Malta, Europe’s fifth smallest country at 17 miles long and 9 miles wide, is around one fifth of the size of London, so it’s pretty small for a country, making it a good destination to choose if you want to explore the whole country, rather than just a city, in one trip. If you want to visit Malta, read this Malta travel guide to find out everything you need to know before you go. This complete guide to Malta will cover whether Malta is worth visiting, the best things to do in Malta, and my tips for making the most of your time on the island.
Quick Facts About Malta
Capital: Valletta
Currency: Euro
Language: Maltese and English
Best time to visit: April–June and September–October
Average trip length: 3–5 days
Airport: Malta International Airport
Is Malta worth visiting?
If a pretty island with white sandy beaches, good food, warm weather, historic towns and lovely churches is your thing, Malta is absolutely worth visiting!
Malta is perfect for people who want to spend time sunbathing on the sand, who want to split their time between working and exploring, or who want to hire a car and really get off the beaten track. If you love history, Malta has so much of it and if you like nightlife, Malta won’t disappoint here either. Photography lovers will enjoy taking photos of Malta’s beautiful landscapes, balconies and doors, and if you’re a foodie, Malta is for you too, with a huge variety of different food to eat across the island. Food lovers will have full bellies here.
Where is Malta and why is it so unique?
Malta is in the Mediterranean sea, south of Italy and north of Libya. It’s a country that stays warm all year round, with even it’s colder months, January and February, being ten degrees or higher. We were there in December and mostly just wore a light jacket or cardigan, which was really nice for the time of year, when it was icy and freezing at home in the UK.
Malta was a British colony until 1964 and some British things have remained, like driving on the left. The country felt very familiar to me, whilst also being different-we don’t see many cacti at home, for example! There’s also a big Italian influence in the food and the language, and I spotted quite a Moroccan influence in things like the Maltese doors. It’s a really interesting country and I hope this Malta travel guide inspires you to visit this beautiful country.
Best things to do in Malta
I resisted visiting Malta for a long time thinking it’d be an island full of beaches, bars and not much else. I was very very wrong! There’s so many things to do in Malta, whatever you’re interested in, and I hope my Malta travel guide helps you to discover things you didn’t expect to do or see in Malta.
Explore Valletta
Valletta, Malta’s capital city, does not need a car to get to or to explore, as there are buses to Valletta from all over the island. We had a car but chose to get the ferry from Sliema because I like a boat, and we got the bus back in the evening. Parking in Valletta is likely to be difficult so even if you do have a car, consider public transport instead.
Whilst the main city doesn’t have a huge number of tourist attractions, you won’t be short of things to do in Valletta. Head to Upper Barrakka for amazing views over the water and towards the Three Cities, and don’t miss the canon firing at 12pm and 4pm. You’ll need to get there early to get a good view.
Staircase Street is famous for being pretty, full of restaurants and a great place to go for food or a drink. Republic Street has lots of shops, and Republic Square is a must see beautiful square in the middle of the city. Triton’s Fountain is worth seeing, and Is-Suq Tal-Belt, Valletta’s food market and food court, offers 15 different cuisines if you need another meal after a day of exploring.
Visit the Three Cities
Half a day should be spent visiting the iconic three cities, which can be accessed by bus or car but is far better reached by a short ferry from Valetta. The views of both Valetta and the three cities (Vittoriosa/Birgu, Senglea/Isla and Cospicua/Bormla) from the ferry are absolutely outstanding. Do be aware there are a LOT of steps in this part of Malta!
We didn’t have a list of things to see in the three cities, preferring to just wander around and take in the slower pace and the history, and we actually nearly didn’t take the time to go over, but I’m so glad we did.
Swim in the Blue Lagoon, or at any of Malta’s beautiful beaches
The Blue Lagoon is one of Malta’s most well known swimming spots, just off Comino, and it’s always going to be one of the busiest. Ferries go from Cirkewwa and take 20 minutes, and you’ll need to book a visitors slot in advance if you want to swim or snorkel.
If you want to swim and you’re not bothered about the Blue Lagoon specifically, all of Malta’s beaches are beautiful. Some areas, such as Sliema, are more set up for swimmers, with steps (and handrails) down from the rocks into the water. Other bays are a bit quieter and I’d recommend taking basic safety precautions, like entering the water slowly, letting someone else know where you are and trying not to swim alone, if you’re going to swim. In busier seasons there will be people around, if you’re brave enough to swim in December (I wanted to so badly, but hadn’t thought to pack swimming stuff!) you’ll need to think more about safety.
