Scuba, snorkel and sunshine: these are best things to do in Malta

We’re willing to bet you haven’t seen a truly turquoise ocean until you’ve been to Comino’s Blue Lagoon, a shallow, sandy-bottomed stretch of heaven between Comino and the even smaller island of Cominotto. This is the idyllic spot to soak up the best of the Mediterranean's warm waters and even-warmer rays. Fair warning: it gets very busy, so go early (boats from Gozo or Malta begin around 8am), relax for a few hours, then take a walk around the barely-inhabited Comino and enjoy the island’s eerie abandoned village, hospital and fortifications before heading back to the mainland.

🤫 Insider tip: Take a day trip to Gozo. Various ferries take visitors from the Blue Lagoon to Mgarr, from where you can zip into Victoria (Gozo’s capital), explore its citadel, grab lunch or shop for souvenirs.

The jewel in Malta’s crown, the walled city of Valletta is a UNESCO World Heritage Site packed with so many monuments and sites (over 320, in fact), that it requires multiple visits to truly appreciate. Tick off the big-hitters of St John’s Co-Cathedral (home to Caravaggio’s ‘Beheading of John the Baptist’), the Grandmaster’s Palace and the picturesque Upper Barrakka Gardens, then go subterranean with Underground Valletta for an eye-opening tour of the city’s old waterways and reservoirs.

🤫 Insider tip: If time allows, pop over to Mdina, Malta’s other walled city, to experience the very different atmospheres between Malta’s old and new capitals.

Address: St. John's Co-Cathedral is located at St John’s Square, Valletta, VLT 1156, Malta

Hours: Monday to Saturday from 9 am to 4:45 pm (last entry at 4:15 pm), closed Sundays

Price: €15 for general admission

Malta’s underwater attractions are as prolific as its land-based ones, so if you want to learn to scuba, this is the place to do it. Take a diving course at any of the dozens of certified dive schools on the islands. Experienced divers should don their fins and head down to MV Karwela, a 38-metre deep tourist ferry with a stunning swim-through staircase, or check out the P31 minesweeper off the coast of Comino or Um El Faroud, a 115m long oil tanker bursting with marine life. 

🤫 Insider tip: To head inside sunken vessels, divers need special training. Consider adding PADI’s two day Wreck Diving Course to your holiday itinerary to make the most of your underwater exploration.

Much of Malta’s beauty is hidden from landlubbers’ eyes. Get out into the open ocean and appreciate some of the islands’ biggest assets by chartering a brightly coloured luzzu (a classic Maltese fishing boat) and exploring the coastline’s hidden gems, from the Ghar Lapsi caves and stunning Blue Grotto in Malta, to fungus rock and the magical arched Inland Sea on Gozo. Luzzus, catamarans and yachts are available for hire from almost every port, though it’s best to book ahead in the high season as they’re in high demand.

When it comes to historic relics, Malta’s plethora of options can seem overwhelming – but the islands’ 5,500-year-old megalithic temples are a great place to start. Older than the pyramids, Gozo’s Ġgantija and Malta’s Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra are Unesco-certified ancient houses of worship, and true archaeological and architectural wonders. Made using gigantic limestone blocks, some of which are over five metres in length, these ancient ruins have fascinated historians for centuries.

Address: 27X9+H4 Xagħra, Malta

Hours: Open daily from 10 am to 6 pm.

Price: €10 for general admission.

This warren of underground cemeteries is easily one of the best value historical sites in Malta. Dating back to the third century BC, this cluster of roman hypogea is the largest yet to be found on the islands and forms one section of over 2000 sq m of subterranean tombs. For just six euros, visitors can explore 23 tombs hosting 59 hypogea depicting Jewish, Christian and pagan burial styles. Some loculi lie open and empty, others contain remains, while some still remain sealed. Signs at each entrance detail height and space restrictions, the tomb’s religious denomination and light levels (though all are relatively well lit). 

Address: V9JX+53 Rabat, Malta

Hours: Open daily from 9 am to 7 pm

Price: €6 for general admission 

Thanks to Malta’s unique geography and labyrinthine history, its cuisine is a melange of Arabic, Mediterranean, French and British flavours. Discovering plates like flaky pastizz (traditional pastries usually filled with cheese, curried peas or rabbit) and warming aljotta (fish soup). If you really want a splurge, tour the islands’ seven Michelin-starred restaurants. Dine at De Mondion in Mdina. ION Harbour, Under Grain and Noni are in Valletta. Fernandõ Gastrotheque and Le GV are in Sliema, and Rosamì overlooks Balluta Bay in St. Julien's. 

Festivals are a key component of Maltese culture: nary a day passes without some kind of street party, live event or raucous celebration. Many festas revolve around the Catholic saints’ days, which are plentiful and spread through the year. Easter is one of the biggest occasions, but no matter the season, there’s rarely a quiet night, whether it’s the Jazz Festival in Floriana, or either the Aurora International Folk Festival and the International Kite & Wind Festival in Gozo and more. If less crowded celebrations are more your scene, pick a peak and watch the skyline. Malta loves fireworks and the night skies are almost always lit up in the summer.

