Visit Malta

1. Discover Malta’s capital, Valletta: you simply can’t visit Malta without exploring its capital! UNESCO‑listed, it blends history, culture and a laid‑back Mediterranean lifestyle.
2. Visit Mdina, the famous Silent City: fun fact—Mdina is Malta’s former capital! It’s nicknamed the Silent City, and once you arrive you’ll see why: almost no cars (well, almost, haha) and narrow lanes!
3. Swim in the Blue Lagoon on Comino: if there’s one spot you can’t miss in Malta, this is it! Picture a turquoise lagoon framed by white sand and cliffs—a postcard‑perfect slice of the Med.
4. Explore the Three Cities (Vittoriosa, Senglea & Cospicua): just opposite Valletta, they’re fortified, full of charm and far calmer than the capital—well worth the detour!
5. Marvel at the Blue Grotto: soaring cliffs, sea caves and dazzling blue reflections—simply stunning. You can view it from above or on a boat trip. Tip: go in the morning for the best light!
6. Drop by Popeye Village: the famous one! Originally a movie set, it’s now a colourful seaside village and a fun place to explore.
7. Hike the Dingli Cliffs: honestly, it’s more a two‑hour walk! You’ll be high above the sea, surrounded by nature and breathtaking views. Tempted?
8. Head over to Gozo: Malta’s “little sister” is greener and quieter. Its capital, Victoria, has a hilltop citadel with sweeping island views—and there are great beaches and hikes too!
9. Discover Marsaxlokk: a small fishing village with brightly painted boats—you’ve probably seen photos. It’s pretty, authentic and the perfect spot for fresh fish.
10. Explore Malta’s best beaches: the country is famous for its stunning coves and turquoise waters—take time to seek them out.

The archipelago has two official languages: Maltese and English. Maltese draws on Italian, English and even French! It’s used in daily life, while English is everywhere—administration, shops, restaurants—making communication easy. Thanks to Malta’s location, many locals also speak Italian, and some even understand French—always handy!

Travelling to Malta is straightforward. EU citizens only need a national ID card or passport valid for the entire stay—handy if your flight’s delayed or you decide to extend! No visa or special paperwork is required. Travellers from Quebec should check the official foreign‑affairs site for entry conditions.

The flight takes just 2 h 30 – 3 h from France, depending on departure city. Malta has a single airport near Valletta (Luqa) served by many direct flights from Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Toulouse—as well as Brussels and Geneva.

• From France, several airlines offer direct flights, including Ryanair, Transavia, Air France and Air Malta.
• From Belgium and Switzerland, you’ll find direct flights or ones with a short stop‑over.
• From Quebec, a lay‑over is unavoidable—usually London or Frankfurt—with total travel time of 12 – 20 hours.

Travel tip: once you’ve fixed your dates, book your tickets—prices vary a lot by season. Check flight‑comparison sites like Skyscanner for deals.

As mentioned, the archipelago includes other islands such as Gozo and Comino. Don’t worry—they’re close to Malta and easy to reach. To get to Gozo from Malta you have two options:

• The ferry: it’s the simplest and most common way! Depending on where you’re staying, you can board at Ċirkewwa (north Malta) or Valletta and arrive at Mġarr on Gozo. Gozo lies north of Malta, so the crossing is shorter from Ċirkewwa (25 minutes) than from Valletta (45 minutes), though both are reasonable.
  Another difference: the Ċirkewwa ferry carries foot passengers and vehicles, while the Valletta one is foot‑passenger only. If you take the Ċirkewwa ferry you don’t pay on the outward trip but on the return from Gozo to Malta. Fun fact: once, arriving at 3:15 p.m.—exact departure time—we planned to catch the next ferry, but staff waved us straight aboard with the car. In the rush we drove on without tickets, only to learn it’s normal: you pay on the way back. Instant peace of mind, haha.
• Water taxis: if you’d rather save time and dodge the crowds, water‑taxis can take you from Malta’s coasts—Sliema or Valletta—to Gozo. Handy if you want to travel at your own pace without timetables.
• Excursion: to combine transport and exploration, operators such as Manawa run cruises/excursions for a half‑day or a full‑day, combining Gozo and Comino.
  Expect swimming stops in coves (Blue Lagoon), snorkelling and pure chill—sounds tempting, right?

