Why the Three Cities for Dining?
Most visitors to Malta spend their evenings in Valletta or St Julian's. Very few make it across the Grand Harbour to the Three Cities — and that is precisely what makes dining here so rewarding. Vittoriosa (Birgu), Senglea (L-Isla) and Cospicua (Bormla) are among the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in Malta, fortified cities that predate Valletta by centuries and witnessed some of the most dramatic events in European history.
For anyone willing to cross the harbour — easily done on the traditional water taxi — the reward is a dining experience that combines genuine atmosphere, lower prices, and views of Valletta's illuminated bastions that no restaurant in Valletta itself can offer. Sitting at a waterfront table in Vittoriosa, with a plate of fresh seafood and the Grand Harbour glittering in front of you, is one of the genuine pleasures of visiting Malta.
The Three Cities are also home to the Inquisitor's Palace, the Malta Maritime Museum, Fort St Angelo, and some of the finest medieval streetscapes in the Mediterranean. Combining dinner with a late-afternoon wander through Birgu's lanes is the ideal way to experience these remarkable places without the daytime crowds.
Compared to the Valletta food scene, which has exploded in price and popularity over the past decade, the Three Cities remain refreshingly unpretentious. You will find fewer tourist menus and more family-run trattorias where the cooking is honest and the welcome is warm.
Getting There: The Water Taxi
The dghajsa — Malta's traditional wooden water taxi — is the most romantic way to arrive at the Three Cities. The crossing from Valletta takes just a few minutes and costs around €1.50 per person. For an evening dinner trip, there is genuinely nothing like stepping off a small wooden boat onto Vittoriosa's waterfront as the last light fades over the harbour.
⛵ Water Taxi (Dghajsa) — Practical Details
- Departure: Valletta Custom House Steps (Lower Barrakka side), near the Lower Barrakka Gardens
- Arrival: Vittoriosa Waterfront, near the yacht marina
- Fare: Approximately €1.50 per person (cash; agree fare before boarding)
- Hours: Roughly 6am–10pm daily, weather permitting
- Evening crossings: Operators usually wait at the Vittoriosa side until around 10pm; after dinner, confirm return availability with your boatman
🚌 By Bus or Car
If the water taxi is not running or you are carrying luggage, buses 1, 2, 3 and 4 from Valletta connect to the Three Cities in around 20 minutes. By car, use the free parking area near Cospicua's fortification gate or the paid car park at the Vittoriosa marina entrance.
Vittoriosa (Birgu) — The Best Dining City
Of the three cities, Vittoriosa has by far the greatest concentration of restaurants. The yacht marina — the Vittoriosa Waterfront — is lined with tables that spill out along the quay, offering direct views across the Grand Harbour to Valletta. On a warm evening with the Valletta bastions glowing in the floodlights, this is one of the most atmospheric dining settings in the entire Mediterranean.
Explore restaurants in Vittoriosa on HubpyMalta to browse current listings with ratings and menus.
🍽️ Vittoriosa Waterfront Dining
The waterfront restaurants here are a mix of Maltese-owned trattorias and more contemporary places. Most open for lunch and dinner, with the marina-side tables filling up from around 7:30pm in summer.
- Cuisine: Traditional Maltese, seafood, Mediterranean, modern European
- Price range: Starters €5–€12; mains €12–€22; desserts €5–€8
- Best tables: Request a waterfront or marina-view seat when booking
- Dress code: Smart casual — no shorts or swimwear at dinner
🏘️ Birgu Backstreets
Away from the marina, Birgu's tight medieval lanes hide smaller, less tourist-facing eateries — family-run village bars (hwienet) and local cafes. These are where Vittoriosa residents actually eat on weekday evenings. Prices are lower, portions generous, and the atmosphere genuinely local.
Look for places around Triq il-Mina il-Kbira (the main street through Birgu) and the piazza near the Parish Church of St Lawrence. A cold Cisk beer and a plate of rabbit stew here costs a fraction of the marina price.
