Malta is small. You can drive from one end of the main island to the other in about an hour, and three islands fit into one trip. The difficulty is choosing. This guide sorts the things to do in Malta by area first, then by season, because the island in January and the island in August are close to two different places.
A few things hold true all year. Distances are short but roads are busy, so two or three places a day is a realistic plan. Churches ask for covered shoulders and knees. Sunday is a family day, and some shops and restaurants close in the afternoon. And the best light on the limestone comes early in the morning and in the hour before sunset, which is also when the main sites are quietest.
Things to do in Malta by area
Valletta
Valletta is the capital, a fortified grid the Knights of St John built after the Great Siege of 1565. It is small enough to cross on foot in fifteen minutes and dense enough to fill two days.
- St John's Co-Cathedral. Plain outside, gold inside, with Caravaggio's Beheading of St John the Baptist in the oratory.
- Upper Barrakka Gardens. The terrace looks straight across the Grand Harbour to the Three Cities. The Saluting Battery sits below it.
- Fort St Elmo. The star fort at the tip of the peninsula, now home to the National War Museum.
- Strait Street and the side streets. Once the bar street for sailors, now quieter bars and small restaurants.
Things to do in Valletta also include the Grand Master's Palace, MUZA, the national museum of art, and the Lascaris War Rooms, the underground command centre used in the Second World War. Walk the bastions on the Marsamxett side in the evening for views to Sliema and Manoel Island. Our Valletta walking guide gives a full route.
The Three Cities
Birgu, Senglea and Cospicua face Valletta across the Grand Harbour. The Knights lived in Birgu before Valletta existed. Go by the ferry from Valletta or by dghajsa, the traditional water taxi, from the waterfront below the Upper Barrakka. In Birgu, walk to Fort St Angelo and the Inquisitor's Palace. In Senglea, the Gardjola Gardens end at a stone lookout carved with an eye and an ear. The Malta Maritime Museum is on the Birgu waterfront, close to the marina. The Three Cities are lived in, not staged, so the best part of a visit is often the walk through the residential lanes behind the main squares. See our Three Cities guide.
Mdina and Rabat
Mdina is the old walled capital on a ridge in the centre of the island. Things to do in Mdina are simple: walk the lanes, visit St Paul's Cathedral, and look north from the bastion walls. Come early or after the day groups leave. Rabat, just outside the gate, has St Paul's Catacombs, the Domus Romana and good pastizzi. Read our Mdina and Rabat guide.
Sliema and St Julian's
Things to do in Sliema start with the seafront promenade along Tower Road, which runs towards St Julian's. The ferry from Sliema to Valletta is the quickest way into the capital. The rocky shore has ladders into the sea in summer. In St Julian's, Spinola Bay has the fishing boats and restaurants, Balluta Bay has a small beach, and Paceville is where the nightlife is. These two towns are the busiest part of Malta and have the widest choice of restaurants and hotels, which makes them a practical base. The view across Marsamxett Harbour to the Valletta skyline from the Sliema Ferries area is one of the best on the island at dusk.
The north: Mellieha and St Paul's Bay
The north has the sandy beaches. Ghadira Bay below Mellieha is the largest, shallow for a long way out, which suits children. Golden Bay and Gnejna Bay on the northwest coast face the sunset. Things to do in Mellieha also include Popeye Village, the old film set at Anchor Bay, and the Red Tower on the ridge above the bay. Things to do in St Paul's Bay centre on Bugibba and Qawra, with the long seafront promenade, the Malta National Aquarium, and boat trips to Comino. St Paul's Islands, just offshore, are where tradition says St Paul was shipwrecked. The north is also closest to Cirkewwa and the ferry to Gozo.
The south and Marsaxlokk
The south is quieter and older. Marsaxlokk is a fishing village known for its painted luzzu boats and its Sunday fish market. The Blue Grotto at Wied iz-Zurrieq is a set of sea caves you visit by small boat when the sea is calm. Above the cliffs nearby stand the temples of Hagar Qim and Mnajdra. In Paola, the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum is an underground Neolithic burial site. Only ten people go in at a time, so book well ahead with Heritage Malta. Read our guides to Marsaxlokk and the Hypogeum.
