VALLETTA

Valletta is Malta’s capital city, named after its founder, the Grand Master of the Order of St John, Jean Parisot de la Valette.  The city, with its splendid buildings in magnificent baroque architecture has been declared by UNESCO to be a World Heritage Site.

Valletta today is home to about 9000 inhabitants.  As the Islands' main commercial and financial centre and the seat of Government, Valletta is a very busy city, yet it retains a timeless atmosphere.  Its wealth of history and culture make it a unique experience for each visitor.  The Grand Harbour of Valletta, the Hospital of the Knights of St John, the Grand Master’s Palace, the Auberges, the Cathedral of St John, the Churches and the charming piazzas perfectly designed in the grid plan of Valletta all contribute in no little way in making this city a cultural masterpiece.

Valletta is also host to a vast cultural programme, from traditional church festas, theatre and music to avant garde art.  Caravaggio’s ‘Beheading of St John’, made for the Co-Cathedral of St John in 1608, is the only one which the great artist ever signed, the largest he ever painted and claimed by many to be his unparalleled masterpiece.

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