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When people talk about planning a trip to Malta, they tend to fall into one of two camps. Either they want to relax by a beach or they want to spend their time sightseeing and experiencing the country’s unique history and culture. If you’re in that latter group, this flexible Malta itinerary is for you.
How you go about planning your sightseeing visit to Malta will depend on how many days in Malta you have planned. Since a one size fits all itinerary isn’t much help, I’ve mapped how I would plan 4-day, 7-day, and 10-day itineraries, based on my considerable time travelling in Malta. While these itineraries are very focused on sightseeing, they still do allow for a little time at Malta’s beaches. Hopefully, this guide will answer all your planning questions, and show you why a week in Malta is definitely not too long.
The Islands of Malta
People often talk about Malta as if it’s one single island. What’s confusing about that is that the country of Malta is actually an archipelago. But it’s main island is also called Malta, meaning you can be in Malta but also not be on Malta at the same time.
While there are small, uninhabited islands in Malta, the two other islands that tourists need to know are Gozo and Comino. Gozo is hilly, rustic, and home to villages and lots of great natural scenery. Comino, although uninhabited, has a gorgeous swimming spot – the Blue Lagoon – plus beaches and walking trails to explore.
Most visitors will spend the bulk of their time on Malta, as it’s by far the largest island and holds many main attractions. Comino is a textbook day trip destination, but Gozo has some depth to it, meaning it can easily entertain visitors for a few days. The main take away is that each island is different and all are worth visiting.
Best Time to Visit Malta
Because Malta is an island destination in the Mediterranean, people immediately think of it as a summer destination. And yes, summer is an ideal time of year to go if you plan to spend your time at the beach or swimming off Comino. But what about visiting Malta at other times of year?
I’d argue that summer probably isn’t a great time to visit for some activities. I know I wouldn’t want to be hiking on Gozo where there’s no shade at all during the height of summer. And with summer being the busiest time of year to go, I feel like sightseeing generally would be negatively affected by the crowds.
So I definitely suggest considering other times of the year. My two trips to Malta fell across January to March, essentially the winter off-season. And I loved it. Yes, there are days when it rains or strong winds impact the island ferries. You also have fewer hours of daylight, which never helps. But there’s just as much upside to downside in my opinion.
Travelling To Malta
There’s no great secret for how to get to Malta. We are talking about an island country after all. Flying to Malta International Airport, the country’s only airport in Luqa, is the most obvious and straightforward to travel to Malta.
As for who to fly with to get to Malta International Airport, you have options. Air Malta is the national carrier (although there are talks of a new one replacing it) and has routes across Europe and the Mediterranean. Alternatively, there are a range of budget airlines that fly routes, particularly Ryanair. A few major carriers, such as Air France, Emirates, and British Airways also fly to Malta.
Should you want to avoid flying, there is another way to get to Malta. Ferries run regularly from Sicily to Malta, which may be useful when travelling in the region. I can see people afraid of flying or wanting to reduce their carbon footprint considering this approach.
How Long Should Your Malta Itinerary Be?
Because Malta is a small island nation, it’s pretty common to wonder how many days you need in Malta for your trip. But don’t let Malta’s size fool you, it’s actually full of interesting and diverse places to visit.
To put things into perspective, I’ve visited Malta twice for a month each time and I’ve yet to see everything there. Sure, I took plenty of days off sightseeing to work as a digital nomad, but even still there’s loads to see. Remember, you not only have the main island of Malta but also Gozo and Comino to factor in.
Personally, I think 4 days in Malta is the least I would ever recommend. That will let you see a little and get an idea of what the country is like. A much better approach though is to allow 7 to 10 days, especially if you want to see Gozo, as this gives you time to see a wider variety of places.
Itinerary for 4 Days in Malta
With four days in Malta, you’re probably just looking to get a sense of what Malta is like. I’ll say up front that there’s no way to cover the entire country in four days. But 4 days in Malta is enough to make a great start, that’s for sure.
To make the most of your time, stay in or near Valletta, preferably the Sliema area. Over your first two days, explore the waterfront area of Sliema and then take the ferry across to Valletta. There are plenty of things to see in Valletta, from the city’s fortifications to museums. Just don’t miss St John’s Co-Cathedral, it’s interior is very impressive.
Another benefit of staying in or near Sliema, is that several of the island cruise day tours leave from its waterfront. Taking a cruise to the Blue Lagoon, Comino, and Gozo is a classic Malta activity, but most leave from St Paul’s Bay on the north coast. While you can get a bus up to the dock in St Paul’s Bay, taking a cruise from Sliema is just easier.
