Seek and find
Last updated: November 23, 2017
Discover Valletta, beautiful beaches, restaurants, must sees and more
For Your Little Black Book, I prefer to travel in the spring or fall, and Malta is the perfect destination. The weather is glorious from April onwards and lasts until mid-October. Malta is a perfect destination for those who love culture, delicious food, crystal-clear water, and beautiful beaches. Although the island isn't all that big, there's so much to see. I felt like I was on vacation on the set of Game of Thrones. Centuries-old palaces, forts, and castles make Malta unique, and I couldn't directly compare it to other Mediterranean islands. Today, many of these ancient palaces house restaurants and hotels, but when you walk through the ancient streets of Valletta, you can feel the island's rich history beneath your feet.
Have you heard that Valletta is the European Capital of Culture in 2018? Besides Malta being a wonderful island for a sunny holiday, Valletta, with its many restaurants, cafes, and cultural offerings, is also a great destination for a city break of a few days. At the invitation of Holiday Experts A few weeks ago, I traveled to Malta for the first time to create this travel guide. And because a picture is worth a thousand words, you can now watch the highlights of this trip in the new travel vlog on YOURLBB.TV!
Tip: Be sure to read the 34 travel tips further down in this blog if you want to know more about the must-see places, hotspots, and fun things to do in Malta.
Watch the extensive travel vlog about Malta here
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34 Malta Travel Tips You'll Want to Know
Unique character: Malta really surprised me! It's a Mediterranean island, but it has such a unique character. It has influences reminiscent of the Middle East, but also a touch of Italy, yet at the same time, it's not all that. Malta is truly unique, and if you go there, you'll understand what I mean!
Wonderful beaches: Rent a car in Malta and you can enjoy the beautiful weather on a different beach every day of your holiday. You'll find both rocky, pebbly, and sandy beaches in Malta, and the water is crystal clear, especially at the rocky and pebbly beaches. So beautiful! Don't forget your snorkeling gear, as the snorkeling is excellent right from the beach. Beaches worth a day trip include Golden Bay Beach (sandy beach), Gnejna Bay (sandy beach), and Ghajn Tuffieha Bay (a sandy beach popular with locals).
Upper Barrakka Gardens Valletta
City trip to Valletta: Malta's capital is the European Capital of Culture in 2018. And believe me, this city is worth a city break. From Valletta, you can explore the island, but you can also easily spend a day wandering around and enjoying the beautiful viewpoints and narrow streets. The city comes alive especially in the late afternoon and early evening. Cafes open everywhere, and people stand in the streets enjoying drinks and the good Mediterranean way of life. Tip: from Sliema, you can take the ferry to Valletta for just a few euros!
Air Malta: Malta has its own airline, and with Air Malta, you can fly directly from Amsterdam to Malta Airport. You'll arrive on this Mediterranean island in less than three hours!
Drink a Kinnie: If there's one drink you absolutely must try when visiting Malta, it's a Kinnie. The recipe is secret, but it reminded me of a spicy orange flavor. Deliciously refreshing during lunch!
St. Peter's Pool: The name says it all. St. Peter's Pool is a rocky beach with a natural swimming pool near the town of Marsaxlokk. One of the most beautiful parts of Malta, in my opinion, and definitely worth a visit.
Visit the Blue Grotto: Another beautiful natural wonder on Malta is the Blue Grotto. A series of natural caves not far from St. Peter's Pool. There's certainly no shortage of sea caves on Malta!
Boat trip past The Three Cities: A fun thing to do from Valletta is to take a local fishing boat to The Three Cities. These three "cities"—Vittoriosa, Cospicua, and Senglea—are located across the Grand Harbour and can be clearly seen from the viewpoint at the Upper Barrakka Gardens. Stroll through the streets of Vittoriosa and then enjoy a drink in the harbor.
