Originally built in 1570 and expanded in the mid-19th century, the Carmelite Basilica (formerly known as the Basilica of Our Lady of Mt Carmel) was rebuilt from 1958 to 1981 after being seriously damaged during WWII. Its 42m-high dome now dominates the city's skyline. Of key interest inside the basilica is an early-17th-century painting of Our Lady of Mt Carmel. Note also the soaring columns of red marble.
Carmelite Basilica
Valletta
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.14 MILES
St John's Co-Cathedral, Malta's most impressive church, was designed by the architect Gerolamo Cassar. It was built between 1573 and 1578, taking over…
2.11 MILES
The Hypogeum (from the Greek, meaning 'underground') is a subterranean necropolis, discovered during building work in 1902. To visit is to step into a…
6.35 MILES
The megalithic temples of Ħaġar Qim (adge-ar eem; 'standing stones') and Mnajdra (mm-nigh-dra) are the best preserved and most evocative of Malta's…
0.11 MILES
The stern exterior of the 16th-century Grand Master's Palace conceals a sumptuous interior. This was once the residence of the Grand Masters of the…
4.45 MILES
The reason to head to Birżebbuġa is to see the Għar Dalam Cave & Museum, 500m north on the main road from Valletta. Għar Dalam (aar-da-lam; the name means…
National Museum of Archaeology
0.17 MILES
The National Museum of Archaeology is housed in the impressive Auberge de Provence. Exhibits include delicate stone tools dating from 5200 BC, Phoenician…
6.17 MILES
The cathedral is said to be built on the site of the villa belonging to Publius, the Roman governor of Malta who welcomed St Paul in AD 60.
17.02 MILES
Perched on the crest of the hill to the south of Xagħra, the awe-inspiring megalithic Ġgantija Temples command soaring views over most of southern Gozo…
Nearby Valletta attractions
0.01 MILES
Malta's national theatre was built in 1731 and is one of the oldest theatres in Europe. The building is being slowly restored, but is still in use for…
0.08 MILES
This innovative gallery and performance space has various pop-up exhibitions and events and hosts resident artists throughout the year. There are no set…
0.08 MILES
A glossy, entertaining 35-minute sweep through Malta's eventful history (available in eight languages).
0.11 MILES
Of the original 25,000 16th- to 18th-century Knights of St John suits of armour, around 5000 remain at the Armoury, which is housed in the Grand Master's…
0.11 MILES
The stern exterior of the 16th-century Grand Master's Palace conceals a sumptuous interior. This was once the residence of the Grand Masters of the…
0.11 MILES
This grand classical edifice was the last building erected by the Knights. It's worth popping in to admire the book-lined stacks, and there are occasional…
0.12 MILES
Sandwiched between a pub and restaurants on Triq l-Arċisqof is this compact but interesting museum. Highlights of the permanent exhibition include the…
0.13 MILES
This doll-sized museum houses an impressive private collection of model toys, such as tin cars from 1950s Japan, tin toys from 1912 Germany, as well as…