Malta might be a teeny tiny country, yet it has everything you could ever wish for during a vacation: lovely nature, fascinating history and culture, beautiful cities and amazing swimming spots. In this travel guide to Malta you’ll discover everything you need to know for the perfect vacation on this Mediterranean island.
What is the best time to visit Malta?
Malta is a typical summer destination, mostly popular in July and August. While you’ll have the best shot at great weather then, you might want to consider visiting in June or September to beat some of the crowds.
Although summertime is considered the best time of year to travel to Malta, you could also go here in low season. We visited Malta at the start of November. Weatherwise this is a coin toss: it could be warm and dry … or it could rain most of the time. We got lucky, as we had very little rain during our stay.
If you want to travel to Malta mostly to enjoy the Mediterranean sun and sea, autumn (or spring) might not be your best pick. When we visited, it was still warm enough to go for a short swim and enjoy some time by the sea, but long days by the beach or pool were a no go. As the sun doesn’t rise as high as during summertime, it also cools down way sooner in the low season.
You can check a detailed weather forecast on Malta Weather. They also include information about the conditions at sea and which places should be safe to swim at that time.
Another thing to consider when picking the best month to visit Malta are the hours of daylight. We hadn’t really thought about this before departure, but in November it gets dark early. The sun sets around five PM already. This means you’ll have less time to explore, but you’ll take the evenings slow automatically and don’t cram in too much. We also managed to do everything we really wanted, despite the fewer hours of daylight.
How to travel to Malta?
As Malta is an island, you’ll probably fly there. The country only has one fully equipped airport: Malta International Airport, with flights coming in from all over Europe. The airport is located towards the southeast of the main island, but as it is not big, you will never have to travel long to your hotel.
Where to stay in Malta?
The location
Our hotel was located in Il-Gzira, right next to Sliema, which is an excellent location. While there’s not much to see or discover in Sliema itself, the town offers plenty of eateries and bars. We often had dinner here, after we were out for the day. I particularly liked Giorgio’s.
Apart from plenty of food and drink options, Sliema makes a great base for discovering Malta. Supposedly there are many bus connections and when travelling by car, you can easily get out of town to someplace else, as Sliema lies right next to one of the island’s main roads.
Another asset is that it is really easy to get to Valletta from Sliema. The capital city is only a short ferry ride away. A return ticket only costs €2,80 and the ride takes about fifteen minutes. There’s a ferry crossing the harbour every half hour. If you want to explore Malta by public transport, you can easily cross to Valletta to use the bus connections there. When discovering Malta by car, staying in Sliema prevents you from having to drive in the capital, which would be a nightmare.
The hotel
We stayed at Azur Hotel by ST Hotels. The hotel is perfectly located to discover Malta. If you’re travelling by rental car, another plus is that they offer a parking garage. You do need to reserve your spot beforehand. Driving in and out of it is a bit scary because of the very steep ramp, but we were glad we could leave the car somewhere safe.
The rooms are spacious and beautiful. We even had a balcony! We particularly loved the placement of the tv at the foot of the bed and that it included Netflix. Perfect if you’re travelling in the low season.
Our stay included breakfast, which was handy. Do be aware that the breakfast room gets really crowded (even in the low season) and there isn’t always enough cutlery. It wasn’t the most cosy place to have breakfast, but is was convenient.
Azur Hotel by ST Hotels doesn’t have its own swimming pool, but they offer a possibly even better alternative. Guests of the hotel can use two pools, one of which is Aqualuna, just across the street. This beach club has a marvellous swimming pool and offers food and drinks. The biggest draw card, however, is the view on the harbour, Manoel Island and Valletta you have from the pool area. It’s a lovely place to spend some time!
How to get around Malta?
Apparently Malta has an extensive bus network, that frequents most places of interest to tourists. If you don’t want to drive yourself, this is how you can travel around Malta. For us, however, the best way to see Malta was to rent a car. On the one hand, because the bus schedule is different in the low season. On the other hand, to have more flexibility and to maximize the time we could actually explore, as days in November are quite short already.
There are numerous rental companies at Malta’s airport, including all the big ones. When renting a car in Malta, don’t choose a big vehicle. The smaller, the better actually, as the island’s roads are quite narrow. Driving on Malta isn’t the easiest either. The Maltese drive on the left, which might be a pickle if you’re not used to this. In addition, chauffeurs here are really assertive, so you need to be a confident driver to visit Malta by car.
How long to stay in Malta?
We stayed in Malta for a week and it was the perfect amount of time to explore everything we wanted, without feeling rushed. We managed to visit all the things I list below in this Malta travel guide, but of course you could skip some of these if you don’t have a full week on the island.
