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Cottonera

human settlement

2.2km

35.87694414.521944

St. Julian's

local council of Malta

3.1km

35.91861114.49

Marsaxlokk

village and port at the south of Malta

6.2km

35.841714.5447

Mdina

fortified city in Malta

12km

35.885814.4031

Scicli

Scicli is a small town among the Iblei hills in the Ragusa province on the southeast of Sicily. It is one of the "Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto" listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

83km

36.79414.707

Modica

Modica is a town in the province of Ragusa in Sicily, with a population of about 55,000.

89km

36.8514.76666667

Ragusa

comune in Sicily, Italy

93km

36.91666714.716667

Gela

Gela is a medium-sized city on the south coast of Sicily, Italy. It is an ancient town, founded around 688 BC by colonists from Rhodes and Crete, and among the oldest continually inhabited settlements in southern Italy.

108km

37.066714.25

Noto

Noto is in Sicily, Italy. The city is one of the eight world heritage listed "Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto".

108km

36.883315.0833

Palazzolo Acreide

Palazzolo is in the Syracuse province. The town is listed as a world heritage by UNESCO.

112km

37.06114.904

Caltagirone

Caltagirone is a town in central Sicily, Italy, most famous for its ceramics and long ceramic-decorated staircase. The city is one of the eight world heritage listed "Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto".

119km

37.233314.5167

Militello in Val di Catania

Militello Val di Catania is in the Catania province. It's one of Sicily's eight world heritage listed Baroque towns.

126km

37.27514.794

Syracuse (Italy)

Syracuse is a medium sized city on the eastern coast of Sicily, Italy.

135km

37.0815.28

Catania

Catania is a city on the eastern coast of Sicily at the foot of Mount Etna, the biggest volcano in Europe. It is the second largest city in Sicily with the metropolitan area reaching one million inhabitants, a major transport hub, economic centre and a university city where you will enjoy a busy downtown and an active nightlife. Catania is also well known for its particular baroque architecture and urban design, consequences of the great earthquake of 1693 after which the city had to be rebuilt, like most of eastern Sicily.

156km

37.515.090278

Misrata

city in Libya

330km

32.37815.09
Sights (20)

Saint John's Co-Cathedral

Unremarkable from the outside, but incredibly ornate on the inside. Each of the different 'langues' (knights of a particular nationality had their own langue) has a their own chapel lined along the side of the nave in which they try and outdo each other in splendor. The barrel shaped ceiling is a single huge fresco, the lifework of famed artist Mattia Preti. And last but not least the floor is entirely taken by knight's graves all intricately inlaid marble in different colours, a recent book on the subject describes it as the 'most beautiful floor in the world.' This relatively unknown cathedral can count itself one of the most impressive in Europe. Entrance is through the Carappechia Annex on Republic Street in between St John's Street and St Lucy Street, directly opposite the Law Courts. As soon as you enter you will be provided with an audio guide included in the entrance fee which leads you through the cathedral in 24 stops enabling you to get further historical information about the paintings and special parts of St. John’s Co-Cathedral.

30m

35.8977777814.51277778

National Library of Malta

An evocative old library on Republic Square, next to the Grandmaster's Palace. Only part of it is open to the public: you will need to take a passport or other photo ID to get in. The entire archives of the Knights of St. John from the Crusades in the 11th century until 1798 when Napoleon took Malta, are kept here, in true Maltese style in rickety wooden filing cabinets. They were proud to mention that recently a sprinkler system had been installed to protect this priceless collection.

120m

35.8983055614.5135

Grandmaster's Palace (Valletta)

Now it is the President's office and the Maltese parliament. The staterooms, when accessible are quite impressive. It also houses the Knights' armoury which is open to visitors daily from 09:00-17:00. (However, all other parts of the palace are closed to visitors, so what they can see is limited.) At the entrance you can receive an audio guide which is included in the entrance fee. It provides you with further historical information about the various armoury of different eras beginning from the medieval chain mail up to the 17th-century armour.

199m

35.8986111114.51416667

Royal Opera House, Valletta

Open theatre on the site of the former Royal Opera House which was destroyed by a bomb in 1942. The outdoor theatre was designed by Renzo Piano and opened in 2013.

263m

35.896714.5103

Upper Barrakka Gardens

The gardens offer a jaw-dropping view of the Grand Harbour. Go on a sunny day and bring champagne!

276m

35.8947222214.51222222

Casa Rocca Piccola

A Maltese noble family house on Triq ir-Republika, a few hundred metres past the Grand Master's Palace on the right hand side. Very enjoyable.

374m

35.8998611114.51541667

City Gate (Valletta)

The fifth incarnation of the main entrance to the city was built between 2011 and 2014 to design of the Italian architect Renzo Piano. The first gate on this site was built in 1569.

