Senglea's fortified peninsula seen from across the Grand Harbour, with its bastions, waterfront houses and the Gardjola watchtower

Heritage · Cospicua, South Eastern Region

The Three Cities - Birgu, Senglea, Cospicua

Fortified harbour towns facing Valletta, where the Knights first settled and withstood the Great Siege of 1565

Ambient sound · similar settingSmall harbour atmosphere with boats and shorebirds

Photo: Sarolta Balog-Major (@sarahs_captured_moments) / Unsplash

Discover The Three Cities - Birgu, Senglea, Cospicua

Across the Grand Harbour from Valletta, three fortified towns crowd onto a pair of peninsulas and the land behind them. Birgu, crowned by Fort St Angelo, and Senglea, with its little watchtower at the tip, face each other across Dockyard Creek, while Cospicua spreads around the head of the creek behind massive lines of bastions.

This is where the Knights of St John first made their home, and the streets still feel older and more intimate than Valletta's. Wander past palaces, churches and small squares, stroll the marina promenade lined with yachts and traditional boats, and stop at Senglea Point for a postcard view back to the capital. The area is noticeably calmer than Valletta, especially in the evening.

Don’t miss

01Fort St Angelo at the tip of Birgu, the knights' stronghold during the Great Siege
02The Gardjola, a carved stone lookout at Safe Haven Gardens on Senglea Point
03The Malta Maritime Museum and the Inquisitor's Palace in Birgu
04St Lawrence's Church and the Freedom Monument on the Birgu waterfront
05The Santa Margherita and Cottonera Lines enclosing Cospicua
06The Collegiate Church of the Immaculate Conception in Cospicua

History & culture

The story of The Three Cities - Birgu, Senglea, Cospicua

When the Order of St John arrived in Malta in 1530, it settled at Birgu, a harbour town with a castle at its tip, and made it its base until the move to Valletta in 1571. Senglea was fortified in the 1550s by Grand Master Claude de la Sengle, after whom it is named. During the Great Siege of 1565 both towns bore the brunt of the Ottoman assault; afterwards Birgu was honoured with the title Città Vittoriosa and Senglea with Città Invicta, the unconquered city.

Cospicua, known in Maltese as Bormla, was declared a city in 1722 and named Città Cospicua for its strong bastions; the Santa Margherita and Cottonera Lines still enclose the area. The dockyards around the creeks were later central to the Royal Navy, which is why the Three Cities were heavily bombed in the Second World War: in Senglea, most buildings were destroyed. Much has since been rebuilt, and the waterfront has been revived with marinas and restored buildings.

Local life & traditions

The Three Cities are close-knit working-class communities with strong maritime roots and fierce parish loyalties. Festas are major events, especially the feast of St Lawrence in Birgu in early August and the feast of the Immaculate Conception in Cospicua on 8 December. Holy Week processions are also deeply rooted here. Visitors are welcome, but dress modestly in churches and respect residents in the narrow lanes.

Things to do

Experience it like a local

Cross the Grand Harbour from Valletta in a dgħajsa, the traditional boat that leaves from the waterside below the Barrakka Gardens, or take the bus, then walk the Birgu waterfront to Fort St Angelo and explore the lanes behind it, including the Inquisitor's Palace and the maritime museum. Cross to Senglea for the gardens and lookout at the point, and continue to Cospicua to see the parish church and bastion lines.

Seeing the creeks from water level by boat is memorable, and early morning light is especially good for photographs in Senglea. In the evening, the promenades are quiet places for dinner with views across to Valletta.

When to go

Spring and autumn are ideal for walking the waterfronts and fortifications. Summer brings festas and lively evenings, but middays are hot with little shade along the bastions. In December, Cospicua's feast of the Immaculate Conception and the Christmas season add local colour.

Plan your visit

Verified information

Senglea Point: Safe Haven Gardens at Senglea Point are known for harbour views across to Valletta, with the Gardjola lookout tower above the harbour entrance. Source: visitmalta.com ↗

Checked against the sources on 27 October 2026. Opening times and fees can change — confirm before you go.

Travel tips

Arrive by dgħajsa from below the Barrakka Gardens for the most scenic approach, or take bus 1 from Valletta, about 25 minutes.
Wear comfortable shoes: lanes are steep and fortifications involve steps.
Visit Senglea Point in the late afternoon for soft light on Valletta's skyline.
Check opening days of Fort St Angelo and the museums before you go.
Dress modestly for churches, particularly during festa celebrations.

General guidance from our specialists, not official information.

Around The Three Cities - Birgu, Senglea, Cospicua: food, markets & places to stay

Bus 1 runs from Valletta's main terminus to the Three Cities in about 25 minutes, and traditional dgħajsa boats cross from the Valletta waterside below the Barrakka Gardens to the marina in front of the Maritime Museum in Birgu. Restaurants and cafés line the Birgu marina promenade and the squares of the old town. The Mariam Al-Batool Mosque in Paola and the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum are a short drive away.