Say hello to historic sites, fab food and gorgeous beaches with a trip to Malta. Make your Mediterranean moment one to remember with these tips to help you plan when to go, what to expect and where to stay: 

1. Is it expensive?

Malta uses the euro, so although the rand won’t stretch quite as far as it does in, say, Bali or Thailand, it is one of the more affordable stops in the Mediterranean.

2. Best place to stay? 

• Valletta puts you right in the historic centre, walking distance from St John’s Co-Cathedral and the Grand Harbour, but it quietens down at night. 
• Sliema and St Julian’s, just across the water, give you a livelier restaurant and bar scene plus easier access to the ferries and day-trip boats. 
• If you’re chasing beaches, basing yourself near Mellieha or St Paul’s Bay in the north puts Golden Bay and the Comino ferries on your doorstep.

3. Where to go for the best beaches? 

1. Golden Bay: Malta’s most popular sandy beach on the northwest coast. Beach bar and watersports available.
2. Gnejna Bay: Wild, rocky bay, also on the northwest coast. No facilities, quieter and more scenic than Golden Bay
3. Ramla Bay, Gozo: Red-sand beach in a sheltered bay. Gozo’s best beach with excellent snorkelling.
4. St Peter’s Pool: Natural rock swimming hole carved by the sea on the south coast. Extraordinary water, no sand.
5. Blue Lagoon, Comino: Best water clarity in the archipelago.

4. When is the best time to visit Malta?

April – June: Best overall. It’s warm (20–26°C), manageable crowds, full services running, sea warm enough to swim from May onwards.

July – August: Peak season. Hot (30–35°C), very crowded at the Blue Lagoon and major attractions; book ahead.

September – October: Excellent shoulder season: still warm, sea at its warmest (around 25°C), noticeably fewer tourists, lower prices.

November – March: Off-season. Cooler (12–16°C), some smaller businesses closed, but Valletta and all cultural sites remain fully open.

5. How to see Malta in a week:

• Spend two or three nights in Valletta, taking in the cathedral, the Grand Harbour views, the Three Cities, and Mdina as a day trip. 
• Add one day across to Comino for the Blue Lagoon. 
• Two nights on Gozo which covers Ggantija, the Citadel, Ramla Bay, and the Blue Hole if you dive or a day lounging and relaxing if you don’t. 
• Add Hagar Qim and the Hypogeum (book the Hypogeum months ahead) for the prehistoric layer, and Golden Bay or St Peter’s Pool for a beach afternoon. 

Content by Flight Centre.

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