10 Tips For Planning a Trip to Malta

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by Michael Rozenblit


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The small Meditteranean island of Malta, located only 80km from the coast of Sicily, is often overlooked on conventional European itineraries due to the perceived notion that it is difficult to get to. Over recent years, however, there has been an influx of budget airlines offering discounted flights to Malta from the European mainland resulting in an ever-increasing number of tourists wondering what they should know for planning a trip to Malta.

If you’re a first-time visitor, it’s worth keeping in mind these ten essential Malta tips to make the most of your time on the island!

10 Malta Travel Tips

1. You don’t need to stay at an all-inclusive resort

For many Europeans, Malta has often been considered a destination where you go to stay at an all-inclusive resort. If you only follow one of these tips, then I strongly urge you to follow this one: don’t stay at a resort!

Not only is Malta incredibly easy to travel around independently, but there are so many hidden gems and great places to eat that you will be extremely restricted if staying in a resort as they are usually located in remoter parts of the island.

Furthermore, there is a plethora of accommodation options available throughout Malta that can suit all kinds of travel styles and budgets.

The fishing village of Marsaxlokk
The beautiful fishing village of Marsaxlokk

2. Take advantage of the extensive bus network

Another great way to save money when travelling to Malta is to take advantage of the extensive bus network that runs all over the main island of Malta and Gozo.

A single ticket costs between €2-3 depending on the route and time and allows you unlimited bus transfers for 2 hours. If staying for more than a week on Malta, it’s also worth considering buying a weekly travel card for €21 that gives you unlimited journeys on the bus.

Some bus routes, particularly on Gozo, only run once every 30 or 60 minutes so it’s worth checking timetables in advance so you’re not left waiting at the bus stop!

3. Malta might be small, but that doesn’t mean you should rush through!

If you look at a world map, you might be forgiven for thinking that Malta’s small size means you can easily explore the island within a couple of days. Don’t be fooled!

One of the most crucial tips to remember when planning a trip is that this small country is jam-packed with historical sites, natural beauty and amazing places to discover. We recommend spending at least one full week in Malta, however, we found that you could easily spend several weeks here and not run out of things to do.

Ramla Beach in Gozo
Spending longer in Malta means you can afford a leisurely day at the beach!

4. You can drink the tap water, but you probably won’t want to

Like most countries in Europe, the tap water in Malta is perfectly safe to drink. However, as Malta doesn’t get a lot of rain and there aren’t many rivers or lakes, the tap water is desalinated. This means that the water has a very distinctive taste and even the majority of locals will drink bottled water.

While bottled water isn’t expensive in Malta, if you are concerned about the environmental impact of consistently buying bottled water then you should consider purchasing a water bottle with an inbuilt filter before arriving in Malta which can improve the taste to a degree.

5. Make the most of affordable fine dining

One of the things that surprised us the most during our time in Malta was not only the amazing quality of food but how affordable some of the nicer restaurants in Malta were compared to other Western European countries.

We noticed that typically there wouldn’t be a large price difference between eating at a mid-range restaurant compared to a fine dining establishment. We had a number of really nice meals in Malta and a lot of that time wouldn’t pay more than around €60 for dinner for two which included shared starters, a main dish and some delicious local wine.

Maltese cuisine is a fantastic blend of food from nearby regions including Italian and North African so making the most of the quality cuisine is undoubtedly one of the top Malta tips to remember when planning a trip here!

Maltese octopus in garlic
Traditional Octopus in Garlic Dish

6. Always carry a swimsuit!

When our Airbnb host picked us up from the airport at night, he mentioned that you can swim nearly anywhere in Silema. At first, I thought he was exaggerating however it wasn’t until the next morning that I realised that you could, in fact, swim anywhere along the promenade. There are even steps and barricades installed along the shore meaning it’s easy to get into the water and also quite safe.

This isn’t uncommon in a lot of Malta and means that while you’re exploring some of the cities, you could easily stumble across a fantastic swimming spot that lures you in as a welcome respite from the heat. Make sure you’re prepared and always carry a swimsuit!

7. Don’t treat Gozo as a day trip

Many travellers who come to Malta choose to stay on the main island and take a quick day trip that combines Gozo with the Blue Lagoon and Comino. One of our most emphatic tips is to spend a few days staying in Gozo if have enough time on Malta! It can be even worth choosing to stay in Gozo over Malta.

There are many brilliant things to do in Gozo including exploring the capital of Victoria, visiting untouched sandy beaches, hiking and sampling local wines and craft beers.

Combined with the fact that some of the best restaurants we ate at were in Gozo, it means that we highly recommend spending at least a few days staying on Malta’s smaller and more rural island!

Planning a trip to Malta should involve some time on Victoria (Rabat) in Gozo
Victoria, the unofficial capital of Gozo

8. Go to the Blue Lagoon early

The Blue Lagoon in Malta (not to be confused with the thermal spa in Iceland!) is one of the most popular attractions in all of Malta with many tour operators offering day trips to the swimming spot.

That means that the area gets incredibly busy, particularly in the summer months, so I highly recommend getting there as early in the day as possible!

We took an all-day sailing trip with Barbarossa Excursions and were extremely happy that they took us to the Blue Lagoon as the first stop before most of the other boats had arrived.

If you want to skip the Blue Lagoon entirely, then the nearby Crystal Lagoon is a great alternative option and is just as beautiful but gets a fraction of the crowds.

Crysyal Lagoon on Comino in Malta
The beautiful Crystal Lagoon on the island of Comino

9. Drink local Maltese wine

Maltese wine hasn’t always had the best reputation. In fact, when we toured the Tal-Massar winery in Gozo, the owner explained that for a long time Maltese wine was looked down upon, even by locals, who preferred wine from neighbouring Italy.

And while the poor reputation still exists for some Maltese people, the growing number of boutique wineries in Malta means that the wine quality has dramatically improved over the years.

Drinking Maltese wine is also typically cheaper than imported wine and as Maltese wine is less likely to be exported, this might be your only opportunity to sample the local vino!

10. Start your day with a pastizzi

Pastizzi – a savoury delicious pastry – is undoubtedly one of the tastiest and most affordable options for breakfast in Malta. They are most commonly filled with either ricotta, meat or mushy peas (go for the ricotta!) and will usually not cost more than €0.50 per pastizzi. No better way to start your day in Malta then a couple of pastizzi and a cup of coffee after a morning swim!

If you’re wondering where to get some of the best pastizzi in Malta, then definitely check out Crystal Palace Bar in Rabat. This hole-in-the-wall place is a typical Maltese bar and a favourite spot amongst locals. They are consistently making pastizzi in a wood fire oven meaning they are served hot and are absolutely delicious!

Fresh Pastizzi in Malta
Delicious pastizzi from Crystal Palace Bar in Rabat

Malta is an incredible place to visit and hopefully, these ten tips have given you some inspiration and handy travel advice for your first trip to Malta! 

Are you visiting Malta? Have any questions? Let us know in the comments below! 

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Michael is a co-founder and writer for The World Was Here First. Both solo and with his partner, Maggie, he has travelled to over 50 countries across the globe and has a particular affinity for the Balkans and Eastern Europe. He’s lived in numerous countries worldwide but currently resides in his hometown of Melbourne, Australia.

Comments

  1. We will be traveling to Malta and Gozo, staying at airBnBs. Focus to be on temples, and sources of language. Can you suggest a good source for guides who might share some expertise, especially re: sources of language — Arabic, Italian, etc. —

    Reply
    • Depending on where you’re staying in Malta, you can either take a taxi or get your accommodation to organise a transfer for you.

      Reply

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