Doors in blue, green, red and ochre run in a line along the quay, each one slightly different from the next. The colour was not decoration. At the Valletta Waterfront it once told porters and merchants which goods were kept behind each door, and the practice survived the restoration.
A harbour with a long working life
Along the Grand Harbour side, Valletta’s coast was a busy place for centuries, seething with people and vessels day and night. The deep natural harbour suited port calls, many ships were handled here, and a lively market grew up in the nearby area.
In the middle of the eighteenth century Grand Master Manuel Pinto de Fonseca ordered a landscaped waterfront along the coast. A few dozen stores and a church went up in a rich Baroque style, and the strip became both a showpiece and a hard-working quay. This is why the waterfront is often called Pinto Wharf or the Pinto Stores.
War damage and rebuilding
The Second World War hit the area hard. Close to the British naval base, it suffered German air raids, and some buildings were destroyed completely while others needed major repair. After the war the least damaged stores were restored, interiors included. Of the most badly damaged ones, only the façades were rebuilt, and behind them now sit car parks.
By 2005 the complete reconstruction was done, with a new marina and a modern cruise passenger terminal added. In 2010 the ensemble was recognised by the American Society of Landscape Architects as the best landscape project, and in 2012 the project earned an award from the Urban Land Institute.
What you do here
The main activity is walking. The promenade is a broad, flat strip of paving, wide enough to avoid the crowd, with the dark bastions rising behind and the harbour in front. Across the water you see the Three Cities, and ships from small yachts to large cruise vessels pass close to the quay.
More than a dozen restaurants and bars occupy the old stores, and there are shops for souvenirs and everyday purchases. Table service spills out onto the quay in good weather, and evening is when it feels most pleasant: the stone absorbs the heat of the day, the lights come on and the harbour water takes on a copper tone.
Look closely at the buildings. Against the plain bulk of the fortification wall, the ornate design of the stores is striking, and the coloured doors are the detail most visitors photograph. The contrast of delicate façade and enormous wall is what makes this stretch memorable.
Events
The waterfront also works as a venue. Sports and cultural events are held here, including the Global Run Valletta race and an annual jazz festival. On such days the area fills with people, so book a table early or choose another time if you prefer calm.
Getting up to Valletta
The waterfront lies at the foot of the bastions, so the way to the old city is upward. The Upper Barrakka lift connects the harbour level with the Upper Barrakka Gardens, a short ride that saves a steep climb. Check whether the lift is running before you plan around it, and know that the alternative is a walk up the road or through the city gates.
From the gardens you look down on the quay you have just left, and the cannon battery at the Upper Barrakka gives one of the best harbour views in Malta. If you walk the other way, you reach Floriana and its squares and bastions within a short stroll.
Looking across the water
From the quay you face the Three Cities, Birgu, Senglea and Cospicua, across the Grand Harbour. The skyline of bastions, domes and cranes changes with the light, and a bench with a view of the opposite shore is a better use of ten minutes than another shop. Large ships docking and leaving are part of the show, and the harbour never looks the same twice.
Practical points
Cruise-ship days bring more visitors and more noise. If a ship is in port, shops and restaurants fill at midday and the promenade gets busy. For a quieter visit, go early in the morning or after dinner time.
There is little shade on the open quay, so summer midday visits can be hot. Carry water and a hat, and wear flat shoes for the paving. A good plan is to arrive late afternoon, walk the length of the promenade, eat on the quay and then take the lift or a taxi up to Valletta for the evening.
