Region
Malta Island
Base once on the main island; see the rest by bus and ferry in day-trips.
Key facts · Malta
- Best months
- Apr–May, Sep–Oct
- Currency
- Euro (EUR, €)
- Language
- Maltese and English
- Plugs
- G · 230 V
- Time zone
- CET, UTC+1
Rules in force · 8Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
- Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
- Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
- Italy and Malta ↗The region's headline sights run on timed tickets that sell out: book the Vatican Museums, the Colosseum, the Uffizi, the Last Supper and Malta's Hypogeum before you fix train and hotel dates.
- Italy and Malta ↗Budget for per-night city taxes in Italy (up to about €10 a person in Rome), Malta's per-night environmental contribution, and Venice's day-visitor fee on peak days; none are included in most online room prices.
- Malta ↗Malta is in the EU and the Schengen area. Check the entry rules for your passport on official sources; the EU's Entry/Exit System registers non-EU visitors at the first Schengen border.
- Malta ↗Traffic drives on the left; if you hire a car, expect narrow roads, heavy traffic and limited parking in the towns.
- Malta ↗Sockets are the UK three-pin type (Type G); bring the right adapter.
- Malta ↗Every licensed stay adds an environmental contribution per adult per night (€1.50 from 1 July 2026, capped per stay — check), collected by the hotel or host.
Malta Island is small: Valletta to Mdina is about 30 minutes by bus, and the whole island is roughly 27 km end to end. Changing hotels every night costs more time than the rides. Sleep in Valletta or Sliema for harbour access and buses, or in St. Julian's, Buġibba or Mellieħa for the beach side; day-trip the rest. Gozo is a separate island and a separate page.
Sleep
Which bed, for how many nights, and what to do from it
Where to sleep
Sleep base
- VallettaTrip line
Harbour views, museums, bus terminal; quiet at night.
Best Feb–May, Sep–Oct, Dec
JFMAMJJASOND - SliemaPlanned
Ferry to Valletta, seafront promenade, more rooms.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- St. Julian'sPlanned
Restaurants and nightlife; busy Spinola Bay.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
Day trip
- MdinaCity guide
Half day, best late afternoon when day crowds leave.
Best Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov
JFMAMJJASOND - Cottonera (Three Cities)City guide
Ferry from Valletta; fortified streets and waterfront.
Best Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov
JFMAMJJASOND - MellieħaPlanned
North coast beaches and the ferry road to Gozo.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- BuġibbaPlanned
Seafront resort strip; bus hub for the north.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- QawraPlanned
Quieter than Buġibba, same bus corridor.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- ŻejtunPlanned
Southern town, parish church and old lanes.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
Night sequences
- 4 nights
- Valletta or Sliema 4; Mdina, Cottonera and the south temples as day-trips
- 6 nights
- Valletta 3 + north coast (Mellieħa or Buġibba) 3; Gozo as a long day or move there
- Valletta + Mdina + the Three Cities + Gozo in two days is four half-days of transit.
- Summer buses to the north beaches fill up; a missed bus can mean a 30-minute wait.
Day-trips door to door
| To | From | Door-to-door p50 | Last return | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mdina | Valletta | 40 min | unknown | Buses run into the evening; the walled town is best after about 16:00.Buses run into the evening; the walled town is best after about 4:00 PM. |
| Cottonera | Valletta | 15 min | unknown | Ferry across the harbour, then walk; check the last ferry time. |
| Mellieħa and the north beaches | Valletta | 70 min | unknown | Long bus ride; go early, come back before the evening crush. |
| Hagar Qim and Mnajdra | Valletta | 60 min | unknown | Buses pass the site about hourly; the walk down to Mnajdra is about 1 km.Buses pass the site about hourly; the walk down to Mnajdra is about 0.6 mi. |
Bags between cities
No luggage forwarding on the island; with a car, move bags yourself — parking near Valletta is scarce.
When and how
Months, arrival and passes
Seasons at a glance
Pick a month to see where to go.
| Country | JJan | FFeb | MMar | AApr | MMay | JJun | JJul | AAug | SSep | OOct | NNov | DDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valletta | ok | go | go | go | go | ok | × | × | go | go | ok | go |
| Mdina | ok | ok | ok | go | go | go | × | × | go | go | go | ok |
| Cottonera (Three Cities) | × | × | ok | go | go | go | × | × | go | go | go | × |
| Malta (country-wide) | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | ok | ok | go | go | ok | ok |
Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.
Climate strip
| Zone | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malta Islandwhole main island | cool | cool | ok | best | best | hot | hot | hot | best | best | ok | cool |
- Malta Island
- July and August are hot and dry, often above 30 °C; the sea stays warm into October. Winter is mild but wet and windy.July and August are hot and dry, often above 86 °F; the sea stays warm into October. Winter is mild but wet and windy.
April to June and September to October give the best walking weather; August is beach weather with strong sun.
Get in
| From | To | How | p50 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MLA (Malta International, Luqa) | Valletta | Bus or taxi | ~20–30 min | The island's only airport; buses run to Valletta and the resort towns. |
| Sicily (Pozzallo or Catania) | Valletta | Passenger ferry | check | Seasonal and not daily; check the operator's timetable before booking. |
| Gozo (Mġarr) | Cirkewwa, north tip | Gozo Channel ferry | ~25 min crossing | Frequent sailings; buses meet the ferry at Cirkewwa. |
Regional passes
Tallinja card
buyCheaper single fares and day/week options; tap on buses across the island.
Valletta–Three Cities ferry
buyA short hop that saves the long way round the harbour; pay per crossing.
Gozo ferry
checkFoot passengers pay on the return leg; cars pay more — check current fares.
Eat and move on
Regional food
| Dish | Where | Timing / trap |
|---|---|---|
| Pastizzi and ftira | Valletta and village bakeries | Cheap snack; pastizzi sell out by mid-morning in busy shops. |
| Fresh fish | Marsaxlokk and the harbour towns | Sunday market morning is the busiest; book lunch ahead. |
| Rabbit stew (stuffat tal-fenek) | Village restaurants, Mdina and the south | Often a weekend dish; ask before ordering. |
| Kinnie and local wine | Island-wide | Bitter soft drink and inexpensive local labels. |
Go next
Gozo
plannedFerry from Cirkewwa, ~25 min
Two nights does it justice; a day trip is rushed.
Valletta
Bus or ferry from Sliema
The capital and the main bus hub.
Valletta and the Grand Harbour
Walk or ferry
Harbour forts, ferries and the waterfront.
Deep dive
Photos, reading and every source