Palazzo Parisio

Palazzo Parisio began as a hunting lodge of the 1730s and was transformed at the end of the nineteenth century by the Marquis Scicluna, a banker who filled it with gold leaf, marble, frescoed ceilings and a ballroom that has been called a miniature Versailles. It remains in private hands and is lived in, with part opened to visitors. The Italianate garden behind is formal, with box parterres, a citrus grove and a sunken pool.

What you actually see

• The ballroom - the gilded state room at the centre of the nineteenth-century remodelling.
• The frescoed ceilings - painted decoration through the principal rooms.
• The formal garden - box parterres, citrus grove and sunken pool behind the palace.
• The marble staircase - the grand stair at the entrance.

When to go

Year round; the garden is at its best in spring. It closes for private events and weddings, which are frequent. Mornings are quietest.

Honest expectations

Private functions close the palace or the garden at short notice and often at weekends. Only part of the house is open. The entry price is high for the size of the visit.

Nearby

Naxxar surrounds it, and Mosta is west.