Is This the Best Cruise Arrival in Europe? Valletta, Malta | Celebrity Xcel

We are in Malta, again!

Sailing into Malta's Grand Harbour is arguably one of the best port arrivals you'll ever experience. Golden limestone fortifications, historic bastions and Valletta's skyline slowly come into view as the ship glides in. It's well worth getting up early for.

On our Celebrity Xcel port day, we explored Malta on our own and on foot. It was a very warm day, so we took it slowly. We'd already seen Malta on a land trip, so this was a revisit of our favourite stops:

The Grand Harbour arrival. Watching Valletta appear from the deck is an experience in itself.

Upper Barrakka Gardens and the Saluting Battery. Beautiful views over the Grand Harbour, and you can see the cannon up close. It's also a great spot to look back at where your ship is docked.

affe Cordina, Republic Street, Valletta. We stopped for pastizzi at this Valletta institution. The café dates back to 1837 and is counted among the oldest in Europe.

Tips for a warm day in port:

Bring water and a hat
Wear comfortable walking shoes, as Valletta is hilly with lots of steps
Stop for a coffee and a pastizzi in the shade when you need a break

This is Part 5 of our Celebrity Xcel Mediterranean cruise vlog series.

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Read more about our experiences, the places we visited and the tours we curated for this trip in our blog on https://aloftandaway.com/

-Cruise Line: Celebrity Cruises
-Ship Name: Celebrity Xcel
-Cruise Dates: 18th July 2026 - 25th July 2026

-Itinerary: Piraeus, Athens -- Santorini -- Mykonos -- Kusadasi -- Valletta -- Barcelona

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