Grand Master's Palace, Valletta: Opening Times & Ticket Prices

There are a number of palaces in Valletta, but this is the one you should not miss. Its history stretches back 450 years when it was constructed as the official residence of the Grand Master – the leader of the order of the Knights of St John – who ruled Malta. Since then it has been at the centre of most of the big political moments on the island, whoever was ruling at the time. The main entrance allows access to a room which has a short audio visual show projected onto the walls. This is a ‘potted’ history of the building and its significance. Then you get to explore the rooms themselves.

This palace was extended by the British and severely damaged during the bombardment of Valletta during WW2. As such, some of the rooms are not as old as others and many of the rooms have had to be restored. Nothing says opulence like a painted ceiling and several rooms in the palace have attractive frescoes. For us, the best ones were in the corridors however.

The most striking room is, without doubt, the Armoury. The room itself is huge and every space has been used on the walls to display weapons and armour from across the centuries. The glass cabinets in rows through the centre of the room are packed with swords, guns, knives and crossbows. Our 7-year-old absolutely loved it as it reminded him of the many battle games he plays. Other rooms have a ‘state’ feel to them as they are no longer used as a home, but as a political meeting place. You will see the Throne Room, the Grand Master’s Study and the Ambassador’s Room amongst others. The palace was used as the country’s parliament until 2015.

Whilst the rooms inside are sumptuous, the courtyards outside are equally attractive. The palace takes up a whole city ‘block’ and as such, the courtyards provide light into the different segments of the building. They could do with a few benches to be honest as we’d have liked to sit for a while in each one.

The Grand Master’s Palace is open every day except Thursday between 10am and 4pm on weekdays and between 9am and 5pm at weekends. Adult admission is 12 Euros (2024 prices). On some days the state rooms cannot be visited as they are being used. Check before you buy your tickets.