Visit Gozo for a relaxed day
Gozo is one of Malta’s three islands, with Malta itself and Comino making up the other two. Malta is the biggest with the most to do and Comino is basically empty, with just a tower and an abandoned hospital as its things to see. Comino is great for swimming and walking but if you want another island to explore, you’ll want to go to Gozo.
Just a 45 minute ferry high speed from Valetta for foot passengers, Gozo is well worth the trip. The ferry has really comfy leather seats and whilst we’d heard the sea could be a bit choppy it was fine for us. If you want to take your car, you can take a slower ferry from Cirkewwa.
We chose to do the open top bus tour around Gozo to get a good sense of the island and I’d recommend that, but next time we’ll take the car and explore off the main bus route, choosing how long we want to spend in each place. Gozo is a dream to drive around, full of beautiful countryside, pretty villages and lots of sandstone churches. Gozo is definitely quieter than Malta and makes for a great quiet day trip.
Hire a car and get off the beaten track
The best thing to do in Malta, in my opinion, is to explore under your own steam without a regimented plan. Hire a car from the airport (it was pretty cheap) and drive around the island. Parking is mostly free, in some areas you’ll need the ability to parallel park uphill which I DO NOT possess, but despite parking stress I had a great time being able to drive myself and J all over the island. We were able to easily visit places that aren’t as easy to access on public transport, as well as spotting places on the map that we hadn’t initially been aware of and diverting off our original route to have a look. This allowed us to see some gorgeous views, a couple of amazing sunsets, and not have to worry about bus times. Bliss.
One thing to consider with a car is the engine size-my Kia Picanto took quite some time to speed up on the faster roads which I didn’t love, so I’d choose a bit bigger next time.
Visit Mdina, Malta’s silent city
Mdina, a car free part Malta, has gorgeous Baroque buildings, horses wandering around pulling carts, and absolutely no noise. It’s unusually quiet and it’s a really cool experience to wander the narrow streets and explore. If you visit really early in the morning or later at night, you’ll likely have the city to yourself too.
Fontanella Tea Gardens have highly recommended cakes, St Paul’s Cathedral is striking and the Mdina Dungeons are an interesting way to get out of the sun for a bit if you need to. Cooglis is a very good restaurant we ate at, with plenty of food options including pizza without red sauce (I like pizza but hate red sauce!) and they were kind enough to give us a takeaway box for our leftovers too.
See a sunset at Dingli cliffs
Dingli cliffs, one of the highest points on the island, has amazing views. We went during the day on our last day but catching a sunset here would be an amazing experience. Get there early as you won’t be the only one with this idea and whilst there’s some parking, if it’s really busy you may need to park further away and walk.
Marsaxlokk
One part of Malta I actually missed out on, Marsaxlokk is a traditional fishing village with swimming spots, a harbour and lots of seafood restaurants. It’s quieter during the week but on Sundays, there’s a popular market selling fish and local products that shouldn’t be missed.
A realistic Malta itinerary (3–5 Days)
A perfect Malta itinerary should be decided by the things you want to do rather than the things I tell you to, but my 3 day Malta itinerary and my 5 day Malta itinerary will give you a starting point to work from. Honestly, it’s better to do 24 hours or 48 hours in Malta than to never go, but I’d really recommend at least 3 days to have a good look at everything Malta has to offer.
3 days in Malta itinerary
If you’re starting and ending a cruise from Valletta or you’re planning a long weekend in the country, you’ll want to see the main bits of the island. I’d suggest the following basics;
Day 1-Valletta and three cities with three or so hours for the three cities, catching a canon firing at either 12 or 4, some shopping and plenty of good food in Valletta. Don’t miss time just wandering around Malta’s beautiful capital city, you won’t regret that time.
Day 2-Gozo day catching the fast ferry as a pedestrian from Valletta, taking an open top bus tour around the island and getting off at five stops of your choice on the route to explore further. Make sure you don’t miss the last ferry back to Valletta because they don’t run all night (although the car ferries from the other side of Gozo run later!)
Day 3-General exploring day Visit Sliema for a beautiful beach and a paddle or swim in the sea, and Sliema’s famous cat park with it’s very friendly, well cared for strays. Then head to Mdina and explore the silent city for a couple of hours. Finish with the sunset at Dingli cliffs.
5 days in Malta itinerary
If you’re lucky enough to be spending 5 days in Malta, I’d recommend day one and two remain the same but day three should be slower paced, spending the whole day in Sliema with plenty of beach time with a good book, and a nice meal in the evening. Still don’t skip the cat park!
