Malta: A Year Wouldnāt Be Enough (But Here Are Four Days)
Four Days in the Malta: How to Make Them Count
People who say āFour days is enoughā simply have not ventured from the stunning capital of Valletta for very long. Maybe they ādid Gozo as a daytripā (Gasp!). But, honestly, I do understandā we all only have so much time and if 3 or 4 days is all you have, it is better to make the most of that limited time rather than not go at all. So, here are some ways to make the most of a short stay in Malta, knowing full well that a whole year would not be enough.
On thedetourlab.com you will also find a sample itinerary which might be helpful to you as you plan your own trip. As always, The Detour Lab has added specific suggestions that are not always on everyoneās radar. We also recommend unique places to stay that took us hours to find online, compare to other possible stays, and finally book.
By its very nature, Malta forces you to make the most of it. It is simply impossible not to! The tiny sun-drenched island nation is set in the middle of the Mediterranean, miles and miles from anywhere else to distract you. No day-tripping to any other country and no short stopover on a train to check out a capital city in neighboring ā¦ummm. And even if you could do one of those things you wouldnāt even want to! The beauty of Malta will always pull you back.
Maltaās 7,000 years of rich history allows for a unique blend of Phoenician, North African, Roman, and European influences and makes tiny Malta a wonderful mosaic of cultures. The rugged and dramatic coastlines with sea caves, tunnels, arches, and 250m high cliffs are worth exploring by kayak or small boat. Quaint fishing villages and honey-colored cities dot the island. There are more churches in Malta than there are days in the year. Prehistoric sites are older than Giza. Add in the local food scene of slow-cooked specialties made in restaurants run by the same family for generations and wellā Malta has it all.
Highlights of Malta:
ā GeologyJaw-dropping cliffs into electric blue water, red sand beaches, sea caves and tunnels, limestone cliffs that hug little harbors, coastal lagoons
ā Local eventsVillage festivals that showcase the unique charm, pride, and traditions of the town through dance performances, carnival-style parties, live music, and more.
ā FoodFresh seafood pulled right from the sea, maybe by fishermen on that very boat just there next to you in the harbor. And of course- Pastizzi!
ā HistoryPrehistoric sites dating back to 3,800-2,000 B.C., including the Ä gantija temples on Gozo and ĦaÄ”ar Qim, Mnajdra, and the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum on Malta.
4 Days in Malta
It was a little bit of a splurge but the food was tasty and the view was worth it. From what I could find online, this is the restaurant with the best view of the city at night. It is crucial to make a reservation at this place in advance. When booking the reservation, be sure to politely request a table outside with the view, and if it is possible the staff will try to accommodate. Of course, it might not be possible but it doesnāt hurt to ask. And if it doesnāt work out, honestly the whole outside seating area is stunning so you will not be disappointed.
Suggested Dinner: The rooftop at the Embassy Hotel for that view.
After dinner, we headed to our Mdina accommodations via Bolt.
Mdina was once the capital of Malta, from around 500-800 BCE until the mid 1500s. We had the busiest daytime square all to ourselves. In fact, it felt like we had the town to ourselves.
Recommended Stay: We spent the night at an actual museum- The Noblemanās Suite in Casa Gourgion within a celebrated Neo-Gothic Palazzo on Mdinaās main square. We had a rooftop terrace to relax on overlooking the historic square and St. Paulās Cathedral. It was so quiet and peaceful. Mdina is known as the āsilent cityā afterall. This accommodation is such a hidden gem that it took hours to find online (something the Lab is known far). But I think they do have an airbnb listing now. (If you stay, please gives us a āthanksā by telling your friends about The Detour Lab, please).
Wandering around Mdina at night. The view from the terrace.
Day 1: Valletta and Mdina at Night
Valletta
We landed around 6PM and went straight to luggage storage at 15a St Lucia to drop our bags there. We pre-booked a locker at stowyourbags.com so we knew a locker would be available for us. I do think this is the best location of bag drops as it was right in the heart of Valletta.
We had explored Valetta for a couple of hours taking in beautiful views of the harbor, before enjoying a rooftop dinner with an amazing view.
Mdina
Entering the walled medieval town of Mdina for the very first time should absolutely happen at night. It is truly an amazing experience. I cannot stress this enough. There were no tourists walking around. Just us wandering the alleys of the old town looking for our accommodations for the night. The light of the street lamps make you feel like you are stepping back in time. Arriving at night allows you to see a side of Mdina that very few travelers see. It was like a medieval maze, something out of a movie!
