What to do in Malta: top 10 activities

Malta is a tiny Southern European island country in the Mediterranean sea. With a population of less than 500,000 people in 316 km2 (122 sq mi), it’s the world’s 10th tiniest and fifth most densely populated country (even though you don’t really feel it when you visit it).

Malta is a sunny, vibrant island with a mix of cultures, incredible landscapes, surprisingly good food and inviting blue waters. Additionally, the tourism hasn’t overexploided it yet (with exceptions, of course), so you can still get a piece of the island for yourself when you visit. This means, also, that the prices are not too high either!

Here are a few things that you can do in Malta:

1. Valletta, the capital

Valletta is the capital of Malta and, thus, an unavoidable stop when visiting the island. This city is special for many reasons, like being the southernmost capital in Europe or the smallest capital in the European Union, with little more than 6,000 inhabitants.

Valletta is surrounded by sea and it is as small as 0.7 km2 (0.3 sq miles). That, together with the old splendor and the quirky decadence of its streets, makes it one of the most charming cities I’ve ever visited and one of my favorite parts of Malta.

Expect to find narrow streets lines with yellow stone 16th century-palazzos, quirky shops and restaurants dating back to the 1950s, colorful maltese balconies and perfect organization, which makes it very easy to navigate.

Be amazed by the intrecate interior of St. Paul’s Co-Cathedral, get the best views at Upper Barrakka Gardens, have some quiet time at Lower Barrakka Gardens and learn about Malta’s history at Fort St. Elmo. Read more about Valletta in this post:

→ What to do in Valletta, Malta: Top 12 things to do in the Europe’s smallest capital

2. Mdina, the silent city

Mdina is exactly how you would imagine a medieval city. Founded during Phoenician times (300 BC), it became the capital of the island during the Middle Ages until it moved to Birgu. Currently it is home to less than 300 inhabitants, although its suburb city, Rabat, hosts 11,000.

Although it never regained its former splendor, it experienced a revival in the 18th century, from which it gained its Baroque features. Nevertheless, it retained its medieval character.

Wander in its medieval narrow streets, get some amazing pictures at one of its many beautiful corners, be amazed by St. Paul’s Metropolitan Cathedral or just discover the filming locations of the hit series Game of Thrones. Read more about Mdina in the link below:

→ Mdina: a guide to the Silent City

3. Marsaxlokk

Marsaxlokk is a small traditional fishing village located in the southeastern shore of the island. The town is famous for its beautiful harbour filled with luzzi, the traditional Maltese fishing boats.

The town is also famous for its fishing activities, which culminate in a big fish market (the Marsaxlokk Market) that takes place every Sunday along the seafront. This same seafront is lined with traditional seafood restaurants.

4. Gozo

Gozo is the second largest island in the Maltese archipelago and, unlike the main island, it’s much less inhabited, giving place to more natural landscapes. Gozo is a perfect getaway to relax, hike and dive.

Some of the most iconic landscapes in the island are Azure Window – it collapsed in 2017, but some of it can still be seen -, the Inland Sea, and some of Malta’s most beautiful beaches, such as Marsalforn or Xlendi.

Gozo is also rich in historical locations, such as the megalithic temples of Ġgantija – dating back to 3600 BC -, the Citadella in Victoria, the Basilica of Ta’ Pinu or the Roman salt pans.

Gozo and the main island are connected by a continuosly opperating ferry line between Cirkewwa (Malta) and Mgarr (Gozo). A return ticket costs less than 5€ and takes about 25 minutes.

5. Comino

Comino is the smallest of Malta’s inhabited islands (having only three permanent residents as of 2019). It is located between the two larger islands – Malta and Gozo – and is a bird sanctuary and a nature reserve.

The most popular activity in Comino is to swim in the Blue Lagoon, one of he most beautiful beaches in Malta. The only problem is, everyone knows about it, so hordes of tourists take boat rides from Valletta and crowd the beautiful blue waters.

Instead, wander along the coastline to find just as amazing waters much less crowded and with beautiful cliffs surrounding them. We chose to rent a private sailboat to have more freedom and, even though it was expensive, it completely paid off! The pictures below are from the little lagoon (Crystal Lagoon) we decided to stop in, with just-as-blue waters, beautiful cliffs and caves to explore. You can also hike along the shrublands, explore the historic tower and battery and dive, dive, dive!

6. Swim on one of Malta’s beaches

Malta is surrounded by the Mediterranean sea, and the blue waters on the Maltese shores will invite you to jump in, especially in the summer months. Make sure you include sandy and stony beaches alike in your itinerary!

Some of the best beaches in the country are the Blue Lagoon (though crowded), Golden Bay, Ramla Beach, Anchor Bay, Mellieha Bay or the cliffy St. Peter’s Pool.

7. The Three Cities: Birgu, Senglea and Cospicua

The Three Cities is a collective name for the three fortified cities located south from Valletta, accross the Grand Harbour: Birgu (or Vittoriosa), Senglea and Cospicua.

