Floriana F.C

Unremarkable from the outside, but incredibly ornate on the inside. Each of the different 'langues' (knights of a particular nationality had their own langue) has its own chapel lined along the side of the nave in which they tried to outdo each other in splendour. The barrel-shaped ceiling is a single, huge fresco, the lifework of famed artist Mattia Preti. The floor is entirely taken by the knight's graves intricately inlaid in marble in different colours. One book on the subject describes it as the 'most beautiful floor in the world.' This lesser-known cathedral is one of the most impressive in Europe. Entrance is through the Carappechia Annex on Republic Street, between St. John's Street and St. Lucy Street, directly opposite the Law Courts. An audioguide is included in the entrance fee, which provides detailed historical information.

Now it is the President's office and the Maltese parliament. The staterooms, when accessible, are quite impressive. It also houses the Knights' armoury, which is open to visitors daily from 09:00-17:00. (However, all other parts of the palace are closed to visitors, so what you can see is limited.) At the entrance, you can receive an audio guide, which is included in the entrance fee. It provides you with further historical information about the various armoury of different eras, beginning from the medieval chain mail up to the 17th-century armour.

Despite not being cheap, visitors who have any interest in culture or history and who haven't exhaustively read up on the country before coming here would do well by starting their visit to Malta by going here, as it is an excellent introduction to the country. It gives an impression of major events that shaped the country, but as it's only 45 min long and meant for first-time visitors, don't expect a dry scholarly treatment of the subject.

The gardens offer a jaw-dropping view of the Grand Harbour. Go on a sunny day and bring champagne!

Even though Malta has an impressive and unique ancient history, this museum, housed in the former Auberge de Provence in Republic Street can be rather a disappointment. The museum is partially being renovated, hopefully bringing something more worthy of its name.

Built at the tip of the peninsula by the knights after the Dragut Raid of 1551. During the Great Siege of 1565 the Turks made the mistake of choosing to first take this fort, for which they had planned a week. Instead, the knights and soldiers present fought desperately for a month, buying essential time. The knights in the fort knew they were fighting to the death, and so rather than being taken off the ramparts when wounded, knights would fight on seated in chairs until they couldn't even lift their arms anymore. Today, the fort houses the National War Museum and the Police Academy. The National War Museum is mainly focussed on World Wars 1 and 2, but covers the period from the Bronze Age onwards.