Valetta, Malta

Our last visit to Malta was exactly three years ago, when we spent a full day touring the island from end to end. Today, we chose a slower pace—just a simple wander through the capital city of Valletta, taking in the atmosphere without a strict agenda.

Our ship docked across the harbour from Valletta, so we took the city-run ferry to cross over. The ride was short, only about ten minutes, but wonderfully pleasant with clear views of the fortified skyline.

Once we arrived, we began strolling toward the escalator that leads up to the Upper Barrakka Gardens, but eventually decided to save our energy and take a taxi instead. Within a few minutes we were stepping into the gardens. The view from the upper terrace was absolutely breathtaking—sweeping vistas over the Grand Harbour under perfect weather. Even with plenty of tourists and locals around, the space felt peaceful and refreshing.

From there, we continued exploring the city. Navigating Valletta with a wheelchair proved challenging: many streets slope steeply, and some offer stairs in place of sidewalks. We slowly made our way toward the harbour and stopped for lunch, enjoying the break before continuing on. But soon we reached a street with a long, steep flight of stairs. That was our cue—I called an Uber, and I’m very glad I did.

We returned to the ferry and by 3:00 PM were back on the ship. A little rest, a refreshing shower, and dinner at Toscana wrapped up our relaxed day in Malta.Read more