Photos: Mika500, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Michelle Attard, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Creator:Paul André Basset, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo credits
Photos: Mika500, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Michelle Attard, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Creator:Paul André Basset, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Valletta: the Knights and the Grand Harbour
Your local guide
Joseph Camilleri
View profile
Highlights
- The co-cathedral built plain to hide its riches
- Caravaggio's Beheading of Saint John, explained outside the Oratory
- The saluting battery above the Grand Harbour
- The Knights' auberges along Republic Street
- The Grandmaster's Palace and the Great Siege of 1565
About this tour
This session covers the Knights of Malta and the Grand Harbour they defended, from the co-cathedral of St John to the Upper Barrakka Gardens and Republic Street. The guide walks the fortified peninsula the Knights built after the Great Siege of 1565, pointing out the auberges and the Grandmaster's Palace along the way. It focuses on how the order's history still shapes Valletta's streets today.
The session begins with a sound check, then works through the three stops from cathedral to gardens to palace, pausing for questions whenever something needs more explaining. A short list of the history covered follows once the call ends.
This suits anyone interested in military history or the Knights of Malta, whether it replaces a visit or adds to one already taken. It also works for anyone who wants the Grand Harbour explained rather than just seen.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
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Welcome and sound check 7 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Valletta before heading out.
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St John's Co-Cathedral 21 min
Outside the co-cathedral, the guide describes Caravaggio's Beheading of Saint John, held inside the Oratory, and explains how the Knights of St John built this plain exterior to hide one of the richest interiors in Malta.
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Upper Barrakka Gardens and the saluting battery 21 min
From the gardens, the camera looks down on the saluting battery on the bastion below, and the guide explains when the cannons still fire today and what the Grand Harbour has meant to the city since the Knights arrived.
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Republic Street and the Grandmaster's Palace 21 min
Walking down Republic Street, the guide points out the old auberges built for the Knights' language groups, stops at the Grandmaster's Palace, and tells where the Great Siege of 1565 was fought hardest.
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Your questions 14 min
Time to ask anything about Valletta: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 6 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Pastizzi and Valletta city centre, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Malta time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 12 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Valletta, showing you Fort St Elmo and Grandmaster's Palace live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Do I need to know the history already?
No background needed. The guide explains everything as it comes up.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We meet on Google Meet; the link comes with your booking. I walk Valletta live with my phone and you ask anything as we go.
Times shown in Malta time (CET)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
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Next: Mon 2 Nov · 12 seats left From 24,00 €
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