Malta Travel Guide: Valletta, Sliema, Gozo & Where to Go in 2026
Maltańska mieszanka historii, skalistych plaż i uroczych miasteczek z unikalnymi balkonami jest urzekająca. LocalsInsider oferuje wgląd w butikowe hotele na Malcie, ekologiczne miejsca i historyczne miejsca z lokalnymi przewodnikami.
Malta is the Mediterranean country that punches well above its weight. Three inhabited islands, roughly half a million people, English as a second official language, and 7,000 years of layered history visible in the limestone — Phoenician, Roman, Arab, Norman, Knights of St John, British. Valletta is the UNESCO-listed Baroque capital. Sliema is the modern waterfront most travelers actually stay in. Gozo, the smaller second island, is rural, slow, and where Maltese themselves go to disconnect. The diving is excellent year-round. The food is more interesting than it looks — fenkata (rabbit), pastizzi, the Sicilian-Arab-British fusion that doesn't exist anywhere else.
Our Malta coverage is solid — six articles across the islands, the boutique hotels worth booking, and the swimming spots locals know.
The travel personality: The Mediterranean Compact Traveler
Quick facts
Live right now
Best time to visit
| Season | Why go |
|---|---|
| April–June, September–October | Malta's mild January-February makes it an unusual off-season European warm escape |
| March, November | Shoulder season — fewer tourists, often cheaper, weather still good |
| December–February (mild winters, perfect for cities) | Off-season — quiet, best deals, plan around weather |
Top cities to visit
Experiences you'll probably love
- Sunset over Valletta's Grand Harbour from Upper Barrakka Gardens
- The Blue Lagoon on Comino (early morning to avoid crowds)
- Ġgantija temples on Gozo (older than the pyramids)
- Diving the wrecks and reefs around the archipelago
- Festa season (May–September) — village fireworks every weekend
Not many tourists know about…
- Marsaxlokk fishing village for Sunday morning market
- Hypogeum of Ħal Saflieni — book months ahead
- The Dingli Cliffs at sunset
- Gozo's salt pans at Marsalforn
- Three Cities (Birgu, Senglea, Cospicua) across the harbour from Valletta
- Mġarr ix-Xini bay on Gozo — Brad-and-Angelina secret cove
If you visit only once, make it this
Valletta is a UNESCO-listed entirely-walled 16th-century capital — built by the Knights of Malta after they repelled the Ottoman siege of 1565. Saint John's Co-Cathedral houses Caravaggio's largest canvas (The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist) plus another Caravaggio.
Walking distance from ferry/airport bus. The cathedral charges €15 entry.
Where to walk & breathe
Six interconnected sea caves on Malta's southern coast where sunlight refracts off the limestone to turn the water electric blue. Small boats take 6-8 people in for 25-minute tours. The viewpoint above on Triq Wied iż-Żurrieq is the iconic photograph.
Boat tours run when the sea is calm (April-October mostly). €10 per person.
Museums worth your time
Malta's national art museum in the former Auberge d'Italie — Mattia Preti, Caravaggio influence on Maltese painters, plus Maltese contemporary.
Visit website →5,000-year-old underground burial complex carved from solid limestone — UNESCO-listed, the only Neolithic underground temple in the world. Only 80 visitors per day; book 2+ months ahead.
Visit website →The Insider's Edit
A few additions for travelers planning Malta at the high end:
Four 16th-century townhouses on the Grand Harbour — the most design-forward stay in Malta.
A boutique nine-suite hotel in a 19th-century palazzo on Old Theatre Street.
Chef Jonathan Brincat's tasting menu of refined Maltese cooking — one Michelin star.
Caravaggio's Beheading of St John the Baptist — his largest canvas, the only signed work — hangs in the oratory.
The national community art museum, reimagined in 2018 inside the Auberge d'Italie — the strongest collection of Caravaggio-school works after Naples.
Where to eat
Malta's first Michelin-starred restaurant (2020) — chef Victor Borg's contemporary Mediterranean tasting menus in a converted 16th-century townhouse.
One Michelin star with chef Simon Rogan (of UK's L'Enclume) — harbor-view fine dining in Iniala Harbour House, Malta's most ambitious recent luxury opening.
Inside Valletta's 16th-century city walls — Maltese specialties (lampuki fish, rabbit stew/fenkata), atmospheric stone-vaulted dining.
Marsaxlokk fishing village seafood — fresh Mediterranean fish, the boat-painted luzzu fleet visible from the terrace. Family-run for 40+ years.
Where to stay
Three connected 16th-century townhouses converted to 23-suite luxury hotel, opened 2022 — ION Harbour Michelin-starred restaurant, infinity pool with Valletta harbor view.
1947 Art Deco hotel on the Valletta peninsula — 7.5-acre gardens, infinity pool with harbor view, the Phoenix restaurant. Where the Queen stayed in 2007.
Only 8 suites in a converted 1830s Valletta palace — Italian marble bathrooms, rooftop terraces with cathedral views, walking distance to Saint John's Co-Cathedral.
17th-century palace inside Mdina's medieval walls (the 'Silent City') — De Mondion Michelin-starred restaurant, 17 suites, completely silent at night (no cars allowed in Mdina).
Realistic daily budget
Per person, per day. Excludes flights. Peak season can run 20-40% higher.
Travel safety & inclusivity
Safety scores reflect UK FCDO & US State Department travel advisories. LGBTQ+ scores reflect Equaldex and ILGA-Europe rankings. Both refreshed quarterly.
Major festivals
Need a visa for Malta?
Many travelers can enter Malta visa-free, but it depends on your passport. Check your specific requirements:
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Articles in this section are written by Locals Insider editorial team. Want to share your experience about Malta? Email us at hello@localsinsider.com.
