Malta

An island nation in the heart of the Mediterranean, with the Knights' city of Valletta, the "Silent City" of Mdina and the blue lagoon of Comino. It is a filming location for Game of Thrones.

The Republic of Malta lies in the middle of the Mediterranean, about 90 km south of Sicily. It consists of the islands of Malta, Gozo and Comino, among others, and covers only about 316 sq km, making it the EU's smallest member state. English and Maltese are both official languages, and the currency is the euro. The island's history is layered: prehistoric megalithic temples older than the Egyptian pyramids, Phoenician and Roman remains, the forts and Baroque churches left by the Knights of St John (1530–1798), and the red post boxes and phone boxes of the British colonial era. Valletta, the megalithic temples and the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum are all UNESCO World Heritage sites, and the islands have also served as a filming location for productions such as Game of Thrones and Gladiator.

Areas: The eastern harbour area includes Valletta, the "Three Cities" across the water (Birgu, Senglea and Cospicua), and Sliema and St Julian's (where hotels and nightlife are concentrated). The centre of the island has the old capital of Mdina and Rabat. The south has the fishing village of Marsaxlokk, the megalithic temples and the Blue Grotto. The north-west is the beach area and the ferry terminal for Gozo, and Comino has the Blue Lagoon. We suggest 4–6 days: 2 days for Valletta and the Three Cities, 1–2 days for Mdina and the south, and 1–2 days for Gozo and Comino.

Getting there and around: Malta International Airport is about 8 km from Valletta, with direct flights from across Europe. Visitors from China mostly connect via Istanbul, Dubai or a European hub. Malta Public Transport buses cover the whole island. Residents ride free with a Tallinja card, and visitors can buy an Explore card. Ferries run between Valletta, the Three Cities and Sliema. Traffic drives on the left in Malta, which suits driving, but towns are congested and parking is hard. The best seasons are Apr–Jun and Sep–Oct, while Jul–Aug is scorching and crowded. Winters are mild but windy and wet, and some boat trips are suspended. Power sockets are the British three-pin type. Shoulders and knees must be covered when entering churches.

