Malta and its islands Gozo and Comino not only have beautiful beaches, but are literally packed with history, beautiful walks and breathtaking views. Get inspired by our selection and discover the charm of this mesmerizing island.
- To reach Malta best, you can fly for just a few Euros if you are lucky with ticket prices. Wizzair flies here, for example, from Budapest, Vienna, and Katowice. Ryanair also flies from Bratislava and Budapest. There are plenty of options to choose from 🙂
- Malta has almost as many churches as there are days in a year. So, plenty to see 🙂
- If you want to swim, we recommend going in June – October. We were here once in June and twice in May. The weather in May was great, pleasantly warm. But it wasn’t ideal for swimming.
- We recommend renting a car. Malta is small, so you can see a lot in one day. Just remember they drive on the left side 🙂 We rented a car with automatic transmission for the most comfortable driving experience.
- Lately, we rent cars mainly through Ryanair or Wizzair.
- You can also add “zero excess” insurance on both websites. It’s external insurance, so you will still need to leave a deposit at the airport depending on the car type.
- Before heading to any beach, we recommend checking the Jellyfish Radar. Jellyfish are quite the creatures, and Malta is famous for them.
- You can find all the points of interest mentioned above on our map. Malta offers much more than what we mention. Therefore, take our list as something we experienced firsthand and recommend to you.
- If you have any questions, feel free to message us on our Facebook and we will gladly answer and help 🙂
- Prices in the article are based on our last visit in June 2018
- Follow for cheap flights. They can be found for just a few Euros 😉
SWIMMING: St. Thomas Bay
map | free parking | water sports | food and drinks
A pleasant smaller beach with several water entries. There is a small sandy area and plenty of space on the rocks and concrete along the coast to enjoy lying down. You can freshen up and have a bite to eat in a few establishments that also play music, creating a nice holiday atmosphere. When you’re done with sunbathing, we recommend taking a walk along the Munxar Path. (map) There are beautiful views.
SWIMMING: St.Peter’s Pool
map | free parking, also paid | snorkeling | cliff jumping | rocks
Beautiful bay full of young people, transparent water, snorkeling, and the possibility of jumping from +/- 5m cliffs into the water. I would say it’s a must-visit spot in Malta. There are 2 private parking lots nearby, which are indicated by signs. Don’t come here on weekends! We couldn’t even get here on the weekend; the access road was so congested.
SWIMMING: Marsaxlokk
map | free parking | sandy beach | food and drinks
If you happen to be around and want to relax on a sandy beach within reach of restaurants and bars, we recommend taking a moment to stop at this beach. Marsaxlokk has plenty of good restaurants where you can go for lunch, dinner, or just sit down for a drink.
SWIMMING: Għar Lapsi
map | free parking | snorkeling | cliff jumping | food and drinks
A lovely small bay suitable for snorkeling, cliff jumping, and enjoying a meal right by the water. It’s located just a short distance from the Blue Grotto, Dingli Cliffs, and Ħaġar Qim. We recommend combining all these 4 things together for a fantastic day. You’ll get a dose of history, take a nice coastal walk, and have a swim 🙂
SWIMMING: Pretty Bay
map | free parking | food and drinks
This is a classic city beach, nothing exceptional. However, if you are passing by and need to cool off, it’s not bad. The view from the beach of the large cargo docks nearby is interesting.
SWIMMING: Golden Bay and Riviera Bay
map – map | parking | snorkeling | food and drinks
Classic beautiful sandy vacation beaches. You can take a great walk around a small promontory on the south side of Riviera Bay. I recommend classic beach volleyball on the sand and casually having a drink at the bar 🙂
SWIMMING: Għadira Bay
map | free parking | snorkeling | food and drinks
A beach located right next to the road towards the ferry to the islands of Gozo and Comino. It didn’t particularly charm us, but neither did it disappoint. If you happen to be passing by and want to cool off, just jump into the water.
LOCATION: Marsaxlokk
map | free parking | food and drinks
A charming small fishing village. The bay is full of colorful boats and good restaurants. In the morning, there is a fish market where you can buy fresh catches. It’s ideal to take a dip in the nearby St. Peter’s Pool and then have dinner by the coast.
LOCATION: Valletta
map | free parking | food and drinks
The capital city of Malta and a must-visit stop. It is ideal to take an evening stroll through the old town, which you can finish with dinner and a drink. Alternatively, take a Free Tour of the old town. We didn’t have time for a free tour in Malta, but we recommend this type of guided tours. We try to google them in every major city. As for restaurants, we followed recommendations from the TripAdvisor app.
CAVE: Blue Grotto
map | free parking | food and drinks | boat ride: 8€
Beautiful cliffs with caves where you can take a boat ride. Watch a video tour to see what it looks like.
EXCAVATIONS: Hagar Qim
map | free parking | snorkeling | cliff diving | food and drinks | entrance fee: 10€
One of the most famous megalithic temples in Malta. Only 300m away you can find another megalithic temple called Mnajdra. There is an entrance fee, but you can also take a beautiful walk along the cliffs without paying the entrance fee, which you definitely shouldn’t miss. There are great views and the possibility to reach the water below. There is no marked path downwards, but around “Congreve Memorial” you can descend down the rocks.
WALK: Dingli Cliffs and Bronze Age Grain Silos
Short walks with views of the cliffs. We enjoyed a coffee at The Cliffs Restaurant and then soaked up the atmosphere on the cliffs.
PLACE: Mdina
map | free parking | food and drinks
Mdina, also known as the “Silent City,” was once the capital city of the island. It is located in the center of the island and is beautiful. History will breathe on you from every corner. Just wander through the streets and soak up the atmosphere. We ended our walk with an excellent lunch at Bacchus Restaurant.
Comino Island
round-trip ticket: €9
The island of Comino is located just a stone’s throw away from Malta. It is mainly known for its Blue Lagoon, where you can experience an unforgettable swim, provided jellyfish and hordes of tourists do not spoil it for you. Comino is a great island where you can spend a very pleasant day. There are several companies offering trips to the island, so head there ideally in the morning. Enjoy a pleasant swim and take a leisurely walk around the island. In the north, you will find Santa Maria Bay beach. Head west from there and you will encounter cliffs with beautiful views 😉 For a better idea of what it looks like there, watch our video from the island.
Island of Gozo
There is plenty to see on Gozo, so we have written a separate article about it, which we will publish very soon… 😉
