SLIEMA
Sliema lies on the Grand Harbour facing Valletta. It is a
large, modern cosmopolitan town bustling with hotels, shops,
cafés, cinemas, restaurants, bars, clubs and discos.
The shoreline here is rocky, but is nevertheless good for
bathing. The neighbouring St Julian's is also a lively and
popular resort area.
THE THREE CITIES OF COTTONERA
Across the Grand Harbour from Valletta lie the Three Cities
- Vittorosia, Cospicuo and Senglea.
Vittoriosa
Vittorosia is more a town than a city, but it does have a
number of attractions. The Church of St Lawrence, in St Lawrence
Street, is a magnificent 16th century building with an altarpiece,
The Martyrdom of St Lawrence, made by the famous Italian artist
Mattia Pretti. Other highlights include the statue of St Lawrence
which is paraded through the streets of the town on the 10th
of August every year. A visit to the Inquisitors Palace, in
Boffa Street, is an ideal pastime for those interested in
the more unsavory history of the church. Here visitors can
follow the path of condemned prisoners from the courtroom,
right through the dungeons to the spot where they were executed.
Situated on the highest point in the town, Fort St Angelo
dates back to Phoenician times. Since then it has been the
base of several military forces, from the Romans to the British.
It is now being restored to its former glory. The Maritime
Museum, on the Waterfront, is dedicated to the maritime history
of the island. Between the forts of St Rocco and Ricasoli,
the Mediterranean Film Studios where movies such as Christopher
Columbus were filmed, can be found. It specialises in special
effects for maritime films.
Cospicua
Cospicua is the second of the Three Cities. Attractions here
include the Church of the Immaculate Conception, the only
church in the town to survive the World War II bombings. On
the southern side of the town, the Margarita and Cotonera
Lines, two 16th century fortifications are well worth a visit.
Senglea
The small waterfront town of Senglea was named after the
Grand Master Claude de la Sengle. It became the most prosperous
of the three cities during the 18th century due to the establishment
of shipbuilding and commercial facilities. The city was constantly
bombed during WWII due to its close proximity to the docks
and had to be extensively rebuilt after 1945. There are two
interesting churches to be seen here - St Phillips and Our
Lady of Victories. Senglea is also the ideal spot for visitors
just interested in relaxing and catching some sun. |
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