If Malta is on your bucket list, I’m here to help you make the most of your time there! As someone who did a lot of research before my trip, I found plenty of recommendations for things to do in Malta—but not all of them lived up to the hype.
And that’s okay! Not every destination will blow you away, and not every attraction will be worth your time. I often feel there’s an unspoken pressure to love every moment of travel, but the reality is that some places will surprise you while others may leave you underwhelmed.
That said, Malta is a stunning island with so much to explore—you just need to know where to focus your time. If you’re a first-time visitor, this guide will help you avoid the overrated spots and prioritize the must-visit places. I want to be completely transparent about my experience so you can plan your trip wisely.
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Things to do in Malta: Overview
- ✨ Best things to do in Malta
- ❌ What you can skip on your visit to Malta
- ⁉️ Visiting Malta FAQs
- 💡 Tips for making the most of your time in Malta
TL;DR – Quick Tips for First Time Visitors:
🏨 Stay in Valletta for quick visits or Maritim Antonine Hotel & Spa for longer stays
🚗 Rent a car to get around the island affordably and efficiently
🗺️ Spend 3 days in Malta to visit the country’s main attractions
✨ DON’T MISS renting a quad bike in Gozo, Mdina the Silent City, Valletta the capital, and riding the traditional gondola boats to Birgu
🩺 Travel anxious-free by getting travel medical insurance
💰 Use this budget-breakdown to give you an idea of prices in Malta
Best things to do in Malta
Explore historic Valletta
Valletta, Malta’s capital city, is easily one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever visited in Europe. My fiancé and I loved it so much that we kept coming back! As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Valletta is rich in history, stunning architecture, and charming streets filled with warm-toned buildings and colorful balconies. The city felt incredibly safe, clean, and welcoming—everything I look for in a city!
Wandering around its hilly streets is enough to keep you busy for the day! But if you would like more ideas of what to do, here are a few of my favorite things to do in Valletta:
⛪ Visit St. John’s Co-Cathedral – St John’s Co Cathedral is one of Valletta’s biggest highlights – and its worth the hype in my opinion. Its Baroque interior is incredibly detailed, absolutely gorgeous, and it’s a great place to learn about Malta’s interesting history.
⛲️ Upper and Lower Barrakka Gardens – These peaceful gardens have breathtaking panoramic views over the Grand Harbour. A tiny oasis within the city.
🚤 Take a traditional boat to Birgu – For just €2, hop on a traditional gondola-style boat and cross over to the historic Three Cities. It’s a short ride but such a special experience!
Take a day trip to Gozo
Visiting Gozo was hands-down my favorite day in Malta. The island felt more authentic, peaceful, and untouched compared to the busy streets of Malta’s main island. If you’re looking for breathtaking coastal views, Gozo is a must!
Getting there is easy—you can take the Gozo ferry from the northern tip of Malta. The roundtrip fare is just €4.65 per person, and you pay upon arrival in Gozo. You can bring a car, but we opted to rent a buggy to explore the island, which made exploring even more fun!
Here are my top places to visit in Gozo:
- Ramla Bay 🏖️ – Famous for its unique red sand beach.
- Tal-Mixta Cave ⛰️ – Offers one of the best panoramic views of the island – pictured above.
- Salt Flats 🧂 – A stunning spot to see traditional sea salt harvesting in action.
- Victoria Citadel 🏰 – A historic fortress with 360-degree views of the island.
Gozo is the second island in the Malta peninsula, and the third and smallest island is Comino – another incredible day trip. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to visit Comino due to bad weather, but I’ve heard that its Blue Lagoon is one of the best natural attractions in Malta. If you get the chance, I’d highly recommend adding it to your itinerary!
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: 3 days in Malta: Complete Travel Itinerary
The Silent City of Mdina
Mdina is an ancient walled city that transports you to another era the moment you step through its grand gates. It is known as the Silent City because it was once Malta’s capital but is now a quiet, almost ghostly town with stunning medieval and Baroque architecture.
Mdina is also a famous filming location in Malta—you might recognize it from Game of Thrones, Troy, and Gladiator.
Even though it’s a small city, Mdina is a must-visit. We spent 2-3 hours wandering around its narrow streets, grabbing a bite to eat and just soaking in the atmosphere. It truly felt like stepping back in time – and we loved it!
And if you don’t have access to a car, no problem! There are many tours out there that take you to visit Mdina along with other highlights of the island !
What you can skip on your visit to Malta
Blue Grotto: skippable unless you take a longer boat tour
The Blue Grotto was a bit of a letdown for me, though others might disagree. We drove to this part of the island, but the whole experience lasted less than an hour. We parked, walked to the boat rentals, paid, and waited about 10 minutes. The boat took us to the grotto, made a quick loop, and then brought us back. And… that was it! There wasn’t much else to do there!
Now, don’t get me wrong—the glowing blue waters inside the limestone caves are stunning. But because the boat tour was so short, it didn’t feel like a must-do. If you’re visiting as part of a larger boat tour or combining it with other activities, it might be more worthwhile. Otherwise, I’d say you can skip it.
Looking for a better way to experience the Blue Grotto? Check out this highly-rated boat tour that includes multiple stops!
Popeyes Village: if you aren’t travelling with kids, you can skip it
Popeye’s Village is a cool concept—it’s the actual movie set from the 1980s Popeye film starring Robin Williams. Instead of tearing it down, they turned it into a small theme park. So, I actually think it is a really cool concept.
