(content by Rachel)
I did not know much about Malta before I moved here. A tiny island in the Mediterranean, somewhere between Sicily and North Africa. I knew about the Blue Lagoon from Instagram and vaguely remembered something about knights. That was about it.
Two years later I am still finding new things to see. Which tells you something about how much is packed into this place.
If you have a week, you can see a lot. Not everything, but enough to understand why people keep coming back. Here is how I would spend seven days if I was visiting for the first time.
Where to base yourself
You have a few options and it depends what you want.
Valletta is the obvious choice for first timers. The capital is small enough to walk everywhere and beautiful in that old European way with honey coloured buildings and narrow streets. It is also well connected to the rest of the island by bus and ferry. The downside is it can feel quiet at night and accommodation tends to be pricier.
Sliema and St Julians are where most of the restaurants and bars are. More of a buzz in the evenings. The waterfront promenade is nice for walking and you can take the ferry to Valletta in about ten minutes. Less charming than the old town but more practical if you want things happening around you.
St Pauls Bay and Bugibba are the budget options. Resort towns with plenty of hotels and easy access to the northern beaches and the Gozo ferry. A bit more touristy and less character but cheaper.
Mellieħa is good if you want beaches. The biggest sandy beach in Malta is there and you are close to the ferry terminal for Gozo.
Personally I would stay in Sliema or Valletta for the first few nights then move to Gozo for a night or two. But you can also do the whole week from one base and day trip everywhere. Distances are short. Nothing on the main island is more than an hour away.
Day one: Valletta
Start with the capital. Even if you are not staying there you should spend a full day exploring.
Upper Barrakka Gardens first thing in the morning before it gets crowded. The views over the Grand Harbour are spectacular. Three Cities across the water, cruise ships coming and going, the old fortifications dropping down to the sea. There is a cannon salute at noon if you want to time your visit.
St Johns Co-Cathedral is the one thing you absolutely cannot miss. From outside it looks plain but inside it is overwhelming. Every surface covered in gold and paintings and marble. Caravaggio painted two of his masterpieces here and they hang in the oratory. The floor is made entirely of marble tombstones for the Knights of St John. I have been multiple times and I still notice new details.
After that just wander. The streets are laid out in a grid so you cannot really get lost. Republic Street is the main drag with shops and cafes. The side streets are quieter and more interesting. Look up at the wooden balconies painted in reds and greens and blues. Peer into the courtyards. Find a tiny wine bar and sit outside.
For lunch try pastizzi from any bakery. Little diamond shaped pastries filled with ricotta or mushy peas. Cost almost nothing. Or find Nenu the Artisan Baker for ftira which is Maltese bread topped with tomatoes and olives and capers.
In the afternoon take the lift down from Barrakka to the waterfront and catch the ferry to the Three Cities. Vittoriosa is the most interesting of them. Quieter than Valletta, fewer tourists, beautiful old buildings. The Inquisitors Palace is there if you want some history. Otherwise just walk around and find a spot for a drink by the water.
Back to Valletta for dinner. Plenty of options but avoid the obvious tourist traps on the waterfront where cruise passengers eat. The side streets have better food for less money.
Day two: Mdina and the south
Rent a car for this day or take the bus. Either works.
Mdina is the old capital, a fortified city on a hill in the centre of the island. They call it the Silent City because cars are banned and it feels frozen in time. Game of Thrones filmed here if that means anything to you. The walls and gates are dramatic. The streets are narrow and winding. The cathedral is beautiful. Go early before the tour groups arrive or late afternoon when they leave.
Right outside the walls is Rabat which has the best pastizzi in Malta at a place called Crystal Palace. There is always a queue but it moves fast. The catacombs of St Paul are there too if you are into that sort of thing.
From Mdina head south. Dingli Cliffs are the highest point on the island with views along the coast. Good spot for sunset though you would need to time your day around it.
The Blue Grotto is a series of sea caves on the southern coast. You take a small boat in when the water is calm. Best in the morning when the light comes through and turns everything blue. There are several seafood restaurants on the cliff above if you want lunch with a view.
Marsaxlokk is a fishing village on the southeast coast. Famous for the colourful luzzu boats painted with eyes on the bow. Sunday is market day and it gets packed but any day works for wandering and eating fish. The restaurants around the harbour all serve whatever came in that morning.
Hagar Qim and Mnajdra are prehistoric temples near the southern coast, both older than the pyramids. If you are interested in ancient history they are worth a stop. If not you can skip them.
Day three: beaches and the north
The north of the island has most of the beaches.
