On the latest cruise I did I went to a country that had never really been on my list of places to visit as we docked in Valetta in Malta. Valetta is a port that I would recommend rising early for so that you are able to see the sail in as it’s worth seeing.
Once we had docked and cleared customs we got off the ship where we then decided to get on the tour bus as we thought this would be the best way to see some of Malta as we also only in port from 7am til 2pm. We did the yellow route of the tour bus which took 90 minutes which cost €15, there is also the option of doing another two routes which are longer. The yellow route took us around Mdina, Mosta, Mosta Glass and Valetta.
Due to the short amount of time in port we decided to stay on the tour bus at Mdina but we were able to see St Paul’s Cathedral which is a Roman Catholic cathedral that is dedicated to St Paul the Apostle. This cathedral was founded in the 12th century and was rebuilt between 1696 and 1907 due to being severely damaged in 1963 due to the Sicily earthquake. On the tour we were also able to see Mdina Gate which is also known as the main gate or the Vihena gate. This gate was built in 1724 in the Baroque style.
Along on the tour we were able to see the Basilica of the Assumption of our Lady which is also known as Rotunda of Mosta or the Mosta Dome. This is a Roman Catholic parish church as well as a minor basilica that is dedicated to the Assumption of Mary. It was built between 1833 and the 1860s in a neoclassical design and is based on the Pantheon in Rome.
Once we had done the loop of the tour we got off in Valetta where we took a walk around the city taking in the shops and some of the sights. Walking around you will come across St John’s Co-Cathedral which is a Roman Catholic cathedral that is dedicated to Saint John the Baptist which was built between 1572 and 1577. There is another cathedral in Valetta called St Paul’s Pro-Cathedral which is an Anglican cathedral located in Independence Square. The Grandmaster’s Palace can also be found whilst walking which is officially known as The Palace that was built between the 16th and 18th century. It was originally built as the palace of the grand master of the order of St John who ruled Malta, the palace was also known as the Magisterial Palace until it became known as the Governor’s Palace. The palace currently houses the office for the President of Malta.
If you are going back to your trip after walking around Valetta you will come down in a lift from the Upper Barrakka Gardens which are a public garden which offer panoramic views of the harbour. This is a port I would recommend making sure you leave plenty of time for getting back onboard your ship as it takes longer to get back onboard compared to other ports due to the security at the cruise terminal.
Malta is a country that I would like to visit again so that I can explore more of the country.
Have you been to Valetta or any of Malta before?
LauraJane
WORLDOFLAURAJANE 