Comino, MaltaVideo: Frank Vincentz, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Find your Bliss in Malta
Malta, made simple: golden stone cities, deep blue coves and seven thousand years of history
Malta is tiny, but it holds more history per square kilometre than almost anywhere in Europe: Neolithic temples older than the pyramids, the fortress capital of the Knights of St John, a silent walled city on a hill, and the slower green island of Gozo. Add warm sea, baroque churches and village festas, and it is easy to fall for. This guide explains buses, ferries, seasons and costs so you can travel with confidence.
Your trip, step by step
- Before you flyEntry rules, seasons, safety advice and health, answered
- LandingMalta International Airport, buses, SIM cards and your first night, explained
- Your days in MaltaCities, temples, coves, Gozo and food, planned with care
- Home againDeparture tips so the last day is calm too
Where to go, eat and stay
- Plain answersClear, honest guidance on the questions first-timers actually ask.
- Official sourcesEntry, health and safety facts point you to the official pages to confirm.
- No price surprisesWe explain bus cards, ferries, tipping, eco contribution and typical budgets so costs never catch you off guard.
- Free to useEvery guide and the trip planner are free.
Our promise
Malta should feel like an easy, sunny escape, not a puzzle. We answer the questions about entry, buses, ferries, heat, money and where to stay before they start, so you arrive confident and ready to find your Bliss.
Coming back from Australia, Canada, the UK or the US to see family in the village, or bringing your children to their first festa? This guide was written with you in mind.
How to use this guide
Four steps from first idea to a trip that feels easy.
- Choose your MaltaHistory, beaches, diving, nightlife or slow village life: start with the destinations that fit you.
- Sort the essentialsEntry rules, the right season and current travel advice, checked against official sources.
- Pick your placesUse our places to visit list for restaurants, coves, museums, walks and stays across the islands.
- Plan your routeUse the free trip planner to split your days between Valletta, Mdina, the coast and Gozo at a calm pace.
Everything your Malta trip needs
Free tools and guides for every stage of the journey.
Destinations
Valletta, the Three Cities, Mdina and Rabat, Sliema and St Julian's, and Gozo, each explained in depth.
Explore destinationsPlaces to visit
More than a hundred restaurants, coves, temples, museums, markets and stays, from classics to hidden corners.
See places to visitFlights and stays
Search flights into Malta International Airport and stays on both islands.
Plan travelPlaces finder
Restaurants, sights and stays mapped around each base.
Find placesFree trip planner
Tell us your dates and interests and build a route that fits.
Plan your trip
The classic Malta trip
Valletta, Mdina, the coast and Gozo
Most first trips base themselves in Valletta or Sliema for four or five nights. Spend a day on Valletta's churches, palaces and harbour views, take the little ferry or a traditional dgħajsa boat across to the Three Cities, and give a day to Mdina and Rabat with their catacombs. Add the temples of Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra with the Blue Grotto, a Sunday morning at Marsaxlokk's fishing harbour, and a boat to Comino's Blue Lagoon. Then cross to Gozo for two or three nights of cliffs, salt pans and quiet villages. A week shows you Malta well; ten days lets Gozo breathe.
- St John's Co-Cathedral and Caravaggio in Valletta
- The silent city of Mdina at dusk
- Prehistoric temples on the southern cliffs
- Gozo's Citadel, salt pans and coastal walks
Start with the destinations
See how the capital, the old cities, the coast and Gozo fit together.
Malta destinationsPlan with confidence
Your route, without the worry
Malta rewards a little preparation: entry rules checked for your passport, a base that suits your pace, realistic bus times in summer traffic, and a season that fits, since July and August are hot and busy while spring and autumn are ideal for walking and swimming. Our free planner helps you shape it.
- Where to base yourself for buses and ferries
- How many nights to give Gozo
- The right season for swimming, walking or festas
Where to go in Malta
From the fortress capital Valletta and the Three Cities to the walled hill town of Mdina, the seafront of Sliema and St Julian's, and the green sister island of Gozo.
South Eastern Region, Malta
Valletta
A golden fortress capital of baroque churches, harbour views, museums and lively little streets.
Read the guidePhoto: Olga Prystai, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
South Eastern Region, Malta
The Three Cities
The Knights' first home across the Grand Harbour: fortresses, yachts, quiet lanes and real neighbourhood life.
Read the guidePhoto: Keith Ruffles, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Western Region, Malta
Mdina and Rabat
A hushed walled city on a hill beside a lively town of catacombs, Roman remains and the island's best pastizzi.
Read the guidePhoto: CEphoto, Uwe Aranas, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Northern Harbour Region, Malta
Sliema and St Julian's
The busy modern seafront: a long promenade, rocky swims, shopping, restaurants and Malta's nightlife hub.
Read the guidePhoto: This photo was taken by Anton Zelenov. Please credit this with : Photo : Anton Zelenov in the immediate vicinity of the image. If you use one of my photos, please email me (account needed) or leave me a short message on my discussion page. It would be greatly appreciated. Do not copy this image illegally by ignoring the terms of the license below, as it is not in the public domain. If you would like special permission to use, license, or purchase the image please contact me to negotiate terms., CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Gozo Region, Malta
Gozo
A rural island of hilltop villages, red sand, sea cliffs, salt pans, ancient temples and world class diving.
Read the guidePhoto: DXR, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A note from our founder
A note from our founder
My first time visiting Kenya, I was genuinely surprised with how fast it began feeling like home. The people are so friendly, the food is delicious and familiar, and the accommodations are modern and upscale.
During my travels throughout the continent, I commonly hear tourists share stories about being scammed or taken advantage of, which is both frustrating and disheartening.
Living in Kenya for the last 2 years, I have had the great fortune to meet a network of wonderful Kenyans who have continuously help guide my family's journey. Their shared knowledge has not only greatly enhanced our overall experience here, but it has also saved us tons of time, energy, and resources.
With BlissPoint Travel, my hope is to build a global community that is willing to share useful, uncommon knowledge so that we can all blissfully enjoy the wonders our world has to offer.
Questions we hear most
Is Malta safe to visit?
Malta is generally very safe, with low levels of violent crime. The main things to watch are petty theft in busy areas and Paceville at night, heat in summer, rough sea at some swimming spots and road safety. Read your own government's travel advice before you go.
What is the capital of Malta?
Valletta, a compact fortified city on a peninsula between two harbours, about twenty minutes by road from Malta International Airport.
Do I need a visa for Malta?
Malta is in the EU and the Schengen area. Many passports, including those of the UK, the US, Canada and Australia, can visit visa-free for short stays, but rules vary by nationality and the EU's new entry systems apply. Check Identità, Malta's official visa and identity agency, and the EU's official travel site before you book.
What language is spoken in Malta?
Maltese and English are both official languages, and almost everyone speaks English, so signs, menus and buses are easy to follow. Italian is also widely understood.
What money is used in Malta?
The euro. Cards are widely accepted, but carry some cash for village snack bars, markets, festas and small boats.
Can BlissPoint Travel book my trip?
We are a free travel guide, not a tour operator. Use our trip planner to shape your route, and our partner links to compare flights and stays.
Ready to find your Bliss in Malta?
Use the free trip planner to shape your days, or send us a question through the contact page.