Go diving: This brings me directly to my next point. Unfortunately, I don't have a Padi Open Water diploma myself, but Malta is also a popular destination for diving enthusiasts. This is due to the many caves where you can dive, but also to the shipwrecks off the coast (some actually sunk, others deliberately sunk) where you can dive.
Visit the town of Mdina: One of the most beautiful towns, where you'll almost feel like you're in a museum, is Mdina. This ancient capital of Malta is full of medieval houses and palaces. From the city walls, you have a beautiful view of the island!
Relax at Café Del Mar: Malta boasts several beach clubs where you can unwind with a sea view. My favorite is Café Del Mar, where you can sunbathe during the day and lounge and enjoy sushi in the evening.
Boat trip to Comino: A must-do in Malta is a boat trip to the small island of Comino. In good weather, you can easily spend the whole day in the Blue Lagoon with its azure waters. Enjoy a delicious lunch at one of the food stalls, and head back to the mainland in the late afternoon. You can also enjoy some excellent snorkeling around Comino. This is often included in the boat trips you can book!
Restaurants you'll want to dine at: It's no secret to anyone who's ever been to Malta that you can enjoy delicious food with all its international influences. Unfortunately, I didn't get to try every restaurant during my long weekend in Malta, but my foodie guide provided me with some real insider tips about restaurants that even the locals love to visit. And of course, I'll share them with you in this blog post! Don't expect hotspots and trendy restaurants in Malta, but rather authentic, cozy spots with local dishes. These are the restaurants you'll want to know about in Malta: Commando Restaurant (delicious outdoor dining with a changing menu), Luna Restaurant – Palazzo Parisio (highly recommended for lunch, where you eat in the gardens of an old palace in the town of Naxxar), Ruby (for authentic Maltese dishes), Da' Pippo Trattoria (Italian dishes), Palazzo Preca Restaurant (very good Maltese restaurant in a beautiful building), King's Own Band Club Bar And Restaurant, Gillieru Restaurant (good restaurant in St. Paul's Bay), Panorama (overlooking Valletta's Grand Harbour), Sottovento (for delicious pizza in Vittoriosa), Barracuda (nice restaurant in Balluta Bay) and definitely try seafood at one of the restaurants in Marsaxlokk.
Foods to try: I mentioned Kinnie earlier as a drink, and if you're looking to sample Malta's local specialties, these are the dishes you'll want to try. Rabbit is a local specialty on Malta. It's usually fried, but it can also be stewed. Pastizzi is a savory pastry that reminds me a bit of a samosa. Delicious! For authentic Pastizzi (be prepared to queue, as they move quickly), head to Serkin or Maxim's. The seasonal Lampuki fish is also incredibly popular in local dishes. It's also known colloquially as the "dolphin fish," but don't worry… it's actually a type of mahimahi or sea bream-like whitefish.
Pastizzi
Do a wine tasting: Did you know that Malta has quite a few vineyards you can visit? One of the most famous is Meridiana Wine EstateIf you are a wine lover like me, I highly recommend visiting this winery for a tasting. Other wine estates include San Niklaw en Ta Mena In Gozo. Tip: Many restaurants in Malta also feature local wines on their menus.
Visit the island of Gozo: Combine your trip to Malta with a few days on the neighboring island of Gozo. This island is a favorite among locals for a staycation in their own country, and when you see the photos, you'll understand why! A dream hotel on Gozo is the luxury Kempinski hotel and be sure to grab a bite to eat at the restaurant Ta' PhilipUnfortunately, I didn't have enough time to travel to Gozo on this trip, but my guide did have some good tips. A reason for me to return to Malta!
Want to read more travel tips? The team behind VakantieXperts shares travel reports and tips for Malta and many other destinations worldwide on Reiskompas.nl. Click here to read their travelogue about Malta >>
Valletta
HAPPY TRAVELS! I hope you find the travel tips in this blog post helpful.
WITH LOVE,
ANNE
In cooperation with Holiday Experts & Visit Malta
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