Malta, the small Island of the Mediterranean that is becoming increasingly popular amongst tourists. It is known for its picturesque beaches, wild nightlife and stunning architecture, however Is Malta worth visiting this Summer?
In today’s post we will be discussing reasons on what makes Malta a Top Summer Holiday Destination, as well as give you some tips from a local. We will also be covering both the good and the bad parts of this Island, as to help you find the Perfect Summer Vacation.
As a resident who has lived here all their life, we want to give our honest opinions as well as some tips and tricks that only us locals know about. Furthermore, we want to help you make the best choice when it comes to deciding, where your Next Holiday Destination Should be?
Malta is a destination that can be easily reachable from many locations around the world. Many cities such as Paris, Rome, Madrid, and others offer direct flights with various different airlines, providing you vast choices when it comes to your own travelling time and budgeting needs.
There is one airport on this island, located in the South, specifically in Luqa. The main airline is KM Malta, although there are other budget options, like Ryanair and EasyJet that offer a direct link to plenty of cities around Europe. There is also the possibility of reaching Malta by Ferry from Pozzallo Sicily, which would take you around 2 hours to arrive.
Price of flights usually vary between €100-€150 for a round trip, depending on where you are coming from. During low season, flights can go as low as €20 for example from Italy, which can be ideal for a quick weekend gateway on a budget. We suggest that you do some research before buying the ticket and not purchasing directly from KM Malta, as it is typically the most expensive without providing any additional benefits such as hand luggage.
The ferry gives you the option to also take your car if you are coming from Italy, and lets you arrive directly in Valletta, which is the capital city. For one person travelling without a car, a round trip typically costs around €70-€90, depending on the season. While those travelling with a car, costs range around €160-€300, depending again on the demand and the size of the car.
One of the main advantages about Malta is its size, and the fact that you can go around all the island in a matter of a few minutes. Even though transportation here is not very useful, there are several ways to go around for a good price.
This island only has one mode of public transportation which are the buses. If you are planning to use the bus, we suggest purchasing a bus card online, rather than paying for a single ticket each time you use it. An unlimited bus card for 7 days of travelling, costs €25 for adults and €7 for children, and allows you to explore all of Malta and Gozo. Even though it is the cheapest option, buses here are not known to be very efficient, and they get can get very crowded especially in summer.
If you want an alternative option, we suggest taking a taxi such as Bolt, Uber or eCabs. These are highly used in Malta, offer much more convenience, and are typically not very expensive. We recommend staying away from the ‘real-white taxis’, as their prices are so much more expensive, while the others mentioned previously, offer the same service, and typically give a discount for first time users.
If you are planning on visiting Gozo, Comino or Blue Lagoon, you will have to take the ferry or a boat, either from Ċirkewwa, Valletta or Sliema. There are many different websites, offering various services depending on the location and time that suits you best. We recommend visiting the Gozo Channel website for the official ferry schedule between Malta and Gozo, while websites such as GetYourGuide for day trips around the archipelago.
Before answering this question, you have to first establish the reason for coming to Malta in the first place. This would depend highly on whether you are visiting just to enjoy the beach, just for the city, or rather simply want to explore the most of it as possible.
The North is usually the most popular amongst tourists, this is due to the fact that places like St Paul’s bay, have some of the nicest beaches of the island. If your plan is to mainly relax and enjoy the sea, especially in Summer, we suggest staying in the North as this would save you transportation costs while also being very close to the Gozo ferry.
If the beach is not really your thing, or you are not visiting in Summer, central Malta such as Sliema or Valletta would be more ideal for you. This allows you to be close to the capital, historical areas and other forms of entertainment. However, as already mentioned, Malta is very small, so if you are staying in the north and want to go to the south, it would only take you around 40 minutes by car.
There is also an alternative option that allows you to have a mixture of both the sea and the city, while being more tranquil and less touristic. Places in the South like Birżebbuġia and Marsaxlokk offer amazing beaches, but also many restaurants, cafeterias and historical landmarks such as Għar Dalam and The inquisitor’s Palace.
