A Malta itinerary for a short break
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This small Mediterranean nation has lots to offer visitors for a short break. Whether it’s exploring the beautiful old towns, dining on mouthwatering seafood or swimming in the azure waters surrounding it. We spent 5 days exploring the island which was a good amount of time for some relaxing by the pool as well as checking out some of the sights. We’ve put together ideas for your Malta itinerary to make the most of your time there.
Where to stay for your Malta Itinerary
There are numerous resort areas around the island and it is very much personal choice as to which area might suit your family best. We stayed in St Julian’s, which is an area just North West of Valletta. This area is full of restaurants and bars within easy walking distance. There is also a small sandy beach at nearby Balluta bay.
We stayed at the Hilton hotel, which was a great choice for our family. There are four different swimming pools and we never had an issue getting a pool-side sunbed. It was also within easy walking distance of lots of restaurants and bars in St Julians and Balluta bay.
Neighbouring Sliema has a similar vibe and you can also catch a ferry from there across the water to the old town of Valletta.
Other popular areas for families are Mellieha, in the north of the island which has one of the few sandy beaches in Malta. We’ve put together more ideas of where to stay here.
Getting around for your Malta Itinerary
Usually we like to hire a car on holiday so that we can be independent in getting to wherever we want to go. We didn’t get a car for this trip since it was meant to be mostly about relaxing. There are buses that go between most of the towns on the island, although these can often take a while. Traffic, particularly around Valletta can also be a problem. Around Valletta there are ferries that shuttle across the water to both Sliema and Birgu, part of the three cities.
We mostly got around by taxi or ecab. E-cab is the Maltese equivalent of Uber, and is pretty easy to use by just downloading the app to your phone.
What to include in your Malta Itinerary
Here are the places to visit in Malta that we enjoyed most. There were plenty of other places in our guidebook that we didn’t make it to but that just means we will have to go back sometime!
Valletta
No trip to Malta is complete without a visit to the capital and UNESCO world heritage site, Valletta. Crowned by domes and spires and surrounded by sturdy city walls, Valletta enjoys a unique position on a promontory.
Wandering through the cobbled streets, rising and falling like a roller coaster, can in itself while away a few hours. Especially when you pause in pavement cafes to watch the world go by while enjoying delicious ice creams or snacks. A city tour is often a great way to really get your bearings in a city and get some top tips from the locals. We made our own city tour armed with a guidebook and a map! For more details on our own Valletta day tour have a look at our other post on this.
Mdina
Situated in the centre of the island, this stunning town was once the capital of Malta. We took a taxi there from our hotel in St Julians but it is also well connected with buses from around the island. Due to it’s central location it shouldn’t take too long to get there from wherever you are staying and should definitely be on your Malta itinerary.
Rabat, the neighbouring town, is the modern workday town now while Mdina remains a small time capsule of a city. Encircled with robust city walls it is mostly pedestrianised so easy to explore on foot. It is packed with winding alleyways which our children loved exploring. It is difficult to get truly lost in old town Mdina because of the small size. You will most likely end up back where you started at some point. Some of the bastions provide awesome views all the way out to the coast.
Top sights in Mdina
You may enjoy simply wandering through the honey-hued streets and soaking up the atmosphere. Another way to get around in this medieval citadel is by horse and cart. We usually avoid these things aimed at tourists but our children were desperate for a ride so we conceded. It was actually a lovely way to get around the city. The smiles erupting their face definitely made it worth the money as well.
However you are getting around looking out for the following sites:
- St Paul’s cathedral – Topped by an elegant dome, you can’t miss this beautiful building in the main square of Mdina. Find up-to-date information on opening times and prices on the website if you would like to go in. Cathedral entry also includes entrance to the museum housed in the beautiful baroque building next door.
- Palazzo Vilhenna – Now housing the natural history museum, you can’t miss this stunning building when you enter the old town of Mdina. We didn’t go inside but it’s worth taking a moment to admire the building’s facade and pretty courtyard.
- Palazzo Falson – One of the oldest buildings in Mdina, look out for this historic building. It houses a museum, but children under 6 are not permitted entry so we couldn’t go in.
- City gates and walls – You’ll enter the city through the gates so can’t miss them. The walls encircling the citadel make great view points out over the surrounding island.
Within our Malta Itinerary, Mdina was a half day trip where we went for a few hours and had a lovely lunch before returning to our hotel to relax by the pool.
Marsaxlokk
This pretty fishing village in the south of the island is THE place to go for sensational seafood. Our family are united in our love of seafood meaning that we had to make the trip there to explore and enjoy a fish supper! We slotted it in to our Malta Itinerary after a lazy day by the pool as a late afternoon outing combined with dinner.
Getting to Marsaxlokk
To get there we got an e-cab from our hotel in St Julian’s, which took around 20 minutes. It is a small fishing town so rather than go for a whole day we got there for late afternoon / early evening to enjoy a wander and drink before dinner.
Exploring Marsaxlokk
With directions from our friendly cab driver we walked along the harbour to find a small playground for the kids to let loose. To get there when facing the water walk towards your left, past the tourist information centre. It’s always great to be able to find a playground for little ones to have a run around and play. Even better, this one is fully fenced and has a small bar next to it for a drink!
After walking back towards the main harbour we admired the colourful fishing boats bobbing in the Mediterranean. Look out for the fisherman sculpture, which our children loved.
By early evening the restaurants that line the road across from the harbour begin to set up their tables harbourside. The only problem is that there is so much choice! It is a perfect setting for dinner watching the colourful, traditional boats bobbing up and down in the water.
Around Marsaxlokk
Nearby St Peter’s pool is on my to-do list for our next visit to Malta. It looks like a perfect swim spot tucked away on nearby Delimara point.
We loved our short break in Malta with kids. If you are there for longer there are plenty more areas and attractions to discover. The blue lagoon looks beautiful, although seems to be too popular these days! The island of Gozo is waiting for us to discover on our next visit too. Please let us know where else should be one our list next time we are in Malta with kids.
