Hastings Gardens bastion view

The bastion view at Hastings Gardens, on South Street (Triq Nofsinhar) in Valletta, Malta, is one of the city's quieter vantage points. The garden sits on the western bastions above Marsamxett Harbour, and the terrace wall looks across the water to Manoel Island with its fort and to the apartment blocks and waterfront promenades of Sliema. Unlike the Upper Barrakka Gardens, which draw tour groups for the noon gun, Hastings Gardens is used mostly by local residents who come to read, walk or sit on a bench in the evening. The garden has lawns, mature trees, flowerbeds and a monument to the Marquess of Hastings, a former Governor of Malta, and these give it a calm, village-park character within the fortified city. Visitors can lean on the parapet and watch ferries crossing between Valletta and Sliema, yachts at their moorings and, toward dusk, the lights of the opposite shore coming on. The best moment is sunset, when the sky behind Sliema turns orange and the harbour lights switch on, a scene that suits photography without crowds. A visit takes about 30 minutes, longer for those who want to linger. The garden is free and open daily, and it is about four minutes' walk from City Gate along the bastion wall, so it is easy to reach from the centre. Shade is limited, and midday in summer can be hot, so evening is the most comfortable time. Visitors should take care with children near the wall and keep to paths after dark. Cafes and restaurants are a short walk away on Republic Street and in the streets behind South Street.