Question 1

Knights, the Great Siege, and WWII

Accepted Answer

Valletta was founded in 1566, the year after the Knights of St. John held Malta against an Ottoman siege. The Knights of St. John arrived in Malta in 1530, after the Ottomans drove them from Rhodes, and made Birgu, across the harbor, their first capital. The Great Siege lasted from May 18 to September 8, 1565. Grand Master Jean de Valette laid the new city's foundation stone on March 28, 1566. The pope sent his military architect, Francesco Laparelli, to design it. Napoleon took Malta from the Knights in June 1798, and the French occupation ended in 1800. Malta then came under British rule until independence in 1964. Between 1940 and 1942 Malta was one of the most heavily bombed places of the Second World War. It joined the European Union in 2004.

Question 2

Getting Around

Accepted Answer

The Barrakka Lift rises 190 feet (58 m) from Lascaris Wharf to the Upper Barrakka Gardens in about 23 seconds. Bus route 130 runs between the Waterfront stop and the Valletta bus terminus, three stops away. A booking office on the Waterfront promenade sells taxi rides at set rates. The fast ferry to the Three Cities leaves from Lascaris Wharf and crosses in about five minutes. Check the fare at the stop. A single ticket from the driver is valid for two hours. Fares change with the season; check the current fare on board. Traffic drives on the left.

Question 3

Pastizzi, Ftira and Kinnie

Accepted Answer

Pastizzi, Malta's best-known street food, are small pastries filled with ricotta or curried peas. Ftira is a ring-shaped Maltese bread, usually filled with tuna, tomato, onion, capers and olives. UNESCO added it to its intangible heritage list in 2020. Aljotta is a fish broth with garlic, herbs and tomatoes. Kinnie is a bittersweet Maltese soft drink made from bitter oranges, first sold in 1952. The Valletta Waterfront's cafés and restaurants are set in the old warehouses beside the ships.

Question 4

Culture & Local Life

Accepted Answer

St. John's Co-Cathedral is plain outside, decorated in Baroque style inside, and holds the only painting Caravaggio ever signed. Caravaggio finished the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist in Malta in 1608, and it hangs in the Co-Cathedral's Oratory. Fort St. Elmo, at the seaward end of the city, is best known for its part in the Great Siege of 1565. The Upper Barrakka Gardens are the highest point of the city walls, with a view over the Grand Harbour and the Three Cities. The Grand Master's Palace houses the office of Malta's president. Its State Rooms and Armoury are open as a museum, and the State Rooms close for some official occasions.

Question 5

Tipping

Accepted Answer

Tipping is customary in Malta, and the Malta Tourism Authority calls 5 to 10 percent reasonable where the service has been good. No tip is needed where a service charge is already on the bill. Ask the restaurant about its own policy if you are unsure. Malta has used the euro since 2008.

Question 6

Traveling with Family

Accepted Answer

The cannon fired at the Saluting Battery at noon is the one fixed appointment to plan a family day around. The Saluting Battery, below the Upper Barrakka Gardens, fires its guns at noon and 4 pm, Monday to Saturday. Arrive 15 minutes early, and note that tickets bought on site are card only. A traditional harbor boat, the dgħajsa, works as a water taxi across the Grand Harbour to the Three Cities. Fort St. Elmo's National War Museum shows a Gloster Sea Gladiator biplane named Faith and a jeep named Husky that President Roosevelt used. Horse-drawn cabs wait on the road beside the Waterfront for rides up to the city.

Question 7

Shopping & Local Markets

Accepted Answer

Hand-blown glass, ceramics and lace are the Maltese crafts to look for. Mdina Glass, founded in 1968, was Malta's first glassmaker. Maltese lace is a bobbin lace, made above all on the island of Gozo. Valletta's cruise port lists VAT refunds for visitors from outside the EU at €55 per shop and €315 in total (checked October 2026). Check the rule at the shop. UK government travel advice for Malta reports pickpocketing on crowded summer buses between Valletta and St. Julian's. Keep valuables in sight.

Question 8

Beaches

Accepted Answer

Malta's larger sandy beaches are in the north of the island, a long ride from Valletta. Mellieħa Bay is the largest sandy beach in Malta, more than half a mile (1 km) long, with shallow water. Golden Bay and Għajn Tuffieħa, also in the north, are among Malta's most popular beaches. UK government travel advice for Malta warns that some beaches have strong undercurrents and says not to dive into unknown water. Check the time of the last bus or agree a pickup before you settle on the sand.

Question 9

Accessibility

Accepted Answer

Valletta is built on a ridge, with stairs on some streets, so plan your route before you leave the Waterfront. The Barrakka Lift avoids the climb between the harbor and the main city level. All of Malta's public buses are low-floor and have a ramp, which the driver operates on request. The cruise terminal offers wheelchair assistance. Ask your ship to arrange it before you arrive. Ask your ship whether the gangway will be step-free in Valletta.

Valletta, Malta

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