3 different ways to experience Malta on a city break

Malta, with a little extra indulgence

If your perfect city break involves beautiful hotels, memorable meals, and plenty of culture, Malta can deliver all three.  Valletta is an obvious starting point. Behind its honey-coloured façades, the capital is packed with centuries of history, but it also has boutique hotels, rooftop terraces, and an increasingly interesting dining scene. There are plenty of high-end places to stay across Malta too, including elegant options in and around Valletta, as well as characterful properties in historic Mdina.

Spend a morning exploring St John’s Co-Cathedral, whose richly decorated interior houses works by Caravaggio, including The Beheading of St John the Baptist. It’s one of the landmarks that really brings Valletta’s history to life. Then make lunch or dinner an occasion in itself. Malta’s food scene ranges from traditional Maltese cooking to Michelin-starred restaurants, with local seafood and Mediterranean influences featuring strongly. And luxury here doesn’t have to mean filling every hour. Leave space for a long lunch, take in the Grand Harbour from the Upper Barrakka Gardens, or spend an afternoon crossing the water and exploring the Three Cities before returning to Valletta for dinner.

Make your city break an active one

Malta also works brilliantly when you like your city breaks with a little more energy. You can spend one day exploring Valletta on foot, then swap streets for trails, cliffs, or the Mediterranean the next. Malta, Gozo, and Comino have walking and cycling routes through countryside and along sections of coastline, while kayaking and other water sports offer a completely different perspective from the sea. For walkers, routes range from city-based strolls to countryside trails around Dingli, Baħrija, and Malta’s historic watchtowers.

If you’d rather get onto the water, kayaking around the coastline can take you towards coves and caves that look very different from sea level. The Maltese Islands offer sandy, rocky, and pebbly swimming spots, alongside opportunities for surfing and other water activities. Then there’s diving. Malta, Gozo, and Comino are known for a wide choice of dive sites, including caves and wrecks, with options for different experience levels. You can still finish the day back in the city, which is what makes this combination so appealing: plenty of activity when you want it, followed by dinner in Valletta and a much slower evening.

To book your city break to Malta, speak to your Travel Counsellor today.