Cheap flight ticket was the reason, what landed me to this island. Knowing very little about this place at first, I was thrilled to go on this adventure, but this place to my surprise turned out to be a hidden jewel in the European Union.
Malta as any Maltese would describe is any open-air museum with an array of historic monuments residing over centuries. The architecture and the landscape– the creamy blues, lime-stoned rocks, green shades of Mediterranean water, makes a beautiful backdrop that goes across the entire country. Malta in true sense has its roots attached to the past and prevailed history, which is one of the very reasons to Malta´s uniqueness and popularity.
Dive into the Mediterranean waters to see the underwater life or indulge into hiking that trails you to some of the most breathtaking views; go for a relaxed cruise ride or pamper yourself and rejuvenate at wellness and Spas. From adventures to luxury, Malta is a destination that thinks for all.
This Malta travel guide will take you through all the must-see tourist attractions, that you shouldn´t miss on!
About
Malta is an archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea between Sicily and North African coast. With a population of approx. 500,000 spread over 316km², this small island is a country by itself, officially known as Republic of Malta.
Capital: Valletta
Languages: Maltese and English
Currency: Euro
Driving side: Left
Famous for: Coastline, Water-sports, UNESCO Heritage sites, Seafood, Game of Thrones and blend of cultures.
Best time to visit: March to October. To avoid crowd visit from March to May or September to October. June to August is usually over-crowded due to Foreign-Expo or Music festivals.
Getting to Malta
Getting to Malta: By Flights or by Boats and Cruises.
Visa Required: If you are a citizen of any European country under EU then you can visit Malta without a Visa.
Citizens of US, Canada, New Zealand and Australia can also visit Malta without a prior visa and can stay up to 90days. Apart from that, passport holders of all other countries need to apply for a Schengen Visa to visit Malta.
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Beforehand Concerns:
Is Malta safe for tourism?
Malta is as safe as any other European countries. The people are friendly and helpful. English, the language itself provides transparency and minimal chances of fraud or threat. Taking a walk at night is completely safe. Though basic precautions should be taken to avoid any situation, which is true for all the future travels.
Is Malta expensive?
Malta is inexpensive compared to other European countries, but not to forget, it´s a touristic destination. So, you might want to do your research to save some bucks! You can find cheaper options but an average of 30-40€ p.p for a day, should be accounted for your stay at Malta.
Best Places to Visit
Centrally situated in the Mediterranean Sea, Malta gained a lot of historic significance as a naval base, with a succession of powers including the Romans, Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Arabs, Greeks, Normans, Knights of St. John, French and British.
Malta is a popular tourist destination, which attracts 1.6 million tourist every year. Warm weather, architectural and historic monuments are one of the few reasons that attracts flocks and flocks of tourists to this country. Malta is home to three UNESCO World Heritage Sites which includes a number of Megalithic temples, Hal Saflieni Hypogeum and Valetta.
18 Top Attraction Sights
- Valletta
- The Three Cities
- Mdina
- Rabat
- Saint Julians and Sliema
- Marsaxlokk
- Golden Bay Beach
- Saint Peter´s Pool
- Blue Grotto
- Blue Lagoon and Comino Island
- Dingli Cliffs
- Gozo Island
- Hal Saflieni Hypogeum.
- Ħaġar Qim
- Megalithic Temples of Malta
- Melliha
- Popeye Village
- Mosta
Explore Malta Walking!
Valletta
One of “the most historic area in the World” as described by the UNESCO World Heritage list is this beautiful city-Valletta, in the heart of Malta island. A geographically important seaport, Valletta, is the capital of Republic of Malta.
Valletta, named after its founder Grand Master of the order of St. John, Jean Parisot de la Valette, dates back to the 15th century and is a proud testimony to the grandeur of the Knights of Malta who were granted the Maltese islands by the King of Spain in 1530.
Despite its small size, Valetta is stuffed with historic significance depicting the Knights strategically architectural instincts that dates back to the 16th century. Guarded by two harbours – Grand Harbor and Marsamxett Harbor, Valetta can be easily navigated and explored on foot.
Embraced with some local artist and a busy street, sits the Saint John´s Co-Cathedral centric to the city. Inside the cathedral is a rich and opulent collection of art and paintings, the carvings and details take you back in time.
