Malta

How to spend x6 days in Malta – (this page is travel ready to print / download below)

Valletta, Malta

Stay: Osborne Hotel, 50 South Street, Valletta

  • 3* star hotel – hotel located in the heart of Valletta. Rooms are cleaned and tidied every day, with fresh towels provided and the rooms each have AC (albeit a slightly noisy system). The roof terrace is very small and doesn’t offer a drinks bar. The pool wasn’t cold enough to be refreshing, yet the staff are very friendly and this hotel provides a great base for exploring the city of Valletta and it’s surroundings. The hotel is located just 400m from Valletta’s main bus station and the Sliema ferry service operates just 5 minutes away from the hotel.

Arriving (from the airport):

  • Express bus X4,connects Malta Intl airport with Valletta. The ride takes approx. 25-30 minutes and the timetables run approx. every 25/30 minutes. It costs €2.00pp for a single journey (ticket can be used for transfers & connections within 2 hours of purchasing).

Day 1: Valletta

  • Lunch at Manouche Craft Bakery in St John Sq, just 1 min walk from St John’s Cathedral. Recommend ordering the the halloumi cheese salad with a tahini dressing and a refreshing iced coffee. Serving up an all day breakfast menu it provides a satisfying lunch/brunch spot.
  • Enjoy an afternoon aperitif at Is-Suq Tai-Belt (Valletta’s indoor food hall) serving up food & drinks including Aperol Spritz for a refreshing pit stop.
  • To explore your own walking tour of Valletta start from the Trinton Fountain and the travel through the City Gate, past the Royal Opera House and Pjazza de Valette.
  • Grab a bench to watch the Saluting Battery at the Upper Barrakka Gardens to watch the canons fired every day at noon and 4pm, whilst overlooking the stunning Three Cities.
  • For a traditional Maltese dinner pre-book a table at Legligin wine bar which serves up an authentic 7/8-course tasting menu with a host of local wines. The name means “glug” in Maltese and bookings are recommended in advance for this intimate cellar dining experience.

Day 2: Paola and The Three Cities

  • Travel to suburb Paola to visit the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum, the ancient subterranean necropolis, discovered in 1902. Pre-booking is essential and during peak months tickets can get booked up well in advance. Each tour only hosts 10-11 people at a time. From Valletta you can easily travel to Paola by bus or taxi (Bolt) and the journey takes approx 10-15 mins.
  • After the 50 min ancient chamber tour, you can hope on Bus 4 to Vittoriosa (locally known as Birgu) to arrive at one of the three peninsulas of the Three Cities. The Three Cities are made up of Vittoriosa, Senglea, Cospicua and it is easy to explore them all in half a day.
  • I’d recommend stopping for a mid-morning drink at Date Art cafe in Senglea, serving up food and drinks with a view either sitting in a heart shaped sofa or on the traditional steps.
  • Senglea is home to the Vedette (watch tower) located at the top of the peninsular in Gardolja gardens. It’s here you can also watch the canon firing from opposite the Saluting Battery.
  • A nice local lunch spot in Vittoriosa is in the beautiful gardens of Cafe Riche where you can enjoy an all day brunch/lunch menu al fresco style in the wonderful oasis style courtyard.
  • Vittoriosa is home to Fort St Angelo, where you can buy tickets to go inside the museum and also is where you can catch a water taxi (gondola) back over to Valletta €2.00pp (direct).
  • Or alternatively you can catch the ferry back from Senglea, which is also €1.60pp (single).
  • If you’re feeling the heat, you can pay €1.00 (return) to catch the lift up from the Grand Harbour up to the Upper Barrakka Gardens for panoramic views of the city and its waters.
  • For dinner, Aki is a contemporary Japanese restaurant that is very popular in Valletta serving up sushi and Asian tapas. I highly recommend trying the ‘Flower in Ice’ and ‘Kawaii’ cocktails.
  • For post-dinner drinks it’s worth enquiring to reserve a table at the rooftop bar and terrace of the Embassy Valletta hotel offer stunning views of the Cathedral.

Day 3: Sliema, St. Julians and Paceville

  • The Valletta ferry service offers a frequent service from Marsamxett Harbour to Sliema, which takes around 5 mins and costs €2.80pp (return). The ferry runs from 7am to midnight.
  • Once arriving head straight to Caffe Berry, a firm local favourite, to enjoy the island’s speciality, a famous Pistachio latte. It’s a short 350m walk from the Sliema ferry terminal.
  • Once coffee fuelled, head for a walk along the promenade to St.Julian’s and then head to Paceville to visit Hugo’s H rooftop. They offer day hire of sun beds & towels at the hotel’s rooftop infinity pool ,overlooking the beaches of St George’s bay. Day hire can’t be pre-booked, so arrive pre-11am during peak season. Entry is offered on a first come first served.
  • For dinner head to Spinola Bay, one of the most liveliest places in St. Julian’s for waterside dining. At Gululu you can enjoy homestyle cooking and fresh daily catches whilst overlooking the picturesque bay. The bay lights up at night and offers a nice evening promenade stroll.
  • To travel back to Valletta you can catch the night time ferry back to Marsamxett harbour. Ferries run on the hour exc. between 9.15pm and 11.00pm.

