Floating in the Mediterranean Sea, 80km south of Sicily, lies the picturesque island of Malta, a beautiful country, with sandy beaches, tasty cuisine, a warm climate and a stunning coast.
Travel to Malta and see beautiful locations, and discover there is far more to this ancient and fascinating archipelago than its beaches and tourist hubs.
Whether you are looking for a city break destination, a summer sun holiday or just a cultural trip somewhere new, view my tips for visiting Malta which will help you to plan the ultimate break.
Getting from Malta Airport to Valletta
Malta’s capital city of Valletta is just ten – fifteen minutes’ drive by taxi or shuttle transfer from Malta International Airport (MLA). The quickest way to get from Malta Airport to Valletta is by taxi which costs around €15 – €20. If you are backpacking or on a right budget, bus is the cheapest way to travel, a single journey costs €2 during summer and only €1.50 for the rest of the year.
Getting Around
Malta is easily travelled by hopping on and off the local vintage yellow and white buses. However they don’t run late into the evening so I would recommend hiring a car for a few days so you can explore to your heart’s content.
To keeps things on budget, you can collect a little run-around from Economy Car Hire for a reasonable price and stay out as late as you want. It feels good knowing you can get where you need to with ease.
Top Things to Do in Malta
Malta is home to no less than three UNESCO World Heritage sites, as well as a huge range of attractions and activities for tourists, who flock to the island every year to soak up the sun, relax, unwind and have fun in this unique and breathtaking Mediterranean paradise.
Here are some of the most unmissable locations.
Mainland Malta
The Blue Grotto
Whilst Comino may have the Blue Lagoon, and Gozo the Azure Window, in the south of the island of Malta itself, near the village of Zurrieq, there is the Blue Grotto. The Blue Grotto is a series of caves carved out of the rock by erosion.
Zurrieq is about half an hour’s transfer journey from the airport, and the lagoon is just a short onward drive from the town. The best way to experience the Blue Grotto is with a boat tour, discovering the cave from within.
Arrive in the morning, as until about one o’clock, the alignment of the cave and the sunlight make the water shimmer in a hundred shades of blue. Phosphorescent plant life under the surface adds to the supernatural glow of the water inside the cave. Think the boat scene in The Little Mermaid. Nice.
Mdina
If all the blue water and landmarks are making you crave a bit of human civilisation, you should definitely check out the beautiful walled city of Mdina, nicknamed the Silent City, which offers stunning views over Malta, whilst being truly mesmerising itself.
With winding, cobbled streets, private chapels and medieval and Baroque architecture, this city remains as it has for generations, with virtually no modern impact. The population of the city itself is just over three hundred, and no cars are allowed inside the walled city at all, with special exceptions for emergency vehicles, wedding cars and hearses.
It’s worth experiencing Mdina, if only for the eerie, ‘trapped-in-time’ feeling of being in such an ancient, sparsely populated city.
Valletta
No trip to Malta would be complete without exploring the city’s capital Valletta. Most of the buildings that make up this stunning city were built in the 16th century and have a nostalgic baroque character.
Valletta has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1980. This is due to its high concentration of ancient historic monuments that survive from the city’s rule under the Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs and the Order of the Knights of St John.
There are over 320 monuments within an area of 55 hectares, which should certainly keep any culture vultures incredibly busy during their trip! And, if that wasn’t enough, the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum (a huge subterranean structure dating back to 2500 BC) and the Megalithic Temples of Malta, are two other truly awe-inspiring historical sites that also boast UNESCO World Heritage status.
Whilst in Valletta, I would also highly recommend exploring the two natural harbours the city boasts and enjoying the stunning churches, cathedrals and palaces all open to visitors.
Gozo
On the island of Gozo, in the north of the Maltese archipelago, you will find Dwejra Bay, which is home to some pretty awesome natural landmarks.
A black lagoon is located here, a natural saltwater lagoon formed by a small, narrow arch in a block of collapsed limestone, was one of Jacques Cousteau’s favourite dive spots, and provides a stunning backdrop for bathers and sun seekers today.
Fungus Rock, known in Maltese as Il-Gebla Tal-General (‘The General’s Rock’) is a sixty metre high, massive lump of limestone at the entrance to the lagoon. Dwejra Bay is also the site of the Azure Window, a large, table-like rock over the sea, which is one of the most photographed vistas in Malta.
Towering over the bay, the Azure Window is an imposing sight in summer, and in the middle of winter, with the waves crashing high inside the arch, quite dramatic.
Comino
Moving south from Gozo, to the tiny island of Comino, with an area of just over one square mile, you will find some of the most beautiful turquoise waters anywhere in the Mediterranean. The very best are to be found at the incredible Blue Lagoon.
The transparent waters here, along with the picturesque bay and rich marine life, make it a real favourite with tourists. The lagoon is also popular with divers, snorkelers and swimmers, because of the wealth of marine life and clarity of the water make it an idyllic place to get up close and personal under the surface.
Where to Stay
A few people have asked me for any recommendations on places to stay. Rather than responding directly, I decided to write this section and look into the options with more detail to find some truly unique hotels and hostels for your delight, as well as what to do when visiting such a pretty place.
Where should I stay in Malta? Nothing is really all that far from anywhere else – the Island is only 316 km2 – but a good location can make all the difference.
Traveling from North to the South of the island only takes an hour and there are lots of great accommodation options along the way. However, your personal tastes and what you want from your time in Malta will dedicate where you want to stay.
If you want a more lively and upbeat location, Hotel Juliani in St Julians makes a great base. It’s a small yet stylish boutique hotel that provides stunning views over the Spinola Bay. At a reasonable price, it’s pretty traveller friendly. If you want a place to stay with an integrated nightclub and bar, then the Empire Studio Apartments provides the perfect place for a lively stay.
If restful is what you want, stopping off in Sliema could be just the ticket. Explore the peaceful streets and enjoy the stunning surroundings – snapping the beautiful building as you go. There are a lot of places to rest your head in Slieme, but if you’re on a budget, then the Family-run Balco Harmony Hostel is a nice, clean base. From here you can head to the sandy shores of St. George beach or explore the local cafes dotted on the neighbouring streets.
Valletta was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1980 and due to this, I think staying in a traditional hotel or building is a must to really soak in the feel and history of the city. The Valletta Boutique is located right next to the St. John’s Cathedral and offers beautiful views of the city.
On a website like Booking.com you can find a huge choice of budget hostels, family-friendly and luxury hotels in some of this magical island’s finest locations, from lively Marsalforn and dramatic clifftop Ta Cenc to the charming fishing port of Xlendi and San Lawrenz – a romantic country village perfect for getting away from it all.
Plan Your Trip to Malta
Whether you come for all the natural landmarks and fantastic blue waters, to explore Malta’s ancient historic sites or to sunbathe and enjoy the island’s lively tourist hotspots, Malta is quite simply one of the most relaxing, culturally rich and beautiful places in Europe that you could possibly hope to visit.