Where to stay in Malta in 2025

The medieval walled citadel of Mdina, with its tall bastion fortifications, deep moat and honey-toned alleyways, occupies a hilltop position overlooking the sea. Also known as the Silent City, it’s a place to lose oneself in a maze of narrow, paved (car-free) streets of chapels, beautifully restored palazzi, nobles’ houses (some open to visitors) and squares. There’s a car park just outside from which it’s easy to walk or take a horse-drawn carriage. Beyond the city walls, Rabat is a characterful unspoilt town.

Stay here: The Xara Palace is a splurge-worthy seventeenth-century palace on the bastions overlooking Mdina with 17 opulent rooms full of antique furniture.

Malta is not really an island for unspoilt beaches and quiet coves, but the north has a few lovely stretches of sand where you can dip a toe in the Med, away from the big hotel complexes around Mellieha. St Paul’s Bay, a little less touristy than adjoining Bugibba and Qawra, is fun for food and drinks, while clubbers should make a beeline for the nightlife of St Julian’s. Book a scuba diving session through Scuba Kings Diving Centre to explore some of the island’s reefs, shipwrecks, caverns, caves and drop-offs.

Stay here: In a quiet part of Sliema, a coastal town just south of St Julians, you’ll find Palazzo Violetta, an attractive townhouse with red shutters, with a small outdoor pool and 20 simple rooms. 

It’s strictly a different island, but the two destinations go hand in hand. Linked by ferry from Cirkewwa on Malta, Gozo is more relaxed than its busy big sister, with friendly bars and cafes, rocky landscapes and farmland, and excellent swimming and diving. Going walking on Gozo isn’t really a case of choosing a way-marked path. Just wander where you feel, it’s impossible to get lost and easy to cross the countryside. The megalithic Ggantija Temples in Xaghra are 5,600-years old – predating the pyramids of Egypt. Human and animal bones, pottery and sculptures are among prehistoric artefacts in the small museum.

Stay here: ThirtySeven Gozo is a cool and relaxing luxury bolthole, with pink woodwork, a cute courtyard, two pools and great views of cactus-filled fields.

A bit more rural than the north, Malta’s south coast has attractive fishing villages and the incredible prehistoric sights that are one of the island’s primary draws. There’s a shortage of classic sandy beaches, but Ir Ramla is a large bay with shallow soft banks, and diving from the rocks at beautiful St Peter’s Pool has to be done. It’s best to explore the island with a hire car, but the City Sightseeing Malta bus is a good alternative. For the best fresh fish, head to Marsaxlokk, a fishing harbour with a colourful waterfront and brightly painted luzzu boats.

Stay here: Villa Sky, Zejtun is one of the island’s most appealing Airbnbs, a tall townhouse with a gorgeous pool area, big airy rooms and pleasant footpaths across farmland and along the coast nearby.