Can you do this cruise port on your own?
Valletta
DIY Score
Easy DIY
Check your call length before planning Mdina; Valletta alone fills a short port day.
Tender or Docked?
Usually docked at Grand Harbour, very close to Valletta's center. The Barrakka Lift (€1) or a short walk up the bastion brings you into the city in minutes.
How to Get Into Town
Valletta is a 5-minute walk (or €1 lift) from the pier. The city is compact and entirely on foot. Mdina is 30-35 minutes by bus.
Main Attractions
Upper Barrakka Gardens is free and has the best view in Malta. St. John's Co-Cathedral is one of the finest Baroque interiors in Europe. Both are within 10 minutes of the pier.
How Much Time You Need
6 hours is the comfortable minimum. That covers Valletta properly and leaves a brief stop at Mdina or the Three Cities.
Keep in Mind
St. John's Co-Cathedral is closed on Sundays. If your ship calls on a Sunday, you will not be able to enter. Check your port day before planning around it.
Safety & Comfort
Malta is among the safest cruise destinations in the Mediterranean. English is the official language, so everything from bus signs to menus to emergency services is immediately accessible.
Tips from Cruisers
"The lift up from the waterfront to the gardens is one euro and it's absolutely worth it. Then you step out and there's this panora…" — by Sarah & Nick
The lift up from the waterfront to the gardens is one euro and it's absolutely worth it. Then you step out and there's this panorama over the entire Grand Harbour. Best free thing we did on the whole cruise.
We arrived on a Sunday. St. John's Cathedral was closed. We'd specifically wanted to see the Caravaggio. I hadn't checked the days before we went. My own fault, but worth knowing.
My wife uses a cane and we were a bit worried about Valletta being too hilly. The lift made the main climb easy and Republic Street was mostly manageable. Some of the side streets near the Cathedral were awkward but we coped fine.
Took the bus to Mdina. Honestly the bus wasn't hard at all, just waited at the City Gate stop, the line number was clearly posted, and we were in Mdina in half an hour. The town itself was almost completely quiet. Strolled for two hours and had lunch.
We only had 6 hours and tried to do Valletta AND Mdina. We made it to Mdina but had to turn around almost immediately to catch the bus back. I'd say pick one or the other for a short call.