1. The Cathedral of St.John located along St.John's street is a prime example of the Baroque style prevalent in Mediterranean countries 300 years ago. The walls and the floor entirely covered with marble, the hanging handmade tapestries and the sculptured gravestones of the Grand masters interred in the cathedral are just a few of the attractions inside.
2. Republic street from City gate to the palace of the President of the Republic is lined with an abundance of chic shops, top restaurants and cafés. A short distance away along Merchants' street, a daily flea market is the chief attraction.
3. The Upper Barracca is a lookout point which offers excellent views of the Grand harbour, the Cottonera area, fort St.Angelo and the Malta drydocks.
4. The exterior works of art which decorate Auberge de Castille are prime examples of elaborate stone carvings that fill up numerous facades in Valletta. Built by the Spanish Knights of St.John, Auberge de Castille is now occupied by the office of the Prime minister.
5. Unique to Valletta, numerous dark green wooden balconies contrast with the local white stone that has been used since medieval times for the construction of buildings in Malta. Don't miss the beautiful balconies that embellish the exterior of the palace of the President along Republic street. ${QuickSuggestions}

1. There are numerous accommodation options from which to choose. These range from luxury hotels to single bedroom apartments. Accommodation is cheap compared with Western Europe. It's better to look for accommodation yourself than to use the services of an agent.

2. Eating in top restaurants may be expensive, even if you opt for local food. But once in Malta, don't miss trying a dish of rabbit stew which you'll definitely find tasty and delicious. Those more daring should opt for a dish of bragjoli, a Maltese delicacy consisting of meat rolls stuffed with a mixture of herbs, boiled eggs and cheese.

3. Snack bars and fast-food outlets have filled up every corner of Malta's capital. They serve the usual meat or fish burgers and obviously do not give you the opportunity to taste Malta's vast and rich cuisine.

4. Malta's wine scene has recently improved and local wines are now in a position to compete with the best wines from Tuscany. Try 'Gellewza rosso', a dry variety produced from grapes grown in sun-drenched vineyards located along the west side of the island. ${BestWay}

1. Valletta can be covered on foot in just a couple of hours. Republic street where most attractions are concentrated is pedestrianised; so it's useless using transport within the capital.

2. Malta's main bus station is located outside City gate. From here, frequent buses depart to all towns and villages. No trip takes more than 1 hour since distances are never longer than 20kms.

3. The buses usually frequented by tourists are:

Bus 49 which travels from Valletta to Qawra.

Bus 62 which travels from Valletta to Sliema.

Bus 45 which travels from Valletta to the Gozo ferry.

Bus 80 which travels from Valletta to Rabat from where the old capital Mdina can be reached in a couple of minutes.

4. Taxis are very expensive while buses are both cheap and good. An ordinary bus fare never costs more than £M0.25 (less than US$1). However note that buses are usually crowded especially during peak hours.

5. Bus 8 runs from Malta's international airport to Valletta every 15 minutes. The bus picks up passengers from the stop just outside the arrivals hall.

From journal Fortress, harbour city and commercial centre