Key facts
Malta at a glance
Highlights
The essentials of Malta
Areas and places
Malta area by area
Each area has its own page, with its own character, plans and map.
Itineraries
Itineraries that pass through
Days and weekends already planned out, with how to get between each stop and who to book with.
Getaways from Valletta
Plan the trip
Malta, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Malta
April, May, June, September and October: highs of 20 to 29 °C, sea for swimming from June and fewer people than in summer. July and August exceed 31 °C without a drop of rain and the Blue Lagoon fills up. From November to March it is mild, 15 to 21 °C, but it rains more and the sea is cold for swimming.
How you travel
Malta your way
The ways of travelling that suit Malta. We are writing a guide to each one: where to stay, how to get around and which services you will need.
By carBackpackingCar-freeLuxuryOn footBy bike
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Book the Hypogeum in advance
Only ten people enter at a time and Heritage Malta recommends booking early. Last-minute tickets go on sale the day before, at €50. Children under 6 are not admitted and no photos are allowed.
- 2Book the Blue Lagoon before boarding the boat
It is compulsory for everyone arriving by sea, with three slots a day. Without it you can be fined.
- 3Pay for the bus with your card
Contactless payment is accepted and the ticket is valid for two hours with transfers.
- 4Car for Gozo, not for Valletta
In Valletta you go on foot and parking is difficult. In Gozo, the car lets you go from temples to salt pans and coves at your own pace.
The Blue Lagoon has a capacity of 4,000 people and time slots. Without a booking you can be fined.
What is Malta?
A small archipelago in the middle of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, with three inhabited islands: Malta, the big one; Gozo, more rural, and Comino, almost uninhabited. You can see all of it in a week without rushing. It is golden stone, fortifications of the Knights of the Order of St John, megalithic temples older than the pyramids of Egypt and a sea you swim in from rock platforms. Maltese and English are spoken, the euro has been used since 2008 and it is in Schengen: you travel with your national ID card.
Valletta or Gozo?
- Valletta, for a first visit. The capital is a fortified city that the Order of St John founded in 1566 on a peninsula between two natural harbours, and it has been a World Heritage Site since 1980. Inside are St John's Co-Cathedral, with its Caravaggios, and the Upper Barrakka Gardens, above the Grand Harbour; opposite, the Three Cities. From here you take the bus to Mdina, in the interior, and to the temples of Ħaġar Qim. Three or four nights.
- Gozo, for slowing down. The second island is more rural and quieter. It has the Ġgantija temples, the citadel of Victoria, the Xwejni salt pans, Ramla Bay and well-known dive sites, such as the Blue Hole at Dwejra. Two or three nights.
With a week, four nights in Valletta or around it and three in Gozo. From Gozo, Comino and its Blue Lagoon are a short boat ride away.
How do you get there from Spain?
By plane, direct. Ryanair flies to Malta all year from Madrid, Barcelona, Palma and Seville, and in season from Valencia; Vueling, from Barcelona; and KM Malta Airlines, the Maltese airline, from Madrid all year and from Málaga in season. The airport is at Luqa, in the middle of the island. White taxis have a fixed fare from the airport to any town, and there is also a scheduled bus.
How do you get around Malta?
By bus. The Malta Public Transport network reaches almost everywhere and is cheap: a ticket costs €2.50 in summer and €2 in winter, is paid to the driver in cash or by contactless card and is valid for two hours with transfers. If you are going to travel a lot, the 7-day Explore Flex card costs €27 with unlimited travel.
By car. You drive on the left and signs are in English. Hire is cheap, with rates from about €16 a day depending on the season, and a Spanish licence is accepted. It helps for Gozo and the south coast, but in Valletta and Sliema parking is difficult.
By ferry to Gozo. Gozo Channel links Ċirkewwa, in the north of Malta, with Mġarr, in Gozo, in about 25 minutes, every day. You do not book: you board in order of arrival, with a car too. The ticket is paid at Mġarr, in Gozo, and covers the outward and return journey. Children aged 3 to 12 pay €1.15.
Do you need to book the Blue Lagoon?
Yes. Since May 2025, Comino's Blue Lagoon has had compulsory booking for everyone arriving by boat, whether private or on an excursion. There are three slots a day (from 8:00 to 13:00, from 13:30 to 17:30 and from 18:00 to 22:00) and a maximum of 4,000 people at a time; booking is done on the official website blcomino.com. Arriving without it can mean a fine.
When to go and what it costs?
The best time is April to June and in September and October. At Luqa the average maximums are 20 °C in April, 24 °C in May, almost 29 °C in June and September and 25 °C in October. July and August exceed 31 °C, with almost no rain and the coves full. From November to March the weather is mild, 15 to 21 °C, but it is the rainy season and the water is cool for swimming.
Malta is mid-priced. Some Heritage Malta references for an adult: Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra, €10; the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum, €35, with only ten people inside at a time. What makes the trip dearer is accommodation in July and August.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How many days do I need in Malta?
Five or six: three or four for Valletta, Mdina and the temples, and two for Gozo. With a week you go without rushing.
Where should I stay in Malta?
In Valletta, if you want the historic centre and to go out on foot; in Gozo, if you want peace and diving.
Do I need a passport?
No. Malta is in Schengen: a valid national ID card is enough.
Do they drive on the left?
Yes, as in the United Kingdom. Signs are in English and the Spanish driving licence is accepted.
How do you get to Gozo?
On the Gozo Channel ferry from Ċirkewwa to Mġarr, about 25 minutes, with no booking. The ticket is paid on the return, in Gozo.
How much does the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum cost?
€35 for an adult, €20 for ages 12 to 17 and €15 for 6 to 11. Children under 6 cannot enter.