January 1, 2023
Malta, Things to do!
The nation of Malta is a small archipelago of islands South of Sicily and north of Africa that you have to visit at least once in your life! It is home to some spectacular beaches, cliff diving, stunning hotels, beautiful architecture, fantastic food, endless fireworks, and a thriving nightlife. For these reasons it is the perfect summer destination on your European holiday. In this blog we’re going to tell you about Malta, and the top things to do!
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In this article
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The top things you need to see and do in MaltaThe top things you need to see and do in Malta
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VallettaValletta
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GozoGozo
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MdinaMdina
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Marsaxlokk Harbour and St Peter's PoolMarsaxlokk Harbour and St Peter's Pool
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FireworksFireworks
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How long do should you stay in Malta?How long do should you stay in Malta?
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How to get around Malta?How to get around Malta?
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When is the best time to visit Malta?When is the best time to visit Malta?
Travel For Working People
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The top things you need to see and do in Malta
Valletta
The capital city of Malta is Valletta. Inside the city walls is like stepping into a baroque museum! It is filled with stunning architecture and narrow hilly streets, which immediately impresses upon you the city’s long and unique history. You can see most of Valletta in a single day. It takes about 20 minutes to walk from gates to the northernmost point of the city. But you can happily spend more than one day exploring the three cities and Valletta’s nightlife! So let’s now go through the top things to see in Valletta!
Upper/Lower Barakka Gardens
Along the eastern side of the city you’ll find the upper and lower Barrakka gardens. These gardens which on a sunny day will boast beautiful views over the Grand Harbour and the Three Cities. These gardens have been a part of Valletta for nearly 400 years and consist of many beautiful plant species and sandstone arches.
At night time, if there are fireworks over the Grand Harbour, then the Gardens are the perfect spot to immerse yourself in the Maltese firework experience! Moreover, if you’re lucky to be in Valletta when they are firing the Saluting Battery just below the Upper Gardens, then you should definitely go and watch! It’s not every day that you get to experience the roar of a Battery salute! It will literally take your breath away!
The upper Garden is very close to the city gates and takes about 5 minutes to walk there. The lower gardens are to the north of the city and are about a 10 minute walk from the upper gardens.
The Nightlife
One of the best things about Valletta is the vibrance of its nightlife! In the heart of the city you will find tons of restaurants and bars to dine at. Don’t be shy to explore around the edges of the city too. You will find many cute bars and restaurants tucked away in the corners of some of the narrow streets.
Some of our favourites were Babel Bistro which was amazing! The live music for the local Jazz performers was booming in the narrow street which created a fantastic atmosphere for post-dinner cocktails! Another great cocktail bar was Cafe Society which is set on some iconic stairs in the city centre. You can pull up some pillows or a table outside on the stairs and relax. If there are fireworks going on in the Grand Harbour, you will be able to see them at the end of the stairs.
Food and resteraunts
For food, you will again be spoiled for choice! Like any major city, you will find more tourist trap spots in the main areas. These spots which will charge you a pretty penny for good food, but not the best food Valletta has to offer. Instead, do a little research into the local restaurants in the city. We guarantee you won’t be disappointed! You will likely need to book in advance because they book out quickly!
We visited this stunning restaurant called Guze Bistro which offered some beautiful local cuisine. They also paired all the dishes with local Maltese wines. It was a meal I don’t think I will ever forget! We also decided to spend a little more one night and visit Rampila. This is bit more pricey and a little more fancy, but has a stunning view over the city gates. Even so, it didn’t have the same charm as the smaller local restaurants in the city.
The Three Cities
The Three cities are Vittoriosa, Senglea, and Cospicua and have been of historical significance to Malta for nearly 500 years. You can spend quite a bit of time in the three cities exploring. It has beautiful cites over the Harbour, of the super Yachts, churches and art. If you want to get a beautiful view of Valletta then make sure to visit the Safe Haven Gardens at Senglea Point.
This might be a tour you would do on your second day in Valletta, or if you’ve had an early morning. You can jump on a tour of the three cities. If you’d prefer to explore them yourself, you can jump on one of the local ferries which will take you from Valletta across the Grand Harbour.
St John’s Co-Cathedral
Whether or not you are a fan of visiting Churches and Cathedrals, you should stop by and visit St John’s Co-Cathedral in the heart of Valletta. The interior is festooned with stunning frescos which exhibit some of the finest examples of Baroque art and architecture. There is a €15 entry fee but the Cathedral and it is only open Monday to Saturday between 8.30am and 4.15pm. Unfortunately, we didn’t get a chance to visit the Cathedral since we were there on a Sunday when it was closed!
Any of the many-museums
Given Malta’s history of being a naval outpost for virtually every empire that skirted the mediterranean, it’s become the home of many fascinating museums. For example, you can visit the home of the Royal Family at the Casa Rocca Piccalo Palace. Or you could visit the Lascaris War rooms which served as the headquarters for the Allies during the Second World War. Another popular museum is the National War Museum at Fort St Elmo.
Gozo
When visiting Malta, there is one place you must visit, and that is Gozo. Gozo is an island northwest of the mainland which you can either visit for a day, or several. You will need at least two to three days to see the whole island. It is home to some of the best beaches, sea cliffs, and food in Malta.
Gozo is somewhere you definitely do not want to miss when you’re visiting Malta. You can easily get around by either hiring a car, quad bike, or scooter. On the other hand, you could take a taxi, or take the bus which will get you basically everywhere you need to go!
You can get to Gozo quite easily by taking the Gozo Fast Ferry which leaves from the Grand Harbour just at the bottom of the Barrakka Lift. The fast ferry is about 45 minutes and is €7.50 for a one way ticket.
But with all that out of the way, here is why you should visit Gozo!
