The gorgeous stone koi pond complete with some Nile paper reeds was my favorite section of the garden
Did you know that Valletta has a secret rooftop garden that is open to the public – and is entirely free to visit? Chances are probably not, as all the Maltese residents I mentioned this to were also surprised by my tale! This surely allows it to qualify as one of the city’s hidden gems.
Due to its small stature, Valletta can get very crowded, very quickly – even during its off-peak season. This tiny piece of rooftop greenery not only gives you some nice views from a totally different perspective, but also gives you the opportunity to have some respite from the commotion coming from the busy streets below you.
Basics
The rooftop garden is located in the Valletta Design Cluster building, which itself forms part of the larger Valletta Cultural Agency. The building was recently renovated to suit the purposes of the Design Cluster, and now operates as a community space for cultural and creative practices. According to their aims, the main focuses here are, in their own words, “on design, entrepreneurship and social impact, while supporting and promoting user-centred design as a catalyst for innovation and as a multi-disciplinary approach that can create positive impacts for communities and individuals.”
It won't take you long to walk around if you're just coming for a nosey around, so be sure to spend some time to soak up the sights if you can
How to Get There
Valletta is most definitely one of the smallest capital cities in the world, so it won’t take you long to get here once you are within the city limits. The Design Cluster can be found on the upper east side of the peninsula that makes up the city – just ever so slightly south from Jews’ Sally Port. Game of Thrones fans have an added advantage, as it is located right at the lower end of Eagle Street (which itself featured prominently on the TV show).
On entering the building, you will be greeted by the entrance desk. Just tell the receptionist that you would like to visit the garden, and they will ask you to put your name and nationality in a logbook – then you are good to go. The roof garden is publicly accessible during the Design Cluster’s opening hours and can be reached by either elevator or stairs from the ground level.
Valletta is a very small city, made out almost entirely of historic sandstone buildings - getting to experience this from a different perspective was a real treat!
The Rooftop Garden
The gardens cover the entire rooftop of the Design Cluster, but don’t let that sentence fool you – it doesn’t cover a huge area. Space is a valuable resource in Valletta, so nothing here is built outwards – just upwards, as is the case here.
The gardens were well laid out and maintained on my visit. There is an extensive range of trees and brightly colored flowers growing throughout – including lots of lavender, one of my personal favorites. I am a huge advocate of green spaces in urban places, so to see somewhere as beautiful and vibrant as this in one of the most densely populated places on earth is absolutely amazing.
As well as including a small roof pavilion for meetings and workshops, there are also several benches on the rooftop that you can use to put your feet up and enjoy the lush greenery and neighboring Maltese architecture. My favorite addition, however, is the small koi pond near the entrance point. I always make a point of visiting Japanese Gardens, if there are any at any of the destinations I visit, and while there aren’t any here – it’s nonetheless great to see traditional Japanese features incorporated into different-styled gardens.
The garden also contains some tables and chairs so that anyone visiting can sit down and enjoy the surroundings with some food/drink/a book etc.
The gardens are split in two by the large inner courtyard that makes up the main structure of the building. There are two small walk bridges on either side, allowing access to both ends.
Other Things to Keep in Mind
As mentioned, the garden is open only during the hours of operation of the main building. These hours are 8am-6pm daily, except Sunday when the Design Cluster remains closed.
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