Malta - Apr 13 - 23, 2025
How to get from Valletta International Airport to Valletta
The easiest and cheapest way (3 Euros) to get to downtown Valletta by public transport is by bus. There is a direct bus, Line TD4, that runs from 5:15am to 00:45am and the ride takes only 15-20 minutes. We landed in Valletta around 2 am so we could not use the bus option but taxi services between the airport and Valletta are available 24 hours a day and very well regulated. We purchased pre-paid ticket from the taxi booth located at the airport Welcomers’ Hall. The fares to all the destinations on the island are clearly listed and after we paid, a driver immediately took us to the taxi. In our case, the fare was 19 Euros, tipping optional. At the end of our vacation we got to the airport by bus, went to the Bus Terminal ready to use TD4 direct bus which starts running at 5:30am but realized there was also another bus going that direction, "Bus 71 Zurrieq" which departed 10 minutes prior to TD4 and stopped only 200 meters from the airport. We didn't have large luggage so so we used this bus.
Transportation in Malta by public transport
Getting around in Malta is
very easy. The most common way of getting from one place to another is by bus,
ferry or a combination of the two. There are buses covering all the
destinations on Malta and Gozo islands. We purchased the Tallinja 7 Day -
Explore Card which offered unlimited travel by bus, anytime of the day, valid on
both islands. The cost of one card was 25 Euro. Otherwise, a cash ticket will cost
2 Euro in winter and daytime, 2.50 Euro in summer daytime and 3 Euro for
night-time. There are also very good ferry services between Valletta and
Sliema, 3-Cities, Comino Island and Gozo Island.
Our Accommodation- Chateau La Vallette
Our hotel was very nice,
very clean, had a shared full kitchen and was located basically in old downtown Valletta.
Valletta is the capital of
Malta, a fortified city built by the Knights of St John in the 16th
century. Being the smallest capital in the European Union, Valletta is very easy
to explore by foot, with all its attractions within walking distance. The city
is full of charm, with narrow streets flanked by old historical buildings, old
churches or dwellings adorned with the famous colourful Maltese balconies,
which are a distinctive feature of the city’s architecture.
Best attractions in Valletta
Situated close to the Bus
Terminal and just outside of the City Gate, the fountain features three bronze
Tritons (half-humans, half-mermen) holding a bronze platter symbolizing Malta’s
long maritime history. The fountain is illuminated in the evening and is a
gathering place for locals and tourists alike, either coming to take the bus,
take a break from a busy day to eat a snack from the nearby kiosks filled with
pastizzi, pies and sandwiches or just to admire the fountain itself.
The catholic cathedral has
an amazing interior Baroque architecture which is visually stunning. The name
co-cathedral is coming from the fact that when the Knights of St John first
came in Malta there was already a catholic cathedral in Mdina. They built their
own church in Valletta but it was not a cathedral, so when the British took
over, the Knights petitioned the Pope to give it the same status as to the one
from Mdina. The cathedral is mostly famous for two paintings done by the
Italian artist Caravaggio and preserved here: The Beheading of St. John the
Baptist and St Jerome Writing. Aside from the paintings and the amazing
interior you can admire the marble tombstones that cover the entire floor,
several monuments commemorating important Grand Masters or visit the Grand
Masters Crypt. Tickets cost 15 Euro and for Seniors (over 60) and students,12 Euro each.
Fort St Elmo is located at the northern tip of the peninsula overlooking the Grand Harbour. The star-shaped fort was built during the 16th century by the Knights Hospitaller to protect and defend Malta against the Ottoman armada. The National War Museum is located within the fort and displays artefacts and military exhibits offering an insight into Malta’s long history. We visited also the two chapels dedicated to St Anne found on the fort’s grounds. Tickets are 10 Euro for adults, 7.5 Euros for seniors.
