Malta Itinerary
After spending my first afternoon in Malta wandering around Valletta, I began to think that I may have made a mistake by adding Malta into my off-season European itinerary… Don’t get me wrong, Valletta was charming – but after just a few hours, I felt as though I had explored the whole tiny capital on foot. What was I going to do with three whole days on the island?
If you’re unfamiliar with Malta, it’s a small island country located south of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea. Because of its location between Italy and North Africa, Malta’s people, history and cuisine is a melting pot of these cultures. When I told other travelers about my upcoming trip, their reactions ranged from “Where the heck is Malta?” to “Ah, really? What on earth are you going to do there? In winter?” to “I can’t wait to hear your thoughts – I love Malta!”
Traveling to Malta in winter meant that it would probably be too cold to partake in beach or diving activities, further limiting my options. Could I have spent three relaxing days strolling the historic streets of Valletta, shopping, eating and drinking? Probably so. But, that’s not my usual travel style – especially on my annual international girls trip where we typically jam-pack a handful of cities and countries into one whirlwind two week itinerary.
After less than a day off the plane, I couldn’t help but wonder if I should have chosen a different destination – one that offered more options to satisfy my wanderlust.
But, luckily, Malta grew on me… slowly and steadily. Each day I spent there was better than the last, and when it came time for us to board our plane to Istanbul, I wasn’t quite ready to leave. To (loosely) quote a popular teen book-turned-movie, “I fell in love (with Malta) how you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once.” (Go ahead and judge me, I would too). Cheesy comparison? Admittedly, yes. But, so very true of my feelings towards this tiny island nation.
In all seriousness, I couldn’t be happier to have experienced Malta. Even at my quick paced sight-seeing speed, I could have easily stayed a few more days. In fact, I have so much to tell you that my Malta experience can’t be squeezed into just one post, so I’ll be doing a series of three Malta posts. First up, here are my recommendations on how to spend your initial day in Malta.
Day 1: Get Acquainted with the Island
Explore Vittoriosa, Marsarxlokk, Mdina, & Valletta
I’d recommend that upon your arrival you jump right in and get yourself acquainted with Malta’s main island. We chose to do this by purchasing a day pass on one of Malta’s hop-on hop-off buses. This option set us back about $17 euro a person, but in retrospect, I wouldn’t do it this way again. Although the bus was convenient, we weren’t able to squeeze in more than three stops the whole day because of the bus routes and running times. I’ve been told by locals that the best way to see the island is by renting a car, but if you prefer not to drive or don’t want to deal with parking, I’d recommend that you hire a driver for the day. Since I was traveling with three others, we probably could have hired a driver for just a bit more than what we paid for four hop-on hop-off tickets. If you’re traveling solo or on a budget, the city bus system is also a great option. From Valletta, you can easily catch a bus or a ferry to any other part of the island you’d like to visit. You can find more information on Malta’s public transportation here.
I’d suggest that you start your day in Vittoriosa, just across the harbor from Valletta. Vittoriosa is one of “The Three Cities” and offers gorgeous waterfront views. Less touristy than the other cities mentioned in this post, The Three Cities offer some insight into how the majority of Maletese people actually live. If you’ve only got enough time to visit one of the three, make it Vittoriosa.
Once you’ve photographed the yachts in the picturesque harbor, explore town and walk straight through the main square until you hit the sea again for gorgeous views of Valletta across the harbor.
Next, head to the picturesque fishing village of Marsarxlokk for lunch. The Marsarxlokk harbor is littered with brightly colored wooden fishing boats, and the village itself is packed with small, family owned restaurants where you can feast on ridiculously fresh fish at modest prices (by western standards). When I was there in November, the seasonal catch of the day was lampuka (or dolphin fish), which was a crowd pleaser with our group.
After lunch, head to the enchanting medieval walled city of Mdina. Mdina was easily one of my favorite places on the entire island and is a must-see. I could have explored Mdina’s narrow winding pathways all day, admiring the historic buildings which were adorned with brightly colored window shutters and interesting brass door knockers.
Most anyone you ask will tell you that you absolutely cannot go to Malta without grabbing dessert at Fontanella Tea Gardens. To be perfectly honest with you, my girlfriends and I found the cakes at Fontanella to be a bit disappointing. Maybe it was the build-up, maybe I ordered the wrong thing, or maybe I’m just spoiled by living in a large city with a plethora of “foodie” hotspots, but I wasn’t blown away by my chocolate cake. That said, the overall experience Fontanella provides (including the sweeping views from their elevated terrace and the deliciously decadent hot chocolate drinks) wasn’t overrated, so the Tea Garden is still worth a visit.