We suggest websites such as booking.com or Airbnb, to help you find the perfect accommodation during your travels. Hotels can get pretty expensive especially during summer, however there are several alternative options such as apartments or hostels. Moreover, since the north is usually more popular amongst tourists, it also means that it is typically more expensive than nicer places in the south hence, we suggest weighing all your options before deciding on where to stay.
Being an island, this place is known for its fresh and local Mediterranean cuisine that is loved by many. However, apart from the local, here you can also find a vast choice of restaurants specialising in many tastes from around the world such as Asian, Italian, Indian and much more.
There are several local dishes that are delicious and that every tourist must try while in Malta. For example, pastizzi which is a crispy pastry filled with peas, ricotta, chicken, or f ish, should be the first thing you try when you arrive. We highly recommend going to Serkin Crystal Palace Bar in Rabat, that has been open since 1945, to try the most authentic and delicious pastizzi in Malta.
Moreover, as it is an island, it is also known for its fresh fish and seafood. If this is something you like, we suggest going to Marsaxlokk, which is a fishing village, and trying out Lampuki (local fish), Aljotta (fish soup) or octopus. In Marsaxlokk you can dine in one of the several restaurants selling their fresh catch of the day while enjoying the stunning views.
If the local cuisine doesn’t suit you, there are several other authentic restaurants that will surely satisfy your tastes. In recent years, people from all over the world started to migrate to Malta, and hence, there are plenty of different restaurants offering authentic food established by expatriates. For example, Kaiseki is a restaurant in Valletta offering Mediterranean cuisine with a focus on Japanese culinary traditions.
Furthermore, you can also find the usual fast-food places that are loved by many, such as McDonalds, Burger King and others. Food costs tend to be very subjective on where you are. In many touristic areas, restaurants tend to be more expensive. However, we suggest not falling into any tourist traps and instead do some research and try some small, family owned, local restaurants like Nenu The Artisan Baker, click here to know more about it.
Although Malta is tiny when compared to other cities around the world, there are numerous things you can do here that allow you to have an amazing vacation. Below you will find a list from a local perspective, that we think that every tourist should not miss out on when visiting Malta.
Being the Capital city, Valletta is one of the places that holds the most history and culture. In many areas, no cars can enter, hence you can enjoy and walk around peacefully taking in the stunning views of the city while enjoying restaurants, shops and attractions like St. John’s Co-Cathedral, Upper Barrack Gardens, National museums and many more.
Known as the silent city, it is a historical fortified town, that was once the capital of Malta. It is rich in architectural treasures such as St. Paul’s Cathedral, Vilhena Palace, Mdina Dungeons, amongst several others. Moreover, Mdina has also been the backdrop for various cinematic peaces such as ‘Game of thrones’, ‘Napoleon’ and more.
The fishing village is a place where you can witness the local old life. Here you can find markets in the morning selling fresh fish and local foods. Moreover, you can find several restaurants and historical architecture, reflecting the village’s importance throughout Malta’s history like Xrobb l-Għagin Temple ruins.
You cannot come to Malta without also visiting Gozo. Gozo is another small island, part of the Maltese archipelago that can be reached by ferry within 30 minutes. Gozo is known for its delicious local Ftira, and breathtaking beaches namely Ħondoq, Xlendi and Marsalforn.
We suggest taking a boat tour that typically costs around €30 per person for an 8 hour visit. This allows you to visit Gozo, Comino, Blue lagoon and the sea caves. If this is not something you enjoy, we do still suggest that you at least visit Blue Lagoon, as this is arguably one of the best beaches around the world.
Being ruled by many different people in the past, Malta holds thousands of years of history coming from all over the world. It is home to several historical sites such as the Tarxien Temples, that give an insight about how this little island became what it is known today. We advise you to look at the Heritage Malta website for choosing what you want to visit, learn more about the history, buy tickets and look at the opening hours.
During our holiday, we were pretty lucky, as it only rained one of the days we were there, and it didn’t last more than a few minutes. However, it was very cold, and as someone who lives in a much hotter climate, we definitely suggest going prepared such as taking a good coat, scarves, gloves and even a beanie (temperature was between 0-5 degrees Celsius).