Near Birzebbuga, Ghar Dalam is a cave where bones of dwarf elephants and hippopotamuses were found, along with some of the earliest evidence of people on Malta. St Peter's Pool, on the Delimara peninsula outside Marsaxlokk, is a flat rock shelf above deep clear water, popular for swimming in summer.
Gozo
Gozo is greener and slower than Malta. The ferry runs from Cirkewwa to Mgarr, and foot passengers simply walk on, since there is no reservation system. Things to do in Gozo include the Citadel in Victoria, the Ggantija temples in Xaghra, the red sand of Ramla Bay, the salt pans along the coast near Marsalforn, and the cliffs and Inland Sea at Dwejra. Xlendi is a small bay in a steep valley with restaurants along the water. Gozo rewards a night or two: the villages are quiet after the day visitors leave, and farmhouse stays with pools are common. Our slow travel guide to Gozo has more.
Comino
Comino lies between Malta and Gozo and has almost no residents and no cars. Most visitors come for the Blue Lagoon, which is very crowded in summer. Go early, or walk inland to St Mary's Tower and the quieter coves. Read how to visit Comino well.
Things to do in Malta by season
Winter: December to February
Winter is the season for museums, churches and walks. Villages set up Christmas cribs in December, and parishes hold midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. It is also the green season, when the fields between the villages are fresh after the rain. In Valletta, the exhibition Living for Eternity: The Ancient Egyptians runs from 21 November 2026 to 16 May 2027. In February 2027, Malta Carnival fills Valletta from 5 to 9 February, and the Feast of St Paul's Shipwreck follows on Wednesday 10 February, a public holiday.
Spring: March to May
Spring is the best time for walking. The fields are green and the cliffs are covered in wildflowers. Try the walk along Dingli Cliffs on the west coast or the coast paths on Gozo. Holy Week brings processions in many towns and villages, and on Good Friday statues of the Passion are carried through the streets. The temples of Hagar Qim, Mnajdra and Ggantija are pleasant to visit before the heat arrives. Spring is also a good time for a day on Comino, before the summer boats fill the Blue Lagoon.
Summer: June to September
Summer is for the sea. Swim from the rocks at St Peter's Pool or at the sandy bays in the north; our swimming guide lists the best places. Divers come for the wrecks and the caves of Gozo. Almost every weekend some village holds its festa, with band marches, fireworks and a statue procession; read our festa guide. On 8 September, Victory Day, rowing boats race in the traditional regatta in the Grand Harbour. Plan sightseeing for early morning or evening, and keep the middle of the day for swimming and shade.
Autumn: October and November
The sea stays warm into autumn while the crowds thin out. It is a good time for a slower trip: swims in the morning, a winery visit in the afternoon and dinner by the harbour. Grape harvest ends in early autumn, and many wineries offer tastings of Maltese grapes such as Gellewza and Ghirgentina. The first rains return the green to the fields, and walking weather comes back. Autumn is also a good time to try the food of the season, such as rabbit stew and fresh lampuki, the dorado that fishermen land from late summer.
Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need in Malta?
Three days covers Valletta, Mdina and one day on Gozo or Comino. Five days lets you add the Three Cities, the south coast and a slower day in the north without rushing.
Is Malta worth visiting in winter?
Yes, if you come for history and walking rather than beaches. Museums, churches and temples are open all year, the countryside is green, and February brings carnival.
Do you need a car in Malta?
No. Buses reach most towns, ferries link Valletta with Sliema and the Three Cities, and foot passengers can take the Gozo ferry from Cirkewwa. A car helps most on Gozo and for the west coast.
What is the best area to stay in Malta?
Valletta suits a short cultural trip. Sliema and St Julian's put you near restaurants and the Valletta ferry. Mellieha and St Paul's Bay are closer to the northern beaches and the Gozo ferry.
Is Gozo worth a day trip?
Yes. In one day you can see the Citadel in Victoria, the Ggantija temples in Xaghra and a swim or walk on the north coast. Staying a night or two is better if you can.