The Palace is the most visited heritage place in Malta and presently is the seat of the Office of the President of Malta. Here you can visit the State Rooms collections and the Armoury Hall collections of Grand Masters armour suits, weapons and artillery pieces. And throughout the Palace you get to admire the beautiful ceiling and walls paintings. Tickets are 12 Euro each, 10 Euros for seniors.
The gardens features few
statues, many benches to relax and an overlooking terrace with a colonnade that offers
nice views of the Saluting Battery, views of the 3-Cities and of the harbour. The lift that takes visitors from the ferry dock up to Valletta is also located here.
When buying tickets to the ferry you are also provided with free tickets to
this lift.
Located at the bottom end
of Valletta, the Lower Barrakka Gardens is another perfect place for a brake to enjoy the views of the Grand Harbour and The Three Cities. In the center of
the gardens lays a remarkable monument, resembling an ancient Greek temple and
dedicated to Sir Alexander Bell, the first Civil Commissioner of Malta. These
gardens are also the best spot to see the Siege Bell Memorial (which was in
renovation at the time of our visit) and to view the fireworks during the
Fireworks Festival.
This public garden also
known as The Mall, was built in the 17th century as a recreational
spot for the Knights of St John. The garden has numerous monuments and fountains
and is a nice place to take a stroll during the day or in the evening.
Located meters from our
hotel, this beautiful basilica is one of the three parish churches in Valletta
and is administered by the Dominican order with its convent at the back end of
the church. Here we visited also the Black Friars Museum. Usually a ticketed
attraction, the access was free on Easter Good Friday.
A nice place to escape the
crowds in Valletta is the charming waterfront, a picturesque promenade with
restaurants, gift shops and it is also the place where the big cruise ships dock.
Day trip to Mdina, Rabat and Dingli Cliffs
We got to Mdina by Bus 52
which goes all the way to Dingli Cliffs and back. Once in Mdina we started our
tour with Mdina Gate, which is the main gate into the fortified city of Mdina.
The gate is also famous for being a filming location for Game of Thrones.
Mdina is a medieval town
situated on a hill, with a population of about 300 people. The town dates back
to the Bronze Age and kept its medieval walls, bastions and towers intact which
makes a visit to the Old Fortress like a journey back in time. We strolled the
narrow alleys, walked by St Paul’s Cathedral considered the “mother of all
Maltese churches”, took a break in Pjazza Mesquita and contemplated the
surrounding landscape from the fortress ramparts. It is one of the best attractions
in Malta to visit for free.
Church of the Annunciation of Our Lady
Located within the
fortified walls of Mdina, it is also known as the Carmelite Church and is open
to visitors. The church is famous for its Maltese Baroque architecture, baroque
sculptures and paintings and its eye-catching dome.
Rabat
Rabat is one of the most
sizeable localities in Malta and one of its oldest. Its picturesque historical
downtown adjoins the ancient capital of Mdina and features similar narrow
streets, coloured balconies and a lot of cultural landmarks as the majority of
the towns in Malta.
While in Rabat we had to decide if we wanted to visit St Paul Catacombs or The Catacombs of St Agatha which are just a short walk from the prior. We chose St Paul’s because St Agatha’s Historical Complex could only be visited as part of a 20-minute guided tour whilst we could wander freely in St Paul’s Catacombs. The latter are the largest on the island, forming a complex of interconnected underground Roman cemeteries and represent the earliest and most substantial evidence of Christianity in Malta. Not recommended to claustrophobics.
The church is built on top
of a cave where apparently Virgin Mary appeared in the year 1400. This
fortified construction with an impressive cloister and lush gardens is
considered one of the most beautiful convents in Malta and was another filming
location of Game of Thrones series.
We got to Dingli Cliffs by Bus 201 from Rabat, the bus stop was right in front of St Mary Magdalene
Chapel. Rising 253 meters above the Mediterranean Sea, the cliffs are a major
tourist attraction for the stunning coastal views they offer. Walking for about
2 km down the road from the Chapel to the Dingli Cliffs Viewpoint marked on
Google maps, you will arrive at the best view of the cliffs.
