Set on a rocky peninsula between two of the finest natural harbors in the Mediterranean, Valletta is one of the smallest capital cities in the world yet one of the most concentrated historic sites anywhere. The entire city was built by the Knights of St. John (the Knights Hospitaller) after the Great Siege of 1565, and its grid of honey-colored limestone streets, bastioned walls and Baroque architecture earned it UNESCO World Heritage status in 1980.

English is an official language alongside Maltese, the euro is the currency, and the climate is warm and sunny for most of the cruise season. Valletta rewards visitors with St. John's Co-Cathedral and its Caravaggio masterpieces, the Grand Master's Palace, and the panoramic Upper Barrakka Gardens overlooking the Grand Harbour and the Three Cities beyond.