Fort Rinella
Saint Rocco Road, Kalkara (21800992/ www.wirtartna.org. Open 10am-5pm
Mon-Sun. Tours on the hr. Animated tours 2.30pm)
A few kilometres north of Vittoriosa, Fort Rinella is the most important mili- tary relic from the British era. The fort was erected in the l870s specifically to house the Armstrong tOO-ton gun, the largest gun ever made, so heavy that it required the power generated by a mini IKIwer station to load and turn the barrel. The gun's shell was capable of piercing the steel plates of ships and it was mounted here to protect the entrance to Grand Harbour. It is advisable to time your visit with the daily lively reenactments of life in the fort
Fort St Angelo
The Waterfront, Vittoriosa (~295 4300). Open no fixed times.
At the seaward tip of Vittoriosa, a fort stood since at least AD 1200. The present one dates back to the arrival of the Knights in 1530, when the existing fort was enlarged and its fortifications strengthened. It is constructed with upper globigerina limestone, the hardest type of rock found in Malta. The fort suffered only superficial damage during the heavy bombardment of World War II. It fell into dereliction after the war but is undergoing a rehabilitation project The Order of the Knights of St John has been granted the upper part of the fort, comprising the magisterial palace and St Anne's chapel and this is not open to visitors. The lower part of the fort is an open air area and is open to visitors to wander around, whereas the middle part of the fort is only open if you happen to be lucky and someone opens the door!
Gardjola Garden
Senglea's only public garden is situated at the tip of the peninsula: a small garden with insufficient greenery. However, it is worth a visit for the spectacular view it provides of Grand Harbour. Equally interesting is the elegant stone sentry post jutting out from the fortifications.
Inquisitor's Palace
Main Gate Street, Vittoriosa (2182 7006/www.heritagemalta.org. Open 9am-5pm daily.
Seat of Malta's Inquisition from its formation in 1574 to its banishment after the French invasion in 1798, the Inquisitor's Palace is a large baroque building.
Its most interesting and oldest feature predates the Inquisition: a small cloistered courtyard with a cross-vaulted Gothic ceiling built by the Knights' Rhodesian architect. The cramped dank prison cells provide a diversion on the way to the three rooms on the upper floor that illustrate the public face of the Inquisition. Two of the rooms, the Chancery and the Waiting Room are decorated with baroque friezes and the coats of arms of the Inquisitors who served in Malta, while the Tribunal Room is suitably sombre and has a melancholic wooden throne. The Palace also houses the museum of ethnography, depicting the popular devotions and religious values of the Maltese.
Senglea Waterfront
The wide promenade that flanks the northern shore of Senglea is an ideal place to lounge around at the end of the day. The view of Vittorio sa's domes and medieval tiered townscape is dreamy and romantic, and the atmosphere is pleasantly tranquil: yachts or traditional boats slipping in and out of harbour, locals angling, children frolicking and couples pacing.
The Collachio
Starting from Vittoriosa's town square and encompassing the entire area up to the north-west corner, the Colla- chio was the residential quarter of the Knights between 1530 and 1571. It was reserved only for the Knights and its extremities were marked by bollards; anyone who was not a knight could not venture beyond the bollards. The size- able townhouses, now privately owned, have charming but restrained baroque fa~des and are set along meandering alleyways. Much of the area is pedes- trianised and the fabric of the Collachio and the fa~des remain as the Knights left them, rendering the area ideal for a stroll.
Vittoriosa Waterfront
It is now a pleasure to walk along the Vittoriosa Waterfront lined with cafes and restaurants, and admire the splendid edifices built by the Knights that line the shore. The Waterfront has undergone a massive upgrading project which includes a new marina with splendid yachts, a new residential complex of apartments that command among the best views in the islands and the restoration of the buildings that have survived the ravages of wars over the centuries. The Waterfront is dominated by the Watch Tower, erected in 1545, to serve as the Order's Bakery and now forms part of the Maritime Museum. The solemn and elegant Scamps Palace, built in 1842 today houses the chic Casino di Venezia where you could try your luck in style. The site next to the casino will eventually house a hotel.
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