Day trip to Blue Grotto and Hagar Qim and Mnajdra
Temples
We planned this Gozo trip on a different day but because of high winds the ferry was cancelled so we had to adjust our schedule.
Hagar Qim and Mnajdra Temples
We got here by Bus 74
Zurrieq from Valletta Bus Terminal. Tickets to the site can be purchased at the Hagar Qim
Visitors Centre. Access tickets are 10 Euro for adults, 7.5 Euro for seniors and students and valid for both temples. The
megalithic temple complex dates back to 3600-3200 BC and is among the oldest
religious sites on Earth. Hagar Qim complex consists of a main temple and three
additional megalithic structures nearby. About 500 meters’ walk is Mnajdra
Temple which consists of three buildings. Both temples are protected for
conservation by steel and fabric structures.
From the
temples we walked along the coastline up to Hamrija Tower and took in the beautiful views of the open sea and the Il-Ponta ta’ Rsejjen scenic rock
formations.
From Hagar Qim and Mnajdra Architectural Complex to Blue Grotto is a 2 km easy walk. The road has sidewalks and the nice surrounding landscape make the walk
very enjoyable. We went down first to the tiny harbour of Wied Iz-Zurrieq
famous for its steep cliffs and deep sea water. Regardless of the size of this small
fishing port, you can find few good restaurants with Mediterranean menus, gifts
shops and booths selling souvenirs, crafts and other items intended for
tourists. We were hoping to book a 30-minute boat cruise to the Blue Grotto
but because of the bad weather the day prior and the high waves, there were no
tours offered. So we just hiked along the rocky cliffs enjoying the amazing views of the Blue Grotto, the many caves at the base of the cliffs all immersed in the stunning blue green waters.
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Day trip to Comino Island
Ferry to Comino Island
Getting to Comino Island is easy taking Bus 42 Cirkewwa from Valletta Bus Terminal to Cirkewwa.
Here we got tickets from a small kiosk selling specifically Blue Lagoon Comino Ferries tickets, a
ticket return cost was 15 Euro. The trip by ferry was about 20 minutes and
included a free detour trip to the caves. These ferries depart every 30 minutes.
Comino Island is located between the islands of Malta and Gozo. Our plan was to tour most of the island by foot and enjoy the scenic hiking trails, rugged cliffs and the hidden coves. We started with Blue Lagoon which is one of the most visited spots in Malta. Famous for its turquoise waters, the place often is overcrowded by tourists. It seems natural beauty comes with a price. Once off the boat, many people will stop in the lagoon area for swimming or for the boat tours. There are also few food and gifts kiosks and there are washrooms up the hill.
A bit further away from
Blue Lagoon, after hiking along the shore and enjoying the amazing views of the
islets scattered in the blue waters, we came close to Crystal Lagoon, a small
cove with high cliffs, caves and similar blue waters but not so crowded.
Our hike took us by Santa
Marija Tower, a fortified tower that served as a warning in case of invasion
from Turks, pirates or corsairs in the 15th century.
At the tip of Comino lays
Lantern Point, a very popular dive site. By hiking the limestone cliffs, you
will get a glimpse of the Gozo Channel.
Abandoned Isolation Hospital
Close to Santa Marija Tower
is a building that used to serve as military barracks in the early 17th
century and later on, in 19th century, when Malta was a British
colony, as an isolation hospital to treat patients with cholera and the plague.
Hiking our way from the
Isolation Hospital towards Santa Maria Bay, we passed by Comino Church, a small Roman Catholic chapel dedicated to the Holy
Family Upon its Return from Egypt.
The walk was about 1.2 km and it took us no more than 20 minutes. Santa Maria Bay is another preferred place for sunbathing and swimming by visitors, second to Blue Lagoon, having one of the few sandy beaches on the island.