Top sights

• Valletta – A fortified capital built on a grid by the Knights of St John in the 16th century; the entire city is a World Heritage Site, often called a…
• St. John's Co-Cathedral – A plain-looking Knights' church with a dazzling Baroque interior, home to Caravaggio's largest painting, The Beheading of Saint John the Ba…
• Mdina – Malta's medieval former capital, a walled town on the island's central hilltop known as the 'Silent City' and the filming location of King'…
• Blue Lagoon, Comino – A shallow bay between Comino and Cominotto, with white sand beneath clear turquoise water. It is one of Malta's most beautiful swimming spo…
• Gozo & Cittadella – Malta's second-largest island, with a far slower pace than the main island. A citadel in the centre overlooks the whole island, and nearby…
• Upper Barrakka Gardens & Saluting Battery – An arcaded garden on the highest point of Valletta's walls overlooking the Grand Harbour and the Three Cities, with saluting guns fired at…
• Marsaxlokk – A traditional fishing village in southeastern Malta, where the harbour is crowded with colourful luzzu boats painted with the “Eye of Osiri…
• Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum – The world's only known prehistoric underground temple, with three levels of burial chambers cut into rock about 5,000 years ago; a World He…
• Ħaġar Qim & Mnajdra Temples – Megalithic temples older than the Egyptian pyramids and England's Stonehenge, sitting on a southern sea cliff facing the Mediterranean and…
• Grandmaster's Palace – The residence of the Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller, now the President's office, with State Rooms and an armoury open to visitors.
• Fort St. Elmo & National War Museum – A star-shaped fortress at the tip of Valletta's peninsula, the main battlefield of the 1565 Great Siege, housing the National War Museum.
• Lascaris War Rooms – A WWII underground command centre deep beneath the Upper Barrakka Gardens, where parts of the 1943 invasion of Sicily were directed.
• Birgu (Vittoriosa) & the Three Cities – The Order's first stronghold: the Three Cities of Birgu, Senglea and Cospicua, across the harbour from Valletta, have quiet old streets wit…
• Fort St. Angelo – The Order's fortress at the tip of Birgu, the command centre where Grand Master La Valette directed the 1565 Great Siege.
• St. Paul's Catacombs – A Roman-era underground burial complex outside Rabat, an important remnant of early Christianity in Malta.
• Rotunda of Mosta – A church with one of the world's great unsupported domes; in WWII a German bomb pierced the dome and fell inside without exploding.
• Blue Grotto – A group of sea caves beneath the cliffs of southern Malta; boat trips inside reveal vivid, fluorescent-looking blue water.
• Dingli Cliffs – Malta's south-western sea cliffs, about 250 m high near the island's highest point, and a classic spot for watching the Mediterranean sunse…
• Golden Bay – A golden fine-sand beach on Malta's north-west coast with full facilities, a rare sandy beach on the island that is also famous for its sun…
• Popeye Village – The outdoor set of the 1980 film Popeye, with colourful wooden houses nestled on the cliffs of Anchor Bay.
• Sliema & Tigné Point – A modern waterfront town across the harbour from Valletta, with a seafront promenade, shopping and boat piers, and views across to Valletta.
• St. Julian's & Spinola Bay – Malta's dining and nightlife centre, home to the Spinola Bay fishing boats, the LOVE sculpture and the Paceville bar strip.
• Tarxien Temples – Megalithic temple complex from around 3150–2500 BC, famous for its finely carved spiral patterns and fragments of a giant goddess statue.
• Ġgantija Temples – Prehistoric stone temples on Gozo, about 5,500 years old and older than the Egyptian pyramids and Stonehenge.
• Ramla Bay – The red-sand beach on Gozo's north coast, where legend says the sea goddess Calypso held Odysseus.
• Dwejra Bay & Inland Sea – The west coast of Gozo, where the Azure Window once stood; the Inland Sea, Fungus Rock and the Blue Hole dive site form a unique coastal la…
• Basilica of Ta' Pinu – A neo-Romanesque pilgrimage basilica in the open fields of Gozo, one of Malta's most important pilgrimage sites.
• St. Peter's Pool – A natural rock pool near Marsaxlokk where you can jump from limestone platforms into a clear, sheltered bay.
• Mellieħa Bay (Għadira Bay) – Malta's longest beach, with shallow calm water and full facilities, ideal for family holidays with children.
• Xwejni Salt Pans – Ancient checkerboard salt pans carved into rock on Gozo's north coast, where families have produced salt for over a century.

Where to eat

• Rubino – A century-old restaurant in Valletta, recommended by the Michelin Bib Gourmand, famous for its daily blackboard menu an…
• Crystal Palace (Is-Serkin) – The most famous pastizzi shop in Rabat, right next to Mdina, serving freshly baked flaky pastries paired with milk tea.
• ION Harbour – Malta's only two-star Michelin restaurant, overlooking the Grand Harbour and serving seasonal tasting menus made with l…
• Ta' Nenu – A popular home-style restaurant in Valletta, famous for its Maltese ftira freshly baked in an old-fashioned stone oven.
• Tartarun – A family-run seafood restaurant by the Marsaxlokk fishing harbor, featured in the Michelin Guide, with a daily changing…
• Diar il-Bniet – A family-run farmhouse restaurant in Dingli, serving seasonal traditional Maltese dishes made with home-grown ingredien…
• Ta' Rikardu – A family-run traditional eatery inside the Victoria Citadel on Gozo, famous for its homemade cheese platters and raviol…

Itineraries

• Malta Mainland Historic Cities & South Coast – Stay in Valletta and use public buses to connect the historic city, the Three Cities, Mdina, and the south coast's sea…
• Malta, Gozo & Comino 8-Day Explorer – Stay in Sliema, Mdina, and Gozo to experience historic cities, prehistoric ruins, and the Blue Lagoon.
• Malta & Southeast Sicily Cross-Border – Take a fast ferry from Valletta to Pozzallo, connecting the Val di Noto, Syracuse, Mount Etna, and Taormina.