Far from the hustle and bustle of Sliema or the groups of tourists pouring in from the big liners (cruisers) on a timed excursion in Valletta here is the Three Cities. At the rendezvous: the charm, the history and the splendor of Malta… But also this different atmosphere, the quietness, the simplicity of the inhabitants… A day’s walk in Senglea, Cospicua and Vittoriosa and you will leave spellbound!
Guided tours of the three cities
A good way to visit the 3 cities in a simple way and being sure not to miss anything. It’s still a good idea to book a guided tour. There are several good visits depending on the day and what you like:
Tour of the 3 cities with cruise to Vallettas main port
Every Wednesday and Saturday, for a full day: Discover the three walled cities of Cospicua, Birgu and Senglea on a guided day trip. Admire the historic churches and squares before embarking on a cruise around Valletta’s Grand Harbor.
👉 Book here your guided tour of the three cities.
Best price guaranteed
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Pick up at your hotel included
Tour of the 3 towns and wine tasting
Every Tuesday and Friday, for half a day: Explore the walled cities of the 3 cities on this bus tour. Pass through Cospicua, visit Vittoriosa and Senglea, and visit the cellars of Marsovin to taste Maltese wine.
👉 Book here your guided tour of the three cities followed by a wine tasting.
Best price guaranteed
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Pick up at your hotel included
Discover the best activities to do during your stay in Malta.
Self-guided tour of the 3 cities with Rolling geeks
Every day of the week, you can also hire a small electric car to take you around the narrow streets. It’s a great way to visit all three cities. The rental company is Rolling Geeks.
With the My Little Malta card, you’ll get a discount on the Rolling geeks tour. Click here to learn more.
Visit the Three Cities
If they have in common 4.5 kilometers of gigantic fortifications – The Cotonnera Lines (1670), the three cities of the Three cities each have their own particularities, their charms and above all their panoramic views, each one as magnificent as the next. We therefore encourage you to take the time to discover the three cities, well-shod, because you will have to climb countless majestic stairs!
How to get to the 3 cities?
- If you are traveling by bus, arrive directly at Senglea (bus line 1 from Valletta).
- By car, park in Cospicua.
- More picturesque, by boat, from the pier of Valletta, the regular shuttle serves only Vittoriosa which makes the inhabitants of Senglea grumble, forcing them (and you too…) to use the metal footbridge. But rest assured you will always find a charming Luzzu to cross the Grand Harbour.
Our itinerary to visit the 3 cities
Senglea (also known as Isla) , one of Malta’s smallest towns (but with a population of 4,000), is where we like to start our tour of the Three Cities. On its southern facade, it is “the laborious and working-class Malta”, with a view from the bastions, on the ship repair yards, the cranes and the large hangars. The popular Malta which has not always had a good reputation in the past!
You can walk along the docks and take a circular tour of Senglea or cut through one of its cross streets with stairs. Calm and authenticity. Not often visited, the locals will say hello and smile back more than anywhere else in Malta, because the town is simply friendly!
Go to Senglea Point for its Safehaven garden: one of the best places to admire Valletta and the incessant maritime life of the Grand Harbour…
To reach Cospicua, there are two possibilities : to go out of Senglea through the magnificent city gates, built in 1551, or to go along the old docks (1776), which have been recently refurbished and which played an important role during the time of the English Navy and during the Second World War.
The main entrance to Cospicua – or Bormla – is impressive with its arches (St Helen Gate) . It is at the top of this doubly fortified city of the Three Cities that one can discover and appreciate once again the genius of the military defenses (17th century) in Malta.
Once back down to water level, continue your walk in Vittoriosa – or Birgù – the city of the Three Cities that will take you the longest! Not that it is huge (only 50 hectares) but so rich in heritage that it is as breathtaking as Valletta!
Knights’ inns, sumptuous palaces, ornate churches, museums, forts… Vittoriosa is doubly important in the history of Malta because it was here that the Knights landed from Rhodes in 1530 – they made it the capital of Malta temporarily – and the strategic place where the Great Siege was won in 1565 against the Ottomans.
Beyond the heritage, getting lost in the streets of Birgù is a similar delight to Senglea: Dare to talk! The Maltese of the Three Cities will take the time to tell you about Malta! As for the docks of Vittoriosa, they welcome the most luxurious yachts of the Mediterranean, another pleasure for the eyes. From Birgù, you can take the bus (Lines 2 and 3) or of course the boat to prolong the magic of the Three Cities at nightfall…