Day trip to Gozo Island
To get to Gozo Island we
took the Gozo Highspeed Ferry from Lascaris Wharf located in the Grand Harbour
near city center. The trip takes 45 minutes and the return tickets are 15 Euro (6 Euro for seniors). Our plan for the day on the island was to visit Victoria and
Dwejra Bay area.
Victoria is the capital
city of the island of Gozo and was given its name in honour of the British
Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. We got to Victoria by Bus 301 from Gozo Ferry
Terminal to Victoria Bus Terminus, a 20 minutes ride. The town
has a lot of charm and many places of historical and cultural interest. We
tried to visit some of the most famous in the time we had.
The small fortified town is
situated on a naturally fortified hill that provides good views of the
surrounding country side and the coastal line. An urban settlement during the
medieval time, it was transformed in a military outpost during the 16th
century when the island was attacked by Moslims, with many military structures
surviving to these days and providing an architectural heritage. Aside from
wandering on the narrow medieval streets and admiring the Cathedral Church, the
visit can be extended by visiting Gozo Museum of Archeology, Gran Castello
Historic House, the Old Prison and Gozo Nature Museum all part of a Citadella
Combo ticket which costs 5 Euro.
Located at St George
Square, across the street from St George Basilica, this free museum displays a
permanent collection of religious and historic artifacts and temporary
exhibitions.
A short walk from the Victoria Bus Terminus, while waiting for the hourly bus to take
us back to Ferry Terminal, we visited Villa Rundle Gardens, a nice green space
to sit and relax.
A short ride away from
Victoria by Bus 311, is Dwejra Blue Hole, another spectacular spot in
Malta. It was previously famous for the Azure Window situated next to the
Blue Hole but this collapsed in 2017 during a storm. Blue Hole is still one of
the most popular dive sites in Malta and a nice place for swimming, snorkeling
or free diving.
A short walk away from the Blue Hole area parking lot is another popular diving site, the Inland Sea, a natural seawater pool with a pebbled beach, connected to the Mediterranean See by an 80 meters long tunnel in the cave. Boat tours are offered here but there was a long line of people waiting so we decided to skip it.
Dwejra Tilt Rock II
The whole coastline in
Dwejra offers breathtaking landscapes within an easy hike. We walked to Dwejra
Tilt Rock II which is a nice viewpoint of the Dwejra Bay and of the amazing
rock formations like Fungus Rock, Crocodile Rock or Big Bear and Little Bear
Rocks.
Day trip to Marsaxlokk and St. Peter’s Pool
Bus 81 or Bus 85 are good options to get from Valletta Bus Terminal to Marsaxlokk. We planned to visit on a Sunday because the small
fishing village is known for its weekly fishing market spread along the
waterfront and selling also fresh produce, clothes, sweets, shoes or souvenirs.
The village has a charming harbour filled with bright coloured boats of all
sizes. As a bit of trivia information, Marsaxlokk Bay was chosen in 1989 as a
summit place for the end of cold war, by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and US
President George Bush.
In walking distance from
Marsaxlock but tricky to get to, is St. Peter’s Pool. Google directions for
walking took us to Delimara Power Station which proved to be a dead end. There we
asked for directions and we were told to go back on the road up to a point where a
side path will open on the right and there will be a sign showing the direction
towards St. Peter’s Pool. We followed the directions and found the side path, it was close to the village, in front of the parking spot for the tourist buses. St
Peter’s Pool is a striking natural pool formation surrounded by white limestone
rocks. The place is popular with the tourists that like to jump from the cliffs
or to swim in the clear blue waters. Even though is a spot that tends to be
overcrowded in the high season, it has a natural beauty worth visiting.
Following the coastline
from St Peter’s Pool along the horseshoe like bay towards Ras Il-Fenek scenic
point, you can spot Hofriet Window, a scenic natural arch carved through the
rock by water. We continued to walk farther away along the high shore of the next bay and from there until we turned back to the village to take the bus back to Valletta.
