My Experience at St. John’s Co-Cathedral Even after living in Malta for twenty years, every time I enter St. John’s Co-Cathedral, I feel the same sense of wonder, as if I am stepping into a sacred dream. This place is truly gem; it holds a presence that is both powerful and peaceful. The golden walls shimmer with history, and the silence feels alive, filled with centuries of faith and devotion. The pavimento, with its intricate marble inlays, tells another story beneath my feet rest the tombs of the Knights and the clerics of the Order. Each stone is like a chapter of history, each symbol a reminder of honor, sacrifice, and belief. It feels as though their spirits still guard this holy place. And then, there is Caravaggio’s masterpiece, The Beheading of St. John the Baptist. No matter how many times I stand before it, I am always struck by its intensity. The light and darkness, the raw humanity, the silence that follows the violence it all reaches deep into the soul. It’s not just a painting; it’s a revelation in each single detail. As an Italian who has called Malta home for two decades, this cathedral feels like a bridge between my origins and my adopted island. Every visit reminds me that beauty, faith, and art can transcend time and language. St. John’s Co-Cathedral is not only a monument it is a living, breathing miracle.

St. John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta is one of Malta's most breathtaking and historically significant landmarks. It's a place that often leaves visitors in awe, as its relatively plain, fortress-like exterior gives no hint of the breathtaking artistic treasure within. From the outside, the cathedral, built between 1573 and 1578, reflects the military and austere character of Valletta, a city built by the Knights of St. John. Its design is attributed to the Maltese military architect Girolamo Cassar. It looks more like a fortress than a church, which was a deliberate choice in a city preparing for potential siege. Stepping inside is a genuinely jaw-dropping experience. The interior was lavishly redecorated in the 17th century in the High Baroque style, creating a stark and dramatic contrast with the exterior. The entire interior is covered in incredibly detailed and ornate gold gilt, intricate carvings, and magnificent frescoes. The cathedral was built as the conventual church for the Knights of St. John (also known as the Knights Hospitaller). The term "Co-Cathedral" came into use later, as it shares the seat of the Archbishop of Malta with the older Cathedral of St. Paul in Mdina. The church was designed to serve the Order's eight langues (or "tongues")—regional divisions based on the knights' places of origin in Europe (e.g., Provence, Auvergne, France, Italy, Germany, etc.). Each langue had its own dedicated chapel within the cathedral, which they decorated in competition with one another, leading to the incredible richness of the art on display. Without a doubt, the most famous artistic treasure in the Co-Cathedral is "The Beheading of St. John the Baptist" by the revolutionary Italian master Caravaggio.

St. John’s Co-Cathedral is an **absolutely majestic and lavish masterpiece**. From the moment you step inside, you're surrounded by **ornate baroque architecture, gilded details, and stunning frescoes** that reflect the grandeur of Malta’s rich history. The site is **exceptionally well maintained**, and every corner tells a story. The **audio guide is available directly on your smartphone**, making the visit smooth and informative. It’s a great way to explore at your own pace while learning about the cathedral’s fascinating background. ⏳ **Tip**: Be sure to **buy your tickets online** in advance — it helps you **skip the queue at the entrance**, especially during peak hours. A must-see in Valletta for anyone interested in art, history, or simply breathtaking architecture!

One of the best decorated churches in the world. It holds many paintings, the most famous one being the Beheading of St. John by Carvaggio, which due to Googles safety policies, I'm unable to show in this review. There is a nice interactive area describing how and when Carvaggio painted it. €15 to get in on the day, buy online to skip the queue outside. The staff were friendly and polite.

One of the best place to visit when you are in Malta. I recommend buying tickets in advance (skip the line one). Ticket for children under 12 is free. There is audio guide available at each section. Once you scan the qr code, you can listen to it. For few sections photography is prohibited so be wary of that. Most sections can be photographed with flash turned off at all times. My favourite section was the Caravaggio one. His paintings are hauntingly beautiful and you get to understand the composition, technique etc of the art. The Caravaggio show is only held on few dates so check and book in advance is recommended.

