Grandmaster’s Palace Valletta: State Rooms and Armoury Visit

6 min read · Published: July 25, 2023 · Updated: October 29, 2026 · Prices and details checked: October 2026

The Grandmaster’s Palace is in Valletta, Malta, not on Rhodes. It is a working government building with a museum side: you walk through the historic state rooms and the Palace Armoury, both run by Heritage Malta. Allow about two hours for both, and check the opening hours before you go, because the state rooms can close when the palace is needed for official business.

Table of contents

1. What can you actually visit inside the Grandmaster’s Palace?
2. Why is the Palace Armoury worth a separate stop?
3. How did a knights’ headquarters become a presidential office?
4. What do the courtyards and the square add to the visit?
5. How much does it cost and what is the best ticket?
6. Which sights combine well with the palace?
7. FAQ
8. Plan your Valletta days

What can you actually visit inside the Grandmaster’s Palace?

You can visit the state rooms and the Palace Armoury. The state rooms are the ceremonial halls on the upper floor, the armoury is a separate collection of weapons and armour.

The state rooms include the Hall of the Supreme Council, where a painted frieze by Matteo Perez d’Aleccio shows scenes from the Great Siege of 1565, and the Tapestry Chamber, hung with Gobelins tapestries from the early 18th century. Long corridors link the halls, lined with portraits of Grand Masters and with paintings, so the walk between rooms is part of the visit. Photography rules differ between rooms, so follow the signs and the staff.

Not everything is always open. Because the palace houses the Office of the President of Malta, rooms can be closed at short notice for official events. Check the Heritage Malta website on the day.

Why is the Palace Armoury worth a separate stop?

The armoury is the part most visitors remember. It shows armour, swords, muskets and other weapons of the Order of St John.

The collection makes more sense if you have seen the Great Siege frieze upstairs first: you look at the siege scenes, then at the equipment of the knights who fought it. Plan around 45 minutes if you read the labels. Children tend to enjoy this part more than the state rooms, as helmets and full suits of armour need no explanation.

How did a knights’ headquarters become a presidential office?

The palace was built after the Order moved its seat to the new city of Valletta, which was founded in 1566. Work began in the 1570s under the architect Gerolamo Cassar, and the building housed the Grand Masters of the Order until the Order lost Malta in 1798.

Under British rule it became the governor’s residence. Later, Malta’s elected assembly met here, and the House of Representatives sat in the palace until Parliament moved to a purpose-built building outside the city gate in 2015. Today the Office of the President of Malta works in the palace. This is why you may see guards at the entrance and why the state rooms are not guaranteed to be open every day.

What do the courtyards and the square add to the visit?

The courtyards give you free views of the palace architecture, and the square outside is where your visit starts. Prince Alfred’s Court has a clock with figures that strike the hour, and Neptune Court is the second main courtyard. Both are worth a few minutes even if you decide to skip the rooms.

The palace façade on St George’s Square is plain compared with the interior. Look for the balcony and the carved stone details around the main doorway. On a hot day the shaded arcades inside are a good place to wait if a tour group fills the rooms ahead of you.

How much does it cost and what is the best ticket?

Ticket prices for the individual palace entry are set by Heritage Malta and change, so read the current price on heritagemalta.mt before you travel. If you plan to visit several museums, the Multisite Pass is the better deal.

The Multisite Pass costs 60 EUR for adults, 45 EUR for seniors and students, and 30 EUR for children. It is valid for 30 days from first use and includes the Grand Master’s Palace, the Cittadella Visitors’ Centre on Gozo and the Malta National Aquarium. It does not cover the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum or Valletta Underground. Families can buy the Family Multisite Pass for 130 EUR, which covers two adults and two children or teenagers aged 6 to 17.

We suggest the pass only if you will visit at least four paid Heritage Malta sites. For a short trip focused on Valletta alone, single tickets are usually enough.

Which sights combine well with the palace?

The palace sits in the middle of Valletta, so several sights are within a few minutes’ walk. You do not need a plan for the whole city to fit it in.

• Upper Barrakka Gardens: the lift from the Grand Harbour costs 1 EUR for a return trip and runs from 07:00 to 21:00 in winter and until 24:00 in summer. It is a good way to arrive if you come by ferry.
• St John’s Co-Cathedral: a short walk away and covered in our guide to the cathedral, including its own ticket and dress code.
• The rest of the city: for streets, bastions and food, use our one-day walk through Valletta.

A sensible order is the palace in the morning when it is cooler and quieter, then lunch, then the cathedral in the afternoon. Note that St John’s closes on Sundays, so plan the cathedral for another day if you visit on a Sunday.

FAQ

Plan your Valletta days

Start with the palace and armoury, add the cathedral on another day, and keep the evening for a walk on the bastions. If you want a base within ferry distance of Valletta, we rent our own holiday apartments in Sliema and St. Julian’s, listed on our holiday apartments page.

Image credits: Som Thapa Magar, Pexels; Pixabay / Efraimstochter; Pixabay / chrisjzammit