Jam-packed with colourful luzzus, bustling market stalls and trendy cafes, the ancient fishing village of Marsaxlokk is the ideal place to sample some of Malta’s best seafood offerings, including its trademark lampuki. White and meaty, this popular seasonal fish (also called dolphinfish or mahi mahi elsewhere) graces Malta’s oceans between August and December, and can be found in every form imaginable: breaded, in pies, filleted with tomatoes and capers – but however it comes, it never disappoints. For the freshest pick, visit the village’s Sunday fish market on and be sure to bring a healthy appetite. Or if you'd rather dine out, Liska Restaurant comes highly recommended. 

Address: Liska Restaurant is located at Xatt is-Sajjieda, MXK 1301, Marsaxlokk 

Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 11.30 am to 4 pm, and 6 pm to 10 pm, closed Monday

Price: €5-€18 for starters, and €18-€90 for mains

Robert Altman’s 1980 Popeye musical, starring Robin Williams, might have been a critical flop – but it left behind an unexpected legacy behind in Malta. After Paramount built (then abandoned) its real-life ‘Sweethaven’ in Anchor Bay on the north-east coast, the Maltese government swooped in to make the most of it. Now, the surreal (and family-friendly) Popeye Village features an inflatable water course, comic museum, cinema, mini-golf course and floating sun deck, as well as hosting themed celebrations throughout the year. You can even get married there.

Address: Anchor Bay, Triq Tal-Prajjet, MLH 4808, Il-Mellieħa

Hours: Open daily from 9.30 am to 5.30 pm. 

Price: Cost dependant on the season. For more information, visit Popeye Village's official website here. 

Malta’s hiking credentials are often overlooked, but, particularly in spring, the islands offer a luscious landscape of mixed terrain. Start with the Victoria Lines, a series of late nineteenth-century fortifications built by the British as a barrier from forces landing in the north. Twelve kilometres of batteries, forts, stop-walls, howitzer positions and more begin at Fort Madliena tower on the north coast and trail to Fomm ir-Rih Redoubt on the south, skirting the cities of Rabat, Mdina and Mosta – making snack stops a breeze. Signposting on the trail is sporadic, so have GPS to hand.

Address: W93H+CGF, Rabat, Malta

Hours: Open 24 hours daily

Price: Free entry 

Gozo’s magnificent cittadella is an ancient acropolis-turned-medieval castle. Now, its imposing fortifications shelter multiple churches (including the impressive Gozo cathedral), museums, law courts, WW2 bunkers, old grain silos and even a prison. Most of it is free to walk around, but a mere €5 will grant you access to all the best bits. Chances are an art exhibition and musical event will be on when you stop by, too. Either way, finish your tour with a stroll along the battlements, which offer some of the best views of Gozo all the way across to Malta.

Address:26WQ+JQM, Triq iż-Żenqa, Ir-Rabat Għawdex, Malta

Hours: The Citadella is open 24 hours daily, but attractions within may vary. 

Price: Free entry to the citadel, but €5 general admission for the museum and visitor centre. 

As well as being Europe’s favourite scuba-diving hotspot, Malta’s plentiful reefs are also welcoming to those who prefer their underwater adventures a little more shallow. Swim in waters that stay well above 20 degrees into the autumn and spot damselfish, bream, trumpet fish, crabs and baby moray eels. Keen-eyed snorkellers may even spy an octopus or two. Go early morning to avoid crowds, and remember that the rockier the area, the better. Try Fomm ir-Riħ Bay or Imġiebaħ Bay in Malta or Daħlet Qorrot or Xwejni in Gozo.

Whatever your nightlife niche, Malta’s clubbing capital will have something for you. Sky Club is a huge techno space that squeezes in 34,00 people beneath hi-tech light shows and shiny dancefloors. And nearby, Havana serves up hip-hop beats, reggae rhythms and ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s tunes in its three themed rooms. Head to Native Bar for inventive cocktails, or simply stroll the buzzy streets and see where the night takes you.

Address: Bar Native is located at WFFQ+P9 St Julian's, Malta. 

Hours: Open daily from noon to 4 pm. 

Just across the Grand Harbour from Valletta lie the Three Cities: a collection of picturesque neighbourhoods (Vittoriosa, Senglea and Cospicua) that first housed the Knights of St John, and date back further than the capital, itself. They’re home to many key historic landmarks – tick off the Maritime Museum, Fort St Angelo and the Inquisitor’s Palace – but this is also a great place to experience authentic local life away from the more touristy areas. Think narrow streets crowded with overhanging window boxes and the sounds of Maltese conversation drifting through the air.

Address: Inquisitor's Palace is located at Triq il-Mina l-Kbira, Birgu Triq il-Mina, l-Kbira, Birgu BRG 1023, Malta

Hours: Tuesdays, and Thursday to Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm, closed Monday and Wednesday 

Price: €6 for general admission