What it is

Villa Frere is the early-19th-century private residence built by John Hookham Frere, a British envoy who chose Pietà — then a quiet village outside Valletta — to lay out one of the earliest Romantic gardens in Malta. The villa stayed in private hands for most of the 20th century and is only now opening for occasional public experiences.

The 7 June 2026 event runs through the afternoon (programme varies — check the schedule on the official site). It's a guided walk through the gardens (terraces, an old orange grove, ponds and a 19th-century summer house) with the curator talking through the restoration work. Booking is essential; group sizes are kept small.

The villa is on the Pietà heliport road, an awkward walk from the ferry but easy from any Pietà bus. Wear flat shoes — most of the garden surfaces are gravel or compacted earth. There's no café on site; the Black Pearl restaurant on the Ta' Xbiex marina is the closest serious lunch.

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