☕ Cafes & Daytime Options
During the day, Vittoriosa has several good cafes around the main square and near the Inquisitor's Palace entrance. They are ideal for a mid-sightseeing coffee and pastizzata (pastizzi with a coffee). Most close by early evening — this is not a daytime restaurant strip.
Senglea (L-Isla) & Cospicua (Bormla)
Senglea is quieter for dining than Vittoriosa, but offers its own rewards. The Gardjola Gardens at the tip of the Senglea peninsula give one of the finest views in all of Malta — directly across the harbour to Valletta and back towards Vittoriosa. A handful of small restaurants operate in Senglea proper; they are less polished than the Vittoriosa marina spots but often more characterful.
Cospicua is predominantly residential and is not a dining destination in the same sense. However, the bars around the Cospicua market area are lively and local, good for a pre-dinner drink if you are coming by bus from Valletta.
🌅 Senglea Waterfront Views
Even if Senglea has fewer restaurants, the views from its waterfront make a compelling argument for spending time here before or after dinner in Vittoriosa. The walk across the bridge between Senglea and Cospicua takes about 10 minutes and affords spectacular views of Fort St Michael and the Three Cities Creek.
What to Eat: Food & Drink Guide
The Three Cities kitchens draw on the same traditions as the rest of Malta, but the proximity to the Grand Harbour means seafood features heavily on most menus. Vittoriosa's waterfront restaurants source daily from the Marsaxlokk fleet — the same fish that ends up in Marsaxlokk's Sunday market arrives here too.
🐟 Seafood
- Aljotta: Malta's traditional fish soup — tomato-based with garlic, marjoram and a handful of rice. Deeply warming and deeply Maltese.
- Grilled catch of the day: Whole sea bream or sea bass, dressed simply with local olive oil, capers and lemon
- Grilled swordfish (pixxispad): Thick steaks, almost always perfectly cooked in waterfront kitchens that do this daily
- Stuffat tal-qarnit: Braised octopus in rich red wine and tomato sauce — one of Malta's finest traditional dishes
🍖 Traditional Maltese
- Fenek (rabbit): Malta's national dish — braised in wine, garlic and herbs, sometimes served with fried potatoes
- Bragjoli: Beef olives stuffed with egg, bacon and herbs, braised in red wine — hearty and warming
- Torta tal-Lampuki: Traditional fish pie (October–November only, when lampuki are in season)
- Gbejniet: Maltese sheep's cheese — served fresh or peppered, usually as a starter with galletti crackers
🍷 Drinks
Maltese wine has improved significantly over the past decade. Meridiana and Marsovin are the main labels; look for bottles made from the indigenous Girgentina (white) or Gellewza (red) grapes. Cisk lager is the local beer — cold and reliable. For non-alcoholic options, kinnie (bitter orange soft drink) is the Maltese institution.
Birgu Wine Festival
Once a year, usually across two weekends in October, Vittoriosa transforms into one of the most magical event venues in Malta. The Birgu by Candlelight event — which coincides with the Birgu Wine Festival — fills every street and lane of the medieval city with candlelight. Thousands of tea lights are placed on windowsills, steps, and along the walls, while local and international wines are poured at stalls throughout the city.
The effect is extraordinary: the entire fortified city glows amber, with the Grand Harbour as a backdrop. It has become one of Malta's most popular annual events and is highly recommended for anyone visiting in autumn. Accommodation in the Three Cities and Valletta books up quickly for those weekends — plan accordingly.
🕯️ Birgu Wine Festival — Essentials
- When: October (typically two consecutive weekends; check visitmalta.com for exact dates)
- Entry: Ticketed event — a wristband covers a set number of wine samples at participating stalls
- Food: Street food stalls operate alongside wine, including traditional Maltese bites
- Getting there: Water taxi from Valletta is the recommended approach — the roads around the Three Cities are extremely congested on event nights
Combining Dining with Sightseeing
The Three Cities repay the visitor who arrives with time to spare before dinner. The key sites are all within easy walking distance of the restaurant strip.
