Casa Rocca Piccola – A Private Palace In Valletta That You Must See In 2025

Looking For A Unique Thing To Do In Valletta? Visit Casa Rocca Piccola

One of the most striking things that stood out to us on our visit to the charming old town of Valletta in Malta, were the splendid Renaissance mansions that line the cobblestone streets.  

Most of these were once the palaces of the Knights of the Order of St. John.  Now, except for only a few, like the Casa Rocca Piccola, they have been converted into shops and apartments.

And that is a shame, because, as we found out by visiting the beautiful palace of Casa Rocca Piccola, there is so much hidden behind those exterior walls for the curious traveller in 2024.

Highlights of the Casa Rocca Piccola

Casa Rocca Piccola History

Casa Rocca Piccola is a 16th century private palace that was the home of a Maltese family from the Order of the Knights of St. John when the fortified city of Valletta was first built.

It is named after the original owner, Don Pietro La Rocca who was the Admiral of the Order of St. John in the Langue of Italy – one of the 8 Langues (“tongues” meaning language) that made up the Order’s administration.  The Casa continued to be used by wealthy Italian knights until the end of the 18th century when it was sold to a Maltese nobleman.  

Today, the palace is owned by the 9th Marquis de Piro who continues to live in it with his family.  He is also a Knight of Malta and the 9th Baron of the Maltese fiefdom of Budach.

What Is Special About The Casa Rocca Piccola?

What is unique about Casa Rocca Piccola is that it is one of the few original Valletta Pallazos that has not been converted.

The de Piro family have made their house open to the public and occasionally even conduct personal tours of their home.  We weren’t quite so lucky to have the Marquis give us a guided tour, but we did download the free audio guide that you get when you purchase your ticket.

You can tell as soon as you enter the foyer through the main door that you will be in for a treat.  The foyer contains the reception area where you buy your ticket and it provides the first look at the style of the palace.

There are several rooms throughout the palace that are available for viewing, each with a unique theme, and we will take you through some of the ones that we explored.

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The Chinese Room

After purchasing your ticket, you will access the beautiful marble staircase with its ornate railing that leads up to the first floor.  This takes you to the first room on the tour – the Chinese Room.  

It is referred to as the Chinese Room because a few of the unique artifacts displayed here were from the Orient.  A main feature of the room is the large ebony cabinet that stands at the far end.  

Most of the items in the cabinet date back to the 18th century.  A photograph of Nicolina Apap Bologna, who was the wife of the Igino de Piro 7th Baron of Budach is prominently displayed on the top shelf.  

The cabinet also contains a collection of gold and silver vinaigrettes that were used for storing perfumes. 

Another important feature of this room is the rare 16th century map of Valletta that shows the preliminary planning of the city.  This was drawn when the city was initially conceived by the Grand Master of the Order of St. John, Jean Parisot de Valette.

The Sala Grande

The Sala Grande is the next room on the tour.  It is quite different in appearance from the eclectic style of the Chinese Room.  The walls in the Sala are mostly red with gold borders at the top and bottom.  These are the original colours of the room.

This room has two main features (though we chose to include a 3rd one below that interested us!).

The first one that stands out is the large lacquered bureau that sits along one wall. This ornately decorated bureau has two large yellow panels that open out to create a portable chapel.  Having a chapel in one’s home was considered to be a status of wealth for a noble Maltese family.  

The other striking feature in this room (which happens to be the tallest in the palace) is the Bohemian glass chandelier that descends from the ceiling.  This chandelier is over 250 years old and was made to be lit by candles.  Imagine the number of servants that would be needed to light and clean this beautiful fixture.

Around the room, there are several portraits on the walls, including two popes, Clement the XI and Clement the XIV, that flank the bureau.  But the portrait that caught our eye, is the signed photo of the young Queen Elizabeth II that sits on the side table beside the bureau.

The Chapel

We have already mentioned the portable chapel that was in the Sala Grande, but the Casa also has a permanent chapel.  It is in a long, narrow room painted in a striking gold colour with an elaborate fresco painted on the ceiling.

The ornate chapel at the end of this room was handed down to the family by Baron Pasquale Sceberra Testaferrata in the 18th century.  This highly decorated chapel is wood that has been painted to resemble marble.  

One of Baron Pasquale’s five sons was encouraged to join the church from a very early age.  In fact, he used to dress like a priest when he was just 8 years old.  He eventually went on to become Malta’s first cardinal in 1818.

The room contains other important pieces including rare relics of the life of Christ. One of the reliquaries is said to contain a small piece of the Cross of the Crucifix.  A showcase near the chapel displays the papal slippers of Pope Leo XIII, Pope Clement XIII and Pope Pius IX.

The Winter Dining Room

There were a couple of things that fascinated us about the Winter Dining Room.  First of all – who needs two dining rooms?  We guess like the chapel, having two dining rooms was a symbol of wealth.  The second fascinating thing was the immense dining set in the middle of the room.  

The dining set was brought from a 17th century palace in Florence and while it is quite ornate, it doesn’t seem very practical.  The chairs have very straight high backs that are meticulously carved.  

The table, which is the centrepiece of the room, is similarly carved around the perimeter.  Apparently, when the table is set, the plates wobble because of the depth and unevenness of the carvings. Perhaps the designer didn’t often set the table for dinner!