For the last of your four days in Malta, visiting the historic city of Mdina is a great idea in my opinion. Visiting Mdina from Valletta is pretty easy to do and the fortified city has charm, views, and museums to entertain. Plus, there’s attractions like St Paul’s Catacombs in Rabat to help you fill out the day.
So:
- Day 1: Sliema
- Day 2: Valletta
- Day 3: Gozo, Comino, and Blue Lagoon Cruise
- Day 4: Mdina and Rabat
Itinerary for 7 Days in Malta
While four days may look like a good time, it looks relatively light compared to what you can get up to with a 7-day Malta itinerary. This longer trip takes the above itinerary and builds on it, to give you more time in key places and expand your horizons.
The itinerary is designed for 4 nights in Sliema/Valletta area, and your choice of 2 nights on Gozo with one final night in Mellieha, or all 3 nights in Mellieha/St Paul’s Bay.
Day 1 – Sliema
Because I want to give you a realistic itinerary, we need to allow time for you to actually arrive and get settled. Should you have free time after settling in in the Sliema area, take a walk to start acclimating to Malta.
What’s great about starting in Sliema is you can go for a walk down along its waterfront. There you’ll see the mix of old and new Malta, as well as enjoy views across the water to Valletta. With more time up your sleeve, consider walking over to Manoel Island or around to St Julian’s Bay. While the two are very different, they’ll help you get oriented and should build excitement for what’s to come.
Day 2 – Valletta
Time to see Valletta and find out why it’s the perfect starting point for exploring Malta. Take a ferry across the harbour and follow the steep streets into the heart of the city.
Meander through Valletta’s old stone streets towards the city gate, as you won’t want to miss the massive city fortifications. From there explore the city as you’d like, but places that really should be on your walking route include the Upper and Lower Barrakka Gardens, St. George’s Square, and Fort St Elmo.
Valletta also has its share of museums like Casa Rocca Piccola that will help shed insight on what the city’s history is like. And of course, there’s the big attraction that you can’t miss – St. John’s Co-Cathedral – with its incredible golden interior.
Day 3 – Three Cities
Hopefully you’re not already sick of Maltese balconies and old sandstone buildings, because there are many more to be found over in the Three Cities across the harbour from Valletta.
Vittoriosa, Senglea and Cospicua are a collection of historic neighbourhoods collectively known as the Three Cities that actually predate the capital and offer lots of brilliant scenery to enjoy.
Travel there by bus or ferries and explore the two peninsulas and adjoining marina that the neighbourhoods cover. Highlights of the Three Cities include the Gardjola Gardens, Vittoriosa Yacht Marina, Fort St. Angelo, and Inquisitor’s Palace, all of which help create an insightful itinerary of the Three Cities’ history and character.
Day 4 – Rabat/Mdina
With so much coast to explore, it’s easy to forget about the island interior of Malta. But that’s where you find the memorable attractions of Mdina and Rabat, a day trip from Valletta well worth doing.
Mdina is a citadel and former capital sitting within the city of Rabat. It’s known as the “Silent City” as it was left uninhabited when the capital moved. Mdina with its many palaces feels like an open-air museum today, although does it have actual museums as well. Plus there are the views from its observation deck that let you see all the way to the coast, fully visualizing just how small Malta is.
It’s important not to forget the wider city of Rabat, as it too is worth exploring. Rabat has more of the winding stone streets typical of Malta, as well as its own historic landmarks and museums. Perhaps the standout attraction in Rabat though is the St Paul’s Catacombs, because of their Roman history and vast size.
Day 5 – Gozo
Rather than do a whirlwind boat tour of Malta’s islands, a longer trip gives you more time to explore both Gozo and Comino. Since it’s the larger of the two and potentially where you’ll stay, start by heading out north to Cirkewwa for a ferry over to Gozo.
Gozo is a considerably smaller island than Malta, but it still has loads to see. Start your sightseeing at the harbour of Mgarr, because even this small village has a nice church and viewpoints. There’s also a coastal walking trail you can explore to Xatt l-Aħmar Salt Pans on the south coast should you feel like it.
Afterward, get the bus up to Victoria, the main city on Gozo, to visit its citadel and explore the backstreets around St George’s Basilica. The citadel is very much the main attraction of the city, so feel free to spend as much time there as you like. For any more time you have on Gozo, you have a barrage of options, but two of the easiest are Ġgantija and Nadur village.