399m

35.8961111114.50916667

Fort St. Angelo

The area around it is possibly the hidden gem of Malta. This fortress has been here since and possibly already before Roman times and was in 1565 the main objective to capture for Suleiman's armada. It was used until 1979 as the headquarters of the British Mediterranean fleet. After the British left there were attempts to turn the fort into a hotel resort, which resulted in some damage and a derelict swimming pool half filled with scum constructed on top of the ancient fortifications. The fort appears closed, but sometimes the gates are open, and sometimes even if they are closed, it's worth calling out, and passing a couple of Liri to those who may be on guard duty. The core of the fort (where the Grand Masters lived and worshipped) is now under the care of the Knights of St John, and has been beautifully restored, but is definitely not open to the public. The lack of any further restoration adds to the charm, there is something very evocative about these unpolished ruins.

834m

35.8919444414.51833333

Malta Maritime Museum

Ex-Naval Bakery, Vittoriosa Quay, 2166 0052. is well presented, and though not up to the standard of the great maritime museums (such as Greenwich in London) is worth a visit.

1.3km

35.887514.52083333

Birgu

city in Malta

1.4km

35.8880555614.5225

Inquisitor's Palace

Main Gate Street. Impressive courtroom where judgments were read, and it is worth a visit with a €6 price tag.

1.5km

35.8872222214.5225

Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum

Maltese prehistoric building

2.6km

35.8714.50638889

St Paul's Cathedral, Mdina

cathedral in Mdina, Malta

12km

35.8863888914.40388889

National Museum of Natural History, Malta

The museum is housed in an 18th century palace, designed in Parisian Baroque style. It covers various topics such as Maltese Geology and Palaeontology, exotic mammals, marine fauna, insects, shells and birds and other topics like human evolution.

12km

35.88514.4037

Domvs Romana

Houses the remains of a Roman villa. It lies in between Rabat and Mdina. This rebuilt Roman villa features mosaics and sculpture from the original house excavated on the site, along with artifacts and displays relating the Roman, Byzantine and Arab periods, from the 3rd century B.C. through the 10th century A.D.

12km

35.8853055614.40008333

Collegiate church of St Paul, Rabat

Also houses St. Paul's Grotto. Where the saint apparently lived after being shipwrecked on his way to being put on trial in Rome. Pope John Paul II visited this place of pilgrimage in 1990. One can take the underground passage from here to the Wignacourt Museum.

12km

35.8816944414.39922222

Rabat, Malta

village near Mdina, Malta

12km

35.8816666714.39888889

St. Paul's Catacombs

Early Christian underground cemeteries, particularly the latter is very interesting to visit. Earlier descriptions refer to a "grumpy tour guide", but by June 2011 there is a friendly one who makes a special effort with children!

12km

35.8806914.39761

Gozo

island of Malta

32km

36.0514.25

Cittadella (Gozo)

Go up to the Citadella and walk around the entire perimeter and enjoy the very beautiful 360 degree view of Gozo at your feet. Visit the cathedral of Gozo, and the Gozo archaeological museum with Islamic tombstones, ask for Steven, show interest and knowledge and he might give you a personal tour of the museum. The other museums in the Citadella are of considerably less interest.

33km

36.0463888914.23944444
Nature

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Someday we will visit Valletta or begin to dream about going there! However, for now its not on our radar. Let us know in the comments if you think that should change!

Valletta

Valletta or Il-Belt is the capital of Malta. It is both the southernmost and the least populated national capital in the European Union and one of only two without rail-based public transit.

Valletta has been designated European Capital of Culture for 2018. The year was inaugurated with an event called Erba' Pjazez (Four Squares), with shows focused in 4 plazas in the city – Triton Square, St. George's Square, St. John's Square, and Castille Square – along with other shows in other points. This was followed by the unveiling of a public art installation, Kif Jgħid il-Malti (Maltese Sayings), which featured a number of Maltese language proverb figured in gypsum, in order to engage linguistic heritage.

The Valletta peninsula has two natural harbours, Marsamxett and the Grand Harbour. The Grand Harbour is Malta's major port, with unloading quays at nearby Marsa. A cruise-liner terminal is located along the old seawall of the Valletta Waterfront that Portuguese Grandmaster Manuel Pinto da Fonseca built.

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Climate

Average temperatures

Jan

15°C9
Precipitation: 89 mm

Feb

16°C9
Precipitation: 61 mm

Mar

17°C10
Precipitation: 41 mm

Apr

19°C12
Precipitation: 23 mm

May

23°C15
Precipitation: 7 mm

Jun

28°C18
Precipitation: 3 mm

Jul

31°C21
Precipitation: 0 mm

Aug

31°C22
Precipitation: 7 mm

Sep

28°C20
Precipitation: 40 mm

Oct

24°C17
Precipitation: 90 mm

Nov

20°C14
Precipitation: 80 mm

Dec

17°C11
Precipitation: 112 mm
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