Malta's Unique Historic Streets

The streets of Malta are found across the Maltese archipelago, an island country in the Mediterranean Sea south of Sicily. While the islands have many roads, the streets of the capital city, Valletta, are especially well-known. The main streets of Valletta, like Republic Street and Merchants Street, run straight through the city in a grid pattern. This design was used to help air move through the city, keeping it cool in the summer heat. The buildings along these streets have a strong Baroque style, with grand facades and the famous Maltese wooden balconies. Many of these main roads are now for pedestrians only, making them easy to walk along. Away from the main roads, the streets of Valletta often become narrow and steep, sometimes turning into long staircases. These stepped streets were built to help defend the city and to manage the high ground it sits on. One famous narrow street is Strait Street, or Strada Stretta, which was once a place for nightlife and entertainment. Across the country, in other towns like Mdina and the Three Cities, streets are also narrow and winding, lined with old stone houses that show Malta's long and rich history