Few cruise ports are as spectacularly situated beneath a historic old town as Valletta. This 10-km loop combines sections along the coast with the old town and several viewpoints. The route leads from the harbor to the Lower Barrakka Gardens, continues to Fort St. Elmo, through the alleyways of the old town, and to the Upper Barrakka Gardens. The second part of the route leaves Valletta for a bit and then returns along the Grand Harbor promenade.
The route begins at the harbor, then runs along the promenade, and then up through a roundabout and the city gate to the Lower Barrakka Gardens. From there, it continues towards Fort St. Elmo and along the northern side of the city, offering views of Fort Manoel and the opposite coastline.
Subsequently, the route runs through the alleyways of the old town, passing central points with several changes of direction, including St. John's Co-Cathedral, St. Paul's Cathedral, and the Grand Master's Palace. The route finally leads to the Upper Barrakka Gardens, which offer an impressive view of the coast and the harbor.
After leaving the old town, the route first passes the bus station. It then runs – partly along larger roads – through the King George V Park area out of Valletta to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church. Afterward, the route follows the Grand Harbor Promenade back to the cruise port.
Valletta's old town is absolutely worth seeing and a must for every cruiser. Since the highlights in the city are relatively compactly located, a “sightseeing” run in Valletta is perfectly suited and highly recommended. The extension to the 10-km route is primarily for athletic purposes. For pure sightseeing, we recommend the shorter option.
If it's your first time in Valletta, you should definitely explore the old town thoroughly. It's also worthwhile to book a guided walking tour in addition to a private run to learn even more about the city. If you've been to Valletta before or are content with seeing the buildings from the outside, you could also take the bus in the morning for our 11-km coastal run from Marsascala to Marsaxlokk. This way, you can explore not only the capital but also Malta's beautiful coasts. For a more active excursion, try a SUP tour around Fort Manoel. In this area, you'll also have a great view of Valletta.
The running route starts in the immediate vicinity of the cruise port.
You can either follow the route directly via the map on this page or import the GPX file into a navigation app like Komoot. We recommend navigation via the GPX file, as it is significantly more precise and you will receive clear guidance via GPS while running. After you have saved the GPX file in your app, you can usually use the map offline. We recommend testing the navigation beforehand in airplane mode without active Wi-Fi to ensure it works even without an internet connection.
Tip: For safety, it is still useful to have internet access on the go. If your mobile provider in Malta offers no or only expensive data roaming, a global data plan that works in many countries is suitable for cruises – for example, from eSIM.sm (advertisement).
The route partly runs along roads, but mostly on sidewalks. Overall, it is therefore considered safe.
Especially for runs in the afternoon, plan for enough time. If time is short, you should check if you can shorten the route or if returning on the same route is faster. On this route, you can walk back to the harbor at the bus station. In an emergency, it's also advisable to save the ship's phone number in advance. You should also have apps like Uber or Bolt on your phone and be familiar with their use. In Malta, Uber and Bolt work very well.
There is a public restroom at the bus station. We are not aware of a water dispenser along the route. However, there are several opportunities to buy something to drink.
The route runs on asphalt and paved paths, so regular running shoes are sufficient. We also recommend bringing sun protection (ad), enough water, and a cell phone or running watch for navigation, depending on the weather. Additionally, a payment method is useful, although in Malta you can usually pay by card or smartphone.