A stunning 16th century cathedral with every part of the floor made of marble and virtually everything else covered in gold! There are two paintings by the classical artist Caravaggio, The Beheading of St John the Baptist and the painting of St Jerome, the first person to translate the Greek New Testament into Latin. The audio guide is excellent so have your phone with you as you’ll use that to listen (recommended you have AirPods or similar) It’s worth booking in advance and avoiding the middle of the day as there are large groups from the cruise ships so you’ll end up queueing for a while. Absolutely worth the visit, it’s a must-see in Valletta.

Magnificent, astonishing and must see cathedral. Two Caravaggio paintings are something you shouldn’t miss to see while in Valletta. It wasn’t very crowded when we visited and I recommend to buy the tickets online to skip the queue.

Must visit if you're into history. The place has one of the best interactive media journies and showcases the history of Malta and its history in wolrd wars so well. Honestly, I was expecting a really beautiful fort with a bit of history here and there but at the end of the 2 hours we spent here with my partner, both her and I were really impressed by the media and immersion. Definitely don't skip the second floor!

Very impressed by this historic monument. A bastion full of history, so beautiful and so wonderfully preserved. The tour is well structured and allows you to see lots of interesting things about such a wide span of history. My favorite part is on the Great Siege. I highly recommend this must-see!

The fort and the history of Malta at war is very interesting. The stead of the National War Museum over different buildings makes it more appealing. Beautiful views all around!

What an excellent place to visit whilst in Valletta for the day! For just €10 you get access to the fort and war museum, plus some picturesque views across the bay. The museum itself was really well done, with a mix of written displays and video exhibits to really bring the stories to life. Each era is split across different buildings, so there is a fair bit of walking involved (including stairs) but it’s well worth it! Easy to spend 1-2 hours here.

Very well laid out, excellent and informative displays. Told the story if this amazing island really well. Original George Cross medal on display. Loved it. Allow min 2 hours. Wonderful views too.

Brilliant. Spend half a day here, easily, and you'll come away with a comprehensive picture of this island nation's endurance through siege and war. Sensitive use of video to highlight key times is a real bonus, and the movement through the centuries is clear and well marked. The magnificent buildings are well kept and hugely impressive. Great views of the harbour are a real bonus.

Fantastic museum, don't forget to go through the arch (with the all seeing eye above) on the left hand side to see the displays. They are housed in 5 rooms so start at room 1 and work your way through in cronilogical order to room 5 to find out the history of these battlements from the 1500s to the present day.

Really enjoyed visiting Fort St Angelo in the 3 Cities area. Coming from Australia you just don’t see this sort of thing. It’s historical significance is amazing and Malta should be proud of what they have done at this site. If you take your time and watch the media displays you will learn so much. Great views of Valletta and surrounding 3 Cities. Always a display of super yachts parked out front adds to the atmosphere.

My first fortress ever, and I’m really impressed. I especially enjoyed the residential part of the fort. It’s also a great spot to watch the cannon salutes in Valletta, and overall the fort offers stunning views of the sea and the city.

Fort St. Angelo is absolutely breathtaking and a must-see when visiting Birgu! The location itself is incredible, with panoramic views over the Grand Harbour and Valletta. The fort is steeped in history, from the time of the Knights of St. John to its role in World War II, and it’s very well presented with detailed exhibits and restored areas to explore. Walking through the bastions feels like stepping back in time, and the sense of scale is amazing. It’s peaceful, atmospheric, and a perfect place to take in Malta’s heritage. Highly recommended for both history lovers and anyone who enjoys stunning views.

Fort St. Angelo is one of many amazing buildings built by the Knights of the order of St. John. It is massive and it takes around 2 hours to roam and envelop all the wonderous nooks and crannies of this place. The views are amazing and take time to sit and watch the video productions especially the one in the middle room featuring the great siege of Malta.

