Upper Barrakka Gardens

Perched at the highest point of Valletta's city fortifications on St. Peter and St. Paul Bastion, the Upper Barrakka Gardens were laid out in 1661 as a private retreat for the Italian Knights of the Order of St. John. The Baroque garden, with its graceful open colonnade, was eventually opened to the public and has since become one of Malta's most visited outdoor spaces. The terrace commands what is arguably the finest panorama in the Mediterranean: the Grand Harbour stretching below, framed by Fort St. Angelo, the Three Cities of Vittoriosa, Senglea and Cospicua, and the cruise-ship lined Valletta Waterfront. Twice daily — at noon and 4 p.m. — the Saluting Battery below the garden fires its historical cannons, a tradition dating back to the 19th century that draws crowds to the garden's southern parapet.