Valletta Malta Walking City Sights Excursion

Description

• Round trip transportation from your Valletta Cruise pier!
  
• Air-conditioned and fully licensed transportation!
  
• Guided walk through Valletta Center and Barracca Gardens!
  
• Entrance ticket to St. John's Co-Cathedral!
  
• Ticket for Malta Experience Show!
  

Put on your walking shoes for an adventure in the center of Valletta Malta in what could pass as an open-air museum! A guided walk of the Barracca Gardens and Valletta Center, as well as entrance into St. John's Co-Cathedral, are included.

You will meet your guide outside your Valletta cruise port, your air-conditioned transportation will take you on the very short drive to the historic center of Valletta, the southernmost capital of Europe! Named for Jean de Valette who was responsible for the victory in the Great Siege of 1565, the architecture here ranges from Baroque to Modernist, with an incredible array of churches, palaces, and museums. Your guide will be giving you information about the area, city, and history of Valletta Malta.

Your guide will walk you along the busy streets of Valletta to Barracca Gardens. The gardens were originally as a site for the knights of the Italian langue of the Order of Saint John to relax and enjoy some recreation but were opened to the public following the end of the French occupation of Malta in 1800. In the park, there are several monuments and memorials to a number of prominent people, including Gerald Strickland, Sir Thomas Maitland, and Sir Winston Churchill. There is an upper and a lower gardens section.

From there, you will have a stunning panoramic view of the Grand Harbor, which has been in use since prehistoric times. This is where the Battle of Malta was fought in the 13th century. Just a short walk from Barracca Gardens is your next stop, St. John's Co-Cathedral. A co-cathedral is a cathedral church which shares the function of being a bishop's seat, or cathedral, with another cathedral, often in another city. The cathedral was commissioned in 1572 by Jean de la Cassiere, Grand Master of the Order of St. John. It has undergone a complete restoration and is one of Malta's most popular sights. Do not let the ordinary, rather plain exterior fool you as the interior is extremely ornate. The interior has intricate marble carved stone walls, columns with 3-dimensional statues, bronze sculptures and even the tombs of 400+ knights and officers of the order.

At St. John's Co-Cathedral, you will see the painting "The Beheading of St. John the Baptist", which is one of Caravaggio's masterpieces and the only one he signed. After years of struggle, in 1606 this famous painter killed a man during an argument. Rather than face justice, he fled Rome for Naples, eventually moving to the island of Malta. In return for the painting of the beheading, he was granted a papal pardon for the murder and membership of the Knights of Malta. This famous artist was none other than Michelangelo Merisi de Caravaggio, Caravaggio being the place of his birth.

Before returning to your Valletta cruise port, you will watch the Malta Experience Show, a 1-hour movie presenting a wealth of information about the island and its history!

What is included?

• Round trip transportation from your Valletta Cruise pier
  
• Air-conditioned and fully licensed transportation
  
• Guided walk through Valletta Center and Barracca Gardens
  
• Entrance ticket to St. John's Co-Cathedral
  
• Ticket for Malta Experience Show
  

Excursion Notes

• Excursion prices shown are quoted in US dollars.
  
• As you may be visiting a religious or memorial site, shoulders and knees must be covered on men and women.
  
• We suggest you have cash (Euros) on hand for refreshments, excursion staff gratuities, shopping, etc.
• Sensible, rubber-soled walking shoes are highly recommended along with sun protection.
  
• Please pay attention to restrictions and requirements for this excursion, no refund will be granted if requirements are not met.
  
• This excursion is only available on Thursdays.
  
• Not available on Sundays

Where we meet

For this Valletta Walking City Sights Excursion, you will meet your guide just outside your Valletta cruise port. All necessary details will be printed on your Electronic Shore Excursion Ticket.

Excursion Restrictions

• This excursion is not wheelchair accessible.
  
• Guests must be able to step in and out of the transportation.
  
• Guests must be able to walk on paved, gravel and cobblestone surfaces, some on inclines.
• There are steps required to enter several of the sites as well as steep curbs in some areas.

Excursion FAQ

Cancellation

• Your ship arrives into port late and you cannot make it in time to the meeting location (we will verify with the tour operator).
• Your ship skips/misses the port.
• Weather conditions or equipment failure prevents the operator from running the excursion.
• A medical problem prevents you from safely participating in the excursion (we will verify with the excursion operator and the guest may send doctor's note). This applies to individuals only and not the remainder of the group.
  
• Cancellations/deposit refund requests that do not comply with the above may not be subject to refund.
• Refunds may be subject to a service charge fee as determined by the payment processor, please refer to Terms and Conditions for more information.