Malta is recently gaining a lot of popularity as a getaway destination for those seeking a relaxing vacation in one of the hidden gems in Europe. The country is small yet rich in history and cultural mix. Besides, traveling to Malta does not cost you a lot of money. The archipelago is inexpensive to explore yet has so much to offer. So, what makes Malta so interesting to visit? Check this Malta travel guide to learn more about going on a vacation to Malta.
What to prepare for your Malta Travel Guide?
- Basic Travel Information about Poland
- Tips and Tricks for Malta Travel Guide
- Itinerary and Where to Go
- Day 1: Sliema
- Day 2: Valletta and the Three Cities
- Day 3: Marsaxlokk and Southern Malta
- Day 4: Victoria, Gozo
- Day 5: The Island of Gozo
- Day 6-7: Mdina
Basic Travel Information about Poland
If you do not know much about Malta, you should check these facts about Malta before you start your trip.
| Currency: Euro (around USD 0.99) | Official Language: Maltese and English | Plug Type: Type G |
Visa and Entry Requirements: Before you travel to Malta, it is important to know whether your citizenship allows you to travel to Malta without a visa. If you need one, you have to apply for a Schengen Visa. Besides, you also need to review its border restrictions regarding the coronavirus pandemic to make sure you comply with the recent regulations.
Tips and Tricks for Malta Travel Guide
In this Malta travel guide, we include some tips and tricks to make your trip to Malta more meaningful yet save a lot of your budget. Ranging from transportation options to food, these are good-to-know information for you!
Transportation
Malta is a considerably small country where you can use transportation regardless of different modes. There is no difference between intercity transportation and within-city public transport. So, it is relatively easy to roam the whole country. Fun fact, Malta does not have a railway system operating in the country. That being said, there are some trackless trains operating intercity just for tourism purposes.
Bus
Because there is no railway in Malta, public buses are the main public transport that many people use to move around the country. Therefore, prepare yourself to stand up inside the bus since many people may fill up the bus. The good thing is public buses can take you everywhere around the islands at affordable prices. A single bus ticket costs around EUR 1.5 during the winter and EUR 2 in the summer. Moreover, prepare to stand up
In addition to public buses, Malta also has hop-on or hop-off buses which offer different routes around the country such as St. Julian’s, Valletta, the former Azure Window, and many more. A single route day pass is around EUR 20 booked with Hello Malta. You can also spend EUR 48 for a two-day pass featuring City Sightseeing or a one-day pass for only EUR 24.
Ferry
The ferry is the common public transport to move from island to island in Malta. For example, if you want to go to Gozo from the main Island of Malta, you need to spend around EUR 4.65 for a return trip. Alternatively, if you are going to Malta from Sicily, Italy by ferry, it usually takes four hours to seven hours and costs you about EUR 95 to EUR 145 for a one-way ticket.
Bike
Malta is a small country so it is more adventurous to explore the islands by bike. You can rent a bike for about EUR 12 only per day.
Taxi
If you do not feel comfortable going around the country by bus, you can also take a ride by taxi. Usually, taxi rates start around EUR 6 and cost around EUR 2 per kilometer. There are no Lyft or Uber in Malta. However, you can use the eCab app from Google Play Store or iOS App Store as an alternative. This app usually offers cheaper prices for short distances taxis.
Flight
There are no domestic flights around Malta and the only international airport in Malta is Malta International Airport (Luqa Airport). Therefore, you can only explore the islands by either ferry or other land transportation.
If you are going to Malta by plane from any country in mainland Europe, you should expect to spend at least EUR 45 for a round trip. We recommend you take the budget-friendly Ryanair airline if you are traveling on a tight budget. If you start your journey from Northern African countries, usually it takes at least EUR 50 for a round-trip flight.
Accommodation
You already know that Malta is relatively small, and it is easy to go everywhere due to its size. So, we recommend you stay at places which are considerably far from each other. If you follow the itinerary we have provided for your Malta travel guide below, there are three cities in which you can stay for two or three days. They are Sliema, Victoria, and Mdina. There are a lot of options that you can choose for your stay there based on your budget, starting from Airbnb to hotels.
Hostels in St. Julian’s and Sliema typically cost around EUR 10 to EUR 20 per night with eight to ten beds in a dorm. If you want to stay at a hotel, usually you should spend at least EUR 35 per night for a double or twin bedroom. Alternatively, you can choose an Airbnb with a variety of options ranging from entire houses or apartments starting from EUR 35 or EUR 60 to EUR 80 based on your preference. During the summertime, the prices can rise about 50% to 100% higher than usual.
Food and Groceries
With its rich history, Malta has various types of culinary. Most of the dishes have the characteristics of Italian cuisine, with some touches of North Africa and Britain. Rabbit stew or stuffat tal-fenek is the national dish of Malta, and seafood is everywhere in this country.
The food prices in Malta are also cheap. For example, a savory-filled pastry called pastizzi is only EUR 1. Traditional cuisines at restaurants cost around EUR 15. Meanwhile, if you want a multi-course meal at mid-range restaurants that include drinks and table services, it is around EUR 30. If you prefer cooking, you can spend around EUR 40 to EUR 60 per week on groceries that include pasta, vegetables, rice, and some meats.
