Sail into the Grand Harbour and step straight into 450 years of history
Valletta is the Mediterranean’s best arrival: your ship glides past the bastions into the Grand Harbour and ties up at Pinto Wharf on the Valletta Waterfront, with the whole walled capital stacked on the cliff above you. A 1 euro ride up the Barrakka Lift puts you at the Upper Barrakka Gardens in under a minute, and from there St. John’s Co-Cathedral, the Three Cities ferry and the bus to Mdina are all minutes away. SmartCruiser lists every cruise that calls at Valletta from every line, priced with taxes and fees included, with the sailings that carry SmartCruiser bonus onboard credit or instant savings at the top.
Three ways to do Valletta
Walk the capital on your own, head out to Mdina and the Blue Grotto, or cross the harbour to the Three Cities; the buttons filter the list of sailings below.
Valletta on your own
- Ride the Barrakka Lift (1 euro, 30 seconds) to the Upper Barrakka Gardens for the noon cannon
- St. John’s Co-Cathedral and its two Caravaggios, about 15 euro, book a time slot online
- Republic Street, the Grandmaster’s Palace and a pastizzi stop, all within a 1 km walled city
Best for: first-timers, history lovers, anyone who wants a no-stress day
Mdina and the Blue Grotto
- The silent walled city of Mdina, about 20 minutes inland, with Rabat’s catacombs next door
- Blue Grotto sea caves on the south coast, boat ride about 10 euro cash, weather permitting
- Ship tours run about 4 to 5 hours and often add Marsaxlokk or the Hagar Qim temples
Best for: couples, photographers, anyone with a 7 hour or longer call
Three Cities by water taxi
- Walk 5 minutes from the lift to the Lower Barrakka ferry or a traditional dghajsa (about 2 to 3 euro)
- Vittoriosa (Birgu), Fort St. Angelo and the Malta at War Museum, far quieter than Valletta
- Lunch on the Birgu waterfront and ride back with the ship in view the whole way
Best for: repeat visitors, WWII buffs, families who like boats
Valletta cruises: SmartCruiser picks first
Every cruise that calls at Valletta from every line, priced live with taxes, fees and port expenses included. The picks at the top are sailings where booking with SmartCruiser gets you something extra: instant savings or bonus onboard credit. Below them, every other sailing that stops in Malta, with full sorting by home port, line, month, length and price.
SmartCruiser picks
Sorted by what you save, biggest firstEvery cruise that calls at Valletta
Stack any filters, then pick a sortPrices are per person, double occupancy, in US dollars, and include cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses as published by the cruise line at the moment you load this page. Fares are capacity controlled and change daily; the fare is confirmed when you book. Flights, hotels and transfers are extra unless the line’s offer says otherwise. SmartCruiser instant savings and bonus onboard credit are provided by SmartCruiser on top of the cruise line’s price and are not available when booking direct; amounts are per stateroom, vary by stateroom category and are shown for the lowest category offered. Special SmartCruiser rates are pricing SmartCruiser holds on that sailing for its clients, with extra onboard credit; you book your own stateroom and travel on your own. Senior fares apply to guests 55 and over; resident fares need proof of residency in a listed state or province at check-in; police and fire fares apply to active or retired police, fire and EMT personnel with ID. Qualifier-fare savings are measured against the best fare the cruise line offers the general public for the same stateroom category on the day the list was pulled, updated weekly.
Home ports that sail to Valletta
Pick a home port and the list above filters to cruises leaving from there; Rome and Barcelona send the most ships, and Valletta itself is a turnaround port for several lines.
Things to do in Valletta
Most of the best things are free or a few euro, and all of them are within an hour of the gangway.
Which lines call at Valletta?
Malta set a record 385 calls in 2025 and almost every mainstream and luxury line stops here; these are the ones you will see most.
When to go
Malta is sunny almost year round; spring and fall are the comfortable walking months, July and August are hot with little shade, and winter is mild with the most rain.
Valletta questions we answer every day
Where do cruise ships dock in Valletta and how far is it to town?
Ships dock in the Grand Harbour at the Valletta Waterfront (Pinto Wharf), with seven berths along the old Baroque warehouses; no line tenders here. The walled city is directly above you: walk 5 minutes along the waterfront to the Barrakka Lift, pay 1 euro (coins or a card), and 30 seconds later you are in the Upper Barrakka Gardens. The uphill walk to City Gate takes 15 to 20 minutes if you would rather skip the queue.
How do I get around Malta from the ship?
Valletta itself is a 1 km peninsula, so walk. For Mdina, the Blue Grotto or Marsaxlokk take a taxi from the terminal (fixed fares, about 25 to 30 euro each way to Mdina), the public bus from the City Gate terminus (about 2.50 euro a ride, slow but cheap) or a ship tour. Hop-on hop-off buses stop 250 m from the terminal. Driving is on the left and the roads are busy, so we do not recommend renting a car on a port day.
What currency and language, and will my phone work?
Malta uses the euro and almost everywhere takes cards; keep a few coins for the lift and the water taxis. English is an official language alongside Maltese, so every sign, menu and bus timetable is in English. Malta is on Central European Time, 6 hours ahead of US Eastern. Most US carriers include Malta in their EU roaming plans.
Is Valletta safe for cruise passengers?
Yes. Malta is one of the safest countries in Europe and the U.S. State Department rates it at its lowest advisory level. The usual advice applies: watch your bag in the crowds on Republic Street and the Mdina bus, use the official taxi rank at the terminal, and leave yourself an hour of buffer if you go to Gozo on your own.
What is the best excursion, and should I book it through the ship?
For a first visit, Mdina plus the Blue Grotto is the classic half day and worth booking through the ship if your call is under 8 hours, because the cruise line guarantees your return. Valletta itself and the Three Cities are easy on your own. On a 9 hour plus call, Gozo and Comino’s Blue Lagoon are spectacular but tight, so take the ship’s version.
Do I need a passport?
Yes. Malta is in the European Union and the Schengen zone, so a valid passport is required for every Mediterranean cruise, and we recommend at least six months of validity beyond your travel dates. From 2026 the EU is phasing in its new entry and exit system, so expect a quick biometric check the first time you enter the Schengen area.
Are taxes and fees included in the prices here?
Yes. Every price on this page includes the cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses. Flights, hotels, shore excursions and gratuities are extra.
Talk to a Valletta cruise specialist
We have ridden the lift, taken the dghajsa and timed the bus to Mdina, so call us to check availability and book the Mediterranean sailing that gives you the longest day in Malta. Monday to Thursday 9 to 6, Friday 9 to 5, Saturday 10 to 6 ET.