Mellieħa Bay is the biggest sandy beach. Good facilities, calm water, family friendly. Can get crowded in summer but there is space for everyone. The water stays shallow quite far out which makes it good for kids.
Golden Bay and Ghajn Tuffieha are next to each other on the northwest coast. Both sandy, both popular. Ghajn Tuffieha involves a long staircase down which puts some people off so it is usually quieter. The sunset from either beach is worth sticking around for.
Paradise Bay is a small sandy cove near the Gozo ferry terminal. Nice for a swim before or after you catch the boat. Gets busy because of the ferry traffic but it is pretty.
If you want something less crowded try the rocky swimming spots around the coast. Ghar Lapsi in the south is a local favourite. The water is deep and clear and there are usually fewer tourists because it takes some effort to reach. Sliema and St Julians have rocky beaches right in town where you can swim off the rocks or the concrete platforms. Not glamorous but convenient and the water is clean.
Fomm ir-Riħ is a wild beach on the western coast that takes effort to reach. A steep rocky path down to a pebbly bay that feels completely untouched. Not for everyone but if you want an adventure and do not mind a hike it is worth it.
Popeye Village is up in the north, the film set from the 1980 Robin Williams movie. They turned it into a theme park. Fun if you have kids or want something quirky. Skip it otherwise.
Day four: Gozo
This is the day for Gozo, the smaller sister island to the north. You could do it as a day trip or stay overnight. I think overnight is better because Gozo has a different pace and you feel it more in the evening when the day trippers leave.
Getting there is easy. The Gozo Channel ferry runs from Ċirkewwa on the northern tip of Malta every 45 minutes or so. The crossing takes about 20 minutes. You pay when you leave Gozo not when you arrive. Around €4.65 per person as a foot passenger.
The thing is, once you get there, getting around is tricky. Buses exist but they are unreliable. Everything goes through Victoria in the middle which means changing and waiting. I have heard too many stories of people stuck somewhere because the bus just did not come.
You can rent a car but then you are limited to paved roads and you miss some of the best scenery which is only accessible on dirt tracks.
What I actually recommend, especially if you only have one day, is booking a Gozo tuk tuk tour with a local operator. Yippee Malta runs one that I did myself and it was genuinely excellent. You get picked up from your hotel in Malta, taken to the ferry, and then a driver meets you on the Gozo side with one of these colourful three wheeled tuk tuks. They take you around the island hitting all the spots a rental car could never reach. Hidden valleys, cliff paths, viewpoints the tour buses skip. The drivers are locals who actually know the island and tell you stories about each place.
The sunset version combines it with a boat trip to Comino first. You swim in the Blue Lagoon, see the caves around Crystal Lagoon, then head over to Gozo for the tuk tuk tour as the light gets golden. Dinner at a local restaurant is included. The whole thing is about five hours and honestly it was one of the best days I have had here.
Whether you do a tour or go independently, here is what to see on Gozo:
Victoria is the main town, also called Rabat by locals. The Citadel on the hill dominates everything. Recently restored and beautiful. Walk the ramparts for views of the whole island. The cathedral inside has a painted ceiling that looks like a dome but is actually flat. They ran out of money during construction.
Dwejra Bay is where the Azure Window used to be before it collapsed in 2017. Still worth visiting for the Inland Sea which is a saltwater lagoon connected to the Mediterranean through a tunnel in the cliff. The Blue Hole nearby is one of the best dive sites in Europe.
Ramla Bay has the best beach. Reddish orange sand from the clay in the soil. Tal-Mixta Cave overlooks it from the cliffs above. Gorgeous views.
Ta Pinu Basilica stands alone in the countryside, built on the spot where a local woman reportedly heard the Virgin Mary speak. Even if you are not religious the architecture and the peaceful setting are worth it.
The Xwejni salt pans stretch along the northern coast. Geometric patterns carved into rock over 300 years ago. Local families still harvest salt there using traditional methods. You can buy bags of it from roadside stalls.
Wied il-Għasri is a hidden spot most visitors miss. A narrow inlet cutting into the cliffs creating this fjord-like swimming hole. Crystal clear water and usually quiet because it takes some effort to get down there.
Xlendi and Marsalforn are the two main resort villages. Restaurants along the water, places to swim, nice for an evening stroll.
Day five: Comino and the Blue Lagoon
If you did not do Comino as part of the Gozo trip, do it today.
Comino is the tiny island between Malta and Gozo. Almost nobody lives there. No cars, no hotels, just one chapel and one small resort. What it does have is the Blue Lagoon, which is probably the most photographed spot in Malta.
