The Three Cities: Birgu, Senglea and Cospicua

Why go

The Three Cities give you Malta's history without the crowds. Birgu was the Knights' first capital, Senglea took the brunt of the Great Siege and later the Second World War bombing of the dockyards, and Cospicua grew around the dockyards behind huge fortifications. Many families have lived here for generations, and the streets feel like a real neighbourhood rather than a museum.

Top things to do in Birgu

**Fort St Angelo**, at the tip of Birgu, was the Knights' headquarters during the Great Siege and is now restored by Heritage Malta, with exhibitions and wide views over the harbour. In the town, the **Inquisitor's Palace** is one of the few surviving palaces of its kind in Europe, with courtrooms and prison cells. The **Malta Maritime Museum**, in the old naval bakery on the waterfront, tells the story of Malta and the sea.

Wander the **Collacchio**, the old quarter where the Knights lived, with the auberges of the different langues, the **Church of St Lawrence** on the waterfront, and tiny squares with bars. The **Vittoriosa Yacht Marina** is lined with restaurants and is lovely at sunset.

Senglea and Cospicua

In Senglea, walk out to **Gardjola Gardens** at the tip of the peninsula. The stone lookout, carved with an eye and an ear, gives a classic view back to Valletta. The **Basilica of Our Lady of Victories** is the heart of the town's festa in September. **Cospicua** is the least visited of the three, with the great **Cottonera Lines** and **Santa Margherita Lines** fortifications and the dock where ships are still repaired.

Events

Birgu hosts **Birgufest** in October, when the streets are lit by candles, and in Holy Week the Good Friday procession is one of the most moving in Malta. The **Regatta** in the Grand Harbour on Victory Day, 8 September, sees traditional boats racing between the towns.

Food and drink

The marina in Birgu has plenty of restaurants for fish, pasta and pizza with harbour views. Inside the lanes you will find small family places and band clubs serving drinks to locals. For a snack, look for pastizzi and qassatat at bakeries.

Where to stay

A few boutique hotels and many apartments and guesthouses sit in restored houses in Birgu and Senglea. Staying here suits travellers who want calm evenings and a local feel, with Valletta just across the water.

Getting there and around

The ferry from Valletta's Lascaris Wharf, below the Upper Barrakka lift, crosses to Birgu and Cospicua in a few minutes. Traditional wooden **dgħajsa** water taxis also cross the harbour and offer short harbour tours. Buses connect the towns with Valletta, but the boat is far more fun. Once there, everything is walkable, though there are slopes and steps.

Practical tips

Some museums close one day a week, so check opening hours on the Heritage Malta site. The lanes are residential: keep voices down in the evening and photograph people politely. Combine Birgu with Senglea on foot by following the waterfront around Dockyard Creek.