Day 4- Mdina, Rabat, and Dingli cliffs Your fourth day should take in the silent city, Mdina, with tea at Fontanella Tea Garden. Spend time wandering the city appreciating just how little noise there is, and pop into some of their lovely shops. When you’re done, explore nearby Rabat too, it’s right next to Mdina and has Crystal Palace, a well recommended place to buy Pastizzi! End this day with Dingli cliffs for a sunset, take snacks and relax, but be aware if you’re in the busiest parts of the year there will be a lot of people here.
Day 5- Museums and shopping Your final day should be spent visiting some of Malta’s museums, anything that takes your fancy, and doing some shopping. Ta’ Qali Artisan Village sells all sorts of local arts and crafts, but there are also plenty of shops in Valletta and Mdina for lovely Malta things to take home. I got lots of art prints and a gorgeous little ceramic Maltese balcony which I then cracked at home as I didn’t realise how fragile it was-I’m so sad about that! Malta is also good for lace, Mdina glass and filigree jewellery, so why not treat yourself?
In terms of museums, we loved the football museum-it was only 5 euros for an adult ticket, we were there a good hour, and the lovely man who sold us the tickets even gave us the opportunity to have a look at the pitch, as the museum is at the stadium. Valletta has National Museum of Archaeology, the National Community Art Museum and the National War Museum, Mdina has Palazzo Falson Historic House Museum and Mdina Metropolitan Cathedral Museum, and Birgu has Inquisitor’s Palace and the Maritime Museum.
Best time to visit Malta
Malta is busiest and hottest in July and August, so if you’re not great with heat I’d avoid the summer. April and May sees the countryside full of beautiful wildflowers and the sea is warmer in September and October. We visited in December and it was light cardigan weather, and I loved the Christmas decorations and traditional nativities everywhere.
Where to stay in Malta
After a lot of research, we stayed in Sliema as we knew it was on the coast, close to Valletta and a cheaper part of the island to stay in. Both booking.com and hotels.com had plenty of options for us to choose from and we went for an apartment so we could cook and wash, although we mostly ate out. Malta has lots of choice depending on what you want, and I’ve covered some of the best areas to help you decide.
Sliema
Sliema is cheap, has a beach that’s easy to swim from, a little bit of shopping and a few restaurants and bars on the waterfront. There’s easy ferry access to Valletta too. If you want somewhere lower budget but with a bit of calmer nightlife, Sliema is a great choice.
Valletta
Malta’s capital is for you if you want to be right in the middle of the city, surrounded by history, museums, lots of shopping, bars and restaurants, and easy transport to Gozo. You’ll also find it easy to get around the rest of the island from Valletta’s main bus station.
St Julian’s
If you’re after the best nightlife on the island, St Julian’s has Paceville, with lots of bars, nightclubs and casinos. There are also pretty bays and good beaches in the area.
Mdina
Mdina is a pricier option, but staying in the silent city will be peaceful and calm and will allow you to really appreciate how quiet things are when there’s no tourists around. It wouldn’t be my choice due to budget and liking a bit more going on, but it would be beautiful.
Mellieha
If you want to be close to some of Malta’s most beautiful beaches and Popeye Village for watersports, Mellieha is a great choice. It’s the north of the island so further to go if you want to explore everywhere, but as Malta is small it won’t matter too much.
Malta travel tips
I’m often the person on the plane googling a few key phrases for a country whilst we’re taxiing. I know people who leave it that late to wonder if they need a travel adaptor! Whenever you travel somewhere new, you need to know the basics. This section of my Malta travel guide gives you the things you need to know when you visit Malta, so don’t skip this part.
Getting Around Malta
The easiest way to get around Malta, going wherever you want, whenever you want, is to hire a car. We paid £56 for five nights which felt really reasonable, especially as I’d upgraded to an automatic. The car hire company wanted £70 for their insurance or there was a £1500 excess for any damage caused which was a worry, but I found that car hire excess insurance is a thing, so you can take out your own policy to protect yourself against the risk of that excess, for a much lower cost. Please make sure you read the small print to make sure the policy covers what you need. Also remember you’ll need your driving license, and a credit card in your name with enough available credit for the excess, as they will hold this amount until you return the car.
Malta’s drink driving limits are stricter than the UK’s, and you’d be better off not having any alcohol if you’re planning to drive. I had a couple of cocktails the night before we were getting a bus and a ferry, and nothing on days I was using the car, to be safe.
