10 Things to Do in Malta

Malta, one of the smallest countries in the world, is an archipelago of three islands in the Mediterranean Sea about 90km from Sicily. Cliffs, turquoise beaches, megalithic monuments, baroque buildings and charming fishing villages are some of the best things to see in this country. Here I'll tell you which ones are the most interesting so you can make the most of your next visit.

Valletta, or Valleta, as well as being the smallest capital in Europe, has been declared a World Heritage Site, as it is home to more than 300 monuments in just over half a square kilometre, most of which are Baroque in style.

The city also stands out for its green, red and blue balconies that stand out from the buildings located in narrow streets, where you can take the best photos of Valletta. You can also book a cruise around Malta's harbours and see the main sights from the water.

Some of the sights you can see in this city are:

• Fort St. Telmo, built in the mid-16th century by the Knights of the Order of St. John.
• Museum of the Knights Hospitaller.
• Square Palace of Valletta, built around 1565, where you can see an important collection of weapons and armour from the Baroque period.
• National Museum of Archaeology, dedicated to archaeological finds on the island.
• Grand Harbour of Malta, about 6000 years old, which offers the best viewpoints of the city.
• Grand Master's Palace, the first residence of the city's founder.
• 16th centurySt John's Co-Cathedral, which also houses a museum.
• St Paul's Anglican Pro-Cathedral, rebuilt in 1839. It offers a beautiful view of the city.
• Valletta's Castille Place, built in 1574, where knights of the Order of St John stayed.
• Upper Barrakka Gardens, dating from the 17th century, offering a beautiful view of the Grand Harbour and the Three Cities.

Hagar Qim is a group of megalithic temples dating back to the Ġgantija period (between 3600 and 3200 BC), constituting an astonishing work of engineering. They are located on a hilltop in the south of the island. 500m away is Mnajdra, a group of three megalithic temples that you can visit on the same day.

Although they are often referred to as Maltese temples, the truth is that it is not known exactly for what purpose they were built or how they were made, as stones weighing some 20 tonnes had to be moved and assembled with great precision. On the other hand, if you visit these buildings during the equinoxes or solstices, you will see how the sun's rays illuminate certain monoliths.

To visit these temples, you can take a bus from La Veleta to the Hagar bus stop in front of the complex. And if you are interested in learning more about the history and significance of these constructions, you can book a tour of Hagar Qim and Mnajdra with an expert guide, which usually includes transport to and from La Veleta.

Useful facts

• Location: Triq Hagar Qim, Il-Qrendi QRD 2501, Malta.
• Opening hours: March to October, daily from 9.00 am to 7.00 pm. And from November to February, from 9:00 am to approximately 7:00 pm.

The Blue Grotto is a series of sea caves at the foot of cliffs on the south coast of Malta and is one of Malta's most beautiful postcard images. The turquoise seabed highlights the beauty of these coral-covered rock formations that were the setting for the famous film Troy.

To explore these grottoes, you can join a boat tour from the port of Wied iz-Zurrieq, which is about 13km from Valletta. These tours usually last about 40 minutes and allow you to admire the sea caves at their best. If you're in Malta in summer, you can also take a dip in the water.

Another interesting option is to book a tour to Marsaxlokk and the Blue Grotto, which includes transport to and from Valletta and also allows you to visit a charming fishing village, famous for its beaches and Sunday market.

Founded by the Phoenicians in 700 BC, Mdina is a walled city with narrow streets where you can lose yourself to discover medieval buildings, especially convents, monasteries, churches and palaces, as well as typical handicraft shops. It is also known as the city of silence, as its walls keep it soundproof, and as Melite (city of honey), because there were numerous beehives in the area.

The city, which was the ancient capital of Malta until 1520, was also the setting for the famous Game of Thrones series. It's a small hilltop town with high, cream-coloured limestone walls that change colour in the light.

Here's what not to miss in Mdina:

• Vilhena Gate, the main entrance to the city. It was built in baroque style in 1724.
• Mdina Cathedral or St. Paul's Cathedral, the most important cathedral in Malta. It was rebuilt in 1705 after an earthquake. It contains a museum with works of art by the hospital masters who lived in the region.
• Palazzo Falson, a reconstructed palace housing collections of art and antiquities.
• Piazza Mesquita, a beautiful square surrounded by palaces and ancient buildings.
• Convent of the Carmelites, from the 16th century.
• Palazzo Vilhena, from the 18th century, where the Natural History Museum is located.

Rabat

Mdina is next to Rabat, so you can visit both cities on the same day. One of its main attractions is the 3rd-century AD Catacombs of St Paul, where you can learn about the Christian form of burial. It was built by the Arabs on the site of an ancient Roman villa, the remains of which can be seen in the city's Domus Romana or Museum of Roman Antiquities.

La Cottonera or The Three Towns are the names by which Vittoriosa, Senglea and Copiscua are known, three towns located in an area of coves, bays and peninsulas, and considered to be the jewels of Malta. Here you can follow the history of the Knights of the Order of Malta, who built them at the end of the 16th century for defensive purposes.

It is common to hire a tour of the Three Cities from La Veleta to visit them on the same day, or to see them from a Maltese gondola on the Mediterranean. If you prefer to go it alone, you can take a ferry orbus from Valletta, which will drop you off in Senglea in about half an hour.

What to see in Senglea

Also known as The Island, Senglea is a small town that withstood the bombings of World War II. Here you can explore the mid-16th century Saint Michael's Fort, which offers panoramic views of the town, La Veleta and Vittoriosa. You can also visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Victory and the Gardjola Gardens, which offer incredible views.