For Comino, besides excursions, you can explore the island via :

• Ferry from Malta : you can catch ferries at the very north of Malta, from Ċirkewwa or Marfa Bay. The crossing takes about 25 minutes and, in high season, boats leave every 45 minutes.
• Ferry from Gozo : if you’ve decided to spend a few days on Gozo, you can sail from Mġarr and reach Comino in just 15 minutes!

You might think Malta is an hour ahead of France, but nope! There’s no time difference between Malta and France, Switzerland or Belgium. We switch to winter and summer time at exactly the same moment. For our friends in Quebec, it’s 6 hours behind from November to March and 5 hours from April to October—just a bit of jet‑lag to shake off!

Thanks to its Mediterranean climate, you can visit Malta all year round—remember, there are 300 + sunny days per year! Pick the season that best fits your plans :

• Spring (March–June) : mild 20 – 25 °C temperatures and still few tourists. Perfect for sightseeing, hiking and beach time. It’s when I went—quiet, pleasant weather, zero regrets!
• Summer (July–September) : hot and sunny—sometimes too hot. Temps easily top 35 °C and midday visits can be scorching. Malta also gets busy with festivals and holiday crowds; icons like the Blue Lagoon fill fast. If you don’t mind people and you’re here to party, go for it!
• Autumn (October–November) : the crowds have gone, temperatures stay mild and the sea is still warm. Like spring, ideal if you want peace and to dodge peak heat.
• Winter (November–February) : pleasant 12 – 17 °C—nothing like a French winter, haha. Very few visitors and super‑cheap flights. Great for bargains, with just a few showery days.

Good news—no shots are mandatory for Malta. Just make sure your routine jabs are up to date (diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, etc.). Hepatitis A is recommended, especially for long stays, but again, it isn’t compulsory. Relax and enjoy the Maltese sun!

Malta is pretty affordable—especially versus other Mediterranean islands. Of course, it depends on your travel style; here are some rough guides :
Accommodation (per night)

• Hostel / budget hotel : 25 – 60 €
• Nice 3* hotel or B&B : 40 – 120 €
• 4* or 5* hotel : from 150 – 200 €
• Airbnb : varies, usually around 30 – 100 €

Food

• Snack / quick meal : 7 – 10 €
• Main course in a restaurant : 12 – 18 €
• Full menu (starter, main, dessert) : 20 – 35 €

Transport

• Single bus ticket : 2 € (less with a pass)
• Car rental : 20 – 40 €/day in low season
• Malta–Gozo ferry : 4.65 € return on foot (vehicle extra)
• Boat shuttle to Comino : 10 – 15 € return

Activities

• Museums / sights : 5 – 10 €
• Full‑day boat trip : 25 – 70 €
• Diving, kayaking, snorkelling : 30 – 60 €
• Catamaran day trip or private cruise : 60 – 100 € +

Note : tap water isn’t drinkable in Malta, so budget for bottled water—though many hotels provide filtered‑water dispensers, which I found super handy!

Here’s a ballpark budget by trip length (broad ranges to cover shoestring to high‑end) :

• 5 days in Malta : 500 € – 1 100 €
• 1 week in Malta : 700 € – 1 500 €
• 10 days in Malta : 1 000 € – 2 000 €
• 2 weeks in Malta : 1 400 € – 2 800 €

Because Malta is in the EU, you can use your European mobile plan with no extra roaming fees—just double‑check with your provider. Coverage is good everywhere, even on Gozo and Comino.
You can also pick up local prepaid SIM cards for about 10 – 20 €.

One quirk : although Malta is in the EU, its plugs are British. Grab an adapter (or two) before you go, or buy one locally for less—I paid just 3 € at my hotel versus 12 € in France. I travel with a universal power strip, so I just dug that out, haha.