The room itself is quite bright with lovely light blue walls and a textured ceiling.  Large framed portraits occupy the walls and two family trees are mounted on either side of the balcony window that highlight four generations of the Piro family ancestry.

The Summer Dining Room

Unlike the Winter Dining Room, which is no longer used, the Piro’s do make use of the Summer Dining Room for long lunches and often in the evenings when the room is lit with candles.

This room used to be an open terrace that overlooked the garden.  It was redone as the dining room in a light and lively Art Nouveau style.

The table is set with the dishes and silverware that is used by the family when they dine here.  At the far end of the table is a large marble statue of Diana, the Roman goddess of Hunting. 

It was one of our favourite rooms in the house.

Other Rooms And Interesting Pieces In The Palace

We don’t want to give away everything inside the palace because we want you to visit it for yourself. But several other rooms in the palace contain family heirlooms, memorabilia and interesting pieces of art and furniture.

The Blue Room is notable for its set of surgical instruments that are displayed on a table in the centre.  These are made of silver and are believed to be the only set of doctor’s instruments from the Knights of Malta that survived after Napoleon removed most of the silver from the hospital in Valletta.

The Archives Room contains an impressive private collection of family documents going back to the 1600s.  A 17th century wooden carving of St. Paul sits on the table in the middle of the room.  

A large Maltese clock graces one corner of the magnificent Library.  The clock is unique in that it only has one hand to tell the time.  Apparently, the purpose of the Maltese clock is more about decoration than about indicating the time.  Most Maltese clocks have paintings of floral or rural scenes on the face.

One of the pieces which we found to be most interesting was the Sedan Chair in a small room full of aristocratic bric-a-brac.  This elegant chair (that looks like a fancy telephone booth) was used to transport a French Knight of Malta who was Captain of the Galleys through the streets of Valletta.  

Two captured Turks would be given the task of carrying the chair and the Knight. Interestingly, they not only carried him through the streets, but at the start and end of the trip, they would carry him up and down the stairs in the palace to his room. What a life!

Just to emphasize how important the Maltese were to the British Empire, two invitations hang side by side in the Green Room.  One is an invitation, by order of Queen Elizabeth II for the Baron and Baroness de Piro to be present at the Queen’s Coronation.  The other is an invitation to the Coronation of George VI.

There are dozens of other treasures and artwork throughout the interior of Casa Rocco Piccola and you really need to go through the palace to fully appreciate all that it has to offer.

The Palace Gardens

It isn’t just the interior of the palace that is special.  Casa Rocca Piccola is one of the few houses in Valletta that has a garden.  Because the water was so scarce in Valletta and had to be brought in by aqueduct, gardens were considered a luxury.  And the garden in the palace is certainly luxurious.

Aside from the grove of orange trees and flowering plants, the garden has an early 20th century statue that is over 100 years old.  

When we were here we were welcomed by Kiku, the blue and gold macaw who lives in the garden.  We found a place to sit in the garden and spent several minutes “chatting” with the very social bird.

The World War II Bomb Shelters

Beneath the Casa Rocca Piccola, were four large wells which had been cut out of the solid rock quarry and used in the construction of the house when it was built over 400 years ago.  

During World War II, 2 of the wells were converted to air raid shelters to protect the family and others from the more than 15 air raids that struck the city every day.  

Visitors can descend into the tunnels and try and imagine what it must have been like to live underground during these tumultuous times.

Casa Rocca Piccola B&B

Not only can you visit the stunning private house of the Marquis de Piro, but you can also use it as a wonderful place to stay!  

The palazzo has reserved 5 bedrooms that have been fully restored for discerning guests right in the heart of Valletta. Don’t you want to see what it is like to live like a noble? Book yourself for a fabulous stay at the Casa Rocca Piccola.

Casa Rocca Piccola Restaurant

And, if you’re looking for a unique place to eat, why not try La Giara Restaurant?  This Sicilian restaurant is located in the cellars of the Palazzo and is managed by chef Antonio Mammino. We didn’t have a chance to visit but guests rave about the amazing home made food, attentive service and unique location.

FAQs

Casa Rocca Piccola Tickets

If you would like to avoid any queues when you arrive, be sure to pre-book your ticket in advance.

When Was Casa Rocca Piccola First Opened To The Public?

The casa was first opened to the public in 1990.

Who Is The Owner Of Casa Rocca Piccola

The casa is owned by Nichola de Piro, the 9th Baron of Budach and the 9th Marquis de Piro who still lives in the palace in the heart of Valletta.

✅ Looking for other things to do in Valletta? Check out our blog post that provides you with a list of the must-see places to visit in the city.

The Final Word…Casa Rocca Piccola

We didn’t intend to write a blog about the Casa Rocca Piccola but that all changed after we visited this amazing 16th century palace that tells the story of generations of a family rich in Maltese history.  We thought it was important to highlight this amazing place.

Marquis de Piro and his family have done a wonderful job of setting up their home which is used as a private museum.  They have opened up their house, their gardens and their history for all to see.  

When you come to Malta, make sure you put this fascinating Maltese Palace on your bucket list!  Better yet, come and stay at Casa Rocca Piccola and live like nobility!