Casa Rocca Piccola, Valletta (must see)

Casa Rocca Piccola is a 16th-century palace in Malta, and home of a noble Maltese family. It is the only privately owned palace open to the public in the city. A visit to Casa Rocca Piccola is a perfect opportunity to admire the lifestyle of a high society Maltese family.

The palace's history goes back over 400 years to an era in which the Knights of Saint John, having successfully fought off the invading Turks in 1565, decided to build a prestigious city to rival other European capitals, such as Paris and Venice. Palaces designed for prestige and aesthetic beauty were erected throughout Valletta, and bastion walls fortified the new 16th-century city.

Casa Rocca Piccola has over fifty rooms, including two libraries, two dining rooms, many drawing rooms, and a chapel. It houses Malta's largest private collection of antique costumes, both formal and informal wear from the 18th to the 20th century, as well as the largest private collection of Maltese lace, which was used in different ways for different occasions, both religious and secular.

The palace is well maintained and strikes a balance between traditional formality and more relaxed family spaces, and the bomb shelter that you can go in is amazing for a little adventure.

Tip:
Conducted tours are on the hour (last tour starts at 4pm) but get there early to beat the crowds.