PRO TIPS:

• Malta is part of the Schengen Zone so no visa needed for US Citizens but just watch your 90 day count if you are visiting here on a longer trip around Europe
• They use euros here so currency is easy 🙂
• Uber & Bolt both work for getting around the island
• Avoid coming in August as I can only imagine how packed it would be
• Bring a friend or partner as I think this would’ve been a lonely place to visit solo
• Decide if you want to stay the entire time on Malta or if you want to spend some time in Gozo. Gozo is pretty tiny so would be pretty quiet, but if that’s your thing, could be fun for a night or two

CITY: VALLETTA

HOW LONG: 4 NIGHTS

ACCOMMODATION:

Because my best friend Haley joined me in Malta, this was more of a vacation vibe than a backpacker vibe so these places were $200+ per night (good thing I’m staying with friends for most of the rest of the trip 😝) #balance 

For our 4 nights in Valletta, we stayed at the Grand Excelsior. Theoretically it’s a five star hotel but was a little tired & dated. The room was very spacious as was the bathroom! We had a little balcony which is always nice. The hotel has a big outdoor pool & indoor pool as well as a little beachfront area where you can jump in the sea. We didn’t eat at the hotel but there were a few options.

WHERE TO EAT:

My favorite restaurant for breakfast was Elephant Shoe. Such yummy breakfast options and felt like a classic brunch spot from home. A real treat since I haven’t had a good brunch in a while! Also the service was top notch, which isn’t always the case in Europe haha.

We also had breakfast at Manouche Craft Bakery which had a nice menu + lovely outdoor patio.

For dinner, check out Papannis. Right in the center of Valletta, it’s a cute, upscale restaurant with great locale cuisine menu options. Haley tried the rabbit here!

WHAT TO DO:

Three main things I’d recommend:

• Day trip to Comino & Gozo – We signed up for this one through Viator. You sail from the North part of the island to Comino to visit/swim in the Blue Lagoon, then have a few hours to explore the island of Gozo. This is a must!! If you don’t care about visiting Gozo, there’s also an option to stay at the Blue Lagoon for a few extra hours (while the others visit Gozo).

• Walking around Valletta – the streets & views are so charming!

• Taking a water taxi to the “three cities” across from Valletta – check out Senglea & Birgu. The water taxi was a fun experience in and of itself and only costs 3 euros per person. Walking around the small fortified cities was a great way to spend a half day.

OVERALL THOUGHTS:

Valletta was fabulous! Charming, medieval, & highly walkable. It was a great first stop back in Europe after 2 years away! Haley & I had a blast meandering & catching up during out time in Valletta.

CITY: MDINA

HOW LONG: 2 NIGHTS

ACCOMMODATION:

We stayed at Palazzo Bifora in Mdina. Obviously Mdina is TINY, but it was fun to stay in the middle of it. This hotel is quite small but it felt really nice. The room is quite small (but that what’s available in a quaint, small medieval walled in city 😅). Breakfast was included! Would highly recommend at this hotel if you plan to stay here! Also, Haley told them we were celebrating our friendship anniversary so we arrived to this gorgeous room haha

WHERE TO EAT:

I wouldn’t say we were overly impressed with any of the restaurants, except the restaurant at our hotel. Definitely worth the splurge!

We also obviously found some sweet treats to try around town! Try Fior di Latte for an afternoon gelato.

WHAT TO DO:

It doesn’t take long to explore all of Mdina, it’s so so so small, but we enjoyed strolling through all the quiet alleys and taking lots of pictures 🙂

OVERALL THOUGHTS:

I’m glad we stayed in Mdina for 2 nights even though there’s not much to do. We loved the slow pace, especially at night when it really emptied out (since most people just come visit a a day trip). We even said we could’ve spent another night here, but I think Haley & I would be happy to spend time anywhere together haha.

BUDGET FOR 6 DAYS IN MALTA:

• Accommodation: $766 ($110 per night)
• Food: $200
• Activities: $45
• Local Transportation: $71
• Miscellaneous: $10

Total: $1092 (Daily average: $182) 

Transportation to next destination: $100 (Flight to Marseille + train to Nice)