The small island is located
within the bay at Marsamxett Harbour and is accessible via a short foot bridge from
Gzira area. The island is home to Fort Manoel and a complex of old abandoned
buildings. The star-shaped Fort Manoel built in the 18th century by
the Order of St John is currently closed to the public, all you can see up
close is the beautiful restored main gate. The fort was also used as a filming
location for Game of Thrones. The island is a good spot to take pictures
of Valletta skyline.
Across the harbour and a
short ferry or bus ride from Valletta we visited Sliema, mostly a residential
and shopping area with many hotels, rocky beaches and a nice Promenade.
By walking farther away
north we entered the city of St Julian’s located on the north east coast of Malta. The
town is known for its seven kilometers promenade and for being a hotspot for
restaurants, bars, hotels and shopping centres. Among the points of interests
in St Julian’s were the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Portomaso Marina,
Balluta Bay and St George’s Bay beaches.
We spent our last vacation
day to visit Senglea, Vittoriosa and Conspicua, also known as L-Isla, Birgu and
Bormla. The fortified cities lay in Malta’s historic centre, across the Grand
Harbour from Valletta and are so interconnected with each other that is not
easy to define where one ends and other begins.
We got off the bus in
Conspicua and entered the town through St. Helen’s Gate, one of the many gates
part of the historic defense fortifications. Conspicua is the largest of the
Three Cities, a blend of historical sites and a modern part of the town found
along the beautiful marina.
Senglea is a fortified city
situated on a peninsula parallel with Vittoriosa. Some of the best views of
Valletta can be observed from Gardjola Gardens found at the tip of peninsula
and overlooking the Grand Harbour. The guard tower on the stone bastion has an
eye, a crane and an ear sculpted on it symbolizing protection of Maltese
shores.
Known as one of the oldest towns in Malta and the first home for the Order of St. John, Vittoriosa has a lot of historic places, churches and noble houses. The Inquisitor’s Palace, Malta Maritime Museum, St Lawrence Church are just some of the must-see sites in Birgu. A nice area to visit in Vittoriosa is Collachio, the oldest part of the town, a place with narrow, winding alleys adorned with coloured doors and Maltese balconies.
Sitting at the tip of peninsula, Fort St Angelo is one of the most visited attractions in town. The fort is part of the military heritage and played an important role protecting Malta. In addition to walking through its fortified premises and enjoying the panoramic views of the Grand Harbour, you can also watch displays and videos that offer an insight into the long and colourful history of the fort. Tickets to Fort St Angelo are 10 Euro for adults, 6 Euro for seniors.
Fortifications of Birgu
At the base of peninsula,
we visited some of the Birgu Fortifications. We explored first Post of Castille
bastion on the eastern side of peninsula and after we visited St John Bastion
and the Advanced Gate, the latter serving as the second of the city’s three
main gates. From the open areas of St John Bastion, you can have scenic views
of the bastion, the marina and the neighboring Senglea.
Easter celebrations in Malta
It happened to be in Malta during the Easter Holiday so we were able to celebrate and enjoy the festivities organized by the locals for this holy occasion. Most of Maltese population are Roman Catholics so the celebrations are mostly religious. This year the Orthodox Easter also was celebrated at the same time. Even if you are not a religious person, the traditions taking place during Easter Holiday are very interesting to watch. Amazing religious processions are held in towns and villages, all the churches are open and the towns are buzzing with crowds from morning until late at night.
Malta International Fireworks Festival
We were lucky to end our
vacation by participating to the Malta Fireworks Festival, organized by the
Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tourism
and Malta Tourism Authority. Featuring competitions between fireworks teams from
various places in Malta, the festival was a display of creativity, colour,
music synchronization and technique, lasting for at least a couple of hours
into the night for the delight of the participants.
Malta left us with long-lasting memories because of it rich history, cultural heritage and stunning natural beauty we were able to experience. We hope to return here some day in the future.