🏛️ Inquisitor's Palace
One of only three Inquisitor's Palaces surviving in the world, the Inquisitor's Palace in Vittoriosa is a remarkable and deeply atmospheric museum managed by Heritage Malta. The palace retains its original cells, tribunal room, and private apartments. Allow 90 minutes. It closes at 5pm most days, so a late-afternoon visit before dinner works well.
⚓ Malta Maritime Museum
The Maritime Museum, housed in the former British Royal Naval Bakery on Vittoriosa Waterfront, covers Malta's extraordinary naval history from Phoenician times through the Knights of St John to the Second World War. The building alone — with its vast vaulted halls — is worth seeing. Check heritagemalta.mt for current opening times.
🏰 Fort St Angelo
The great fortress at the tip of the Vittoriosa peninsula has played a role in virtually every major episode of Maltese history. Heritage Malta runs guided tours. The views from the upper bastions — out over the Grand Harbour — are among the finest in Malta and give wonderful context to the restaurant terrace you will be sitting on later that evening.
Planning Tips
📅 When to Visit
- Summer evenings (June–September): Warm nights, outdoor terrace dining at its best; book 2–3 days ahead at weekends
- October: Birgu Wine Festival; book early for accommodation and restaurants
- November–March: Quieter and cooler; indoor dining dominates; some smaller places close for winter
- Feast of St Lawrence (10 August): Vittoriosa's main village festa — extraordinary fireworks over the harbour, street food stalls, and a festive atmosphere
💰 Budget & Prices
- Starters: €5–€12
- Main courses: €12–€22 (seafood mains at the higher end)
- Dessert: €4–€8
- House wine (carafe): €8–€14
- Total per person for a three-course meal with drinks: €28–€45
📍 Practical Information
- Reservations: Recommended at weekends; essential on Birgu Wine Festival nights
- Payment: Most waterfront restaurants accept cards; village bars may be cash-only
- Language: English is widely spoken throughout
- Accessibility: The Vittoriosa marina is flat and accessible; the medieval streets of Birgu have cobblestones and steps
- Nearest hospital: Mater Dei Hospital, accessible by taxi in 20 minutes
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Three Cities in Malta?
The Three Cities are Vittoriosa (Birgu), Senglea (L-Isla) and Cospicua (Bormla) — three fortified medieval cities on the south side of the Grand Harbour, directly across the water from Valletta. They predate Valletta and are among Malta's oldest settlements.
How do I get to the Three Cities from Valletta?
The best way is the water taxi (dghajsa) from Valletta's Custom House Steps — a short, magical crossing of the Grand Harbour costing around €1.50 per person. Buses (routes 1, 2, 3, 4) also connect Valletta to the Three Cities in about 20 minutes. See our water taxi guide for full details.
Are Three Cities restaurants cheaper than Valletta?
Yes — dining in the Three Cities is noticeably more affordable. Main courses typically range from €12 to €22, compared to €16 to €30 in central Valletta. The quality is often equivalent, with the added bonus of harbour views and a more intimate atmosphere.
What is the best area to eat in the Three Cities?
Vittoriosa (Birgu) has the widest choice of restaurants, particularly along the Vittoriosa Waterfront (the yacht marina). Senglea has fewer options but some excellent local spots. For the widest choice and best views, Vittoriosa is the right base.
When is the best time to visit the Three Cities for dinner?
Evenings are magical, especially after dark when the Valletta fortifications across the harbour are lit up in gold. Aim to arrive around sunset (roughly 8pm in summer, 5:30pm in winter) for the best atmosphere. Book in advance at weekends.
What is the Birgu Wine Festival?
The Birgu Wine Festival is an annual event held in Vittoriosa in October, typically across two weekends. The medieval streets are lit by candlelight, local and international wines are served throughout the city, and the atmosphere is wonderfully romantic. It is one of Malta's most popular annual events.