Canonical page: /p/malta/valletta/ Collected: 2026-10-18 JSON: /p/malta/valletta/index.json [Ports](/ports/) Malta # Valletta [About the port](/p/malta/valletta/)[Timetable](/p/malta/valletta/timetable/2026-10/) Getting ashore Magazino Hall, Pinto Wharf Into town Barrakka Lift or bus Best starting point Upper Barrakka Currency [Euro - EUR](https://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/?Amount=1&From=EUR) ## Getting ashore Cruise ships dock at the [Valletta Cruise Port](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=Valletta+Cruise+Port+Pinto+Wharf) in the Grand Harbour. Check the terminal name on your papers. The main one is [Magazino Hall](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=Magazino+Hall+Valletta+Cruise+Port) , in the old warehouses on Pinto Wharf. You step off onto [Valletta Waterfront](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=Valletta+Waterfront+Malta) . Shops and cafés line those warehouses. You are not in the old city yet. The city stands on the ridge above the quay. The port puts the centre about 1.5 km from here. ## Watch-outs The old city is uphill from the quay. On foot, allow about 20 minutes. The path is steep, and it is open to the sun, including [Upper Barrakka Gardens](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=Upper+Barrakka+Gardens+Valletta) on the bastion at the top. There is little shade there at midday. Carry water if you will be out on that ground. The steps beside the lift are the hard way up. Once you are past the gardens, the centre of the old town is mostly flat. ## Getting into the city The [Barrakka Lift](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=Barrakka+Lift+Valletta) is the way up from the quay. Turn right as you leave the cruise terminal and walk along the waterfront road. The lift is about 300 metres on. Just before the road runs under an archway, cross the road. The entrance is on the far side. The return fare is €1 on the same day. You come out in the Upper Barrakka Gardens, next to [Castille Place](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=Castille+Place+Valletta) . The port also runs a shuttle from the terminals. An open-top bus stops at the cruise terminal if you would rather ride. ## Taxis & ride apps Taxis wait at the port. [Bolt](https://bolt.eu/en/cities/malta/) and [eCabs](https://ecabs.com.mt/) also cover Malta. Agree the fare before the car moves. The rank is outside the terminal, not beside the gangway. The airport is about 6 km from the port. On the way back, name the Valletta Cruise Port at Pinto Wharf. Valletta alone can mean the city gate, not the ship. If you use an app, set the pick-up where a car can stop on the waterfront road. ## What to do nearby From the gardens, walk into the old town. The central streets are pedestrian. [St John's Co-Cathedral](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=St+Johns+Co-Cathedral+Valletta) is the large church a short walk from the gardens. The [Grand Master's Palace](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=Grand+Masters+Palace+Valletta) faces the main square. [Republic Street](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=Republic+Street+Valletta) is the long shopping street through the centre. The view from the gardens over the Grand Harbour is free. You can see the church and the palace from the street. A ticket to go inside is a separate stop, and it takes longer. This loop stays in town. ## Going further [Mdina](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=Mdina+Malta) is the old walled capital, about 11 km inland. Cars are not allowed in its streets, which is why it is called the Silent City. Take a public bus from the city gate, or a taxi. The [Three Cities](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=Three+Cities+Malta) sit across the Grand Harbour. A small ferry leaves near the lift, and the crossing is short. The [Blue Grotto](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=Blue+Grotto+Malta) is a boat trip on the south coast. It takes much more of the day. On the open-top bus, the town route takes about two hours. The countryside route takes about three. Pick one outing. You will not fit Mdina and the grotto in the same call. ## Food & shopping Cafés line the waterfront and the old-town streets. Pastizzi, a small pastry filled with peas or cheese, is the easy snack. Rabbit and seafood are common plates. In the lanes, look for lace, knitwear and baskets. A specialist shop may shut after lunch and open again later. A shop on a busy street often stays open through the day. The terminal duty-free sells drink and tobacco. Eat on the quay or in town. That shop is not a lunch stop. ## Opening times & connectivity Many shops use a split day, about 09:00-13:00 and 16:00-19:00. Supermarkets often stay open all day. On a tourist street, a shop may stay open until about 22:00. Sunday is quieter, but many shops open when a cruise ship is in port. The cruise terminal has Wi-Fi. Cafés on the main street, and those beside the quay, often have it too. English is widely spoken, and you will also hear Maltese. For emergencies, call 112. ## Accessibility & mobility Magazino Hall can help if you use a wheelchair. Ask the ship about the gangway before you go down it. The Barrakka Lift joins the waterfront to the gardens. Cabins are small, so you may wait for a clear space. In the gardens, some paths slope and the stone is uneven. The old streets are not all step-free. A short line on the map is not a level path from the quay up to the city. Plan your call ## Who's in port? 143 calls in the collected schedule. [View timetable](/p/malta/valletta/timetable/2026-10/) ## Maps & transport - [Cruise port on Google MapsPinto Wharf ↗](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=Valletta+Cruise+Port+Pinto+Wharf) - [Barrakka Lift on Google MapsWaterfront entrance ↗](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=Barrakka+Lift+Valletta) - [Upper Barrakka Gardens on Google MapsTop of the lift ↗](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=Upper+Barrakka+Gardens+Valletta) ## Useful links - [Convert euros to your currencyDaily reference rates ↗](https://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/?Amount=1&From=EUR) - [Valletta Cruise PortTerminals, distances and the shuttle ↗](https://vallettacruiseport.com/port/) - [Barrakka Lift fare and hours€1 return on the same day ↗](https://www.transport.gov.mt/maritime/ports-commercial/barrakka-lift-826)