Valletta and Malta's WWII story: a full-day walking tour

The most bombed island in WWII history

Between June 1940 and November 1942, Malta endured 3,340 air raids. More bombs fell on this island — 27 kilometres by 14 kilometres — than on any territory of comparable size in the entire war. The Blitz on London is better known; Malta’s experience was longer, more sustained, and by most measures more intense in relation to the area and population affected.

In April 1942, King George VI awarded the George Cross — the United Kingdom’s highest civilian decoration for gallantry — to the entire island of Malta. It was the first and remains the only time the award has been given collectively to a population rather than an individual. The original medal is on display in the National War Museum inside Fort St Elmo.

Understanding Malta’s WWII story changes how you experience the island. The limestone shelters under Valletta’s streets were not an emergency measure — they were the difference between a functioning society and collapse. The Maltese endured three years of bombing, near-starvation (the island imported 80% of its food before the war), and continuous civilian casualties while supplying the intelligence and logistics operations that helped turn the North African campaign.

The key WWII sites

Fort St Elmo and the National War Museum

The National War Museum inside Fort St Elmo at the tip of the Valletta peninsula is the primary starting point for Malta’s WWII story. The collection is exceptional:

• The original George Cross medal, on display in a dedicated case.
• Faith — the only surviving Gloster Sea Gladiator biplane from the legendary trio of “Faith, Hope, and Charity” that constituted Malta’s entire air defence in June 1940 when Italy entered the war.
• WWII aircraft instruments, anti-aircraft guns, RAF and RN memorabilia.
• Civilian materials: ration books, air raid warden equipment, shelter records.
• The Great Siege material (16th century) for historical context.

Allow 1.5-2 hours at Fort St Elmo. Start here at 09:00 when it opens.

See the dedicated Fort St Elmo guide for what to see inside.

The Lascaris War Rooms

Beneath the Lascaris Bastion at the southern wall of Valletta, the Lascaris War Rooms were the operational headquarters of the Malta command throughout WWII. The complex was cut into the limestone bedrock and contained plotting rooms, communications centres, and the command infrastructure for the entire Mediterranean theatre. General Eisenhower used the Lascaris Rooms as his personal headquarters when coordinating the Allied invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky) in July 1943 — the largest amphibious operation in history to that point.

The rooms are preserved and open for tours. Heritage Malta manages the site. The experience of descending into the bedrock and seeing the original maps, plotting tables, and communication equipment in place is significantly more immersive than the War Museum displays — the Lascaris Rooms feel less like a museum and more like a space that stopped being used last week.

Allow 45-60 minutes.

The WWII shelters

Under Valletta’s streets is an extensive network of tunnels and chambers cut from limestone during the war. The main public shelter system provided refuge for tens of thousands of Vallettans during raids — the city’s limestone topography made deep shelters relatively easy to construct, and the government organised a systematic shelter-cutting programme from 1940 onward.

Sections of the shelter system are accessible to visitors. The Valletta Living History programme includes shelter visits as part of guided tours, and several commercial tour operators offer dedicated shelter experiences. The shelters under private homes (like the de Piro shelter at Casa Rocca Piccola) are accessible on specific house tours.

Honest assessment: the shelters are the most emotionally direct experience of Malta’s WWII story. Standing in the low-ceilinged space where hundreds of people slept, waited, and occasionally died during raids is different in character from looking at displays in a museum.

The Malta Memorial (Floriana)

The Malta Memorial in Floriana (immediately outside Valletta) commemorates over 2,300 Allied air crew who lost their lives operating from Malta and have no known grave. The memorial lists names from Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and other Commonwealth nations. It is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and is freely accessible.

The memorial is not dramatic — a simple stone arcade with name panels — but the sheer number of names from so many countries makes Malta’s role in the wider war comprehensible in a way that statistics cannot.

Ta’ Qali airfield

During WWII, Ta’ Qali was Malta’s primary fighter airfield — the base for the Spitfires and Hurricanes that eventually turned the tide of the aerial campaign. The airfield is no longer operational; the site is now a national park and craft village (Ta’ Qali Crafts Village). The control tower and some buildings from the WWII period survive, though they are not formally presented as a heritage site.

For visitors with a specific interest in the RAF period, Ta’ Qali is worth a 30-minute stop as part of an inland half-day that also includes Mdina (2 kilometres away).

The full-day WWII walking tour

The organised WWII full-day walking tour covers the major sites with guided interpretation that places each stop in the narrative context of the campaign:

World War II Malta Full-Day Walking Tour

The tour covers Fort St Elmo, Lascaris, the shelter system, and the memorial in a structured sequence with transport between sites where needed. For visitors without prior knowledge of WWII Mediterranean strategy, the guided version adds significant value over self-navigation.

