Malta
Malta, in a few days
From baroque Valletta to the silent city of Mdina, then across to Gozo and the Blue Lagoon of Comino, by car and ferry: the map, what is worth booking, everything that costs nothing, and where to sleep at three budgets.
- Day by day
- 1 Valletta Days 1-3
- 2 Mdina and Rabat Day 4
- 3 Gozo Days 5-6
- 4 Comino and the Blue Lagoon Day 7
- Worth sorting before you go
- Words that help
- The practical page
- Packing checklist
Day by day
Valletta
The city the Knights of St John built after holding off the Ottomans in the Great Siege of 1565, its first stone laid in 1566. The whole walled capital is UNESCO-listed, from St John's Co-Cathedral to the bastions over the Grand Harbour.
- St John's Co-Cathedral (Caravaggio)1h · from €15The Knights' church, plain outside and gilded from floor to vault inside, with two Caravaggios including his largest painting, The Beheading of Saint John.
- The Grandmaster's Palace1h · from €12The seat of the Knights, then of the British governors, with painted corridors and one of the largest collections of armour still in its original building.
- The Upper Barrakka Gardens
- The Saluting Battery gun salute
- The baroque streets
- The view over the Three Cities
Mdina and Rabat
The walled hilltop town that was Malta's capital before the Knights moved to the coast, known as the Silent City. Rabat, just outside its gate, holds the early Christian catacombs.
- Mdina, the Silent City, guided1h30 · from €12The old capital inside its walls, with a guide to explain the palaces, the cathedral and the families who still live behind the doors.
- St Paul's Catacombs1h · from €8A network of Roman and early Christian burial chambers cut into the rock under Rabat.
- The ramparts of Mdina
- The view across the island
- The medieval lanes
- Howard Gardens
Gozo
The smaller, greener island to the north. Its Ġgantija temples, built around 3600 BC, are older than the pyramids of Giza, and its coast is one of the best diving areas in the Mediterranean.
- Ġgantija temples and the CitadelHalf day · from €15Two megalithic temples over 5,000 years old, then the fortified Citadel above Victoria, Gozo's main town.
- Diving at the Azure Window siteHalf day · from €55The famous rock arch at Dwejra fell into the sea in 2017; its blocks now form a dive site next to the Blue Hole.
- Ramla Bay and its red sand
- The Marsalforn salt pans
- The Citadel of Victoria
- Wied il-Mielaħ sea arch
Comino and the Blue Lagoon
A near-empty island between Malta and Gozo, and the shallow, clear channel beside it. Landing at the Blue Lagoon now requires a free timed pass, booked online in advance.
- Boat trip to the Blue LagoonFull day · from €30A day on the water around Comino, with time to swim in the lagoon's pale, clear shallows.
- Snorkelling and sea cavesHalf day · from €35Mask and fins along the Comino cliffs, with a boat to take you into the caves.
- The Blue Lagoon's turquoise water
- The Comino footpaths
- St Mary's Tower
- Swimming in the quiet coves
Worth sorting before you go
A small car, and the ferries · A small hire car covers the main island, though parking in Valletta is hard work. Ferries to Gozo leave from Ċirkewwa through the day, and boats run to Comino from both islands.
Online the moment you land, no roaming bill.
Get one · Holafly
Health, luggage, cancellation.
Cover it · Ekta
Compare the agencies before you land.
Compare · Booking
Pay at the real rate, with no exchange markup.
Open one · Revolut
A private car at a fixed price from the moment you land.
Book it · GetTransfer
Some links are partner links: we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Flavours & local habits
🍽️ Worth tasting
- Pastizzi: flaky pastries filled with ricotta or mushy peas, sold for next to nothing and eaten hot.
- Stuffat tal-fenek: rabbit slow-cooked in wine and garlic, the national dish.
- Ftira: a ring of Maltese bread filled with tuna, tomato, capers and olives.
- Aljotta: a garlicky fish soup with rice and fresh herbs.
- Kinnie and local wine: Kinnie is a bittersweet orange soft drink made on the island since 1952.
⚠️ Best avoided
- Traffic drives on the left and parking is scarce: think twice before taking a car into Valletta.
- Buses can be full and slow in summer, so leave extra time.
- The sun is strong and shade is rare on the coast and at the temples: carry water and a hat.
- The Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum admits only a few visitors a day: book weeks ahead.
Words that help
English ↔ Maltese
| English | Maltese |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonġu |
| Thank you | Grazzi |
| Please | Jekk jogħġbok |
| Yes | Iva |
| No | Le |
| Excuse me | Skużani |
| Goodbye | Saħħa |
| Do you speak English? | Titkellem bl-Ingliż? |
| I don't understand | Ma nifhimx |
| How much is it? | Kemm jiswa? |
| Where are the toilets? | Fejn hu t-tojlit? |
| The bill, please | Il-kont, jekk jogħġbok |
| Help! | Ajjut! |
| Cheers! | Saħħa! |
The practical page
Scan to open this guide online, always up to date.
https://offwegooo.com/en/guides/malta
Packing checklist
Have a good trip.
Guide made on offwegooo.com · Photos: Pexels and Wikimedia Commons (Berthold Werner, CC BY-SA 3.0) · Details are indicative, check before you leave.