Ports of Valletta Aerial

View from an airplane looking southwest down on Valletta, the capital city of Malta.  The "old city" of Valletta is in the center of the image—a peninsula that separates the two major harbors of the city.

On the right (west) is the Marsamxett Harbor and on the left (east) is the Grand Harbor (Il–Port il–Kbir).

Both of these harbors are well–protected, especially the Grand Harbor on the left.  Note the modern breakwater and the cruise ship that is docked there.

[I wish the airplane that I was on had cleaner windows, but I think the general outline of the two harbors are visible.]

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Valletta is blessed with two large natural harbors in which there are even more protective bays—the locals seem to call them "creeks."  In Roman times these were major ports where the large,  sea–going grain ships could "winter."

Valletta is of some biblical interest for after Paul's three–month stay on the island of Malta, it is probable that Paul left for Italy from one of its ports.

Acts 28:11 After three months we put out to sea in a ship that had wintered in the island. It was an Alexandrian ship with the figurehead of the twin gods Castor and Pollux.