History & Knights · Valletta itinerary
Historic Malta: Knights, the Three Cities & the Silent City of Mdina
Long before the beach resorts, Malta was the island fortress of the Knights of St John. Trace their story through Baroque Valletta, cruise the Grand Harbour to the Three Cities and lose yourself in medieval Mdina — with the best-rated history tours to book for each.
At a glance
- 1Walk Valletta with the Knights of St John
- 2St John's Co-Cathedral & Caravaggio
- 3Grand Harbour cruise to the Three Cities
- 4Medieval Mdina & Rabat catacombs
Valletta: capital of the Knights
Built by the Knights of St John after the Great Siege of 1565, Valletta is a fortified Baroque capital packed into a walkable grid. Guided walks weave past the Grandmaster's Palace, the Upper Barrakka Gardens and St John's Co-Cathedral, whose gilded interior hides two Caravaggio masterpieces. History-themed and dark-knights tours add the intrigue, duels and scandals behind the honey-coloured facades.