Birgu (Vittoriosa)

Birgu is the oldest of the three, and it was of vital importance for anyone that wanted to control Malta to control the city of Birgu. In fact, it served as a base for the Order of Saint John during their conquest of Malta and, later on, as the capital of the country until the establishment of Valletta. Some of the most interesting sites in Birgu are Fort St. Angelo, located on the furthermost part of the peninsula, the Inquisitor’s Palace, the St. Lawrence’s Church or the impressive marina. It is also very charming to just walk around the narrow streets of the collachio (the old town).

Senglea

Senglea is the westernmost of the Three Cities and it’s also called Città Invicta (“unconquered city”) because it managed to resist the Ottoman invasion at the Great Siege of Malta in 1565.

Senglea is the smallest of the Three Cities and it’s home to another fort: Fort St. Michael. Other sites in the city include the Gardjola Gardens, St. Phillip’s Church and the photographable St. Julian’s Church, which is also the oldest building in the city.

Cospicua

Cospicua is the southeastern city in the Three Cities Complex. The city worked as fortification for itself and the other two cities, Senglea and Birgu. The walls, Santa Margherita Lines and Cottonera Lines are still intact and can be visited. You can visit the beautiful docks built by the Order of St. John and the Parish Church of the Immaculate Conception.

8. Visit filming locations

Malta has a very scenic landcape, with bright blue waters, dramatic cliffs and medieval structures. Thus, it is not a surprise that it has been repetedly chosen as filming location for both movies and series, and while being a filming location is not necessarily a reason to visit in itself, producers usually choose very interesting locations to film.

Valletta and the Three Cities have repetedly been used as movie sets for The Count of Monte Cristo, Gladiator, Agora, Assassin’s Creed or Game of Thrones. Similarly, the medieval town of Mdina has recurrently been used as a set for The Count of Monte Cristo and Game of Thrones. You can find a full list of Game of Thrones filming locations here:

→ ‘Game of Thrones’ locations that you can visit in Malta

The Blue Lagoon was used in Madonna’s Swept Away and Brad Pitt’s Troy. They even built a town in Mellieha as a set for 1980’s Popeye that still can be visited. Here’s Popeye Village:

9. Hike over Malta’s cliffs

Some of the most dramatic landscapes of Malta are on it’s cliffs over the Mediterranean sea. You will see them around the islands, but some are worth a mention. An obvious one is the former Azure Window, which collapsed in 2017, but there are many other marvels of nature, such as the beautiful Blue Grotto.

Other very popular cliffs include the Dingli cliffs, in southern Malta, the Mtahleb cliffs (Ras id-Dawwara), in western Malta, the Ta’ Ċenċ cliffs in Gozo or the cliffs around Crystal Lagoon in Comino. Check out this incredible hike through the Southern coast, which stops in both the Blue Grotto and the Dingli cliffs.

10. Mosta

Mosta is a town in the Northern part of Malta. This town was inhabited since prehistory and is now one of the most populated towns in the country. Since it is located in the center of the island, most transportations go through it on the way to the northern part of Malta.

The town is mostly famous for its beautiful Basilica of the Assumption of Our Lady, most commonly known as Rotunda of Mosta. This parish church was built in the 19th century in neoclassical style – based on the Pantheon in Rome – and is topped by the fourth largest dome in Europe.

Fun fact: not exactly fun but, during World War II, a bomb fell on the church with 300 people inside, but it didn’t ignite and no one was hurt.

Mosta Rotunda

Map

Where to stay in Malta

You should choose your accommodation in Malta based on which locations you are planning to visit. Most likely, you will start or end your trip in the capital Valletta. It is also perfectly doable to use Valletta as a base for your Malta trip, as long as you are not visiting the more remote sites of the island of Gozo. You can also stay nearby in Sliema or the Three Cities (Birgu, Cospicua and Senglea), which offer a much more affordable accommodations and are close to Valletta’s transportation hub.

Other likely places to stay are:

• the tiny Medieval walled town of Mdina, perfect for history buffs or couples in a romantic getaway. For cheaper accommodation have a look at Rabat.
• St. Julian’s for luxury and party seekers.
• Mellieha if you’re looking for a beach holiday.
• Mellieha or St. Paul’s Bay as a gateway for Malta’s smaller islands Gozo and Comino.
• Marsaxlokk for a retreat in a small fishing village with the best seafood in the country.
• Victoria as a base to explore Gozo.

Booking.com

Closing statement

Malta is a beautiful surpising country that doesn’t get the attention it deserves (probably for the better!). It has many things to offer to every kind of tourists: it has culture derived from different nations that inhabited the island, it has beautiful and well preserved architecture, it has breathtaking nature, including dramatic cliffs and blue water beaches.

You can continue reading about Malta in these posts:

→ What to do in Valletta, Malta

→ Mdina: a guide to the Silent City

→ ‘Game of Thrones’ locations that you can visit in Malta

If you’re staying in Malta for a few days, it may be a good idea to get the Malta Discount Card. This card will get you discounts of up to 50% in over 150 museums, restaurants, transportations and activities. This card doesn’t only cover the card holder, but also an accompanying guest and up to 3 children under 12!

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