Secrets of St John's Co-Cathedral - Guided Tour
Overview
Available languages
1 hour 45 minutes
Mobile ticket
Discover the secrets waiting for you in St John's Co-Cathedral - all the things the audioguide doesn't tell you!
Built by the Order of St John, this church is one of Tripadvisor’s Top 25 Attractions in Europe and has “the most beautiful floor in the world” consisting of more than 400 marble tomb slabs.
This tour will reveal fascinating stories of the Order’s Grand Masters and their knights, and teach you the hidden meanings of the symbols left for you to examine on their tombs.
You’ll also discover the secrets of two Caravaggio paintings found within the church, hear why the talented but troubled Caravaggio was kicked out of the Order and learn the incredible story of how one of his paintings was recovered by a Maltese priest/detective after it was stolen from the cathedral.
Finally, you'll learn the strange reason why this is a “co-cathedral”.
Additional Info
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Public transportation options are available nearby
Specialized infant seats are available
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
What To Expect
St. John's Co-Cathedral
You'll see the stunning interior of this high baroque church, which includes "the most beautiful floor in the world," as well as the Sacristy, various chapels belonging to the Order of St John and the Oratory where there are two paintings by Caravaggio.
Options
Secrets of St John's Co-Cathedral - Guided Tour
What‘s Included
All Fees and Taxes
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
32 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
An interesting, informative and entertaining tour
nathans381,Jun 1, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00A Dark Malta tour is a must-do when in Malta! Mario’s passion and knowledge of Malta’s history was clearly evident as he guided us around St John’s co-cathedral and shared interesting facts and stories connected with the building’s long history. He is a great story teller, and took his time in sharing his knowledge and answering our questions. We will definitely book another of his tours next time we visit Malta!
Secrets of St John Co Cathedral and the knights disclosed
melindawE6892NQ,May 23, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The tour was everything we expected and more. Some of the information (ie the protector of history ‘Bruno’) made the whole tour very special. Mario was punctual professional and very friendly. Clearly a well known and respected guide given his treatment by venue staff. His subject knowledge was excellent and delivered in easily understood manner. Overall great tour.
Top tier experience
Charles A,Apr 30, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a fantastic tour of St John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta with Mario as our guide. He was easy to deal with from the start and made the entire experience seamless. His knowledge was outstanding, blending detailed historical facts with engaging storytelling that kept everyone interested. Even our 15-year-old was fully engaged, especially when Mario explored the darker side of the cathedral’s history while still grounding everything in real, accurate context. He struck the perfect balance between informative and entertaining. Mario is truly a top-tier guide, and we would highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Malta without hesitation today.
Best way to explore the co-cathedral
Ziro A,Apr 11, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Mario's tour is an extremely entertaining, thorough and unique way of getting to know about the history of the co-cathedral and it's legends. Highly recommend to join him!
Best tour guide
Miruna T,Feb 21, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This guy is on another level! He's a great story teller and really passionate about what he's talking about. Great sense of humour, interactive stuff and amazing everything, can't have enough words to describe how great this tour was
A Great Tour with a Wonderful Story Teller
stiff susan,Feb 21, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We’ve just finished the Secrets of St. John’s Co-cathedral tour and it was excellent! Mario is a fabulous guide and a wonderful story teller. Although the cathedral is impressive on its own, hearing the stories of the people and the time took the experience to the next level. We were already discussing next tours on our walk back, and have now booked a second tour for next month.
Hooked
201rossellac,Feb 21, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00One of the best tours I have been to. The tour guide Mario is really well knowledge and keeps you engaged to the tour. Have been some of his other tours before and will definitely go on the reminder.
Best tour guide in town.
Juan R G,Feb 16, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We booked a private tour of the St. John Co-Cathedral with Mario and could not be any happier. He was punctual, very knowledgeable and extremely courteous. He took an appropriate amount of time to explain in detail during all stops of the tour and gave us plenty of opportunities to take photos. He was very entertaining.I will not hesitate to book him again when back in Malta. This was an awesome experience.
Great immersion!
Gustav Scania,Nov 22, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Very informative and entertaining! The guide likes to tell his stories and it shows. Loved the living stories of grand masters and Caravaggio
Bringing History to Life with Expert Guidance
S75UGjusting,Sep 27, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Although I’m Maltese and a keen history enthusiast, Mario, an extremely knowledgeable tour leader, delighted us with wonderful insights about the co-cathedral. His passion and depth of knowledge brought new perspectives that even I, as a local, had never considered. The tour truly felt like a treasure trove of information, enriching my appreciation of our heritage. It was so engaging that I will gladly re-attend the tour in the future. Highly recommended for both visitors and locals alike!
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Operated by Dark Malta Tours