked down narrow streets and alleyways pausing in shady corners like St George’s Square and visiting the armory in the Grand-masters Palace.
In the late afternoon, as we returned to our quiet oasis at The Phoenicia Malta, the transformation was complete. The crowds were gone, the limestone glowed in the late sun, and Valletta felt almost like a city paused in time, silent but alive with history.
Valletta: Beauty, Craft, and Continuity
Valletta is a study in contrasts: the intense heat and the welcome shade, the morning crowds and the evening calm, the centuries old city and the patient work of those preserving it. Experiencing the living restoration of St John’s Co-Cathedral gave us insight into the driving force behind the project, and proof that Valletta is not just a museum of the past, but a city continuously shaped by passion, skill, and a commitment to preserving its heritage.
I plan to return to explore more of Valletta and to visit the completed Museum Project and Restoration work at St. John’s Co-Cathedral.