A week will probably be sufficient for most Malta vacations. However, if you want to explore and have several days of relaxing in the Mediterranean sun, you might want to add some more. The same goes if you want to discover neighbouring Gozo in-depth.
What to do in Malta?
Malta is really tiny, but nevertheless jam-packed with things to do. The island group truly has it all: mind-blowing historic sites, picturesque towns, stunning nature, and lovely places to go for a swim.
You can make a perfect Malta itinerary for seven days with the places I suggest below and add in some relax time, as well. The map should help you to construe your itinerary day by day, as you can see here which spots are close to one another. As the country is so small, you could make diverse combinations to perfect your Malta itinerary for seven days. Many places are close together, so what you visit on the same day, might depend on personal preference, weather, travelling by bus or car …
Nonetheless, you should allow yourself at least one full day to explore Valletta. Trips to Gozo and Comino also account for a full day. Other things to do on Malta can be covered in fewer time. How long you spend in some of these places also depends on your own wishes. My list of all the best things to do during your Malta vacation should give you a first indication. If you want more inspiration you can find our Malta itinerary, with what we did on each day, on my Daymaker profile.
Valletta
It might be the EU’s capital with the fewest inhabitants, but still this place has so much to offer. Allow at least one full day to explore this unique city. Some things to do on your day in Valletta:
- Saint John’s co-cathedral: This cathedral is unlike any you have seen before. It’s nothing special from the outside, but oh my the interior. An adult ticket costs six euros and includes a very extensive audio guide. Your visit will take a couple of hours if you listen to it all. If you want to discover the cathedral, get an early start and make it to the entrance by opening time, so you don’t waste too much precious travel time queuing.
- Republic Street: Valletta’s main street screams for a stroll. There are many lovely buildings and squares along this road, including the Grand Master’s Palace, which you can visit if you like.
- The quintessential Maltese streets: You have probably seen countless pictures of Malta’s typical streets, filled with honey-hued houses with closed balconies in every colour imaginable. Valletta has got plenty of these for you to roam through.
- The Upper and Lower Barrakka Gardens: These are two small, yet gorgeous parks that overlook the Grand Harbour and the Three Cities on the other side of the water. The Upper Barrakka gardens also include the Saluting Battery, from where a cannon is fired at noon and four PM every day.
- Fort Saint Elmo: Overlooking the sea is 16th century Fort Saint Elmo, that houses the National War Museum. The museum covers the nation’s military history throughout the centuries and as such gives a valuable insight into how Malta’s culture came to be.
- Triton Fountain: A grand fountain where you can chill in the sun for a while.
- Parliament of Malta: Only completed in 2014, this building gives a modern touch to Valletta.
The Three Cities
Across the harbour from Valletta are the Three Cities. Rather towns than cities, Vittoriosa, Senglea and Cospicua go way back and played an important part in Malta’s history. This is where the Knights of Saint John, whose legacy is still omnipresent in modern Malta, first settled. The walled towns also outdate capital Valletta.
Here and there, you might still spot their old names: Birgu (now Vittoriosa), L’Isla (now Senglea) and Bormla (now Cospicua). The names were changed after the Great Siege, when the Ottomans tried to conquer Malta. The Knights of Saint John won the battle, led by Jean de la Valette, who eventually founded the capital.
Rolling around
As you can tell by now, the Three Cities are a fascinating place, where history mixes with the present everyday life of the Maltese. An original and fun way to discover these towns is with Rolling Geeks. For 80 euros, you rent an electrical golf cart that whizzes you past all the highlights of Vittoriosa, Senglea and Cospicua.
The carts contain a pre-programmed GPS, that shows you where to go and tells you more about the places you drive by. You have two and a half hours to complete the tour, which gives you time to stop at the most scenic spots. Don’t worry if you do get lost: the people at Rolling Geeks are tracking your every move and will call you up to guide you back to the right path once you’re off.
The most scenic spots
A must stop are the Gardjola Gardens at the tip of Senglea. From here, you have an amazing view over the Grand Harbour and Valletta. As a result, you can also see the Saluting Battery in the Upper Barrakka Gardens from here. If you didn’t get to watch the cannon go off in Valletta, you can spot it from up here, a way less crowded place!
Other than that, Vittoriosa is probably the most photogenic of the Three Cities. Unfortunately, it is also a pain in the ass to park your golf cart in these pretty streets. We weren’t able to stop here during our tour, but luckily the Rolling Geeks’ headquarters is just a stone’s throw away from the most picturesque streets. Simply come back on foot after you drop off your cart, to really soak up the atmosphere. Vittoriosa is arguably the place in Malta where you’ll find the most scenic quintessential Maltese streets. You know, with those picture-perfect coloured balconies.
