Knights' Crusade Trail

Inquisitor's Palace

Seat of the Maltese Inquisition from 1574 to 1798. The only Inquisitor's Palace in the world open to the public.

Auberge d'Angleterre (Birgu)

Seat of the English Langue of the Order in Birgu — one of the oldest auberges in Malta.

St. Lawrence Church (Birgu)

First conventual chapel of the Order in Malta (1530). Interior full of knightly coats of arms and works by Mattia Preti.

Fort St. Elmo

Fort from 1552 at the tip of Valletta — hero of the Great Siege of 1565 when 6,000 knights defended it against 40,000 Ottoman Turks. Now the National War Museum.

📸 Views of both harbour entrances. War Museum inside.

St. John's Co-Cathedral

Baroque masterpiece from 1577 — a plain facade hiding one of the richest church interiors in the world. Floor of 375 marble tombstones of Knights of Malta, two Caravaggio paintings.

📸 The floor of knight tombstones — each slab is a work of art. Caravaggio's "Beheading" at the end of the nave.

Grand Master's Palace

Seat of the Grand Masters since 1571, now the Office of the President of Malta. The armoury holds 5,000 exhibits — one of the largest in Europe.

Auberge de Castille

The most magnificent auberge of the Order, seat of the Spanish-Portuguese Langue. Today the Office of the Prime Minister.

Upper Barrakka Gardens

Malta's most famous viewpoint — panorama of Grand Harbour, Three Cities and harbour entrance. Daily cannon fire from the Saluting Battery at 12:00 and 16:00.

📸 Cannon salute at 12:00. Grand Harbour panorama + Three Cities. TOP 3 view in Malta.

Lascaris War Rooms

Underground tunnel complex beneath Barrakka Gardens — Allied Mediterranean command center during WWII. Generals Eisenhower and Montgomery planned the invasion of Sicily here.

Cottonera Lines (Zabbar Gate)

Massive defensive walls surrounding the Three Cities — 4.5 km of fortifications built in 1670 by Grand Master Cottoner.

Fort Manoel

Fort on Manoel Island in Marsamxett Harbour, built in 1726. Used as a film set (Game of Thrones).

Mdina Gate

Main gate to the Silent City — designed in 1724 by Charles François de Mondion for Grand Master de Vilhena.

Verdala Palace (exterior)

Summer residence of the President of Malta — Renaissance palace from 1586 surrounded by Buskett Gardens. Usually closed, but the exterior view impresses.

Red Tower (St. Agatha's)

Defensive tower from 1649 atop Marfa Ridge — 360-degree views of Mellieha, Gozo, Comino, Blue Lagoon and northern Malta. Bright red walls.

📸 Roof view of Comino and Gozo. Red facade photogenic at sunset.

Wignacourt Tower (St. Paul's Bay)

First of six towers built by Grand Master Wignacourt (1610). The oldest surviving watchtower in Malta.

De Redin Tower (Għallis)

One of 13 De Redin towers (1658) — the smallest but most numerous watchtowers of the Order. Open by appointment.

Lascaris Tower (Għajn Tuffieħa)

Tower from 1637 above Golden Bay — one of ten Lascaris towers. Guarded the western coast against corsairs.

📸 Sunset over Golden Bay with the tower in frame — TOP 5 photos in Malta.

Victoria Citadel

Fortified medieval acropolis crowning Gozo's capital. 360-degree panoramic views of the entire island. Houses the Cathedral of the Assumption, old prisons museum, and archaeological museum.

📸 360° views of all Gozo from the Citadel walls. Sunset here is legendary.

Fort Chambray

The last great fortification of the Order on Gozo (1749). Was meant to be a second Valletta, but was never completed.

Xlendi Tower

Lascaris tower from 1650 above Xlendi Bay — guarded against landings on Gozo's southern coast.

Marsalforn Tower

Wignacourt tower (1616) on the cliff above Marsalforn — one of the largest watchtowers with a residential floor.

Santa Marija Tower

Watchtower built by the Knights of Malta in 1618. Walls 6 metres thick, 360° panoramic view. Used as a fortress in the film "The Count of Monte Cristo".

📸 View of Blue Lagoon from the tower roof — Photoshop-grade turquoise, but real.