Fort St. Angelo in Malta is an incredible historical site that offers a deep dive into the island’s rich past. The fort is beautifully preserved, with informative exhibits that bring centuries of history to life. The panoramic views of the Grand Harbour from the top are absolutely breathtaking. Overall, it’s a must-visit location with a powerful atmosphere and great historical significance.

An important historical monument for Malta with lots of history to it and beautiful views entrance fee is €10 for adult and €6 for children. Not many ques in the ticket booth

Fort St Angelo offers spectacular panoramic views of the Grand Harbour and its surrounding fortified towns. Through traditional and innovative immersive displays, visitors can experience the colourful history and various architectural styles of this fort, together with staggering examples of artillery.

Has really good selection and have a lot of variety of selection compared to other pastizzie shop

Ok.... First of all, I saw huge queues outside this joint. I read the reviews which said the best pastizzi shop. I took a bus to come all the way from Msida to taste the hype. Out of 12-15 varieties, I bought 7 items as I have eaten the pizzas and all sausage rolls before. I tasted them one by one..... Nothing was any different from the other pastizzi shops! The hype seems around the local rapport rather than the actual food. To me, it tasted just as fine as the other Maxim, Jeff's, Maxman etc. I have yet to taste a bad maltese pastizzi todate. After all, all food is prepared and delivered from the same factory. These shops only freshly bake them.

their food reduces your sadness and your anger in a very high % and the effect remains for ever if you continue to consume it...It's not a joke it's a fact ♥️

best pastizzeria on the island. hands down.

Great place to have "fresh+ hot+good" quality food😇😇😇

Been on the island over a week , of all the exotic places we visited to eat I have to say this establishment beats them all! We bought Timpana's they were cooked to perfection, lots of meat in them and done exactly the traditional way. Individual portion sizes were more than enough to feed an individual. Prices were more than fair. Kudos to this pastizeria. HIGHLY RECCOMEND

The best like always

Decent size mall. Great foot traffic for a Sunday. Name brands are available. Some tenant space empty. Heavily invested on LED curve screen panel with graphic signage minus advertisement. Palm tree column design. PU flooring on escalators landing and around glass railings. Malta vibes color ceramic floor tiles. Generous parking space. Wide playground with water fountain. 4 level shopping with different color coding columns like orange, sea breeze and tangerine color. No cinema. EuroSpar complete and has varieties

Excellent shopping Mall. lots of trendy shops and plenty of food outlets where you can enjoy time with friends. very clean and modern .parking is excellent. waiting at ticket machines can be a problem. Tigne square at level 0 is very nice to enjoy a drink . A must go tonplace for shopaholics

A convenient and modern shopping centre with four levels and over 50 shops, ranging from fashion and sportswear to household goods and books. It also has cafés, restaurants and a supermarket, all within a spacious 15,000 m² setup. With around 1,000 underground parking spaces and a beautiful waterfront location, it’s easy to access and scenic. Clean, accessible, and family-friendly. That said, it can get quite crowded, and facilities may be harder to find during peak hours. It’s a reliable shopping choice on the island, but not a standout one.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The hidden gem that goes to bed before you do! 😴 The Point is that rare breed of shopping centre that's managed to crack the code: big enough to matter, quiet enough to actually enjoy. Walking through here feels like discovering a secret that everyone forgot to tell you about 🤫 The space is genuinely impressive - proper corridors, decent lighting, and thankfully none of that claustrophobic maze nonsense you get elsewhere. Staff are sound, shops are well-maintained, and there's actually room to breathe without getting trampled by pram-wielding families. The atmosphere hits that sweet spot between bustling and peaceful 🛍️ But here's the catch (there's always one, isn't there?) - they pack up shop at 19:30! That's earlier than my nan's bedtime 😂 So if you're one of those after-work shopping warriors, you'll need to adjust your battle plan accordingly. Top tip: Hit this place weekend mornings or early evenings for the full zen shopping experience. Perfect for when you want retail therapy without the actual therapy bills 💸 Honestly brilliant if you can work around their early bird schedule!