Self-guided WWII day itinerary

A practical sequence for self-guided WWII exploration:

• 09:00-11:00: Fort St Elmo and National War Museum. Enter at opening to avoid the cruise-ship crowds.
• 11:15-12:15: Walk the Valletta ramparts toward Lascaris Bastion. This walk passes the wartime anti-aircraft positions on the bastions.
• 12:15-13:15: Lascaris War Rooms. The rooms are below the Lascaris Bastion on the south wall.
• 13:15-14:00: Lunch. The restaurants on St Lucia Street or Strait Street are nearby and reasonably priced.
• 14:00-15:00: WWII shelter visit (book in advance).
• 15:15-15:45: Walk to Floriana and the Malta Memorial (20 minutes from City Gate).

This itinerary keeps you within walking distance of Valletta throughout.

Malta’s WWII story in context

Malta’s wartime position derived directly from its geography: 93 kilometres south of Sicily, 290 kilometres north of the North African coast, sitting astride the supply route from Italy to Rommel’s forces in Libya and Egypt. If the Axis controlled Malta, the North African campaign was supplied relatively freely. If the Allies held Malta, every supply convoy from Italy was harassed, tracked, and interdicted.

Rommel himself described Malta as the key to the North African campaign. The Axis made the logical decision to destroy it. The Allies made the equally logical decision to hold it at almost any cost.

The relief convoys — particularly the August 1942 Operation Pedestal, which brought five merchant ships through to Malta after losing nine — are among the most dramatic episodes of the entire war. Operation Pedestal’s surviving tanker, the SS Ohio (American-registered, British-crewed), limped into Grand Harbour propped between two destroyers with a bomb hole through her engine room. The convoy’s arrival was considered by Churchill as significant as a military victory.

This story — of a small Mediterranean island holding against everything the Axis could deploy — is not widely known outside Malta and the United Kingdom. Visiting the WWII sites gives it the weight it deserves.

Combining WWII sites with other Valletta visits

The WWII sites work well alongside:

• St John’s Co-Cathedral: the Knights’ history followed by the wartime history — Malta’s military story across five centuries.
• Grand Master’s Palace Armoury: the Palace served as the Governor’s residence during WWII and the Throne Room was used for official wartime business.
• Fort St Angelo in Birgu (HMS St Angelo): the naval headquarters across the harbour. See the Fort St Angelo guide.

For the full multi-day Malta plan including cultural and historical sites, see the 5-day Malta itinerary.

The Malta by Night open-top bus tour is another way to cover Valletta’s key WWII-connected sites (including a Mdina stop) in a single evening:

Malta By Night Open-Top Bus Tour Including 1-Hour Mdina Stop

Frequently asked questions about Malta’s WWII sites

Why was Malta bombed so heavily in WWII?

Malta’s strategic position between Sicily and North Africa made it the key to control of the central Mediterranean. The Axis powers (primarily Italy and Germany) needed to neutralise Malta to protect their supply lines to Rommel’s forces in North Africa. They subjected the island to sustained aerial bombardment from June 1940 through most of 1942, in an attempt either to destroy Malta’s military capability or force a surrender. Neither succeeded.

What is the George Cross and why is the original in Malta?

The George Cross is the UK’s highest civilian decoration for gallantry under enemy fire (equivalent in status to the Victoria Cross for military personnel). King George VI awarded it in April 1942 to “the island fortress of Malta” — the entire civilian population — for their sustained resistance under bombing. The original medal was presented to Malta and is now on permanent display in the National War Museum at Fort St Elmo.

What happened to Hope and Charity (the two biplanes)?

Faith, Hope, and Charity were three Gloster Sea Gladiator biplanes assembled from crates in 1940 to serve as Malta’s initial air defence. Hope was damaged and later lost during the campaign. Charity was destroyed. Faith survived the war intact and is now on display in the National War Museum. The names were attached by a journalist and were not official — but they captured the island’s spirit accurately enough to become permanent.

Can you visit the Lascaris War Rooms?

Yes — the Lascaris War Rooms are a Heritage Malta site open for tours. They are located beneath the Lascaris Bastion on the south wall of Valletta, accessed from the Lower Barrakka area. Entry is separate from the Fort St Elmo/National War Museum ticket.

Is there a WWII memorial in Malta for Allied servicemen?

The Malta Memorial in Floriana (adjacent to Valletta) commemorates over 2,300 Allied air crew killed while operating from Malta who have no known grave. The memorial is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and lists names from multiple Commonwealth nations. Entry is free and it is accessible at any time.

Last reviewed: 2026-04-20