Grand Harbour Cruise
As we stayed near Sliema, this activity was advertised everywhere on the walkway to the Valletta ferry. Many companies offer this boat tour that takes you past the different inlets and towns along the Grand Harbour. It offers a different view on Valletta – although the sight on the capital city is pretty great from Sliema’s boardwalk too – and takes you into the harbours of the Three Cities.
The cruise costs €10 and takes 90 minutes. It’s a really touristy activity, that offers some lovely views, but I must admit that in parts the tour felt a bit underwhelming too. It’s perfect if you want to take things slow, though, and if you’d like to see Valletta’s and the Three Cities’ harbours from another angle.
Blue Grotto
A spectacular limestone sea cave with water in all possible shades of blue is the best way to describe this grotto. You can make a short stop at a viewpoint to admire the Blue Grotto from Malta’s shores.
Another possibility is to hop in a small boat in Wied-iż Żurrieq for a thirty-minute cruise along the Blue Grotto and other beautiful sea coves. Unfortunately, the water was too rough when we visited, but the views should be spectacular.
Whether you decide to admire the Blue Grotto from land or sea, make it there in the morning. The sun then hits the water the best to admire the colour spectacle. The grotto is only a stone’s throw away from the temples of Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra, so you can easily visit them afterwards.
Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra
When you think of Malta, prehistoric history is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. Yet, the country is filled with ancient sites. Two of them are the Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra temples. They are – amongst other structures on Malta – even older than Stonehenge and the Pyramids of Giza!
A ticket to visit both temples costs 10 euros for adults. There’s also the possibility to rent an audio guide, but we didn’t find this necessary as you first enter a small museum that explains the background and origin of the temples very well.
Both temples are covered by some sort of tents to protect them from the elements. Rightfully so, as they are downright breathtaking. Unlike at Stonehenge, you can still enter some parts of these well-preserved temples. If you even have the slightest interest in history, this place is a must visit!
Ghar Lapsi
There’s not much to be found in this small coastal village, but we did have lunch with a spectacular view here at Dive In. It’s on the road between Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra and the Dingli Cliffs. The sea vistas from the balcony of this restaurant totally make this place worthy of a stop on your Malta vacation.
The town also has a natural swimming pool, which you can spot from the Dive In balcony. We eventually didn’t go in, as it had become really overcast by the end of our lunch. But if the weather is nice and the sea is calm, this is a nice place for a plunge.
Dingli Cliffs
Although it was densely clouded when we got to the Dingli Cliffs’ viewpoint, the views were still amazing. It is one of the most beautiful natural spots on the island, without a doubt.
We just made a quick stop and walk along the viewpoint that we found on Google Maps. It juts slightly out into the sea, so you can have a good look at the cliffs from up here. If you want to and have the time for it, it is also possible to go for a longer hike in this area.
Golden Bay
When you think of a Mediterranean island, images of fine beaches along blue seas will soon come to mind. Despite that association, Malta’s coast is mostly rocky, with few beaches to spread out your towel. A welcome exception is Golden Bay. Bring your swimming gear and sunscreen to enjoy a true Mediterranean golden beach for some time.
Mdina & Rabat
The neighbouring towns of Mdina and Rabat are on many visitors’ to do-list and it is easy to see why. Rabat sure has its charms, the beautiful church for instance, and Saint Paul’s Catacombs apparently are the star attraction (we didn’t visit), but it’s Mdina that takes the cake, in my opinion.
The former capital, nowadays also dubbed the Silent City, truly stole my heart. Once you enter the gate to this small town, you are transported back in time. Wander the tiny alleys and feast your eyes on cosy squares and beautiful houses. Saint Paul’s Cathedral is not to be missed. And as Mdina is built on a hilltop, you should definitely admire the view over the neighbouring villages from its walls as well.
Popeye Village
Once the set for the eponymous movie with Robin Williams, this quirky little village is now a small theme park perfect for families who visit Malta. We didn’t go in, but from the roadside, this old movie set is one of the best photo spots in Malta. Depending on where you park, you might miss the signs, but it’s not allowed to stand on the rocks that overlook Popeye Village.
Malta National Aquarium
If you find yourself unlucky with the weather, the Malta National Aquarium is an entertaining shelter for a couple of hours. Adult tickets cost 13,90 euros and give access to Malta’s rich underwater life, without having to squirm into a diving suit. There’s also an underwater tunnel, as well as some more exotic fish that you won’t find in the Maltese waters.
Hypogeum
Apart from the Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra temples, another prehistoric treasure to be found on Malta is the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum. This underground burial site was manually hewn out of the rock a whopping 5000 years ago. Its looks wouldn’t give away its age, as the place is incredibly intact.