Once you’re able to pull yourself out of Mdina, head back to your base in Valletta. During summer, most tourists base themselves in the resort towns of St. Julian’s or Silema, but I found Valletta to be the perfect base for my trip. A UNESCO world heritage site and Europe’s smallest capital, Valletta is a unique and romantic city that seems to be stuck several decades in the past. But it’s the narrow cobblestone roads, traditional Maltese balconies, and vintage signage that makes Valletta so undeniably lovely!
When searching for hotel accommodations, I couldn’t help but notice that there aren’t an overabundance of hotels in Valletta, and that many of the “hotels” were walk-ups turned into luxury suites. If you’re in Valletta for a romantic getaway, these options would probably be perfect for you, but for a trip with my girlfriends where I knew we would be spending little time in the hotel room, I was more concerned about location than an ultra-luxury experience.
For this trip, I chose to stay at the historic British Hotel, which is the longest established family run hotel in Valletta. The location of the hotel was perfect: on a quiet street, but just a couple minutes walk from everywhere in the city you’ll want to go. If you’re looking for a great value, I’d highly recommend this no-frills hotel which offers spectacular views of Valletta’s Grand Harbor from its balconies.
If you’re on a budget and can’t spring for a sea view room (rooms 105 and 106 have huge outdoor balconies), don’t fret – you’ll still be privy to the view from the hotel’s common sitting area and the breakfast room.
Once you’ve freshened up, walk to the nearby Bridge Bar for a cocktail, before heading to Guze Bistro for dinner. This top-notch restaurant is located in the heart of downtown Valletta and is housed in a historic 16th century building. The service was as perfect as the food, which was mostly classic Maltese dishes prepared with a modern flair. The rabbit ravioli was fantastic, but the mushroom risotto with veal and fresh truffles was probably the most fantastic pasta I’ve ever eaten. Once your stomach reaches capacity, saunter down the road and pop into one of the numerous casual restaurant/bars for some house-made lemoncello (not only is it delicious, but it’s also a disgestif and will help settle your stomach), before you turn in for the night.
Sounds like a pretty fantastic day, eh?
So, was Malta a mistake?
No way! I had a lovely time exploring the beautiful and historic country and am certain I’ll be back in the future.
You may also be interested in this post: I almost Didn’t Go to Gozo…
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Full Disclosure: I was a guest of The British Hotel, but as always, all opinions are my own.
December 30, 2014
Love this post!
December 30, 2014
Thanks, lady! 🙂
January 8, 2015
Malta, its a beautiful place. It can never , EVER, be a mistake to come visit and enjoy it. There is so much to say…but , “no it wans`t ,should be enough to answer your question.
January 9, 2015
I agree, Nick!
January 8, 2015
Dear,
come back to Malta and give me a call. I’ll show you the most extraordinary sites you can ever see. I know this island with it’s secrets and I can assure you that for at least one moth you will have to do new things every day.
Malta has good parts, as less good parts but one thing is for sure: you can’t get bored here. Every day can be a day of holiday. Looking forward seeing you 🙂 I mean it. Thank you <3 A non-Maltese resident of this strange piece of our wonderful world.
January 9, 2015
I’ll certainly be back, Jana! Next time I hope to bring my husband with me.
January 9, 2015
Thank you for writing about our beautiful islands of Malta. They are a gem!
January 9, 2015
You’re very welcome! (And, I agree with you)!
January 9, 2015
Lovely post! I’ve been living in Malta for almost one year now and I have to say I had the same impression. First off, you think the island is too small, and you wonder what you’ll do the next days. But over the past year I haven’t been able to see everything there is to see and do everything there is to do on the island (or archipelago as Gozo and Comino are quite nice to visit).
My advice for anyone who wants to visit Malt: Get lost! Not in a bad way, of course. Just rent a car, forget your guide and roam the small and bumpy Maltese roads. You’ll discover wonderful landscapes you wouldn’t even think exist in Malta (Fomm ir-Riħ for example or Mgarr ix-Xini in Gozo).
January 9, 2015
Good to know! My next Malta post will be on Gozo. I’d love for you to check back and let me know what you think! 🙂
January 9, 2015
I got married in Malta and have enjoyed many holidays there. If you hire a car there are so many great places to see and lots to do. yes the Island is small but the people make up for it with their big hearts.
January 9, 2015
I would agree! Everyone we met was very nice!
January 9, 2015
I’m in love with Malta as well. Went there 3 times and I will go again!
January 10, 2015
You saw a bit of Malta but it seems you have not visit the best part of the Maltese Islands which is Gozo so really you need to come back and write this article once more.
January 10, 2015
Actually, I did! As I mentioned above, I’ll be doing 3 Malta posts. My next Malta post will be on Gozo, so check back! 🙂
January 10, 2015
I too fell in love with Malta many years ago, my husband and I decided to retire here and have been resident for nearly 3 years. We are still in love with this beautiful island.