For all the history lovers, is a palace nearby, Grandmaster´s Palace is where the Knights once lived. Shouldn´t miss visiting–the Supreme Council Hall, the Ambassador´s Room and the armoury—that showcases collection of over 5000 armours and weapons, that tells the story of military victories of Knights´.
The Barakka Gardens, famously known as the Lower Barakka Garden—which is a small yet beautiful and the Upper Barakka Garden—which is big, on a height that lays a beautiful view of the sea front and a glace over the three cities. Right below this garden is the Saluting Battery: an artillery battery used to salute foreign ships, which is functional till date and fires everyday at noon.
Walking across the city, you would be surprised to see, so many activities are packed up in such a small area. There are multi-cuisine restaurants, historic monuments, cruise and boat rides, bars and pubs, shopping arcades, Manoel theatre, museums of war and fine arts.
This capital city, as buzzy bee as it looks during the day is quite quiet towards the nights.
The Three Cities:
The skyline of the three cities looks spectacular from the Valletta´s Upper Barakka Garden, and the view gets you wanting to visit these cities, which indeed is quite convenient! Take the elevator from the Upper Barakka garden to the ground and walk towards the boat terminal. From here, you can take a boat trip to the three cities—Birgu, Senglea and Cospicua. Explore these cities on foot and enjoy the fascinating views of Valetta that can be experienced only from these cities.
Round trip costs: €2.80€p.p and takes 12-15mins to reach the Birgu city. Fort St. Angelo, Maritime Museum, Inquisitor´s Palace and Safe Haven Gardens are the point of interest, in these cities which offers both great history and scenic views.l
Mdina: The former capital of Malta
Mdina used to be the capital, before the orders of Malta came into picture. After the orders had arrived, where the Knights in urge to be closer to their ships—shifted their capital from Mdina to Valletta. Mdina, also called as Citta-Notabile, a noble city or the Silent city offers a fairytale get away from the busy traffic streets or other automobile disturbances. It is a medieval town set atop a hill enclosed in bastions with a striking blend of baroque and medieval culture and architecture.
Entering this fortified, UNESCO World Heritage listed, sandstone walled architecture takes you back in time to the medieval century. The city is steeped in history, Saint Paul´s Cathedral being one of the most important and ancient structure, a symbol of Baroque architecture designed by a Maltese architect Lorenzo Gafa. The 18th century Vilhena Palace is home to archaeological extracts exhibiting fossils and remains of old times.
The Villegaigon street embraces the other famous palace, Palazzo Falcon, now converted to a history museum displaying exquisite art and antiques.
Rabat
Just outside Mdina is its neighbouring town Rabat, where Rabat literally means suburbs. Mdina and Rabat both have a medieval atmosphere blended with ethnic and baroque architecture to say. Although Rabat being historically significant is less tourist and modern than Mdina. These adjacent towns of Rabat and Mdina, can be explored in a single day. The best places to visit in Rabat are:
Saint Paul´s Church above the Saint Paul´s Grotto, where the Saint found refuge after their boat sank. Casa Bernard is a residence turned to a museum, owned by a noble Maltese family with French origins. In Rabat, there are two adjacent catacombs—St. Paul´s and St. Agatha´s, an incredible attraction showing, how the people of 3rd century AD could construct subterranean tombs with corridors and chambers. Above the catacomb is a small museum with Roman and Phoenician artifacts.
Saint Julians and Sliema
Just few kilometres away from Valletta are the busiest, liveliest and the party hubs of this Maltese island, St. Julians and Sliema. They are highly touristic and has almost everything to offer that anyone would wish on a vacation. From hotels, restaurants, pubs, clubs to shopping malls, these areas attract most of the tourist flocks to join in and have party! If you wish to have a quiet vacation, then avoid visiting or staying in these areas. Both St. Julians and Sliema has an amazing promenade serving delicious seafood delicacies, the promenade runs further to the capital city. In summer the party hubs are over-crowded, and the atmosphere is too young and vibrant.
Want to stay at Sliema or Saint Julians? Know more about them.
Marsaxlokk
Down to the south of the island, is this authentic fishing port. Marsaxlokk is known for its fishing market, held on Sundays. So, if you plan to visit the market, make sure you reach there early. Don´t let the name- fishing market mislead you; the market has numerous other things to sell apart from their fresh catch. Here you find tons of colourful boats called luzzu, which are authentic fishing boats over the water, offering a view of vibrance. Along the promenade are the restaurants that serve freshly cooked seafood. It could be difficult to find other food options in this village, as they are limited.