The Point is Malta’s main mall but quite small with limited shops. It lacks variety and many popular brands are gone. Prices are high for what’s offered. It used to be better, but now it feels more like a basic shopping spot than a real retail destination

​Tigne Point Mall (The Point) in Sliema is a modern, and high-energy destination for shopping and leisure. ​There is an excellent mix of brands, ranging from popular international fashion stores like Kiabi, Bershka, and Stradivarius to luxury accessories and lifestyle outlets Polo Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Harmont&Blaine, AX Armani Exchange, Swarovski, Guess, and Marks & Spencer Food. ​Also, there are numerous comfortable cafe and dining spaces scattered across the levels, and it is a great spot to relax.

Wonderful mall, nice shops and food places, definitely recommended for families and just to spend some time while shopping.

Pretty good mall, full of nice clothes brands, it has a food court and a gaming space, when I went it was empty for some reason but it's a nice place to have a meal or shop for some clothes. A good few floors, compared to what they have in uk, very expensive. Had a perfume shop, was double the price of airport and duty free.

Malta's shopping centres are so disappointing ...like 10 shops in total and a poor selection of eating places on the ground floor. Come to the UK ..and then you'll realise what a real shopping centre is like (100+ shops, massive food courts, cinema, nice free to use toilets).

A quiet, cozy mall that has selected brands but serves the purpose. You can have a bite shop and continue your journey in the neighborhood. Not that much of variety but again you could find what you’re looking for here in a selected items at selected shops

It is a good shopping center, well organised with a variety of shops. However, one has to pay €1 to use the bathroom, even customers in possession of receipt/ proof of purchase from one of the business in the Center... Disappointing 😞

Not customer friendly. Only one toilet, that requires you to put in exactly one euro, but doesn't change, doesn't have ATM.

Not to big not to small shopping centre. It will have all you need for sure. Ralph Laurent or Scotch and Soda will dress you for any occasion. Intercomp will provide you with latest technology haha. Clean and good place to do your shopping. This time perfume was an goal! Thanks

Cute mall, full of nice clothes brands, it has a food court and a gaming space, when I went it was empty for some reason but it's a nice place to have a meal or shop for some clothes.

Incredible place not to be missed when visiting Malta. Booking in advance almost impossible unless mobths in advance. Second and only option is a very early morning(6am to 7am) queue in Gozo museum or in Valletta Fort St Elmo for the next day. There are only 10 tickets per day. If you came and there are already a few people in tge queue you might not get it a ticket before even it opens. You might have the chance to meet a few Maltese tour guides in the queue in Fort St Elmo who are lovely people to caht to and kbow more about Maltese culture. I met Vicent a lovely local tour guide and local artisan who will be there most days of the week. You can get an Uber to the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum. The has site has an amazing energy. No pictures are allowed.

Photos from inside now not allowed... (I'll post some from my last visit 20 years ago when I get back.) Something not to be missed. If you haven't booked tickets 3 months in advance, you can now get tickets for the NEXT day from St Elmo's Fort (they keep back 10 places only) - opens at 9am; be there to queue before about 08.45 to have a chance

this is not cheap to do 35 euros each and you need to pre book 6 to 8 weeks before . there are only 10 tickets per hour . if you don’t pre book then like us you can get tickets for 12 or 4 the next day(20 tickets in total) 50 euros each at Fort St Elmo in Valletta be there by 7:00 to 7:30 it does not open until 9:00 but people in front of you can get 4 tickets each . is it value for money is a question i was asking my self after. i came to the following conclusion. As a monument it cannot take mass tourisms so they must reduce numbers but the costs are the same. This is why the ticket prices are high. If they don’t do this then it is closed to the public and only open to the very few. I would rather have the option of paying a high price than not being able to see it . It is also one of the oldest man made buildings left on earth pre dating both Stone henge and the pyramids . At the end of the day you don’t have to go but you should ps you cannot take photos

This is a UNESCO jewel in the crown, and is therefore an important place to visit. It is overwhelming to stand in a 5000 year old catacomb that is so well preserved and offers such a tantalising glimpse of what above ground architecture might have looked like (now long since gone.) We bought expensive last minute tickets to see the place, and while I have no regrets, I would say that if you can book far enough in advance (think months, not days) then the €15 price point is about the right price.

