A row of black cannons on the Saluting Battery terrace, overlooking the Grand Harbour and the fortified Three Cities

Viewpoint · Valletta, South Eastern Region

Upper Barrakka Gardens & Saluting Battery

Arcaded bastion gardens in Valletta with sweeping views of the Grand Harbour, above a working ceremonial gun battery

Ambient sound · similar settingSmall harbour atmosphere with boats and shorebirds

Photo: Danny Rienecker (@danny_rienecker) / Unsplash

Discover Upper Barrakka Gardens & Saluting Battery

At the top of Valletta's eastern bastions, a shady garden of arches, palms and fountains opens onto a terrace that seems to hang over the Grand Harbour. From the balustrade the view takes in the fortified peninsulas of Birgu and Senglea, Fort St Angelo, the creeks of the dockyards and ships moving in and out of the harbour mouth.

Directly below, on the lower tier of the bastion, the Saluting Battery keeps up a centuries-old tradition, firing its guns every day at noon and 4 pm, Monday to Saturday. Crowds gather along the garden terrace to watch, but the battery itself can also be visited, with tours explaining its history. A lift links the gardens to the waterfront far below.

Don’t miss

01Panoramic terrace over the Grand Harbour, Fort St Angelo and the Three Cities
02The daily gun salutes from the Saluting Battery at 12:00 and 16:00, Monday to Saturday
03A replica of Antonio Sciortino's bronze group Les Gavroches
04Memorials to figures including Sir Winston Churchill and Sir Thomas Maitland
05The Barrakka Lift, linking the gardens with the waterfront below

History & culture

The story of Upper Barrakka Gardens & Saluting Battery

The gardens were created in 1661 by the Italian knight Fra Flaminio Balbiani on the upper level of the Saints Peter and Paul Bastion, as a private retreat for knights of the Italian langue. The arcades were originally roofed; the roof was removed after the Rising of the Priests in 1775. The gardens opened to the public in the 19th century and later suffered damage in the Second World War.

The Saluting Battery below was built by the Order of St John in the 1560s and is described by its operators as the oldest saluting battery still in operation. It fired ceremonial salutes and time signals: a noon gun allowed ships' captains to set their chronometers, and an afternoon gun once warned that the city gates were about to close. The guns were removed in the 1950s; in 2004 Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna took over the battery and restored it to its late 19th-century configuration.

Local life & traditions

The gardens are a favourite meeting place for Maltese families and office workers from the nearby ministries, and a popular spot for wedding photographs. The noon gun remains a familiar daily ritual in Valletta, and the battery is also used for ceremonial salutes on state occasions.

Things to do

Experience it like a local

Arrive a little before noon or 4 pm to find a spot along the terrace for the gun salute, or buy a ticket for the Saluting Battery itself to watch from the gun platform; admission includes a guided tour and entry to the Malta Time-Gun Museum. Afterwards, linger in the shaded arcades and look out for the statues and memorials along the paths.

The Barrakka Lift makes it easy to continue down to the waterfront, where boats cross to the Three Cities, so the gardens work well as the start or end of a harbour walk. In the evening the terrace is a quiet spot to watch the lights of Birgu and Senglea come on.

When to go

The gardens are open year round and rewarding in any season. Spring and autumn are pleasant for lingering on the terrace; in summer, the early morning and evening are cooler and give softer light over the harbour. Clear winter days can offer especially sharp views across to the Three Cities.

Plan your visit

Verified information

Saluting Battery hours (as published): Monday to Saturday 09:30 to 17:30, last admission 17:00; closed on Sundays and on 24, 25 and 31 December, 1 January, Good Friday and Easter. Source: wirtartna.org ↗
Gun salutes (as published): Fired at 12:00 and 16:00, Monday to Saturday. Source: wirtartna.org ↗
Saluting Battery admission (as published, Oct 2026): Adults (16+) €6; children (5 to 15) €3; includes a guided tour, audio guide, time-gun viewing and entry to the Malta Time-Gun Museum. Source: wirtartna.org ↗
Gardens address: Triq Sant' Orsla, Valletta; open Monday to Sunday. Source: visitmalta.com ↗

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

Travel tips

Arrive 15 to 20 minutes early to secure a viewing spot for the gun salute.
There are no salutes on Sundays.
Use the Barrakka Lift to reach the Lascaris waterfront, where traditional boats cross to the Three Cities.
Visit at dusk for views of the illuminated harbour.
Bring sun protection in summer; the terrace is exposed at midday.

General guidance from our specialists, not official information.

Around Upper Barrakka Gardens & Saluting Battery: food, markets & places to stay

The gardens are a few minutes' walk from City Gate and St John's Co-Cathedral, next to the Auberge de Castille. The Barrakka Lift descends to Lascaris Wharf, and from the waterside below the gardens traditional dgħajsa boats cross to Birgu. Cafés and restaurants line the nearby streets of Valletta.