Positioned in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, close to Italy, Tunisia, and Libya, Malta is a tiny island country in Southern Europe – one of the smallest in the world. Malta has thousands of years of history and influence from many countries and civilizations, including the French, British and Arabs, contributing to its unique cultural heritage, architecture, and traditions. Malta has grown in popularity over the last few years and rightfully so! It hasn’t always been on most people’s must-visit list in Europe, and frankly most Americans have never even heard of it.
There is so much to experience in this tiny country and I hope my detailed guide on how to spend 7 days in Malta convinces you to plan a visit! Get ready for massive forts, ornate palaces and churches, beautiful turquoise blue water, and incredible wine and food. I recommend staying for 4-7 days to get the most out of your visit. If you only have 4 days, skip the visit to Gozo and Comino Islands.
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Days 1-3: Valletta + Surrounding Area
Where to Stay in Valletta
To start your 7 days in Malta, I recommend spending a few days in the small, but unique capital, Valletta.
Iniala Harbour House is rated as one of the finest hotels in the world. It’s four side-by-side historical houses overlooking one of the prettiest streets (Lvant) on one side, and the Grand Harbor between Valletta and the 3 Cities on the other.
For perks & upgrades at the Inalia Harbour House, email me to book your hotel stay (I am a certified Fora Travel Advisor).
Other Hotels in Valletta
Things to Do in Valletta & Surrounding Area
On the first couple days of your 7 day trip in Malta, explore Valletta, the unique capital city (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and its surrounding area. It’s very small and easily seen within a day or two. You can walk from one end to the other in the main old city area within 15-20 minutes.
I highly recommend either a 3-Hour Walking Tour, or a Street Food & Culture Walking tour. While there is so much to see by just wandering the city streets yourself, it’s pretty meaningless without context and history of how Malta came to be what it is today. We love taking walking tours to get better acquainted with wherever we are visiting.
Here are some of the top things to see and do in Valletta. Make sure you read my full detailed guide on the top 10 must-do activities in Valletta, Malta.
- Visit Upper & Lower Barrakka
- Take the Ferry to the 3 Cities & Wander Vittoriosa, Senglea & Cospicua
- Coffee at Lot 61 Coffee Roasters
- Have Lunch at Grano on St Lucia Street (the sandwiches are INCREDIBLE)
- Take a tour of St. John’s Co-Cathedral (Check out this Valletta Walking Tour including a tour of the cathedral)
- St. Paul’s Cathedral
- Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
- Explore Grandmaster Palace
- Discover St. Elmo Fort
- Wander the streets & admire the colorful balconies
- Eat Pasta at Zero Sei Trattoria Romana or ImPasta
- Take the Ferry to Sliema & walk around the old city
I will also warn you, many cruise ships stop at the Valletta port, so be prepared for a massive influx of tourists during the day. If you’re staying in Valletta it’s a great idea to explore early in the morning or after sunset if you want a quieter experience with fewer tourists.
Day 4: Mdina, Rabat
For the second half of your 7 day Malta trip, I recommend getting out of Valletta to explore other parts of the island. Head to Mdina & Rabat for some incredible history. It’s very easy to take a taxi from Valletta to Mdina/Rabat and I suggest doing it in the morning so you have a full day to explore. You can easily take an Uber or Bolt from the city center for around 20 Euro.
Where to Stay in Mdina
Since it’s such a tiny area, there aren’t many options for places to stay in Mdina and Rabat. We stayed at Xara Palace, Relaix & Chateau, a 17th-century palace nestled in the fortified city of Mdina, and loved it! You can stay here as your home base for the next couple of days.
As a certified Fora Travel Advisor, I can get you perks & upgrades at the Xara Palace, Relaix & Chateau, email me to book your hotel stay!
Things to do in Mdina & Rabat
Mdina, called the Silent City and also Malta’s capital until the medieval period, is a fortified medieval town on a hill in the center of the island. Its elevated position offers breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside. Its narrow streets, ancient walls, and Baroque architecture make you feel like you’re back in time. It was one of my favorite places we visited during our 7 days in Malta. Don’t miss St. Paul’s Catacombs and the World World II tunnels – it is very interesting to see where the locals lived underground during the WWII bombings.
I highly recommend this tour Malta: Mdina and Rabat Walking Tour with Catacombs. Our guide was excellent and it was so helpful to learn about the history of the area from a local guide.
Once you’re done with the tour, you can explore the area on your own, visit some of the churches and museums, or enjoy local food and wine.
Restaurants in Mdina & Rabat
- Yana’s – family-owned Maltese/Italian food, incredible homemade food, and cute rooftop seating. Make a reservation ahead!
- Il-Bitha – delicious Italian restaurant in the heart of Rabat. One of our favorite spots!
- Granelli – cafe/bakery
- Marie Boutique Patisserie – cafe/bakery
- Fontanella Tea Garden – amazing view of the surrounding area
- Fior di Latte – gelato
Day 5: Day Trip to Gozo
Malta is made up of three main islands, Malta, Gozo, and Comino. Gozo is the biggest island after Malta and has so much history, charm & incredible landscapes. It has beautiful cliffs, caves, beaches, salt pans & more to explore. Visiting Gozo is a must during your 7 days in Malta. Take the public bus, ride-share, or taxi (for about $25 Euro) to the Cirkewwa Passenger Terminal on the North side of Malta in the morning. Make sure to check the daily ferry schedule ahead of time, but it usually leaves quite frequently.
I recommend booking a tour of Gozo to get around, or renting Quad bikes on your own.