The village has become quite a tourist attraction. You can walk around the different sets, learn about the filming of the movie, play games, and watch a short documentary about the film. There is even a restaurant. But these attractions were mainly targeted towards kids.
Unless you’re traveling with kids, it’s not really worth the visit. We paid 14 euros per person, and there wasn’t much to do beyond looking at the set.
PRO TIP: Even though I wouldnt say it was worth paying to visit the village, the coolest view of the attraction is from across the bay and its actually free!
Marsaxlokk: skippable unless you visit on Sunday
Marsaxlokk is a traditional fishing village famous for its Sunday fish market, its fresh fish dishes, and its colorful Luzzu boats, which are decorated with an Egyptian eye to protect the fishermen out at sea.
I saw this village recommended on multiple travel blogs, but honestly, there wasn’t much to do or see beyond walking around for about an hour. I had expected to spend an afternoon exploring before having dinner by the harbor, but we ran out of things to see pretty quickly and ended up heading back to Valletta.
If you’re visiting on a Sunday for the fish market, it might be a more interesting experience. Otherwise, I wouldn’t go out of my way to visit.
Want to make the most of your time in Malta? Check out my 3-day Malta itinerary for an optimized itinerary to explore the island!
Visiting Malta FAQs
What is Malta best known for?
Malta is famous for its rich history, stunning beaches, and breathtaking landscapes. Whether you’re a history buff or an adventure seeker, Malta offers a mix of UNESCO-listed sites, turquoise waters, and rugged coastlines. These are some attractions you cannot miss:
- Valletta – The historic capital, packed with baroque architecture and charming streets.
- Gozo – A quieter island known for its scenic views, beaches, and diving spots.
- Comino & the Blue Lagoon – A must-visit for turquoise waters and epic snorkeling.
There is something for all types of travellers!
Is Malta expensive?
Ultimately, your Malta travel budget will depend on your preferences and travel style. While it’s possible to visit Malta on a budget by using public transport, staying in affordable accommodations, and making strategic choices about attractions, there are still ways to indulge without completely breaking the bank.
To my surprise, Malta was relatively affordable compared to other Mediterranean destinations. We splurged a little for this particular trip but in the end, our 1-week trip to Malta cost roughly 907.32 € per person, all included.
READ MORE: Malta Travel Budget Breakdown: How affordable is Malta?
How many days in Malta is enough?
Personally, we spent 7 days exploring Malta, however, I don’t think we needed that long. Even though theres lots to see in Malta, it is quite small. I would say you can easily explore all of Malta’s highlights in 3-4 days! I’ve put together a 3-day Malta itinerary to help you plan your trip!
READ MORE: 3 days in Malta: Complete Travel Itinerary
When is the best time to visit Malta?
Malta has a Mediterranean climate, meaning warm, sunny summers and mild winters, similar to Southern Italy or Greece. Peak season (June–August) is hot and crowded, while shoulder season (May–June, September–October) is ideal for fewer crowds, lower prices, and comfortable temperatures
Do I need insurance?
We always like to be safe rather than sorry. Investing in the right insurance has helped me loads with my travel anxiety! Travel insurance lets you explore worry-free, knowing you’re covered for medical emergencies, lost luggage, and unexpected cancellations.
I personally use SafetyWing because it’s affordable for long-term travelers and short trips, great for adventure lovers with their adventure sport coverage, and ideal for digital nomads with new electronics theft coverage for peace of mind.
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Ready for stress-free travel? Visit their website if you want to learn more about their insurance options!
READ MORE: SafetyWing Nomad Insurance: My honest review
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Tips for making the most of your time in Malta
📱 Have your travel essentials ready. Don’t waste time exchanging currency or hunting for a SIM card, have these essentials ready to go the moment you land. I do this by using a Wise travel credit card, (I’ve been using mine for over five years, and it’s a game-changer!) or by prearranging my e-SIM with companies like Airalo so I’m fully connected the moment I get off the plane.
🚗 Renting a car is the best way to get around. While Malta has an affordable bus system, it can be unreliable and time-consuming. Renting a car is by far the most efficient way to explore, allowing you to visit more destinations and make the most of your time. We heard from other travelers that buses often ran late or took much longer than driving. For our recent road trips, we’ve found the best rental deals on rentalcars.com.
📍Base yourself in Valletta. While we stayed in the north of Malta and loved it, we quickly realized that most of the attractions we wanted to visit were further south. Valletta is a more central location, making it the ideal base for exploring the island efficiently. If you have more time to work with, the Maritim Antonine Hotel & Spa was a beautiful stay in the north!
Things to do in Malta: Final Thoughts
While some parts of Malta didn’t quite live up to my expectations, I still enjoyed my time on the island—and everyone’s experience will be different! If a spot sounds interesting to you, even if I didn’t love it, it might end up being a highlight of your trip.
I hope my honest take was refreshing and helped you plan your perfect Malta itinerary. There’s so much more to do beyond what I’ve covered here! Malta is one of the top scuba diving destinations in Europe, and if you’re visiting in the warmer months, you’ll find plenty of stunning beaches to explore. No matter how long you stay, there’s something for every traveler.
One of the best surprises? Malta is one of the most budget-friendly destinations in Europe! I was amazed by how affordable it was. If you’re curious about exactly how much I spent on seven full days in Malta, check out my Malta Travel Budget Breakdown to see how you can plan your trip without overspending!