There is nothing better than a hot summer day and going to cool off in one of the many gorgeous beaches found all over the Island. Some of our favourite beaches are Golden Bay, Mellieħa Bay, St Peter’s Pool and Għar Lapsi. Keep in mind that these can get severely crowded in Summer, so make sure to plan and go early.
This has become one of our favourite things to do in Malta all year round. Some of the best spots to witness golden hour are definitely Wied Iż-Żurrieq or Dingli Cliffs. Both of these are high points in Malta, where they offer stunning nature and small trails to walk around, relax and enjoy the amazing views.
If you are into partying, drinking and just having a crazy night out, Malta has got some places for you. St. Julians or more specifically Paceville, is filled with bars, clubs, restaurants and hotels, that allows you to have all the fun you want in one place. This is very famous especially amongst young tourists and can get very crowded especially on the weekends where many events occur.
Like many other cities, Malta is becoming a more and more popular tourist destination, hence, you can hardly find a season that might be considered as best, since it highly depends on your reason for visiting. However, this country still remains the most popular during the hot summer months, and this is arguably so.
This island is known for its hot climate, and around May, people are usually already starting to enjoy the sea as temperature can rise up to 30 degrees celsius. However, during the months of July and August, it is when the temperatures are at their highest, and it is also the period when most tourists visit Malta to relax at the sea.
There are plenty of indoor activities you can do to get away from the rain. There are several big shopping malls such as the world-famous Harrods, but if that’s not your thing, there are also many alternative entertainments such as arcades, restaurants, escape rooms and more. In this city, you can surely find something to keep you occupied.
Nevertheless, you can take advantage of the bad weather if you are feeling a bit adventurous. The worse the weather is, the less people are usually outside, which can be your time to explore London more peacefully. This city is known to be overcrowded all year long, especially during the holidays, hence don’t fear a little bit of rain but rather, see it as a good thing to start discovering.
If the main reason for visiting is to swim, we suggest coming around June or September. These months allow you to still enjoy the hot sunny days, while being less crowded than the busy season. However, if the beach is not something that you enjoy, we suggest that you don’t go during these months as it still gets very busy and crowded.
When visiting Malta just to explore the city and culture, months like April, May, October and November, would be ideal for you. The average temperature during these months would be around 20 degrees celsius so it is still pretty warm especially if you are coming from somewhere cold. Moreover, here it hardly rains, and when it does it usually doesn’t last more than a few minutes, so there is little chance that the rain would affect your travels.
Although ideal for the beach, months like July and August can get scorching hot, with temperatures rising up to 40 degrees celsius. If you are planning on visiting during these months make sure to come prepared, apply lots of sunscreen and drink plenty of water. Moreover, it is important to note that during summer, there is usually an overconsumption of electricity due to the whole country using air-conditioning, hence it is not unusual for there to be power cuts that sometimes lasts for hours.
So now let’s go back to the original reason we came here for, Is Malta Worth Visiting This Summer? We definitely think that this island should have a spot in your summer bucket list, as it can be an enjoyable vacation to either discover alone or with your loved ones.
Moreover, if budgeting is a big criteria in your travelling choices, Malta can be ideal as there are many ways to make this trip budget friendly, while also alternatives to have a more luxurious experience. It is a perfect european destination if you want to customise it specifically to your travelling needs, as there are several ways to decrease costs or rather increase them as you please.
This country is also ideal for beginner travellers who might have doubts about travelling in big cities for the first time. Malta is considered as quite safe, solo-traveller friendly, and the locals can be quite helpful as they are very used to tourists. Moreover, due to its compact size, it is easy to navigate and a budget friendly travelling destination.
Although like any other country, it has its own disadvantages, we believe that Malta could be a fantastic option for your Summer Travel Destination in 2025. We recommend that apart from taking our local advice, that you also do more research about specific things you plan to visit, and let us know if you have any more questions that you would like us to answer. Do not forget to check out some of our recent posts like London and Florence. Also, let us know if you’ve ever been to Malta, and if so, what was your favourite thing about visiting? See you next time
We are Martina and Cyprien, a long-distance couple with a passion for travelling.
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