Day 6 – Comino
With one island down, it’s time for the other – the island of Comino. In contrast to the fertile, green island of Gozo, Comino is much more dry and sparse, car-free, and effectively uninhabited.
Visits to Comino always focus on outdoor activities because of this, but you still do get to choose how you want to spend the day. So, which appeals more? You can swim in the pristine water at the Blue Lagoon and relax on deck chairs. Or, you can take a walk along the coast to different towers on the island. The choice is yours.
A nice thing about visiting Comino is that you can go from either Gozo or northern Malta, giving you flexibility where you stay after Sliema.
Day 7 – Mellieha
Saying goodbye to the islands, it’s time to turn attention back to Malta. If you were staying on Gozo, take a ferry back to Malta, otherwise you’ll now get to spend time to explore your surroundings in northern Malta.
Mellieha is where I’d start, a pretty town with great views. In terms of sightseeing, it has the Parish Church, WWII Shelters, and beach down below town. But you also have nearby attractions like the Popeye Village, Red Tower, and Fort Campbell. The area is one of my favourite in Malta, especially for hiking.
Itinerary for 10 Days in Malta
Lucky enough to plan for a longer trip to Malta? Then you’ll want to know how those extra days will change and hopefully improve your itinerary. For the sake of example, we’re going to design this as a 10-day itinerary. But you should be able to adapt this to your plans regardless of how long your trip is.
Begin with the 7-day itinerary of Malta above, as you’re not going to want to miss any of the places included there. That gives you three bonus days to build in.
Start by extending your time in Gozo by two days. This might seem like a lot, but Gozo actually has a lot to see despite its small size. This will give you three days exploring the island, which still won’t be enough to see everything.
For the final day, dedicate it to exploring the south coast of Malta, either from Sliema or Mellieha. With it, you can take a boat trip to visit Hagar Qim and Blue Grotto, two highlights of the area. The attractions are sometimes combined together on tours like this one, but many just focus on the prehistoric sites like Hagar Qim.
Your 3-Day Gozo Itinerary
With three days on Gozo, it’s best to organize your sightseeing by area to make the most of your time. Because of Gozo’s size, you can stay in one place for all three days and travel each day by car or public transport to explore. As such, I suggest:
- Day 1 – arrive on Gozo at Mgarr and see Victoria
- Day 2 – travel up to Marsalforn and the north coast
- Day 3 – travel down to Xlendi and the south coast
Since we’ve covered the first day visiting Victoria already above, let’s focus on days two and three.
On your second day in Gozo, you’re definitely going to want to explore the island’s north coast. From Marsalforn you can follow the coast west past salt pans cut into the rock to the cliffs at Wied il-Għasri. Also in the area is the beautiful Ramla Beach and valley below Zebbug.
For Day 3 on Gozo, head the opposite direction south to Xlendi. Starting at this small beachside village, walk past the local stone tower and follow the trail along the edge of the Sanap and Ta Cenc Cliffs. The views from the edge of these cliffs are as awe-inspiring as they are precarious.
As for where to stay on Gozo that’s relatively central, you have a few options. The most obvious is the town of Victoria, being the island’s capital and near to its geographical centre. But another choice is the village of Nadur, as it benefits from good public transport connections and has a selection of accommodation and restaurants to choose from.
Malta Itinerary Ideas and Other Inclusions
So, is that all there is to see in Malta? Not even close. I’ve just tried to focus on showing you what the main attractions are and give you a bit of variety in where you explore.
As I said, I’ve spent a lot of time sightseeing in Malta and I know I’ve still got plenty to go. So don’t feel like you’re missing out just because you haven’t got everywhere on your itinerary.
The upside is that you have options if you want to substitute some things out or have even more time on your hands. If that’s the case, my further recommendations are:
- Marsaxlokk fishing village – a great place to see the iconic luzzu boats above, plus it has some swimming spots nearby;
- Northern Malta – the area around Mellieha has plenty to see, especially if you like hiking/walking;
- Buskett Woods – the rare example of forest on Malta, with orange groves and the nearby Clapham Junction cart ruts;
- Tarxien – area south of the Three Cities, home to ancient Hal Saflieni Hypogeum and Tarxien Temples.
If you’ve been to Malta, how long did you visit for? What would you add or remove to these Malta itineraries? Please share your thoughts and questions in the comments below.