Here are some incredible Gozo tour options depending on if you’re looking for a boat, quad or jeep tour:
- Malta: Comino, Blue Lagoon & Gozo – 2 Island Boat Cruise
- From Malta: Gozo Full-Day Jeep Tour with Lunch and Boat Ride
- From Malta: Gozo Full-Day Quad Bike Tour with Lunch and Boat
We were going to book a tour, but we planned it last minute so ended up renting quads. We rented quad bikes through Gozo Rides Quad Hire, a family-owned place in Nadur, close to the Gozo port. The couple who owns it is lovely! When we arrived, they picked us up at the port and drove us 5 minutes to pick up the quad. The price was about 70 Euro for 4 hours. We had an incredible day exploring Gozo! It was a little chilly (April), but we still had an amazing time. It would have been nice to have been able to enjoy the beaches, which looked incredible!
It’s ideal to drive the perimeter of the island before heading inland to the main city of Victoria. Start from Tal-Mixta Cave and Ramla Bay and work counter-clockwise around the island. Below I’ve listed the best spots to visit in Gozo, including a mix of beaches, caves, cliffs, churches, and amazing views.
Best Stops in Gozo
- Tal-Mixta Cave
- Xwejni Salt Pans
- Ramla Bay
- Xwejni Bay
- Wied il-Għasri
- The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of Ta’ Pinu
- Dwerja Bay
- Victoria (the town)
- Citadella de Victoria
- Cathedral of the Assumption
- St George’s Basilica
Make sure you add my detailed Google Map of Gozo to your maps.
Day 6: Day trip to Comino Island
On the last full day of your one week in Malta, I recommend checking out the Blue Lagoon and Comino Island. Comino is a small island located between the main island of Malta and Gozo, and it’s primarily known for its stunning Blue Lagoon, crystal-clear waters, and picturesque coastline. You can take a 20-30 minute ferry from Cirkewwa or book a guided group boat tour.
Here are some tours you can do to see both of these spots in a day:
- Malta: Comino, Blue Lagoon & Gozo – 2 Island Boat Cruise
- Malta: Gozo & Comino Islands, Blue Lagoon & Seacaves Tour
- Malta: Comino, Gozo, Blue & Crystal Lagoon, and Caves Cruise
Malta also has some great scuba diving or snorkeling, with crystal clear water and diverse marine life, as well as shipwrecks and underwater caves. Check out this Malta scuba tour: Scuba Diving Lesson & Guided Excursion.
Day 7: Depart Malta
I always recommend leaving early so you don’t waste the whole day! Check out Expedia for the best flight options around the world. I hope you enjoyed this 7 day Malta itinerary!
How to get to Malta
Fun fact, you can take a 1.5-2h boat from Sicily to Valletta! There are many international flights to Malta, mostly from Europe. Below are some airlines and cities that fly into Malta International Airport, but I recommend checking Expedia for the best flight times and prices.
- Air Malta: London, Rome, Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam
- Ryanair: London, Dublin, Manchester, Milan, Barcelona
- easyJet: London, Milan, Berlin, Amsterdam, Paris
- Lufthansa: Frankfurt, Munich
- British Airways: London Gatwick, London Heathrow
- Turkish Airlines: Istanbul
- Alitalia: Rome, Milan
- Emirates: Dubai
Explore other Europe itineraries.
Book a Transfer
Once you arrive I always recommend pre-booking a transfer via Booking.com. You can book cheap local taxis to and from the airport and your hotel or city center. Your assigned driver will meet you with a sign at the airport. It’s super easy and stress-free!
How to Get Around Malta
The best way to get around the main cities (Valletta, Mdina/Rabat) is to walk! It’s very walkable and easy to get everywhere. Additionally, to go between the different islands or across the Grand Harbour you can easily take ferries or small boats. To get between cities or around the islands you can either rent a car or use rideshare or a taxi. They use Uber or Bolt in Malta. It’s not very expensive to rent a car in Malta, even just for a day, so that you can access less touristy places. We always book rental cars through Rentalcars.com.
To figure out the ferry schedules and routes, check out the Malta Public Transportation website.
Things to Know Before You Go
Best Time to Visit & Weather: I personally think the best time to visit is May/June or September/October, which is basically Spring and Fall and still “shoulder season”, so there are fewer tourists. The weather can vary though and it can be quite cold and windy some days so just be prepared! Summer (Late June to August) is peak tourist season with warm temperatures, perfect for the beach. It can be crowded and generally more expensive. Winter (December to February) is much colder but quieter and ideal if you are just interested moreso in exploring historical sites.
Currency: Malta uses the Euro. It’s always good to have some cash for small tips, etc. but generally, you can pay for everything by card.
Tipping: Tipping is not always expected but appreciated. In restaurants, it’s recommended to tip 5-10% of the bill for great service. Tipping housekeeping or other hotel staff is always a good idea!
Cuisine: The food in Malta is an incredible blend of Mediterranean food with influences from Italy, North Africa, and the Middle East. Be sure to try the fresh seafood and Pastizzi (a savory pastry with ricotta cheese or mushy peas). We also found a ton of incredible Italian food, pizza and pasta, specifically!
Plugs & Adapters: In Malta, the standard plug type is the British Type G electrical plug, which has three rectangular prongs in a triangular pattern. To ensure compatibility with Malta electrical outlets, I suggest a universal outlet, which you can easily buy on Amazon.
Cost to Travel: Malta is considered relatively more affordable than other European countries, but of course it depends on where you stay, what restaurants you eat at, etc. We thought most restaurants and bars were pretty affordable compared to some other EU countries we’ve visited, like Italy or Greece. Public transport is also very cheap.
Language: The official language is Maltese, but most people speak English. It’s very easy to get around!
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