Valletta in 2 days

Morning

• St John's Co-Cathedral1h15

  Start at St John's Co-Cathedral with a pre-booked timed ticket, in flat shoes as heels are banned to protect the marble tomb floor. Give it about an hour with the audio guide for Caravaggio's Beheading of St John and the gilded chapels, and go early before the cruise crowds arrive.

  TipThe Knights' gilded Baroque cathedral holds Caravaggio's huge Beheading of St John and a floor of inlaid marble knight tombs. Buy the timed ticket online, note it closes on Sundays and public holidays, and wear flat shoes as heels are banned because they damage the tombstones; allow about an hour with the included audio guide.

• Republic Street and the City Gate45 min

  Walk Republic Street from Renzo Piano's City Gate and Parliament, glancing down the stepped side streets where each one frames a slice of sea. It is the pedestrian spine of the grid and links most of the sights.

  TipThe pedestrian spine of the city runs from Renzo Piano's modern City Gate and Parliament past the Grandmaster's Palace to the far walls. Walk it in the early morning or the soft evening light, glance down the stepped side streets to the sea framing each one, and remember that most shops here close on Sundays.

• The Grandmaster's Palace and Armoury1h

  Tour the Grandmaster's Palace and its huge Armoury, booked online in case a state function has closed it. The state rooms and the siege-era armour take about an hour.

  TipThis was the palace of the Knights' Grand Masters and later the British governors, with grand state rooms and a huge armoury of siege-era weapons and armour. Book online and check it is open, as state functions can close it at short notice; the Armoury is the highlight, and about an hour covers both.

Afternoon

• 1h

  Break for lunch at a Valletta cafe or kiosk and try local pastizzi and a ftira, cheap and filling before the afternoon walk. Keep it light for the hills to come.

• Upper Barrakka Gardens45 min

  Climb to the Upper Barrakka Gardens for the best view over the Grand Harbour and the Three Cities, timing it for the Saluting Battery cannon at noon or 4pm. Entry is free and it is the signature Valletta viewpoint.

  TipThese terraced gardens give the best view over the Grand Harbour and the Three Cities, and the Saluting Battery below fires its cannon at noon and again at 4pm. Entry is free, so time your visit for the noon gun, then take the Barrakka Lift down to the waterfront for a small fee rather than walking back up the hill.

• Fort St Elmo and the War Museum1h30

  Walk out to Fort St Elmo at the tip of the peninsula for the National War Museum and Malta's George Cross, allowing about 90 minutes. Check first that it is not a closed public holiday.

  TipThe star fort at the tip of Valletta held out against the Ottomans in the 1565 siege and now houses the National War Museum, including Malta's George Cross. Allow about 90 minutes, check first that it is not a closed public holiday, and try to catch the In Guardia costumed drill re-enactment staged on select mornings.

Evening

• Pastizzi and Maltese Food2h

  Stay in Valletta for dinner once the day-trippers have gone and the streets turn quiet and atmospheric. Try rabbit stew, the island's signature dish, at one of the small restaurants off Republic Street.

  TipThe island snacks on pastizzi, flaky pastry parcels of ricotta or mushy peas, and eats rabbit stew, or fenkata, ftira bread and the bittersweet Kinnie soft drink. Grab pastizzi hot from a hole-in-the-wall bakery for small change, book a village rabbit dinner ahead as it is often cooked to order, and try a stuffed ftira from a Valletta kiosk at lunch.

Morning

• The Grand Harbour and Three Cities2h30

  Cross the Grand Harbour by traditional dghajsa water taxi or the cheap passenger ferry to Birgu, one of the Three Cities. Wander the marina and the narrow lanes and take in Fort St Angelo, older and quieter than Valletta itself.

  TipThe great natural harbour is crossed by traditional dghajsa water taxis to Birgu, where the marina, the waterfront and Fort St Angelo reward a slow wander. Take the cheap Valletta to Birgu passenger ferry or hire a colourful dghajsa from the Valletta waterfront, and go in the late afternoon when the low light hits the honey-stone walls.

Afternoon

• 2h

  Have a long, unhurried lunch on the Birgu waterfront by the yacht marina, then stroll the bastions before heading back across the water. This side of the harbour stays calm even in high season.

• Valletta Waterfront (Pinto Wharf)45 min

  Back in Valletta, take the Barrakka Lift down to the Valletta Waterfront at Pinto Wharf, the restored Baroque warehouses along the quay. It is a good spot for a coffee by the water before the evening.

  TipA restored row of Baroque warehouses along the harbour now holds restaurants and bars, and it is where the cruise ships dock below the walls. Reach it by taking the Barrakka Lift down and walking a few minutes along the quay; it is best for a relaxed harbourside dinner and is quieter than the streets up in the centre.

Evening

• 2h30

  Take the five-minute ferry over to Sliema for the classic view back to Valletta's floodlit walls, then have dinner on the Sliema seafront or push on to St Julian's for a livelier night. The crossing runs late into the evening.