The most beautiful parks and gardens Valletta

Situated at the top of the bastions of Saint-Pierre and Saint-Paul, these pleasant Baracca gardens are home to a wide variety of species (pines, oleanders, eucalyptus, hibiscus, pistachio trees...) and offer the opportunity for green walks in the heart of the capital. Maltese and tourists alike come here during the day and especially in the evening to admire the "most beautiful natural harbour in the world": the incredible panorama of the three cities opposite. From the gardens, you'll have a breathtaking view of Birgu's Fort Saint-Ange, and from the ancient ramparts, you can also see the districts of Senglea and Cospicua, the main port and the sea. Also on the quayside are the customs buildings from which the dghajsas ( Maltese gondola-shaped boats painted in bright colors) depart to visit the ports. From the balconies of Baracca, you can see as far as Mdina and its cathedral. It's Valletta's postcard and the scene of your greatest photographic exploits if you manage to avoid the shipyard cranes in your panoramic shot, which will also include the church of San Paola de Tarxien and the disused former British hospital, jutting out from the promontory near Fort St. Angelo. With the right eyes, you'll be able to spot Paola's mosque. Still on the left, you'll notice the Ricasoli fort, built by an Italian knight, on the prow facing the sea. Built in 1663, during the reign of Grand Master Nicolas Cotoner, they are also known as the "Italian Gardens", as they were originally the private domain of the Italian knights. A little later, Grand Master Fra Flaminio Balbiani built the arches that can still be seen today. They were originally covered by a roof to protect walkers from the sun. Later, the English installed several statues. You can see some of them, including a bust of Winston Churchill. The funeral monument is dedicated to Sir Thomas Maitland, one of the island's English governors in the ^19th century. The sculpture Les Gavroches by Maltese artist Sciortino (one of his masterpieces) is also among the most visible pieces. The large renovated building at the entrance to the gardens is the Malta Stock Exchange. Below, you can see a row of cannons known as the Saluting Battery. This is where you take the elevator that links Upper Barakka Gardens to the Grand Harbour. Inaugurated in December 2012, it has a futuristic design, stretches 58 meters and carries 21 passengers for 25 seconds.

Located on the waterfront above Grand Harbour, these gardens are colored by dozens of hibiscus that bloom in summer. While they may not offer as impressive a view as the one enjoyed from the Upper Barraca Gardens, they do offer a beautiful panorama. All this in a more family atmosphere where you don't have to struggle to sit on the right bench. The neo-classical monument in the form of a Greek temple dedicated to the vice-admiral, Alexander Ball, an Englishman sent by Admiral Nelson to organise the Maltese insurrection against the French in 1798 and which gives its name to the main artery of the posh Paceville district of Saint Julian's. Raised after Ball's death in 1809 and restored during the 19th century, it is the work of the Maltese artists Giorgio Pullicino and Salvatore Dimenech. During the visit you will also note the sculpture by Antonio Sciortino commemorating the Great Siege of Malta in 1565, the fountain, the well-kept hedges, the many cats and the various commemorative plaques on the terrace such as the one referring to the fiftieth anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. Not far away is the most modern building, the Siege Bell Memorial, inaugurated in 1992 by Elizabeth II to honour the courage of the Maltese people during the Second World War. From these gardens you can see the former Bighi Hospital and Fort Ricasoli.

From the ramparts, whose thickness can only impress, one can enjoy a panoramic view of the Msida creek and Manoel Island with its military fort, and in the background, Sliema the modern city. It is recommended to come there at sunset because the view is magnificent. The garden has laurels, olive trees and rare plants recently introduced to Malta. A marble funerary monument is dedicated to the Marquis of Hastings, Viceroy of India until 1824, then Governor of the island from 1824 to 1826. He died on the boat taking him to Naples.