Like the plugs, driving is British style—steering wheel on the right, roundabouts the other way. It feels upside‑down at first! Surprisingly, multi‑lane traffic is trickier than the roundabouts; we kept wanting to drive on the wrong side but soon adapted.

Maltese drivers have their own habits : indicators rarely used (or left blinking), STOP signs treated like give‑way… You’ve been warned, haha. The speed limit tops out at 80 km/h—sounds slow, but on narrow island roads it feels quicker, especially in traffic.

Tip : travelling between the north and Valletta, stick to the coastal eastern road—it’s the easiest, almost motorway‑style. Western and central roads are much narrower and winding; GPS may claim they’re faster but you’ll often end up stopping to let oncoming cars pass.

Parking island‑wide is only permitted in white‑lined bays (and it’s free). Yellow, green and blue lines are reserved for residents, buses, etc.

I rented through Discover Cars and snagged some great deals—highly recommended!

Relax—Malta ranks among the safest countries in Europe. Just keep an eye on your belongings in tourist areas and on the beach, where petty theft and pick‑pockets can occur, but otherwise you’ve little to worry about.

Step outside the towns and Malta still holds surprises. Bird‑watchers can spot many migratory species, especially in spring and autumn. Keep your eyes peeled and you might glimpse chameleons—masters of disguise! In wilder spots you’ll likely see wild rabbits; we mostly encountered lizards with bright green backs.

Underwater is another world entirely : with clear seas, snorkellers and divers often see colourful fish, moray eels, the odd ray and, with luck, dolphins.

As for plants, Malta’s dry climate (especially in summer) means arid landscapes with sparse vegetation. Spring brings wildflowers and herbs such as thyme, plus Mediterranean‑hardy trees like olives and prickly pears. Gozo is greener, with tomato fields and vineyards—a contrast to Malta.

Foodies take note : while Malta isn’t famous for haute cuisine, there are plenty of hearty dishes with Italian, British and other influences. A taste‑test shortlist :

• Fenek : Malta’s signature dish—rabbit stew slowly braised in red wine, garlic and herbs. Delicious!
• Bragioli : beef rolls stuffed and served in a spiced tomato sauce.
• Kapunata : Malta’s take on ratatouille with aubergine, tomatoes, peppers and capers.
• Pastizzi : flaky pastries filled with ricotta or mushy peas—perfect on the go.
• Ftira : local bread often packed with tuna, tomatoes, olives and capers. Super fluffy—think giant, well‑filled focaccia‑style sandwich, great for picnics and seriously filling!

Seafood lovers will enjoy fresh fish in coastal eateries (especially Marsaxlokk). Prices depend on market rate—some places quote 7 € per 100 g, so costs add up fast.
Got a sweet tooth? Try these :

• Imqaret : small fried pastries stuffed with dates, usually served warm—so good!
• Maltese kannoli : akin to Sicilian cannoli, with a crisp shell and ricotta filling. Larger than their Sicilian cousins; flavours like pistachio, chocolate or coffee abound, but plain is fantastic too.
• Figolli : animal‑ or heart‑shaped biscuits traditionally baked for Easter.

In short, plenty to please every palate. Note : Italian restaurants outnumber Maltese ones, and breakfasts often lean toward a full English. On Gozo, dishes are seasoned with coarse sea salt harvested locally at Marsalforn—great flavour but not for every day, haha.

You’ll soon notice Catholicism’s importance here : over 90 % of Maltese are Catholic and there are 360 churches—huge for such a small archipelago. Religious symbols adorn terraces, façades and windows. Most churches on Malta are closed outside Mass to preserve them, while Gozo feels even more devout. One Friday evening in Nadur, we found roads closed and locals smartly dressed en masse for the 6 p.m. service—quite the contrast to its usual calm. Summer brings festas, local religious festivals, with each village celebrating its own.
Despite strong Catholic roots, Malta remains open to other faiths, with Muslim, Orthodox, Protestant and Jewish communities.