January 10, 2015
I would imagine Malta to be a lovely place to retire!
January 11, 2015
You have to come back in Malta. . I drive every day in the past 5 years and I’m still discovering new beautiful places 😉
January 11, 2015
I’m sure I’ll be back! I’d like to bring my husband on my next trip. 🙂
January 11, 2015
You can come back and enjoy it … or you can come with your husband 🙂
January 11, 2015
It’s such a pleasure to read about my beautiful homeland from the perspective of a foreigner. As someone suggested, Gozo is a must (beautiful, peaceful island), and Comino also (but in summer).
Back to Valletta, my hometown, did you visit the breakwater bridge? It’s beautiful down there.
And for food, I hope you managed to taste pastizzi 🙂
January 11, 2015
Yes – we did! (Although, we didn’t make it to Comino). My love for Gozo and pastizzi will be discussed in my follow-up posts! 🙂
January 12, 2015
There are lovely walks in the countryside and if you are interested in prehistory history there are ample museums – nightlife in Paceville and 300 days of sunshine and the crystal limpid azure sea ….and a guide is trained to tailor your stay to your specific requirements – to the individual choice … you choose and we shall try to offer from the best we have.
January 12, 2015
Thanks for the suggestions!
January 12, 2015
Thanks for the article.
Next time, take a trip to some of the villages that are incredible for example Haz-Zebbug where one can admire theway that houses were built a very long time ago. Plus the galleries and little statues plus a massive one of St.Roque. Not to be missed the silver statue of St.Philip of Aggira (Agirone)
January 12, 2015
Thanks for the suggestions!
January 12, 2015
wow, great post and pictures!
glad to hear you loved your stay!
January 12, 2015
Thank you! 🙂
January 13, 2015
I went back in July 2014 after 30 years. it’s been six months since I’ve been back and i can’t get it out of mind. my other half things i have depression and i think shes right.
i just want to go and live there.
January 13, 2015
Malta would be a lovely place to call home! 🙂
February 4, 2015
I love how you described this trip. It sounds like a wonderful getaway with plenty of time to take in the small details. My favorite photo has to be of the narrow Valletta street. It reminds me so much of my trip to France this past August.
February 4, 2015
Thanks so much, Beth!
February 4, 2015
I live in Malta and found your piece interesting, although you missed out lots of things you could have done in Three Cities. Maybe on your next visit you stay for longer and see more of what the island has to offer and yes, rent a car, see places where the buses don’t go !!
February 5, 2015
Yes, Aggie. Unfortunately, we didn’t have much time in the three cities. I do have more posts coming that detail what else I did the following days though. 🙂
February 10, 2015
Sounds like a fantastic trip! Sometimes people make snap judgments when they reach a destination and miss out a great experience. I’m so glad to hear you ended up loving Malta. I hope to visit one day!
February 10, 2015
It was a beautiful country with warm people and delicious food!
February 27, 2015
I’ve been in Malta two years ago. Right at the Santa Marija festival. We didn’t book a hotel in advance (rather wanted to stay at some difference places). Boy what a mistake that was. We spent one whole day looking for a place to stay since virtually ever little hovel was rent out!
But then again the festival itself was one big suprise that made more than up for the our hotel-problem 🙂
I hate the beaches (if you can call them that) in Malta – but I loved the prehistoric culture sites!
February 27, 2015
I bet that was a great time to visit!
March 10, 2015
great post, thanks
March 10, 2015
Thanks, Trevor.
May 29, 2015
Glad you enjoyed your stay in Malta. There are certainly plenty of things to do in Valletta. May favourite places to visit are Casa Rocca Piccola and the Archeology museum (followed by visiting the actual ancient temples themselves – not in Valletta) and a walk below the fortifications themselves. Here is a small list that will help – http://goo.gl/bFOVKr
May 29, 2015
Thanks for the suggestions, Aldo!
September 28, 2015
Hi, Going to Malta in a few days. Can’t find your 3rd post, found Gozo and Was Malta A Mistake, but can’t seem to find a third one. Please send me the link.
Thanks…
September 28, 2015
Hi Diane,
Unfortunately, I haven’t finished it yet! But, let me know if you have any questions!
March 9, 2016
Thanks for the article, I found once you started talking to the people, you discovered so much more.
The prehistory, the war, the recent history and the unique history. Ask about the MOT for the buses.
Favourite spot was on the cliffs at the end of the “tramlines”.
March 9, 2016
You’re absolutely right, Dave. I don’t think I learned about the MOT!?
January 25, 2017
I have to agree as well. Malta seems way too small at first, but then you get to see more of it and discover that it isn’t that small after all. 🙂
January 25, 2017
Yes! 🙂 I would love to get back.