The water is ridiculous. Turquoise and clear enough to see the bottom everywhere. It looks photoshopped but it actually looks like that.
The problem is everyone knows about it. In summer the lagoon fills with boats and tour groups and it loses some magic. Go early if you can. Or do a sunset cruise when the crowds leave.
Boats to Comino run from various points around Malta. Ċirkewwa is closest. You can also find trips from Sliema and other spots that include the lagoon plus some swimming stops around the coast.
There is not much else to do on Comino besides swim and sunbathe. Bring everything you need. Snacks, water, sunscreen. There are a couple of kiosks selling food and drinks but not much else.
If you want more than just the lagoon you can walk across the island to the quieter Crystal Lagoon or find some of the other swimming spots around the coast. The whole island takes maybe an hour to walk across.
Day six: whatever you missed
Use this day to go back to places you liked or catch things you skipped.
If you did not stay overnight on Gozo, consider going back for more time. If you rushed through Valletta, spend another morning there. If the weather was bad one day, use this as your beach day.
Some other options:
The Hypogeum is an underground temple carved out of rock around 4000 BC. It is the only prehistoric underground temple in the world. Only 80 people per day are allowed in so you need to book weeks in advance. If you planned ahead this is a must.
The Three Cities deserve more time than a quick evening visit. Vittoriosa especially has a lot of history. The Malta at War Museum is interesting if you want to understand what the island went through in World War II.
Sliema to St Julians promenade walk is nice on a sunny day. Takes about 40 minutes along the waterfront. Good for swimming spots and restaurants and people watching.
Ta Qali Crafts Village is an old airfield turned into workshops where you can watch glassblowing and pottery and other traditional crafts. Touristy but fun if you want souvenirs.
Day seven: slow morning and departure
If your flight is later in the day you have time for one more swim or one more coffee with a view.
The Sliema waterfront is good for a morning swim off the rocks. Exiles Beach or the Tigné Point area. Easy to access and you can shower at the public facilities.
Alternatively go back to Valletta for one last wander. Pick up some pastizzi and sit in the gardens watching the harbour. Buy some Maltese honey or nougat to take home.
Malta airport is small and well connected. You do not need to arrive ridiculously early. Allow maybe an hour and a half before a European flight, a bit more for long haul.
Some practical things
Getting around without a car is possible but buses can be frustrating. They are cheap at €2.50 for a ticket but they run late and some routes are infrequent. The main routes connecting the tourist areas work reasonably well. The rural routes are another story. Bolt works well for taxis and is much cheaper than the traditional cabs. Renting a car gives you the most freedom but be warned the driving is aggressive and parking in the towns is a nightmare. Double parking is normal. Potholes appear without warning. Indicators seem optional.
April to June and September to October are the best months to visit. Warm enough for swimming, not too crowded, everything open. July and August are hot and packed with tourists. Prices go up, beaches fill up, the Blue Lagoon becomes a floating nightclub. Winter is mild and quiet but some things close and the sea can be rough.
The food is a mix of Italian and North African influences. Rabbit is the national dish, prepared stewed with garlic and wine. You see it on menus everywhere as fenkata. Pastizzi are everywhere and cost almost nothing. Fresh fish along the coast, especially in Marsaxlokk. Ftira is the local bread, flatish and chewy, often topped with tomatoes and capers and olives. Ġbejna is sheep and goat milk cheese that ranges from soft and fresh to hard and aged. The Gozitan version is considered better. Drink the local wines, they are better than you expect. Marsovin and Meridiana are the main producers.
English is an official language so communication is easy. Maltese is the other official language and it sounds like Arabic mixed with Italian which is basically what it is. The alphabet has some unusual letters that look like regular letters with dots or lines through them. Do not worry about pronouncing place names perfectly, nobody expects tourists to get them right. Just try your best and people appreciate the effort.
Cash is useful for small purchases but cards are accepted most places. The currency is Euro. Tipping is not expected the way it is in America but rounding up or leaving a few euros for good service is normal.
Sunscreen is essential even when it is cloudy. The Mediterranean sun is strong and the limestone reflects it back at you. I have seen tourists turn lobster red in a couple of hours.
The short version
A week gives you enough time to see Valletta, explore the main island, spend a day or two on Gozo, visit the Blue Lagoon, and have some beach days. You will not be rushing but you will not be bored either.
Malta is one of those places that surprises people. It looks small on a map but there is so much packed in. History going back thousands of years. Water so blue it looks fake. Food you want to eat every day. Churches around every corner. A strange mix of influences that does not feel quite like anywhere else.
Go with a loose plan and leave room for wandering. That is when Malta shows you its best stuff.
