Baroque palaces crowd honey-stone streets above one of the world's great natural harbours. Malta's capital packs more UNESCO heritage per square metre than almost anywhere on earth — and it's almost all walkable from the ship.
Valletta Cruise Port sits in Floriana, just outside the city walls — you can walk or take the complimentary shuttle to City Gate in minutes.
💡 Pro move: Valletta is compact and almost entirely pedestrianised. Wear comfortable shoes — the streets are steep and paved with old stone.
Cruise ships berth alongside at Valletta Cruise Port (Pinto Wharf) in the Grand Harbour area — no tendering required.
| Cruise Line | Typical Berth / Arrival | Dock or Tender |
|---|---|---|
| Most cruise lines | Pinto Wharf / Valletta Waterfront, Floriana📍 | Docked |
| Very large ships (rare overflow) | Anchorage, Grand Harbour — tender to Valletta Waterfront📍 | Tendered |
Malta is small enough to see two or three sites in a single shore day — pair Valletta's old city with the ancient temples or a harbour cruise.
Stroll the fortified Baroque capital: City Gate, Republic Street, St John's Co-Cathedral (two Caravaggio masterpieces), the Grand Master's Palace, and Upper Barrakka Gardens for postcard Grand Harbour views.
Find Valletta walking tours →Take a water taxi across the Grand Harbour to the fortified Three Cities — older than Valletta itself, packed with Knights' auberges and WWII history. Fort St Angelo is the centrepiece.
Find Three Cities tours →Malta's ancient walled hilltop capital is 30 minutes by bus or taxi. Car-free medieval streets, the Cathedral of St Paul, and sweeping views across the island make it the most atmospheric stop outside Valletta.
Find Mdina day trips →The Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra temples (3600–3200 BC) predate Stonehenge and the pyramids. A UNESCO site on Malta's southern cliffs — combine with a Blue Grotto boat trip nearby.
Find Malta temples tours →Motorboat trips run from Wied iż-Żurrieq on Malta's south coast into the Blue Grotto sea cave system — brilliant turquoise water and cathedral-like caverns. Best in morning light.
Find Blue Grotto tours →See Valletta's legendary fortifications from the water — Fort St Elmo, Fort Ricasoli, and the Cottonera Lines — on a 1-hour harbour cruise departing from the Valletta Waterfront.
Find Grand Harbour boat tours →Valletta's entire old city is a 20-minute walk end to end — you can cover the main sights on foot without any transport.
The classic Valletta route: enter through City Gate, walk Republic Street past the Grand Master's Palace to Fort St Elmo, then return via Merchant Street for different viewpoints. Side-step into St John's Co-Cathedral and the National Museum of Archaeology along the way.
From City Gate, descend to Upper Barrakka Gardens for Grand Harbour panoramas (and the noon cannon salute at 12:00 and 16:00, Mon–Sat), then take the Barrakka Lift down to the waterfront and stroll back to the ship along the historic Valletta Waterfront promenade.
🗺️ See full route in Maps →Climate normals for Valletta, Malta (2014–2023 averages). Pack for the month you sail — highs, lows, and how many rainy days to expect.
| Month | Avg High | Avg Low | Rainy Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 59°F / 15°C | 53°F / 12°C | 8 |
| Feb | 60°F / 16°C | 53°F / 12°C | 6 |
| Mar | 61°F / 16°C | 54°F / 12°C | 7 |
| Apr | 65°F / 18°C | 58°F / 14°C | 3 |
| May | 71°F / 22°C | 63°F / 17°C | 3 |
| Jun | 79°F / 26°C | 70°F / 21°C | 1 |
| Jul | 85°F / 29°C | 75°F / 24°C | 0 |
| Aug | 85°F / 29°C | 77°F / 25°C | 1 |
| Sep | 81°F / 27°C | 74°F / 23°C | 4 |
| Oct | 75°F / 24°C | 68°F / 20°C | 7 |
| Nov | 69°F / 21°C | 63°F / 17°C | 11 |
| Dec | 63°F / 17°C | 57°F / 14°C | 8 |
Source: Open-Meteo ERA5 (10-yr daily averages)
Upcoming cruises that call at Valletta, Malta. Dates, prices, and ports of call change — always confirm with the cruise line before booking.
Itineraries and prices change — always confirm with the cruise line before booking. Some links are affiliate links that may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.