Day 4: Mdina, Rabat and the Blue Grotto

  • To travel to the Arabic walled city of Mdina,in central Malta you can catch the bus from the Valletta bus station – buses 50,51,52 or 53 (30 minute journey, buses every 10 minutes).
  • Home to the famous Mdina glass shop it’s a nice place to start the morning admiring its exquisite architecture and history. The walled city is often used as a filming location.
  • On arrival try to find the famous blue door for a photo opportunity, located adjacent to the street that is home to Fior di Latte gelato shop. It can be found on St Agatha’s Esplanade.
  • For a sweet pit stop admire the views and enjoy homemade cake at the Fontanella Tea Gardens. You can’t book and it is a very popular place that opens every day from 10am.
  • Once you’ve finished exploring Mdina you can get a short taxi ride to Ta’Qali Crafts Village in Rabat, which used to be a WWII RAF airfield. It is now home to local craft makers. You can admire glass blowers at work and shop local handmade jewellery and Maltese lace. 
  • The Blue Grotto in Marsaskala (Southern Malta) offers a 30 min boat trip to explore seven caves and admire the natural arch of the Blue Grotto. However, the best viewing time is recommended at mid-morning, when the sun is shining into the grotto, so plan ahead.
  • For dinner at a local Italian back in Valletta, pre-book a table at the intimate Italian eatery, Beati Paoli where you can enjoy nice wine, Sicilian influenced dishes and attentive service. 

Day 5: Comino / Blue Lagoon

  • Daily boat trips to the stunning lagoons and beaches / bays around Comino are very popular with tourists. Sea Adventures, Sea Bird, Beaches and Bays Catamaran Sailing Tour is by the far the best tour to explore Malta’s finest beaches and swimming and snorkelling locations. The departure port is next to the bus stop called “Moli” at St Paul’s Bay in Bugibba (Northern Malta). It’s a short taxi ride (Bolt) from Valletta or a bus ride away, check timetables. This catamaran trip must be booked in advance, they offer two half day (5 hour) trips daily.
  • On the boat trip you will sail to Comino to enjoy two fantastic stops at the Blue and Crystal lagoon, with its turquoise waters providing the perfect swimming stop to cool down. The catamaran moors at more secluded private areas – just be wary of jelly fish. 
  • The catamaran also stops at either the sandy beaches of Ghajn Tuffieha or Anchor Bay, where you canadmire the film set of Popeye village. Providing a unique filming opportunity.
  • Once back in Valletta for the evening enjoy a sunset view at seafood restaurant Porticello, offering a unique dining setting in a reformed police station, specialising in fresh fish and seafood. I recommend the spaghetti vongole and lobster ravioli. 

Day 6: Gozo

  • If you have time before heading to the airport, it is possible to travel on the fast ferry from Valletta to Gozo in less than 45 minutes. The small island of Gozo is now incredibly popular as a holiday destination so it warrants longer than a half day trip to fully explore its offering.
  • Head to Victoria, the chief town of Gozo, to explore the centre of the island, re-named to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1897, originally known as Rabat. 
  • I recommend an al fresco breakfast at all day Cafe Jubilee,in the heart of Independence Sq.

Other recommendations in Valletta:

  • San Paolo Naufrago a bustling place to enjoy al fresco Italian dining, offering up homemade lasagne dishes and freshly baked pizzas – a busy place with the locals.
  • Old school Italian pizzeria Sotto serves up award-winning pizzas in an old-school Italian eatery.
  • No.43 is a trendy cafe serving a fresh selection of healthy salads that you can mix and match.
  • The Bridge bar is a wine bar offering a decent happy hour and a jazz band on Fridays.
  • The free Tallinja App is worth downloading to help navigate using public transport in Malta. You can use it to locate your nearest bus stop and check all available bus routes to your chosen destination. 
  • If you plan to use the AC local bus networks to travel around it might also be worth purchasing a Tallinja “Explore Flex” transport card that can be topped up as pay-as-you-go whilst offering a reduced fare. You can also use this card on Malta’s different public transport services, such as the Valetta Ferry Services. The card offers a reduced fare of €1.85 for day services on local buses.