Verdala Palace was built in 1586 as a summer residence for Grand Master Hugues Loubeux de Verdalle. It was designed by Gerolamo Cassar as a hunting retreat in the form of a square castle with towers at each corner. It became first the British Governor of Malta's summer residence, and is now that of the Maltese president. The palace is occasionally open for public tours. Check with the tourist information office in Valletta.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
6.75 MILES
St John's Co-Cathedral, Malta's most impressive church, was designed by the architect Gerolamo Cassar. It was built between 1573 and 1578, taking over…
5.98 MILES
The Hypogeum (from the Greek, meaning 'underground') is a subterranean necropolis, discovered during building work in 1902. To visit is to step into a…
3.34 MILES
The megalithic temples of Ħaġar Qim (adge-ar eem; 'standing stones') and Mnajdra (mm-nigh-dra) are the best preserved and most evocative of Malta's…
6.84 MILES
The stern exterior of the 16th-century Grand Master's Palace conceals a sumptuous interior. This was once the residence of the Grand Masters of the…
7.35 MILES
The reason to head to Birżebbuġa is to see the Għar Dalam Cave & Museum, 500m north on the main road from Valletta. Għar Dalam (aar-da-lam; the name means…
National Museum of Archaeology
6.67 MILES
The National Museum of Archaeology is housed in the impressive Auberge de Provence. Exhibits include delicate stone tools dating from 5200 BC, Phoenician…
1.71 MILES
The cathedral is said to be built on the site of the villa belonging to Publius, the Roman governor of Malta who welcomed St Paul in AD 60.
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14.76 MILES
Perched on the crest of the hill to the south of Xagħra, the awe-inspiring megalithic Ġgantija Temples command soaring views over most of southern Gozo…
Nearby attractions
0.46 MILES
Malta's only extensive woodland area, Buskett Gardens' name comes from the Italian boschetto, meaning 'little wood'. The gardens were planted by the…
1 MILES
Walk 1km south from Rabat to St Dominic's Priory, where there's a small chapel dedicated to Our Lady of the Grotto. Legend claims that around 1400, a…
3. Chapel of St Mary Magdalene
1.09 MILES
In a lonely location overlooking the Dingli Cliffs, this chapel was built in 1646, but there has a been a church here since the 15th century.
1.3 MILES
Beyond being an excellent restaurant, The Cliffs also acts as a local nature centre supporting the ecology, history and culture of the area. There's the…
1.32 MILES
St Paul's Catacombs (so-named for their proximity to the church) date from the 3rd century AD and were used for burial for around 500 years. Worship took…
1.33 MILES
First built in 1504, a newer church was built on this site in 1670, with further additions in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Highlights include the…
7. St Agatha's Crypt & Catacombs
1.36 MILES
These catacombs contain a series of remarkable frescos dating from the 12th to 15th centuries. According to legend, this was the hiding place of St Agatha…
1.38 MILES
This sprawling museum has a gloriously hotchpotch collection that encompasses 4th-century Christian catacombs, a WWII air-raid shelter, a baroque chapel,…