Traditional 2 Harbours Day Cruise
Our most booked trip, and the cheapest way to see the Three Cities. The boat enters the creeks between them, which is the view the land routes cannot give you.
from €20 See availability
Across the Grand Harbour
Three Cities Tours: Birgu, Senglea and Cospicua
The Three Cities face Valletta from the other side of the Grand Harbour and are older than it. Birgu was the first base of the Knights and the centre of the Great Siege of 1565; Senglea and Cospicua grew alongside it. They are quieter than the capital and still working harbour towns. Below are the tours that go there, then what to see and how to plan your visit.
Three Cities tours you can book today
You can see them from the water, from an open vintage bus or on foot with a glass of local wine. Prices are per adult and come from each tour's own page.
The Three Cities and Wine Tasting
A guided visit on land with a wine tasting included. The right choice if you want to walk the streets rather than pass them at a distance.
from €46 See availability
Vintage Bus Tour to the Three Cities
An open vintage bus across the harbour and around the three towns. Short, inexpensive and popular with families.
from €20 See availability
What to see in the Three Cities
The three towns run into one another and can be walked in a morning. Most of the indoor sites are in Birgu.
The fort at the point of Birgu
Fort St Angelo
Fort St Angelo stands at the tip of Birgu and held out through the Great Siege of 1565. It is the building you see first from Valletta and the one that gives the harbour its shape. Heritage Malta manages the site and admission is arranged separately from a walking tour.
The fort is exposed and there is little shade on the approach; take water in summer.
See the Three Cities tour
Stepped lanes and old doorways
The streets of Birgu
Behind the waterfront, Birgu is a grid of narrow stepped lanes with balconies, potted plants and laundry strung between the walls. It is residential rather than curated, which is exactly why it feels different from Valletta.
The lanes are stepped and uneven: wear shoes you can walk on stone in.
Explore the guided visit
The watchtower and the view back
Senglea and the Gardjola
Senglea occupies the neighbouring promontory, and the small watchtower at its tip, the Gardjola, looks straight back at Valletta. The garden around it is the classic viewpoint from this side of the harbour and costs nothing to visit.
It is a short but uphill walk from the waterfront.
View the vintage bus tour
The working harbour
The creeks and the marina
The water between the towns is still in use, with yachts moored where the Order's galleys once were. A harbour cruise runs through these creeks and past the dockyard, which is the part of the harbour most visitors never see up close.
The cruise departs from Sliema, not from the Three Cities themselves.
See the harbour cruisePlanning your visit to the Three Cities
They are close to Valletta but reached differently depending on what you want to see.
Getting there
A passenger ferry crosses the Grand Harbour from Valletta, and buses serve the three towns. Our guided tours and the vintage bus include their own transport; check the meeting point on your booking confirmation.
From the water or on land
A harbour cruise shows you the scale of the fortifications but does not stop. A land tour lets you walk the streets and go inside. If you want both, they work well on separate days.
Allow for hills and steps
All three towns rise from the water, so any route involves a climb. Senglea in particular is steep. Tell us in advance if walking distance or steps are a concern.
Check what is included
Fort St Angelo, the Inquisitor's Palace and the Malta Maritime Museum charge their own admission, which a walking tour price usually does not cover. Compare the itinerary and the inclusions before booking.
Three Cities questions
Which are the Three Cities?
Birgu, also called Vittoriosa; Senglea, also called Isla; and Cospicua, also called Bormla. Each has two names, one older and one given after a siege, and both are still in everyday use.
Are the Three Cities worth visiting?
If you have already seen Valletta and want somewhere quieter with the same history, yes. They are where the Knights first settled and where the Great Siege was fought, and they are far less crowded than the capital.
How long do you need there?
A morning covers the Birgu waterfront, a walk through its lanes and the viewpoint at Senglea. Add time if you want to go inside the fort or a museum. The harbour cruise sees them in about ninety minutes without landing.
Can you visit them from Valletta?
Yes. They are directly across the Grand Harbour and the ferry crossing is short. Many people combine a morning in Valletta with an afternoon on the other side.
Which tour is best with children?
The vintage bus and the harbour cruise are the easiest: both are short, inexpensive and involve little walking. The wine tasting tour is aimed at adults.
Keep exploring Malta
Other places within sight of the same harbour.