There's lots to do on your visit to Malta.  We've listed a few suggestions below from wandering the narrow streets of the capital, Valletta, to diving to fine dining in St Julians and others...

Wandering In Valletta

Valletta is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is  European City of Culture in 2018.   Meander down the narrow streets and soak up the culture of this majestic fortress city, with Renaissance cathedrals, Baroque palaces and some of Europe’s finest art work at every corner.

Boat Trips to Take in the Grand Harbour and the Blue Lagoon
Whether it’s accessing hidden beaches, admiring the famous Grand Harbour or just relaxing by the sea, the best way to see Malta is by boat. One popular way to see the Grand Harbour is by traditional dghajsa, a Phoenician style wooden boat.

Comino, the smallest of the islands situated between Malta and Gozo, is home to the iridescent blue waters of the Blue Lagoon. There are regular day trips by boat leaving from Malta and Gozo, giving visitors the chance to explore Comino’s beautiful beaches, its nature reserve and bird sanctuary, and offering up a little piece of paradise for the day.

Diving
Malta and Gozo are ranked third in the world and best in the Mediterranean by Diver Magazine (Best Diving Destination Awards) for their crystal clear waters, rich marine life, archaeological ruins and World War II wrecks. Malta’s clear waters are also very safe – there are no tides or dangerous currents.  Diving is a must-do activity when visiting the islands. 

Nightlife
Malta is always bustling with lots of clubs to visit, excellent wine bars and first-rate restaurants to try. Indeed, the Maltese Islands have also become a hub for the clubbing scene. Internationally renowned DJs like Paul Oakenfold, Erick Morillo, Magda, Tiesto, Van Heill appear for guest weekends throughout the year. The main nightlife clubbing action is in Paceville, on the coast near St. Julians, where the clubs and bars are in abundance.

Events
The Islands have an effervescent calendar of cultural events to see, such as the Malta Arts Festival, the Malta International Fireworks Festival, the Valletta Baroque Festival, the Opera Festival, the Choir Festival and the International Jazz Festival held in July.

Music Festivals
Major music concerts starring top international artists are held every summer, attracting massive crowds of both tourists and locals alike. The Isle of MTV is one of the biggest music festivals in Europe, attracting crowds of more than 50,000 people and takes place on 27th June 2017. For opera lovers, the Joseph Calleja concert featuring Andrea Bocelli takes place on 19th August 2017.

Fine Dining in St Julians
Malta’s cuisine is distinctive, delicious and diverse. Foodies will be delighted by Malta’s eclectic mix of award winning restaurants, fine wines, al fresco dining, and beautiful locations. St Julian’s in particular is a hub of sophisticated waterfront restaurants and chic and stylish eateries.

Majestically standing in the centre of Valletta, St John’s Co-Cathedral is a masterpiece in Baroque architecture and one of Malta’s most fascinating and popular cultural sights.  Built for the Knights of St John between 1573 and 1578, St John’s Co-Cathedral houses some of the world’s most beautiful works of art, including several important works by Caravaggio, including the only painting that has actually been signed by the artist himself. 

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When to Visit
Spring and autumn are ideal for sight-seeing and exploring.  The weather is often beautiful and the temperature is comfortable. In Winter the weather can be mixed although even in January, the average day time high is 15 degrees C. This is a good time for the budget conscious and for city breaks to Valletta as flights and accommodation are cheaper.

The flight time from Ireland is 3.5 hours and the time difference is +1 hours.  Like Ireland, the currency is the Euro and the Maltese drive on the left.  For more information, visit www.visitmalta.com

Where to Stay
Malta is small and you can travel by car from the north to the south in an hour or so (longer by bus). 

St Paul's Bay, Bugibba and Qawra
St. Paul’s Bay is a large and popular tourist area located on the North East coast of Malta, 15km from Valetta. The old town of St. Paul’s Bay has extended to the south and engulfed the popular tourist areas of Bugibba and the newer resort of Qawra.

Bugibba is the largest resort in the area, with good views of St Paul’s Bay.  The entire area is great for water sports.

Sliema
Sliema is an up-market residential town, located on Malta's east coast, 5km north of Valletta. It has a long sea front promenade and lots of restaurants, bars and cafes, with a relaxed cosmopolitan feel.  Sliema’s shops are among the best on the island and the island's largest shopping mall, The Point, is located here.

St Julian's 
St. Julians is located immediately north of Sliema on Malta's eastern coast.  Just 8km from Valletta, St Julians  includes the areas of Paceville, St Georges Bay (below), Spinola Bay and Portomaso. St. Julian's is a very popular resort for young singles and couples. Paceville has a very lively atmosphere and is Malta's nightlife capital.  There are lots of restaurants and bars all round the bay, particularly Spinola Bay. Portomaso is a small private yacht marina which has a number of popular up-market restaurants and watersports and diving are available here.

