Republic Square & Caffe Cordina

In the very centre of Valletta stands a square where all roads converge. On the square stands a monument. On the monument stands Queen Victoria. prowadzący claims she has six fingers on one hand. The Order dispatched scouts who counted and confirmed: the sculptor indeed lost track of fingers. Or the Queen had extras. History does not settle the matter. But the true ruler of this square is not the Queen, but Caffe Cordina — Malta's oldest café, operating since 1837. The interior looks like a ballroom: marble tables, gilded mirrors, frescoes on the ceiling. Outside, under parasols, tables overlook the square where Malta plays out its daily life. The Commander ordered coffee and pastizzi (because we order pastizzi everywhere) and watched the Maltese theatre: tourists with maps, businessmen with phones, pensioners with shopping bags, students with backpacks. Republic Square is Malta's salon — a place where you come not so much to eat as to be seen. prowadzący tells how in British times the Cordina building was a "casino" — not a gambling house, but a gentlemen's club for officers and aristocracy. Today it is democratically open to anyone with a wallet and patience (the service is elegant but unhurried). TACTICAL NOTE: Coffee and pastizzi at Cordina are a tourist's duty. Outside tables vanish fast — arrive in the morning. Entry is free; the décor alone is worth the visit. National Library directly opposite. The Order rates: 4 shields out of 5. One point deducted for prices (a cockroach costs more here than elsewhere). But for the history, location, and six-fingered queen — worth it.