Malta’s buses are regular and cheap although at busier times they’re going to be very busy, so leave enough time to get somewhere in case you need to wait for the next bus. Ferries are easy and more fun, in my opinion, so I’d recommend those over buses where you can, if you decide against hiring a car.
Language, currency, and mobile phones
Malta has two official languages; Maltese and English, so Brits will not have a problem being understood. They use the Euro, cards are widely accepted in all but the smallest of places, and the country is one of the safest I’ve been to. My phone worked as normal in Malta but as I only get 1GB of data abroad, I used Airalo to buy an eSim for my trip.
Anything else?
Malta uses UK three pin plugs, so if you’re from the UK you won’t need that travel adaptor!
Malta Travel FAQs
How many days do you need in Malta?
If you’re looking for a short relaxing break, two days in Malta will give you enough time to relax on the beach, try some delicious Maltese food and spend an afternoon wandering Valletta’s streets. If you want to explore the island, four days will give you time to see the three cities, Mdina, clifftop views and to visit Gozo.
Is Malta expensive to visit?
Malta, especially if you visit off season like we did, is not expensive to visit. Our flights were £35 each, our accommodation for five nights was £160 and the car and fuel cost £60. We spent £300 on food, this was because the trip was over my birthday, we had plenty of drinks, and you could easily do it cheaper.
Is Malta safe?
Malta is very safe. Crime rates in the country are low, but as with any country you should be sensible, keep doors locked, not leave bags lying around and so on. Don’t drive or swim if you’ve had a drink, if you’re walking in the heat take water and tell someone where you’re going. I had no safety concerns.
Do you need a car in Malta?
I wouldn’t say you NEED a car, but it was definitely easier for us to have one. Being able to get to and from the airport ourselves was handy, not needing to look at public transport times and the ability to change plans quickly was really helpful. Parking was mostly okay in bigger cities, but a nightmare on hilly streets!
If this Malta travel guide has convinced you to visit Malta, I’m so pleased. You’ll have a brilliant time exploring the island. If you’re still on the fence, definitely look further into reasons to visit Malta because there are so so many!
This guide will be useful for a future trip to Malta. I hadn’t realized how much it had to offer. I was aware of the lovely beaches, but I’m not one to spend a whole day on the beach. It sounds like the perfect trip to plan for January/February when I’m totally fed up with the Canadian winter and want some sun and warmth. I would definitely take your advice to use ferries as I do enjoy getting out on the water.
You really put it into perspective comparing the size of Malta to London. That definitely makes it seem doable for seeing more of the country on one trip. I think, given where it is too, 5 days makes more sense. That’s a really cheap car rental, what a steal! And a great option for seeing more of Malta. The views are incredible, although it looks like a hilly country with lots of steps so maybe I’d best get working out before I go – and brush up on my hilly parallel parking skills
I would love to visit Malta later this year. It has a great mix of beaches and cities (architecture is a big pull for me) and I always appreciate your transparency on costs when travelling. the car rental for 5 days seems a good bargain, especially since the island has some great ruins in the northern part and I can imagine those are more accessible with your own vehicle.
Carolin | Solo Travel Story
You are right to say that Malta can be a photographer’s happy place. Look at those views! I have heard stories from friends who have visited Valletta and enjoyed their time there. Thanks for sharing the trip itinerary. I will have to refer back to it when it’s time for me to see Malta in the flesh #
Wow this is great because I definitely thought Malta would be a party island or something! So lovely to hear it has a lot more to offer visitors with other interests as well. For some reason, I always have it in my head that islands are tiny, but Malta has so much going on. I mean, the beaches alone are gorgeous, but I appreciate that there’s a couple of museums as well. Those always come in handy in case the weather turns dreary since I usually don’t travel during the summer.
My only visit to Malta was a very brief one so I only really got to see Valletta and Mdina (which I loved). I would like to head back one day and see some more of it as it’s surprising just how much there is to do for somewhere pretty small.
I never had time to head over to Gozo either which I’d definitely like to do. Good hints about hiring a car. We used public transport – the buses back then were real boneshakers but I think they’ve been replaced with modern ones now!
We haven’t visited Malta, so it was really nice to read about what to do. It was useful to have a 3 and 5 day itinerary. We’re not really ones for relaxing on the beach but we’d definitely want to explore Valetta, the three cities and Gozo. It looks stunningly beautiful. Useful tips on how to get around, too, car hire sounds like a good plan.