An incredible opportunity to see Neolithic artifacts and discoveries. Book early and be prepared for the small group and space.

You have to book in advance. Even month or two before visit. Only 10 people every hour, few times a day to keep this place safe from distruction of visiting people. Temperature, moist, bacterias... all under control. Wearth to see!!! No photos allowd! You leave camera and laguage in stidges near the entrance.

Best weekend break ever. Hypogeum wasn't too bad either 😜 Reuben stealing the show as per norm 😁

Great food at a great price. And nice conversation with the gentleman who served us (not sure if owner). It’s a grab and go or stand place. Top 3 for pastizzi. And the rice item we had was delicious.

It is a takeaway stand with no seating. The food is great! Had the rice and pasta and boy it was good. The service is great. The owner is very friendly and has plenty of patience. Will I go back? I can guarantee I will be back next time I am in Malta.

Excellent pastizzi! Stopped by when visiting the ruins. Don't miss if you're in the area. Really fast delicious treat. Highly recommend!

Absolutely surprised for me. Tastefully, fresh baked and low price. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to enjoy a great meal.👌👌👌

Delicious! I've had my first pastizzi from here and they were incredible. They have cheese and peas filling. You can only pay cash :)

From Maxims you can eat very well at a paltry cost. Very kind and courteous staff. Best and delicious timpana to try. There will be pleasant encounters with locals. Recommended

Pastizzi and other stuffs are not so bad, however the man at the shop do not smile at all.

Empty restaurant and for a reason, it’s hard to find and the food isn’t great. Awkward service, especially when we weren't happy with some of the food. I wouldn't advise the pizza or the chips, they were tasteless and the pepper sauce was more cheesy than anything. I will say they are good at pasta though, so if thats what you're craving this place is good. Nice rooftop view of Paolo and the church however and we got to see some fireworks.

This is an odd restaurant, found on the third floor / roof of a shopping arcade. For a Saturday night, it was quiet. No Aircon means it's authentically warm. Nice views from the top. The staff were quiet and not very smilly. The service was OK, I suppose. The food was a mixed bag. The pasta was delicious, fettuccine carbonara. Chips, great, and lots of them. We sent a pepperoni pizza back. Difficult to describe, but it was bland, no flavour from the tomato sauce, it was just inedible. We got a pot of steak pepper sauce for the chips, too. Again, odd. Not much flavour and peculiarly stringy. Not much pepper taste. If I'd got it to go on a steak, I would have been disappointed. Overall, not the best meal we've had in Malta.

Carbonara with onion în it, pizza like garbage, Fish and chips în oil...at list 3 of meniu not availabil, horribil place! If it was possible, - 5 stars....

I don't want to be rude, but unfortunately, I have to say the truth. The waiter was kind and respectful even though he didn't know the ingredients in a certain food. He had to call another waiter, which again he didn't know. In the end, they called the chef to explain to us. The food was terrible. The foccacia was cold and full of oil, and the burger was incredibly tasteless besides the fact that on the outside, it was burned and on the inside was not done properly. It should have had caramelized onion, but I didn't receive that. At least the cappuccino was good. I was incredibly disappointed and for sure I would not go there anymore. 😕

Unique location for Paola. Visited early evening. No air-conditioning 😰. Place and counter all dusty and need cleaning. Pity as this place has potential, but as usual, maintenance or cleanliness do not seem to be a priority. Probably better as a winter place.

Yes.. Improving, with more set of choice. Big competition by that area.. Good Luck Chef & Co.. Can include Pots of tea/Cof.. if ask.. makes it more friendly. Appr.. & Tks. 💛🙏

New owners, rooftop dining is perfect for this location, only came for a coffee but will definitely return to try the menu 👍