Top 12 Reasons to Go To Malta & Malta Travel Tips
Malta felt like it was on my bucket list forever.
At a short, direct plane ride from Milan, going never seemed urgent during the three years I lived in Italy. Which meant that I never went!
Fast forward to an autumn European trip I was planning after moving back to the US, and I knew Malta was a destination I definitely wanted to include on my visit.
The biggest question I got – “Why are you going to Malta?”
Apparently most people know very little about this small group of islands south of Sicily, so I wanted my first blog post about Malta to be filled with all the incredible reasons to go!
Top Reasons To Visit Malta
It’s Affordable
Even though Malta has become popular as a cruise ship port and with other European tourists, it is still quite affordable. You can get a pretty good tasting menu at a restaurant for around €30 or less, which is always a great marker for me of how much things cost. Street food is dirt cheap.
It’s even affordable to get there, with many discount flights arriving from all over Europe. Plus, there are plenty of reasonable accommodation options for your stay.
Save up to 30% on your hotel on your next upcoming trip!!
Cute Fishing Villages
Yes, this is just as picturesque as you’re imagining! Traditional fishing villages have remained from ancient times and can be spotted by their traditionally painted boats. You’ll see some of the luzzu with a painted eye on each side due to the Phoenician custom to ward off evil and protect fishermen at sea.
Forts to Explore
The islands of Malta, once part of the British Empire and now part of the Commonwealth, have held strategic importance in the Mediterranean for millenia. So it’s not surprising that it is a country with plenty of fortifications you can still visit today dotting its coastline, from massive forts to fortified lookout towers.
It’s even been sometimes known as ‘Fortress Island’ due to the number of forts and its safe, natural harbors for ships.
Maltese Food
You know I’d go pretty much anywhere if I heard good things about the food! As an island nation that changed hands many times in history, Maltese cuisine includes Spanish, French, Italian, and other Mediterranean influences.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BoeF0g8FrAz/
Rabbit is considered to be the national dish and another local favorite is pastizzi, a palm-sized flaky pastry typically filled with cheese or a pea mixture. And the desserts will make you swoon – my favorite was imqaret, an Arabic-inspired pastry filled with a date spread.
Coastline Dotted with Caves and Pools
The rocky coast of Malta lends itself to caves that have been carved out by crashing waves, or indentations in the rock that form natural pools.
These are worth the effort to seek out as they are often not as crowded as the beaches and are beautiful places to explore and swim.
Ancient Stone Cities
Part of Malta’s heavy fortifications mean that there are also walled, stone cities throughout. Most famous are the coastal capital Valletta and Mdina in the center, which served as Malta’s capital through medieval times.
The results have stood for centuries and are beautiful to visit today.
READ MORE: Top 8 Travel Destinations of 2018
Wine Culture & Visiting Wineries
Yes, Malta has wine! Delicious wine that you’re unlikely to have tasted if you’ve never been. I visited two wineries on my trip and had great tours and tastings at both.
Even without going to a winery, you’ll be able to sample a variety of Maltese wines by the glass, half-bottle, carafe, and bottle at your meals each day. While familiar grapes are grown in Malta, there are also some delicious indigenous grapes like Ghirgentina (a white) and Gellewza (for red wine), both delicious varietals blended or on their own.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bowop_JFNIl/
Beaches
The archipelago of Malta is composed of islands, so there are plenty of beaches to enjoy nearby wherever you decide to stay. Since the landscape is inclined toward creating natural harbors, all of the beaches I visited had stunning and dramatic views of the Maltese coastline.
The swimming was lovely too, of course.
Impressive Archaeological Sites
From the 6,000 year old prehistoric burial site known as the Hypogeum to ancient temples and catacombs, archaeological sites are located all over Malta, and provide an interesting window into this region’s past.
If you like history or are fascinated by ancient cultures and traditions, there are plenty of spots to explore all over Malta.
Sunsets
There have been some places I’ve seen in my travels where the sunset is gorgeous and colorful nearly every night. And Malta is one of those places.
Wherever you are on the island, know when the sun will be going down so you can plan to be outside and watch the show. Malta had some of my favorite sunsets of the whole year!
READ MORE: Travel Superlatives 2018
Outdoor Activities
The landscape of Malta is both dramatic and beautiful, and there are many way to take advantage of the great outdoors. There are interior hiking trails and also rocky coastal walks that link different beaches.
Malta is also known for one of my favorite sports, rock climbing, and has incredible limestone to climb on both Malta and Gozo. There are plenty of other outdoor adventure opportunities like cycling and diving as well.
Boats, Boats, Boats!
I love seeing boats and traveling by boat, and being on Malta with its many harbors provides plenty of chances to do both. There is a functional ferry to get between Sliema and the capital Valletta, as well as ferries and tours departing from many main spots around Malta, Gozo, and Comino. Even if boat travel is not your thing, plenty of boats will be docked and provide beautiful views along Malta’s coast.
Top Tips for When You Go
Transportation
The main thing you’ll want to know about getting around Malta is that there is lots of traffic! Traditional rush hours are the worst, but there always seem to be a lot of vehicles on the road and often bus delays.
If you decide on taking public transit (like I did), it is easy to purchase your bus pass from the public transit stand next to the Costa Coffee and by the exit from the airport – either from a person or the machine.
There is an Explore Card that is just for the bus and an ExplorePlus Card that also includes a round-trip ticket on the Valletta ferry and either a day on a hop-on hop-off bus around the island or a boat to the Maltese island of Comino. More details and prices are HERE.
TIP! The two downsides for me of riding the bus were the delays that made it hard for transferring bus lines and also when rush hour buses from Sliema to Valletta were so crowded they did not stop to let additional passengers on.
If you don’t love walking as much as I do (or are not as patient) you’ll probably want to rent a car for your time in Malta.
TIP! Be aware that if you’d like to take the car to one of the other islands, ferry space for a car can be quite limited and you’ll want to arrange this in advance or arrive very early to queue.
In either case, when you first arrive, a taxi is likely your easiest option to arrive at your accommodation, and there are set prices for each destination. My taxi trip from the aiport to Sliema (across the water from Valletta) was €20.
Traveling Solo
Malta is a great destination for traveling solo, especially since pretty much everyone speaks English, as a former British colony and now part of the Commonwealth. I was there for 5 nights on my own and had an easy time navigating and taking advantage of the different sights and activities around Malta, including getting a reservation for 1 at many of the restaurants. Malta is also very affordable, so even when you’re not splitting the cost of a room, it doesn’t break the bank to make the trip.
READ MORE: Top Reasons to Savor Solo Travel
READ MORE: How to Plan Solo Travel in 8 Easy Steps
Eating and Drinking
For whatever reason, tasting menus are plentiful around Malta, which was wonderful for me as a solo traveler who likes to try as many dishes as possible when I travel!
TIP! A lot of restaurants have a small capacity, so be sure to reserve ahead of time, even if it’s just earlier in the day for that same evening.
TIP! Making a reservation is necessary, even as a solo traveler!
READ MORE: How to Eat Well When You Travel Solo
READ MORE: How to Find the Best Restaurants When You Travel
While you might not be able to pick out the small archipelago of Malta on a map (you should go look!) there is so much see, do, and enjoy on the various islands. Now, go plan that trip!
Happy travels!
Lana
Have you been to Malta? What were the highlights for you? What types of activities do you look for most in your travels?
Enjoyed this post? ‘Pin it’ to share on Pinterest & save for later!
