Most people give Malta three days, usually as a long weekend. That is enough to see the highlights, provided you group things by area and do not spend half of every day on buses. This itinerary is built around three bases of gravity: Valletta, the centre and south, and the islands of Gozo and Comino.
A few ground rules before you start. Stay somewhere central such as Valletta, Sliema or St Julian’s so you are not commuting. Book the Hypogeum and any boat trips before you land. And accept that you will not see everything, which is a good reason to come back.
Day 1: Valletta and the Three Cities
Morning. Walk into Valletta through City Gate as the shops open. Head straight to St John’s Co-Cathedral for the earliest slot you could book, then spend an hour drifting down Republic Street and Merchant Street. Stop for a pastizz and a coffee on Old Theatre Street.
Midday. Walk to Upper Barrakka Gardens for the noon gun and the harbour view. Lunch nearby, then take the lift down to the waterfront and catch the ferry across to Birgu.
Afternoon. Explore Birgu on foot: the Collachio backstreets, the Inquisitor’s Palace and Fort St Angelo at the tip. Walk round to Senglea for the view back at Valletta.
Evening. Return to Valletta by dgħajsa water taxi if the sea is calm. Dinner in Strait Street or on the steps of St Lucia Street, both of which come alive after dark.
Day 2: Mdina, the temples and the south coast
Morning. Take the bus or a taxi to Mdina before it gets busy. Walk the walls, visit St Paul’s Cathedral and stop at Fontanella for the famous cake and view. Walk down into Rabat for the catacombs.
Midday. Continue south to Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra, the two temple complexes above the cliffs. Allow about ninety minutes including the visitor centre.
Afternoon. Drop down to Wied iż-Żurrieq for a Blue Grotto boat ride, then continue to Marsaxlokk. If it is Sunday, the market will be in full swing. If not, the harbour and the luzzu boats are still worth it. Swim at St Peter’s Pool if the wind is calm.
Evening. Fish dinner on the Marsaxlokk seafront, then back to base. This is the day with the most driving, so a hired car or a private driver saves a lot of time.
Day 3: Gozo and Comino
Morning. Take the early fast ferry from Valletta to Mġarr in Gozo, or the car ferry from Ċirkewwa. On Gozo, head for the Citadel in Victoria first while it is cool, then the Ġgantija Temples in Xagħra.
Midday. Lunch in Xagħra or Nadur, then drive out to Dwejra for the Inland Sea and Fungus Rock. If the sea is flat, take the small boat through the tunnel.
Afternoon. Swim at Ramla Bay, Gozo’s red-sand beach, or if you would rather see Comino, take an afternoon boat from Mġarr or Ħondoq to the Blue Lagoon when the day-trip crowds have started to leave.
Evening. Watch the sun set from the salt pans at Xwejni or the cliffs at Ta’ Ċenċ, then take a late ferry back. Or stay the night on Gozo. We would.
If you have a fourth day
Spend it at the beach. Golden Bay and Għajn Tuffieħa in the north-west are the pick on Malta, and our best beaches guide has the full list. Alternatively, spend the whole day on a boat around Comino and the north coast, which is the most relaxed way to see the coastline.
Practical notes
- Getting around. Buses reach everywhere but are slow in summer. For day two, a car or driver is worth it.
- Heat. From June to September, do the walking early and the swimming late.
- Booking. The Hypogeum, St John’s Co-Cathedral and boat trips all sell out. Book those first, then fit the rest around them.
- Gozo ferries. The Ċirkewwa car ferry runs around the clock in summer. The Valletta fast ferry is quicker if you are staying in the capital.
Want more ideas for each stop? Our things to do in Malta guide covers 25 of them.