What to see in Vittoriosa

Also known as Birgu, it was the capital of Malta until 1565. It's a beautiful city to walk around, with well-preserved old buildings and flowery balconies that take you back in time. Highlights include St Angel's Fort, the Inquisitor's Palace, St Lawrence Church and Fort Rikazoli, which was also the setting for the film Troy. You can also walk along Triq Hilda Tabone, one of the main streets, and along the promenade.

What to see in Copiscua

Copiscua is the largest of La Cottonera and the last to be built by the Knights of the Order of St John in the mid-18th century. One of its most visited spots is the Church of the Immaculate Conception, which contains paintings by Polidoro da Lanciano. You can also visit the walled port and the Bir Mula Heritage Museum.

The island of Gozo is Malta's second largest island and a must-see tourist destination where you can explore ancient temples, cliffs, valleys and underwater caves. Its beauty is said to have inspired Homer to describe the island paradise where Calypso held Odysseus, and its landscapes have been the setting for the famous Game of Thrones series.

There are many things to see and do on the island of Gozo, as listed below:

• The Citadel, a walled city built in the Middle Ages in Victoria, the island's capital. There you can also see other medieval buildings such as St Mary's Cathedral and the Bishop's Palace.
• Azure Window: although the natural formation collapsed in 2017, it is worth a visit for its cliffs and the surrounding sea area, ideal for diving and snorkelling.
• The temples of Ggantija, built in the Bronze Age, between 3600-2500 BC.
• Fungus Rock, a limestone islet where Khaleesi and Khal Drogo's wedding in Game of Thrones was filmed.
• Ramla Bay, one of the most beautiful beaches on the island, with reddish sand.

You can also take the opportunity to visit Comino Island, a small uninhabited island between Malta and Gozo. It is surrounded by limestone cliffs, ideal for those looking for nature destinations. Don't miss the Blue Lagoon, a bay with crystal clear waters, as well as impressive rock formations such as the Elephant Rock and the Santa Marija Caves, only visible from the water.

Marsaxlokk is a charming little fishing village in the southeast of the island. A very characteristic feature of this place are the gondolas or luzzu of Phoenician origin, which are used for fishing and paint the shores of the Mediterranean Sea with bright colours.

Marsaxlokk is a town with history, as it was one of the first settlements on the island. It is well known for its Sunday fishermen's market, where you can experience the day-to-day life of its community.

You can also visit the 19th century Church of Our Lady of Pompeii and the 17th century Fort St. Lucjan, as well as enjoy the delicious seafood typical of this area. 3 km from the centre of Marsaxlokk is St. Peter's Pool, a natural pool with turquoise waters ideal for a dip on hot summer days.

Malta's classic car museum is a must-see not only for car lovers but for anyone curious about the vehicles that roamed the streets in decades gone by. It is located in the town of Qawra in the north of the island.

If you book a ticket to the Malta Car Museum, you can discover a collection spanning some 50 years of automotive history and owned by car enthusiast Carol Galea. Two of the most iconic cars that can be seen in this museum are the 1955 Jaguar Type C and a 1972 Fiat 500 F.

Part of the museum's philosophy is that every car tells a story, so you can read information and trivia about them on the walls. The museum also has a cafeteria, a cinema dedicated to showing material related to motoring and a car restoration workshop.

Interesting facts

• Location: Tourist Street Saint Paul's Bay, SPB 1020, Malta.
• Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 5.00pm and weekends from 9.00am to approximately 2.00pm.
• Price: from €12 for adults and about €5 for children under 12.

If you're travelling to Malta with children, a great plan is to visit the Malta National Aquarium, where they can discover and see the region's marine life up close. In its numerous tanks that recreate different marine ecosystems, you can explore the enormous biodiversity of the Mediterranean Sea, the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean, among others.

A must-visit when booking a ticket to the Malta Aquarium is the main tank, which has a tunnel through which you can walk to get a closer look at the variety of marine species that inhabit it.

You can also explore an area that recreates ancient Roman times, where you can see a replica of the original anchor from the shipwreck of St. Paul. The aquarium also has an area dedicated to amphibians and fish, and one that recreates Malta's harbour area decorated with murals.

Interesting facts

• Location: Triq it-Trunciera, San Pawl il-Baħar SPB 1500, Malta
• Opening hours: daily from 10.00 am to approximately 7.00 pm.
• Price: from €19 for adults and about €13 for children aged 4 to 12. Children under the age of 3 are free.

If you are interested in history, you must visit the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum, a unique prehistoric underground temple that can only be seen in the town of Paola in Malta. It may have been a sanctuary before it became a necropolis and is estimated to be around 4,000 years old.

The Hypogeum of Hal Saflieni was excavated in underground caves about 10 metres deep and covers about 500 square metres spread over 3 levels. The second level is the most interesting, as you can see ceilings painted with spirals and murals in red ochre and even a room with amplified acoustics, known as the Oracle Room.

If you decide to visit the Hypogeum, it is advisable to book in advance, especially in summer, as for conservation reasons only about 80 people per day can visit it. To get there, you can take a bus from La Veleta.

Useful information

• Location: Triq Ic Cimiterju Raħal Ġdid, PLA 1116, Malta.
• Opening hours: daily from 09:00 to 17:00. Last admission at 16:00.
• Price: from €35 for adults, about €20 for children aged 12-17 and from €15 for children aged 6-11.