Golden Bay Beach
Malta beaches are famous for its clear blue waters, and no vacation could be complete without visiting Malta´s popular beach—Golden Bay Beach, which takes it name from the golden sand on the beach. Soft drifting sand with shaded blue waters wavering to infinite and a rocky shield of cliff to the other end, is a perfect setup for a romantic sunset view. This covey beach is famous among tourist and is a perfect spot for a get-together or a grill party for all Maltesians. The convenient public transport makes it easy for the tourist to visit the beach anytime of the day. The beach offers bar and food options served at the restaurant on the pathway. Loungers and chairs too could be rented from the restaurant.
Saint Peter´s Pool
Another cove on Malta´s must-see list is a natural swimming pool caused by erosion and heavy clashing of water. Near to Marsaxlokk, St. Peter´s Pool is set to the extreme south of the Maltese island. Hiking down the cliff is a flat plateau for sun-bathing and relaxing on the soothing sound of waves lashing against the cliff rocks. This one is popular among the youngsters, where they take a dip into the water jumping down the cliffs, challenging each other. The pool is more of a jumping and diving spot for the youth. The rockiness and the lack of shade, makes it difficult to sit for a good time, but the uniqueness makes it one of my favourite spot in Malta.
Blue Grotto
On a bright sunny day, walking over the limestone cliff till the cave view astonishes you with its brilliant sharp blues shining to the ray of sun just like a treasure chest of blue sapphire shines to the ray of sun. Blue Grotto takes its name from intense blue water inside the cave which can be seen at the viewpoint from the cliff top when the light is bright. Close to the Zurrieq town, Blue Grotto is a must-see attraction. From the viewpoint walk toward Wied Iz Zurrieq port, where you can take a boat ride to Blue Grotto and other caves on the seashore. The boat runs only when the weather is calm, on stormy days they cancel their trips. Wied Iz Zurrieq, offers cafes and restaurants to enjoy a meal by a spectacular scenery. Visiting Blue Grotto is a half-day plan and should be visited in the mornings, when the weather is bright and sunny.
Blue Lagoon and Comino Island
Comino, a tiny island sandwiched between the Malta mainland and Gozo, is a piece of gem and Malta´s most touristic spot. The island is just 3.5km² in area ; though small in size, but is highly reputed for its stunning lush turquoise Blue Lagoon.
Shuttle boats run every day from Malta and Gozo to pick and drop the tourists.
The water of the Blue Lagoon is calm and clear, which makes it perfect for the swimmers and divers. The shallow water makes it easy to cross to the other side at the cove and a tiny beach. The lagoon is a perfect beach party destination, with tropical atmosphere and a never ending in and out of tourists.
For Comino, there are several day-trips available:
We took a shuttle boat from Mgarr of the Gozo island for 15€ round trip, which also included visit to the caves near Comino on its return, a good addition to the trip to Comino. It takes 15mins to reach to Comino from Gozo and around 30mins from Marfa or Cirkewwa of Malta. The returning ferries stop at 6pm.
Other alternative is to go on a cruise or a bigger boat that takes you on a day trip and offers an inclusive package of lunch and drinks.
Peak hours start from 10am until 4pm, to avoid crowd try to reach early morning or late afternoon until 6pm.
Other than Blue Lagoon, tourist can enjoy a nature walk around the island, visit the Saint Mary´s Tower when the flag is raised. Have a quiet time at the less crowded beach of Comino Santa Maria Bay, closeby, is the only hotel on the island that welcomes it guest to stay and have a memorable experience.
Dingli Cliff
North of the Blue Grotto and Hagar Qim, the Dingli cliffs are worth stopping by!
Explore the Malta´s highest area of Malta, with a height of 253 meters above the sea-level, is a sunset viewers’ paradise.
The cliff to the end goes sharp into the Mediterranean blues and into some sloppy fertile plateaus used for vegetation by local farmers. Walk through the trail and have stunning panoramic seaside views. Such idyllic location makes the sunsets in Malta a photographer´s dream. Besides, the trail, there is a tiny Chapel devoted to Saint Mary Magdalene at the cliff.
Gozo Island
North to Malta mainland, is Malta´s sister island and the second largest island of Malta, Gozo. Gozo is the most idyllic destination to have a relax vacation where life moves slow, towns are quiet and the beaches so pristine. Gozo is a picturesque of how Malta, once used to be.
