The Three Cities

The Three Cities sit on the south side of the Grand Harbour, directly opposite Valletta. They are Vittoriosa, Senglea and Cospicua, known in Maltese as Il-Birgu, L-Isla and Bormla. The Order of St John made its first home here when it arrived in 1530, long before Valletta existed, and the harbour inlets between the towns have been in use since Phoenician times. Today the area is residential and much calmer than the capital, with narrow limestone lanes, small squares and a working waterfront.

Birgu holds most of the sights. Fort St Angelo stands at the end of the Birgu peninsula and dominated the defence of the harbour during the Great Siege of 1565. Inland, the Inquisitor's Palace is a museum of the Roman Inquisition in Malta. Across the creek, Senglea ends in the Gardjola Gardens, a small park with a stone lookout post facing Valletta.

What to do

• Walk up through Fort St Angelo for its views back to the Valletta bastions.
• Visit the Inquisitor's Palace, then wander the lanes of the Birgu collacchio behind it.
• Stand at the Senglea point for the classic photograph of Upper Barrakka across the water.
• Come in October for Birgufest, or on 8 September for the Victory Day Regatta in the harbour.

The easiest approach is by water. The Valletta harbour ferry runs between Valletta and Cospicua, and as of November 2026, its tickets include the lift up to the Upper Barrakka Gardens on the Valletta side. Traditional dghajsa water taxis also cross the harbour. Buses connect the Three Cities with the Valletta terminus if you prefer the road.

The prehistoric sites of the south are close by: the underground Hal Saflieni Hypogeum in Paola and the Tarxien Temples are a short drive inland. The fishing harbour of Marsaxlokk lies further southeast. Accommodation here is limited to a handful of guesthouses and small hotels, so most people visit as a half-day or day trip.