To make sure the Hypogeum can still be admired for generations to come, some preservation measures are in place. You can only visit this place with a guide and taking photos is prohibited. You can only enter in small groups of maximally ten people. In addition, only eighty visitors are allowed per day, so make sure to book those tickets as well in advance as you possibly can.
An adult ticket to the Hypogeum costs 35 euros and includes an introductory movie and audio guide. While the ticket fee is quite hefty, this place is like no other you have seen before. It’s simply spectacular to see the intricate chambers that were created beneath ground level thousands of years ago, with no modern tools whatsoever.
Marsaxlokk and Saint Peter’s Pool
The quaint fishing village of Marsaxlokk is mostly-known for its colourful bobbing luzzu. Seeing these tiny beautiful boats in the marina is a lovely sight to behold. Walk along the waterfront and enjoy a drink or a meal by this picture-perfect place. Make sure you also catch a glimpse of Triq Iz-Zejtun, a ridiculously atmospheric square dominated by the pretty Sanctuary of our Lady of Pompeii.
A short ride or a 40-minute walk away is Saint Peter’s Pool. This fascinating natural pool was created by the sea impacting the limestone rocks. It’s a popular swimming spot, but when we were there the water was way too wild to even consider going in (and even if it wasn’t I’m not sure I would’ve done it). Nevertheless, this spot is worth a visit for its spectacular scenery alone.
Gozo
The country Malta actually consists of the eponymous main island and two other ones. Gozo is the biggest of the two and is worth at least some of your time. We visited Gozo on a day trip from Malta, but you could easily book yourself an overnight stay here to discover some more of this hidden gem.
To get to Gozo from Malta you can take the ferry in Ċirkewwa. You can board the ship with your car or as a pedestrian. Crossings are frequent by day and even continue at a lower frequency at night. An up-to-date timetable is best consulted online at the time of travelling. You only pay your ticket on the way back. For a car and driver the price is €15,70. You need to pay an extra fee for any passengers in the car.
We enjoyed the following things to do on Gozo, but this tiny spec of land has even more to offer:
- Ramla Bay: A beautiful stretch of golden sand and turquoise blue waters.
- Tal Mixta Cave: Driving up to this cave wasn’t the easiest and parking is somewhat improvisatory, but damn, those views over Rambla Bay make the trip upwards completely worth it.
- Xwejni salt pans: It is said that they have been gaining salt on Gozo since Roman times. They’re still doing so now, so take a look at this special piece of coastline, including the quirky Xwejni rock that overlooks the salt pans.
- Wied il-Għasri: A narrow, but picturesque gap that has a small beach where you can see and hear the thunderous sea coming in. To enjoy the views, you need to descend a staircase into the gap. Be careful though, as it might not be safe to enter when the sea level is high or the water is rough.
- Dwejra: This was once where the world-famous Azure Window stood. And while the biggest draw to come here has collapsed, it is still worth driving up to Dwejra for beautiful coastal views and a spectacular sunset.
- Il-Kastell in Victoria: As the days are short in November, we only got to Gozo’s capital Victoria by dark. Eventually, we just wanted to stop for a quick dinner before making it back to the ferry, but a local lady insisted we took a look at the citadel. She was absolutely right, as it was beautiful and we felt catapulted back in time. I can only imagine how great this place must’ve looked in daylight!
Comino and the Blue Lagoon
Apart from the main island and Gozo, the nation of Malta also comprises eenie meenie Comino. While this island is barely the size of a needle head, you should definitely include it in your Malta itinerary. Its famous Blue Lagoon alone is enough reason not to miss this island when you visit Malta.
The easiest way to get to Comino is with an organised boat tour. We visited with Hornblower Cruises, who I can certainly recommend. They depart from the quay of Buġibba, in Saint Paul’s Bay. Don’t worry if you don’t have a rental car and can’t make it there. There are many other operators in Malta, many of which are based in Sliema, right next to Valletta.
Our tour with Hornblower Cruises cost 25 euros per person. We had four and a half hours to spend freely on Comino. On the way to and from Comino, the boat passes by some of the island’s grottos, as well, for some lovely extra sightseeing.
Comino’s Blue Lagoon is simply stunning and pictures can’t do the colour of the water justice. However, be aware that this is a really popular spot and you will share the stunning scenery with many others when visiting in high season. When we were there, at the beginning of November, the number of visitors was fine, but depending on the weather it might already be too cold to go for a swim then.
If you want to visit the island, you can also read the separate post about our day trip to Comino and the Blue Lagoon.
What would be your favourite thing to do in Malta?
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