To get to Gozo: Take the Gozo Channel Line ferry from Cirkewwa, Malta. You can take your car along on the ferry, it takes 20-25mins to reach Gozo. There is a café, toilets and a convenience store on the ferry, to make the journey comfortable. Boarding is fast and well organised.
Although, Gozo is not urbanized as Malta, the island has plenty to offer.
Victoria, centrally located, is the main city of Gozo which has multiple shopping, café and restaurant options. The fortified part of the city, Cittadella is although the main attraction.
Djewra region, northwest of the island is famous for the Azur Window picturized in Game of Thrones series, during Daernery and Khal Drogo´s wedding; which unfortunately collapsed in 2017 by heavy storms. Closeby are the Fungus Rock and Blue Hole.
Marsalforn, a beach adjacent to the must-see attraction, the salt pans running 3 km long, were you could perceive, traditional salt preparation at the seashore. Despite the shift to modernisation, few locals still indulge in traditional method of preparing salt and sell them on a small scale. Continuing along this coastline, gets you to exotic spots that are virgin, hence less crowded. Billingshurst Cavern, Cathedral Cave, Wied il-Ghasri are some of the flawless diving spots with crystal clear turquoise waters and naturally formed caverns. Non swimmers and divers can too enjoy the beauty of the picture-perfect landscape, making it ideal for sunsets.
Wied il-Mielah, a limestone arch quite similar but not as prominent, to the Azure window, is a point to appreciate nature´s artwork.
Ramla Bay Beach: To the East end, is a Gozo´s largest beach, surrounded by villages and valleys. The sandy shore and the calm water make it a perfect swimming spot.
Dating back to 3500 B.C are the Ggantija temples, an important archaeological site on the Gozo island.
Built on a small hill in the countryside, La´ Pinu Shrine, is a magnificent Basilica and a sanctuary with both in and out awe-striking. The impeccable architecture and marvelous stone on the exterior and the finesse on the indoor with the paintings, murals and mosaic makes it hard to miss on. Not only a place to worship but also a place to recharge your inner soul.
Hike your way to the Ta´ Cenc´ Cliff, to look at the rusty majestic cliffs sideways when the sun is low. Be careful getting to the viewpoint, not only for your safety but also to protect the organisms– shrubs and Cacti growing on the rock.
A lovely little bay, Iz Zewwieqa, recommended for a quick swim on your way in and out to the Gozo harbor.
Sopu Tower, built it 1667, is a tiny, but brilliant baroque watch tower overlooking the Mediterranean.
Another point of attraction is the Tal-Mixta Cave that open to a stunning view of the calm gigantic sea and Ramla beach strand alongside, hike is steep, but the views makes it worth the efforts.
Find best accommodations for your stay at Gozo with our exclusive list!
Hal Salflieni Hypogeum
The Hypogeum of Hal Saflieni is a Neolithic archaeological site dating to the Saflieni phase of 3000 BC. Located in Paola, Malta, this site is a UNESCO World Heritage listed prehistoric preserves. Locals refers to it, as Hypogeum which means ´underground´ which anciently used to be a catacomb to carry out religious burials.
On the first excavations, skeletons of over 7,000 people were found inside the chamber. The fact that intrigues me is how painstaking it might have been to carve out such a structure using mere antlers horn and stone tools! Archaeologist believe that, the underground structure may have been a natural cave and was further extended in another two levels with stairways and passage; the lowest level is 10 meters below the entrance of the of the site. The middle level designed to project chanting and drumming through the Hypogeum proceedings.
The most intriguing aspect of Hal Saflieni Hypogeum is the glimpse of insight into the Neolithic mindset and culture, which remain a mystery to archaeologists and scholars. A wide array of artifacts were recovered including vessels, pottery, stone and clay beds, shell buttons, amulets, carved figurines and axe-heads. The sheer brilliance and architectural instinct are factor of fascination.
Guided tours are available with entry limited to 10 people each hour, make sure to book tickets in advance or could que up at the Valetta´s National museum of archaeology for last minute bookings.
Ħaġar Qim
Ħaġar Qim is yet another UNESCO listed Megalithic temple overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and the island of Filfla, dating to the Ggantija phase of 3600-3200 BC. Excavated in 1839, the temple´s aerial view looks like a giant paw. The excavation also revealed the use of Globigerina limestone throughout the temple, which is the second oldest rock on Malta.