Mellieha
Mellieha Bay is a very family-friendly holiday resort and is situated on the north coast.  Mellieha Bay has the largest beach in Malta which is a clean, sandy beach and is is gently sloping with shallow waters. A variety of watersports are available here including water skiing, sailing, wind surfing, snorkelling and some of the best scuba-diving in the Mediterranean.

This is the quiet resort which is suitable for couples and families with a good range of hotels and holiday apartments and a wide variety of restaurants. From Mellieha Bay, you can catch the shuttle bus to Popeye Village Fun Park, one of the most visited attractions on Malta.

The Maltese Islands boast more UNESCO heritage sites per square mile than anywhere else in Europe with three sites inscribed on the World Heritage List. These are the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum, the Megalithic Temples and the City of Valletta


Hal Saflieni Hypogeum is a remarkable complex of interconnected chambers, passages and stairways that were carved out of rock with stone tools. This underground labyrinth is on three levels and dates back to 4000 BC and comes complete with beautiful carvings and paintings in red ochre. 

The Megalithic Temples: There are seven in total, five on the island of Malta and two on Gozo. Hagar Qim (below) and Mnajdra are two very beautiful stone age temples set in the cliffs of Malta's southern coast and are well worth a visit. The Ta' Ħagrat and Skorba complexes are other temples on the World Heritage List which were built between 3600 and 2500 B.C.

The two gigantic Bronze Age temples of Ġgantija in Gozo are the oldest, free-standing monuments in the world and were built at least 1,000 years before the famous Egyptian pyramids of Giza were constructed. 

Mdina (below) is one of Europe’s finest examples of an ancient walled city and extraordinary in its mix of medieval and baroque architecture. Known as the ‘Silent City’, it's two hundred metres about sea level and the views from the fortified bastions are as striking as the churches, palaces and noble houses within its walls. It's just thirty minutes away from Valletta, in the quieter centre of the island.  

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Valletta - a UNESCO World Heritage Site

From rich military history and medieval cathedrals to fantastic shopping, café culture and cutting edge architecture, Valletta is the jewel in Malta's crown. its prestige has been honoured on the international stage when it was selected as European Culture Capital for 2018. The city is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It's easy to navigate this majestic fortress city that is bounded by two harbors, the Grand Harbor and Marsamxett Harbor. Meander down the narrow streets and soak up the culture with Renaissance cathedrals, Baroque palaces and some of Europe’s finest art work at every corner.

Visit the incredibly ornate Grand Master’s Palace, once the residence of the Knights of Malta.  Inside the palace, see splendid paintings telling the story of the knights' military victories and the armour that protected them in battle.

Art Lovers can stop off at the St John Co Cathedral and marvel at its awe-inspiring interior and opulent decor including two prestigious paintings by Caravaggio!

Sample the Maltese wines and enjoy beautiful local delicacies in Valletta’s eclectic mix of restaurants, offering a variety of cuisines to satisfy all tastes and budgets. 

Take a stroll along the Valletta waterfront, the gateway to Malta's capital city.  The waterfront has been the epicentre of Malta's maritime activity for thousands of years and it's where the cruise liners now dock.   

Make sure to see the Upper Barrakka Gardens, with its Romanesque-style arches and fantastic views of the Valletta harbour. 

Whether you’re a history buff or a seasoned shopper, a culture vulture or a night owl, Valletta is the perfect location for a relaxing and fascinating weekend break.

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Gozo - Malta's Sister Island

While Gozo is greener, more rural and smaller than Malta, this little island has plenty of sights and attractions to keep visitors occupied.

Most of the island is gently rolling hills with ancient villages, baroque churches and historic sites leading down to protected beaches with amazing panoramas.

The centre of everyday activity on the island is Victoria (also known as Rabat) - a fortified medieval city. The Citadel is  visible from almost all over the island, rising steeply above the surrounding countryside

Gozo is home to the most important and best-preserved archaeological site of the Maltese Islands - the Ggantija Temples dating back to around 3500 BC.

Those who enjoy outdoor activities will love the walking opportunities available in Gozo. The beautiful coastline has a number of cliff top walks. Those who prefer to relax can make the most of Gozo’s luxury five star spas.

A favourite beach is at Ramla Bay. This beach has wide, sandy shores and gentle waters that are safe for swimming.

The Island of Gozo is accessible by ferry from Cirkewwa on the Island of Malta. Gozo also possesses a full cultural calendar all of its own, with some great dining out.

Comino

Situated between Malta and Gozo, the smaller island of Comino is a paradise for snorkelers, divers and hikers, offering the ultimate in solitude and views.  It is only 2.5km by 1.5km in size, is car-free and apart from one hotel, is virtually uninhabited.

The island's main attraction is the Blue Lagoon (see below). In summer, this sheltered inlet of shimmering aquamarine water over white sand is very popular with day-trippers. Comino is also worth a visit in winter, and is ideal for walkers and photographers. With no urban areas or cars on the island, one can easily smell the scent of wild thyme and other herbs.

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