Visiting Hastings Gardens, Valletta

Hastings Gardens is the place to go if you want to walk on the ancient city walls of Valletta. A linear park has been created in the north west edge of the city, where you can get up close to the historic walls and battlements. There’s everything you’d expect of a park here. Water fountains, flower beds, trees and even a small outdoor cafe, but the big star is the walls and incredible views from them.

This park is much more modern that the Upper Barrakka Gardens or the Lower Barrakka Gardens, but you will be visiting for a different reason. What you learn about the city walls here is just how huge they are. Underneath you is the bedrock of Valletta and the stone walls were built on top to create St John’s Bastion and St Michael’s Bastion. They had to follow the shape of the rock formation below and so the walls are higgeldy piggeldy in places. You can get fairly close to one of Valletta’s iconic ‘lookouts’ in Hastings Gardens too, although there is no access inside.

The gardens are named after Lord Hastings who was governor of Malta. His tomb is located in the gardens today. There is little else to see in the gardens themselves to be honest, but the panoramic views over Floriana, Msida, Sliema, and Manoel Island are stunning. If you’re a fan of the HBO TV series Game Of Thrones, you get a good view from the gardens of the layout of the fort at Manoel Island. This fort was used as the Great Sept of Baelor – the temple for the Faith of the Seven in the first series and Ned Stark lost his head in the courtyard outside. See our special guide to Malta Game Of Thrones Filming Locations.

Hastings Gardens are open from 7am to 9pm daily. Admission is free.

HASTINGS GARDENS LOCATION & MAP

Address: Hastings Gardens, 24 Sappers, Valletta, Malta

From the main city gate into Valletta, take the flights of steps to the left once you’ve crossed the bridge and you’ll find Hastings Gardens at the top. There are several entrance gates to the park.