The site consists of a main temple and three other megalithic structure around it. The architect of this temple used asymmetric designs which is seen by the placement of stones and formation of arches. The basic architectural designs coincide with those of Mnajdra, Tarxien and ´Ggantija temples, as they commonly include forecourt, façade, oval chambers, semi-circular corridors and a central passage that connects the chambers.
Fascinating artifacts were discovered at the time of excavation, some being, table altars, postural figurines, carved pillars which are exhibited at the National Museum of Archaeology, Valletta. Apart from that, bones of numerous sacrificial animals were also found.
Megalithic Temples of Malta
Malta is a home to many prehistoric archaeological sites.
There are Tarxien Temples, Ggantija and Mnajdra Temple, apart from Ħaġar Qim and Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum that are surely worth a visit.
Melliha
To the north of Malta, is a lively town Melliha. Melliha Bay has the largest stretch of sandy shore on the Malta island with kilometre and half of white sand shoreline making it a perfect and overfilled tourist destination. Ghadira, Malta´s largest sandy beach with soft sand and glimpsing clear water is what makes it a unique experience.
Just across the busy hustling roadways is a destination to rejuvenate and connect to the nature at the Ghadira Natural Reserve.
Squeeze in a hillside experience of astonishing views and a place of significance, by visiting the Red Tower. A fortified stone tower painted red, built in 1649 was an important structure used by the Knights of St. John during the World War II. Get your camera ready for some picturesque panorama.
Where can you stay at Melliha? Know the best resorts and hotels with our tailor made list of accommodation!
Popeye Village
Located on the Northwest of Malta, Popeye Village is very close to Melliha. Popeye Village is an ideal place for a family with kids. The village was entirely built to serve as a set for the movie ´Popeye´, filmed in 1980 starring Robin Williams. By visiting the village, it came to me as a surprise that, Popeye was filmed in Malta.
Pack a day for this movie set transformed to an amusement park, where you can visit 20 wooden structure, click photos with Popeye, Bluto and Olive, watch a short film with free popcorn, shop souvenirs, get sun tanned, enjoy the bar and restaurants, be on Popeye´s team and have fun at water trampoline, kids can an act their favourite characters from Popeye cartoon, get a boat ride to the nearby caverns, eat spinach and repeat all above! 😛
To get to Popeye Village by public transport: take buses in direction of Melliha or Cirkewwa à X1, X1A, 41, 42, 49, 101, 221, 222, 250 and get down at Melliha (Ghadira) Bay. Switch to bus 101 to Mgarr, that takes you to the village.
For more details check: www.popeyemalta.com
Mosta
Mosta is celebrated for its monumental church that resembles to the Pantheon in Rome with more gold! Built in 1833, Mosta Rotuda is one of the most beautiful church in Malta. This neoclassical church has a huge dome, with its width so large, it makes it noticeable from many parts of Malta. Apart from its beauty and architecture, the church is also famous for its 1942 World War II miraculous incident, were a bomb pierced through the dome and ended amongst worshippers during mass making a deep dig, without denoting!
Getting around in Malta
Malta public transport offers a good connectivity via bus, taxis and boats/ferry to most of the touristic spots, but the frequency to the suburbs and the laid-back pattern can be an issue.
Despite of the fact, the island is small and the distances to each point are less, don’t let the distance fool you because by public transport it takes forever to get to the destination. Patience is the key to travelling in Malta by buses! But once you try it, you´ll get used to it— well, who doesn’t like sleeping in a bus 😛
Ride a Bike!
There are alternatives of renting a car or a moped for your stay, which could be convenient and a time saver! I had rented a moped at mainland Malta, which saved a hell lot of time and gave flexibility to travel to rural ends of the island.
Comfortable Driving in a new country?
Picking a car in scorching heat is also not a bad option, as the highways are well developed. And you can take your car along to the island of Gozo, where again you will have convenience and comfort of exploring every nook and corner of the island.
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Author: Kinnari
Welcome! I am Kinnari, a 20 something Engineer from Pune, India. Presently residing in Germany, which got me an opportunity to explore the world around me! Staying far from my family also got me a chance to step into the kitchen and put my apron on! Altogether a big opportunity to share my experiences with you!
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