Itinerary and Where to Go
Malta is such a small country, where you only need 7 days to explore the whole country. Moreover, it is also not time-consuming to travel everywhere in this country due to its size. So, which places are worth visiting in your Malta travel guide? Check this out!
Day 1: Sliema
In this Malta travel guide, you should put Sliema as the first destination to go to when you arrive in Malta. Sliema is the largest city in Malta. In this big city, you can enjoy a stroll along the city’s seafront promenade or swim in the harbor or some of its rocky beaches. If you want to eat something, there are plenty of cafes, bars, and restaurants to go to. There, you can try the delicious local meals. That will be a great experience to have for your trip to Malta.
Best places to visit: Valletta Ferry Services, Independence gardens, Cat Statue, The Point Shopping Mall, Stella Maris Church, Victorian-era Baths, Parish Chruch of Jesus of Nazareth, Saint Patrick’s Church, Qui Si-Sana Gardens, 3 Maltese Actors Statue, The Plaza Commercial Center, and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Day 2: Valletta and the Three Cities
The next day, we recommend you go to Valletta, the capital city of Malta. In 2018, this city got recognition as the European Capital of Culture, meaning that there are a lot of things you can enjoy about Maltese culture here. Moreover, you can relax watching the beautiful scenery of the Three Cities and the Mediterranean Sea in this city. You can also catch a ferry to the Three Cities, where you can enjoy a lot more things there, especially the nightlife.
Best places to visit: St. John’s Co-Cathedral, Upper Barrakka Gardens, Fort St. Elmo – National War Museum, Valletta Waterfront, Lascaris War Rooms, Saluting Battery, Three Cities, Casa Rocca Piccola, The Malta Experience, Barrakka Lift, Triton Fountain, Lower Barrakka Gardens.
Day 3: Marsaxlokk and Southern Malta
Exploring Marsaxlokk and the southern part of Malta are a must to put on your Malta travel guide. Marsaxlokk is s fishing village and has a popular Sunday fish market for you to discover. This is the perfect place to visit to enjoy the life of the locals. Besides Marsaxlokk, you can also enjoy some other areas around the southern part area of Malta, especially its nature. You can go by the St. Peter’s Pool. It is a beach featuring a scenic cliff, where you can do cliff jumping and swim there.
Best places to visit: Marsaxlokk Bay, St. Peter’s Pool. Il-kalanka Beach, Xrobb I-Ghagin Nature Park, Knisja tal-Madonna ta’ Pompei, Sunday Fish Market, Fort Delimara, Kalanka Bay, Marsaxlokk Port, Ta Kalanka Sea Cave, Lighthouse Il-Kalanka, and Munxar Path.
Day 4: Victoria, Gozo
The island of Gozo is located in the northern part of Malta. Although it is the second largest island in the country, Gozo is considerably small to roam. Victoria is the capital of Gozo, where you can find beautiful churches and vineyards everywhere. Moreover, the place is very tranquil where you can get away from the hustle and bustle of city life. While you are in Victoria, do not forget to try out its exquisite wine, where you can also take a wine tour there.
Best places to visit: The Citadel, St. George’s Basilica, Spoonman’s Shop, Citadella Visitors’ Center, The Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Old Prison in Victoria in Island of Gozo, Villa Rundle Garden, Gozo Museum of Archaeology, Gunpowder Magazine, Silos, and WWII Shelters and Battery, Heart of Gozo – Il-Hagar, Gran Castello Historic House, and Bejta Artisan at The Ta’Nikol Gallery.
Day 5: The Island of Gozo
For your second day on Gozo, we recommend you roam around the island in this Malta travel guide. Why you should do that? Gozo Island has many options for you to enjoy the slow travel here such as chilling out in the braces or joining sailing trips. The beaches in Gozo are full of golden sands, which is so beautiful and enchanting for every people who are coming to Gozo. Besides, there are also some restaurants with the best local food that you should try while visiting Gozo.
Best places to visit: Azure Window, Hondoq Bay, Ramla Bay, Ghar Qawqla Bay, Ta’ Pinu National Shrine, Marsalforn Bay, Dahlet Qorrot Beach, San Blas Beach, Church of St. John The Baptist, and Qala Windmill (Ta’ Randu Windmill).
Day 6-7: Mdina
For the last two days of your 7 days Malta travel guide, we highly recommend you put Mdina and Rabat. Mdina is such a beautiful city that offers a lot of things you did not expect such as its distinguishing mix of Arabian and Baroque architecture everywhere. More importantly, the location of Mdina to the airport is only less than half an hour away, making it easy for you before going back home the next day. Therefore, we put the best for the last for your trip to Malta.
Best places to visit: Mdina Old City, Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Paul, Mdina Main Gate – Baroque Gateway, Palazzo Falson Historic House Museum, Mdina Metropolitan Cathedral Museum, Mdina Dungeons, The Knights of Malta, Magic Train Ride, Carmelite Priory Mdina, Pjazza Mesquita, Howard Gardens, The Mdina Experience.
So, we have given you the pocket Malta travel guide. Therefore, it is now time for you to book a plane ticket and go roaming Malta with your friends or family! You do not have any friends to go with? Do not worry. JoinMyTrip always got your back. We can connect you with our dedicated travel buddies along with fellow like-minded travelers to make your trip to Malta becoming even more fun and adventurous. So, what are you waiting for? Book your trip to Malta with JoinMyTrip now!