Valletta: The best city in the world - insider tips and highlights!

Valletta: The best city in the world - insider tips and highlights!

Valletta, the charming Maltese capital, has scooped the Best City in the World award at Condé Nast Traveller's 2025 Readers' Choice Awards. With an impressive score of 97.33, Valletta surpassed prominent cities such as Paris, Lisbon and Athens. Over 182,500 readers rated travel experiences in various categories. This renaissance for the city is no coincidence.

With around 5,800 inhabitants, Valletta is not only one of the smallest capitals in Europe, but also a true jewel full of baroque architecture and Mediterranean flair. The city is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and attracts numerous tourists, especially in the mild winter months. Malta's Tourism Minister Ian Borg and Carlo Micallef, head of the Malta Tourism Authority, emphasized the importance of cultural authenticity and the hospitality of the local population.

Diverse attractions

Visitors to Valletta can expect a variety of attractions. Highlights include:

• Großmeisterpalast: Sitz des Präsidenten mit besuchbaren State Rooms und Waffenkammer.
• St. John’s Co-Cathedral: Berühmt für ihr prachtvolles Kircheninnere und Caravaggios “Beheading of Saint John”.
• Saluting Battery: Täglicher Kanonensalut mit Blick auf den Grand Harbour.
• Casa Rocca Piccola: Das letzte bewohnte Adelshaus der Stadt.
• Lascaris War Rooms: Ein unterirdischer Bunker aus dem Zweiten Weltkrieg, heute ein Museum.
• Valletta Waterfront: Eine einladende Promenade mit Restaurants, Bars und Geschäften.

Valletta is great for pedestrians. The narrow streets with colorful wooden balconies and decorated doors invite you to linger.

Ideal travel options

Getting to Valletta couldn't be easier. Direct flights from German-speaking countries are available, for example from Berlin in around three hours or from Stuttgart in two and a half hours. Airlines such as Lufthansa, Air Malta, Ryanair, and Austrian Airlines offer regular connections. Malta, as part of the Schengen area, allows most travelers from the EU, UK and many other countries to stay visa-free for up to 90 days.

The best time to travel is from April to June and September to October, when the weather is particularly pleasant. Tourists can look forward to over 300 days of sunshine per year, making both beach and city holidays attractive.

A cultural highlight in Europe

For anyone who wants to experience the Maltese flair, Valletta offers an ideal combination of culture and enjoyment. Be it national specialties like Rabbit Stew (Stuffat tal-Fenek) or the city's lively markets - the culinary experiences are as diverse as the history of the city itself. And don't forget a visit to the traditional festas, where local life can be experienced to the fullest.

Valletta made it to the “Best City in the World” not only with its unique culture and history, but also with the joie de vivre and hospitality of its residents. Anja, a traveler who has just returned from her stay, enthuses: “It’s just a place where you immediately feel at home.”