Republic Street is the main axis of Valletta, running straight across the grid from City Gate at one end to Fort St Elmo at the other. The street is pedestrianised through the historic centre, making it the natural spine of any walk through the city. Most of Valletta's major monuments are either on Republic Street or a short distance from it — the Grand Masters' Palace, the National Museum of Archaeology, the Casino Maltese, and St John's Co-Cathedral all sit within a block or two.
The street is lined with Baroque palaces converted to cafes, shops, and government offices, and is busy with both tourists and working Maltese throughout the day. At its western end, City Gate — rebuilt to a bold modern design by Renzo Piano for the 2018 Capital of Culture year — leads to the bus terminus and the rest of Malta.