Beaches
Gozo is home to some of the best beaches/spots to swim and most of them can be accessed by bus. Keep in mind that many of these beaches will not have lifeguards or services so you should be prepared accordingly.
You can duck over to Ramla Bay for an afternoon on the only sandy beach on Gozo. The red sand here is really nice to relax on, and there are bars/stalls on the beach so why not grab a drink and take a dip. You can also take a quick hike up to Tal-Mixta Cave which provides a beautiful view over the bay, or visit the Salt Pans which are only a short walk away.
Another great beach to visit while you are on Gozo is Mgarr ix-Xini Bay which is a small inlet on the south of the island. It’s quite a secluded beach and has crystal-blue water which is great for snorkling. It is surrounded by barren hills which are great for hiking too.
There are lots of little seaside towns with beaches right up to the road too which make for great lunch spots. We visited Xlendi beach and spent lunch on the pier before taking a cliff walk around. There are lots of spots to park up and simply jump in the ocean which makes for some secluded and not overly crowded swimming.
Comino Island and Blue Lagoon
One of the most famous spots to go swimming is Blue Lagoon located on Comino island. You’ll need to jump on a tour to get over there, but it’s definitely worthwhile. The water is sky blue and forms one of the most picturesque swimming spots. There are also lots of stalls and bars on the island so you can grab some food or a drink while you go for a swim. Also, you can take your hiking shoes and go for a bit of hike around Comino island before ducking in the water for a swim. Be warned that in peak season over summer, Blue Lagoon can be insanely busy!
To get the most of Blue Lagoon and the other beaches, you can jump on a tour of the island. This will go for most of the day but will take you to all the best beaches. You will also be able to go swimming where others can’t get too and see the island from a whole new perspective!
Victoria
The capital of Gozo is Victoria. It’s a beautiful little town, but you don’t need to spend too much time here. If you’re planning on staying in Gozo then it is a great spot to go out for dinner as it is packed with traditional Maltese restaurants. Also while you’re visiting, you should go past a bakery and get a Pastizzi which is basically a cheese pie and is absolutely delicious! You can get one for €1-€2 euro and they are really filling!
Victoria is also the transport hub of Gozo so if you need to get anywhere by bus, then you will be able to catch it from the central bus station.
Mdina
The second largest town on the mainland in Malta, is the walled city of Mdina. Located in the center of the island, the city served as the capital of the island for hundreds of years and the home of the royal family. Walking into the fortified city is like stepping into a giant castle. It is surrounded by narrow streets and tall sandstone walls and buildings.
In the middle of the city you will find St Paul’s Cathedral (we could enter it because of a wedding unfortunately). It’s funny when you’re walking around these streets as it is quite easy to get lost! But when you get to the northern side, you’ll find a lookout which has a sprawling view over the rest of the island.
There are lots of spots to grab a bite to eat in Mdina, so it’s a great spot to head up one day for lunch before heading down to the beach!
Marsaxlokk Harbour and St Peter’s Pool
On the mainland, there is a very nice fishing village called Marsaxlokk, which is home to Marsaxlokk Market which is mainly a large fish market which takes place every Sunday, and a tourist market during all other days of the week. Marsaxlokk is very easy to get to via bus, but you would rather hire a car and drive if you are planning on going for a swim at St Peter’s pool.
St Peter’s pool is a natural swimming spot with clear blue water. It’s quite a walk from Marsaxlokk so you are better off driving, particularly if it’s hot! It can also get very busy here so you want to visit here early or later in the afternoon when it’s quieter.
Fireworks
In Malta, don’t be surprised if you hear fireworks at 8am! The Maltese love their fireworks! Keep an eye on local websites to see if there are any firework shows coming up (they have many throughout the year). When it comes to firework shows, the Maltese go hard! We were in Valletta on the last night of the firework festival, and holy shit, the fireworks were on a whole new level! It was an incredible experience, so keep your eyes peeled and ask the locals if there are any fireworks displays coming up.
How long should you stay in Malta
How long is a piece of string! Malta is such a fun place to visit you could easily spend a week or two here and not get bored!
If you want to take it slow and visit Gozo, plus a few beaches and have a few nights out, then you would want at least 4-5 nights minimum. If you plan on visiting lots of the beaches on the mainland, then you might also consider hiring a car.
How to get around Malta
Malta doesn’t look like a big island and if you are staying for a few days, it does take a surprising amount of time to get around the island! If you’re only planning on staying for a few days but want to pack in as much as you can, then you want to hire your own transport.
If you have a car this will give you a lot of flexibility as to where you can stay on the island.
Malta has an incredibly good bus network, and you can virtually get anywhere you need to via bus. Although, you will be limited to visiting one, maybe two sites per day if you take the bus. It is definitely the cheap option, but it can take a lot of connections to get where you want to and in many cases you’ll need to go back to Valletta to make your connection.
So if you plan on staying for 5-7 days then the bus is the way to go! You can pick up a week long bus ticket for €20 which will cover all your buses on the mainland and Gozo.
When is the best time to visit Malta?
Malta is a mediterranean island so it is going to be hot from May through to September. You definitely want to visit Malta when it is hot because you’re going to want to make the most of those fantastic beaches!
During peak season Malta can become extremely busy so expect crowds in Valletta and at the beaches. You will also want to book restaurants in advance otherwise you might miss out one some of the best spots to eat.
Personally, we would recommend visiting Malta in the shoulder season in May, and the later parts of August and September. You are guaranteed to get warm weather with half the crowds!
Thanks for stopping by!
We hope we have given you plenty of ideas of things to do when you visit Malta on your next Mediterranean holiday! It’s a fantastic country to spend a few days, while soaking up the sun and with a unique cultural experience unlike the anywhere else in Europe.
If you have any questions, please let us know, and please subscribe!
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