Valletta, 'a city built by gentlemen for gentlemen' is the fortified capital city of Malta, a World Heritage site. Built by the Knights of St. John in the 1570's, on the northern half of the Sciberras peninsula, which separates the Grand Harbour from Marsamxett Harbour, the city covers an area that is 900 meters by 630 meters. Dotted with quaint cafes and wine bars, Valletta is today one of Malta's main attractions, full of architectural and historial sites, bustling with business activity during the day.

The Knights of St. John have left their mark considerably all over the baroque city of Valletta. This is evident at nearly ever corner, from the narrow street plans, steps, cathedral, palace and auberges. Valletta gets its name from Grand Master Jean de la Valette, when the knights reluctantly agreed to make Malta their headquarters. They built this fortified city to protect Malta from the Turks. The street plan is based on a more or less uniform grid. Transverse streets begin as flights of stairs at each end. The narrow stairs were constructed to allow knights in heavy armour to be able to climb the steps.

Wherever the knights went, they built three buildings, a church, a palace and a hospital. St. John's Co-Cathedral designed and supervised by Maltese architect Gerolamo Cassar, was the Knights' church dedicated to their patron saint John the Baptist. The Sacra Infermeria, hospital of the knights, now called the Mediterranean Conference Centre and the Grandmaster's Palace. They followed by building auberges, scattered all over Valletta, now being Museums or government offices. The Grand Master died before the city was finished.

The Grand Harbour, often described as the most beautiful harbour in the Mediterranean, is virtually lined with a string of bastions. Fort St. Elmo and Fort Ricasoli (the largest fort in the Commonwealth) protect the entrance to the harbour. Fort St. Angelo and the walls of Birgu and Senglea across the harbour shield its flank. Near the city's main gate is what little is left of the Opera House, once an magnificent opera theatre designed by E.M. Barry, architect of London's Royal Opera House. It was bombed and completely destroyed in 1942 during World War II. Fortunately, not all Malta's sites suffered the same destruction.

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