Malta is such an amazing place, it’s a country made for tourism, the weather is nice, food is delicious and there are tons of activities to do and places to visit. Also, the official languages are English and Maltese so you won’t have any trouble comunicating.
Now, I understand why Malta is officially the most tourist-dependent country in the world, according to The World Economic Forum Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report for 2017.
Travel with purpose
I was in Malta studying English for one month with Sprachcaffe Languages Plus; you can read more about the whole experience in the post Sprachcaffe: my experience studying an English course in Malta
Let me share with you the 10 places you definitely have to visit.
1. Valetta
Valletta, The Fortress City, is Malta’s capital city. You can see there historical buildings, statues, niches, and fountains. On the main streets you´ll find restaurants, international branded shops for fashion, music, jewelry and much more. Also, on the smaller narrow side streets you’ll find many nice souvenir shops, bars and cafes.
Read more about Valetta here: Valetta
2. Mdina / St. Paul’s Catacombs
Referred to as “the silent city”, Mdina is a nice and quiet place. Is one of Europe’s best examples of an ancient walled city with a great mix of medieval and baroque architecture. It’s buildings are so nice, in fact some episodes of Game of Thrones were filmed here and besides the architecture, cathedral, restaurants, shops and delicious ice cream you have a nice view of the surroundings.
Read more about Mdina here: Mdina
Also, very close to Mdina, you ca visit St. Paul’s Catacombs, a complex of interconnected, underground Roman cemeteries that were in use up to the 4th century AD. Prices vary according to age but the entrance for adults is 5 EUR.
Read more about St. Paul’s Catacombs here: St. Paul’s Catacombs
3. Marsaxlokk & St. Peter´s Pool
The small and nice fishing village of Marsaxlokk is popular for a daily open-air market, restaurants, walks around the coast, and swimming zones.
Read more about Marsaxlokk here: Marsaxlokk
Located close to Marsaxlokk, St. Peter’s Pool is one of the most beautiful and stunning natural swimming pools in Malta.
The sea at St. Peters Pool is crystal clear with nice blue and green colors. You can snorkel, sunbath, make a picnic (bring your food because there are no shops nearby), or dive into the waters from a few meters up.
This is one of my favorite spots in Malta, usually people play cool music and the vibes are awesome.
Read more about St. Peter’s Pool here: St. Peter’s Pool
4. Golden Bay & Ghajntufficha Bay
Golden Bay is located on the north-west coast of Malta, and is known for its red sand. It is a popularly visited beach, for sunbathing, swimming, water-sports, and parties, especially in the sunset. There are some restaurants around and you can rent umbrellas that will protect you from the sun.
Read more about Golden Bay here: Golden Bay
On a walking distance from Golden Bay, you’ll find Ghajntufficha Bay, the beach itself is smaller than that of Golden Bay, but almost looks untouched by man, with bast natural beauty.
Read more about Ghajntufficha Bay here: Ghajntufficha Bay
5. Gozo
You can take a ferry from Cirkewwa Ferry Terminal or Sliema and easily get to the island of Gozo. It is home to some of the oldest religious structures in the world, the Ggantija temples, and offers a Citadel with impressive architecture, beautiful beaches, and one of the most famous landmarks of Malta, the Azure Window, which collapsed completely on March 2017, but is still a nice and scenic place to visit.
There are many things to do so at least you’ll need one complete day to see Gozo.
Read more about Gozo here: Gozo
6. Comino & Blue Lagoon
Also accesible by ferry, Comino is situated between Malta and Gozo. This island is a paradise for snorkelers, divers, windsurfers and ramblers.
The island’s main attraction is the Blue Lagoon. I recommend you to bring special aquatic shoes to walk on rocks because there is no sand on this beach and it’s difficult to walk with sandals.
Read more about Comino here: Comino
7. Sliema
Sliema is one of the busiest commercial and social hubs on Malta. You can find here different clothing boutiques, restaurants, souvenir shops, and touristic agencies offering harbor cruises, day visits to Gozo and Comino, speed boats, and more activities.
Read more about Sliema here: Sliema
8. Popeye Village
Popeye Village has grown from the Film Set of the 1980 Musical Production ‘Popeye’ into one of the major tourist attractions in Malta. It is now a theme park village with boat rides, water games, shows, museums, cinema and food outlets.
The entrance covers almost all the activities and price varies depending on season but is around 15 EUR for adults and 12 EUR for children.
Read more about Popeye Village entrance and prices here: Popeye Village
9. Hagar Qim Temples
Ħaġar Qim is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed as part of ‘The Megalithic Temples of Malta’ in the World Heritage List. First excavated in 1839, the remains suggest a date between 3600 – 3200 BC.
The temple stands on a hilltop overlooking the sea and the islet of Fifla.
The entrance varies according to age but is 10 EUR for adults and includes a very cool 3D film at the beginning that explains how the site was discovered and now is protected from the weather.
Read more about Hagar Qim Temples here: Hagar Qim Temples
10. Paceville
Paceville is an area in the center of St. Julian’s which is known for nightlife and clubbing, offering a variety of bars and nightclubs for a great night out.
There’s party from Monday to Sunday and if you want to go on a more relaxed mode you can also find a lot of delicious restaurants.
Read more about Paceville here: Paceville
Are you interested in traveling around the world? In the Travel Section you can find detailed travel guides for different cities, touristic activities, recommendations, tips, and much more!
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These places are gorgeous….what countries are they in?
Malta is just so incredible! Valetta looks amazing, and I want to go there so bad… My family was actually from Malta but I never got to visit!
there’s a palace that I’d love to visit in Malta as well… I think it’s called castello zamitello….Amazig island!
I met someone from Malta last year. She told me how beautiful it is. After seeing your blog, I realize what she was talking about. Comino and Blue lagoon is my kind of place. I like diving and outdoors.
Definitely adding this to my bucket list of places to visit. These images are amazing!
Krissy | https://www.thoughtfullyunraveled.com
wow!!! Malta has never been somewhere I even thought of going but after reading this post that has changed!! Sounds amazing!!! Added to the bucket list for sure!!
These places look very nice and picturesque. I would love to visit the St. Peter’s Pool and Popeye’s village someday. I clicked the link for both places and they looked beautiful and spectacular. I love shopping, beaches, and picturesque scenery. 🙂