We stayed right here! ā“ā“
The View from Our Dinner Table in Valletta
Day 2: Mdina, a Seaside Lunch, and the Ferry to Gozo
Enjoy Mdina before the tours arrive. Have a pastizzi or two on your private balcony overlooking the historic square below. I have it on very good local authority that Crystal Palace Bar has the best pastizzi in all of Malta. And having tested this out at every chance I could, I fully concur! Do what we did and take the short walk to Crystal Palace Bar and back to enjoy this traditional savory pastry treat on your balcony. The pea filled (pastizzi piselli)and the ricotta filled (Pastizzi tal-irkotta) are classics and cost 0.50Euro each.
Before leaving Mdina, we had plenty of time to stroll the narrow car-free streets, visit Bastian Square for the views, admire St. Paulās Cathedral, and stop by a beautiful tea garden for a coffee and refreshing drink overlooking the countryside.
Marsaxlokk
Next, we hopped in a Bolt and headed to the quaint fishing village of Marsaxlokk for a traditional lunch of fresh seafood. At the serverās recommendation, I had the Lampuki, as she explained it was her favorite and it had just come into season. We sipped on a bajtra spritz, made from prickly pear cactus grown on the island. We had a relaxed lunch right by the harbor which was filled with colorful Luzzu, traditional Maltese fishing boats. The market was going on that day and we sampled local food offerings before leaving the cute village with a small jar of prickly pear cactus jam and a small bottle of bajtra too.
Recommended Lunch: We enjoyed our meal at Harbour by Johann.
You could use the rest of the afternoon to see other sights on Malta that you are most interested in before catching a late afternoon ferry to Gozo. I suggest either a visit to the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeuma which is on the way to the ferry or a visit to the Archaeological Site at ĦaĔar Qim and Mnajdra (4000BCE) and the nearby coastal Blue Grotto. After that you could also visit the dramatic Dingli Cliffs, depending on the time. If you are interested in the Hypogeuma, you need to book tickets well in advance as tickets are extremely limited.
As for us, we were excited to get to Gozo so we began heading toward Melliena for the ferry. We did find ourselves with some time to kill before the ferry so we unexpectedly stopped at the Cave Bar in Melliena before boarding the ferry to Gozo. The cave bar was conveniently on the way to the ferry. For us, the timing happened to work out but I would not recommend going out of your way to make a stop here.
Once we landed in Gozo, we went straight to our accommodation in Xlendi. This place was amazing! I cannot recommend it enough. The photos speak for themselves. Here are some views from the balcony and living room.
Xlendi has a few cute restaurants, cafes, and bars, a small market which had the staples, and a pretty promenade to stroll in the evening. It is also one of the best bases for costal day hikes of various lengths with trailheads very nearby and accessible from the harbor. A lovely portion of the Gozo Coastal Track starts/ends in Xlendi, making this a great choice for those wishing to do the full loop around the whole island or even just a portion of it.
Check out the list below for other accommodations that were in the running for our three nights stay, each in a different region of Gozo. In the end, we chose to stay in Xlendi (technically Munxar) as we thought it would have more of a smaller village feel than the hub of Victoria, the capital of Gozo. Considering which general area of Gozo you would like to focus most of your time may help you decide where you end up booking your three night stay. But whether you chose Xlendi, Victoria, Marsalforn, Nadar, or Qala, you will be able to get to wherever you want to go. Gozo is even smaller the the island of Malta and buses run regularly and are most convenient in Victoria. Additionally, the Bolt app was easy and reliable. (I am not one to uber everywhere like this, but again, I had limited time so I did not utilize the bus system this time around). Reach out to the Detour Lab if you have questions for the best places to stay
Recommended stay: The View Apartment on airbnb (2 bedrooms, about $400 for 3 nights)
Xlendi
Hotels and restaurants line the fjord-like Xlendi Harbor. These hotels (pictured) are popular accommodations for tourists and I can understand why. But I booked a place at the mouth of the harbor rather than booking one of these hotels. I wanted to be able to the see the cliffs in the distance, which are behind the limestone formation (see photo) of the harbor and out of view from the hotel themselves. This also made for a perfect view of the sunset every night. Indeed, the mouth of the harbor is the way to go for the best views from your own balcony.
Suggested Dinner: Da Manuel Restaurant
This is the place right below our accommodation. Stopping at the restaurant was not a decision based on convenience. The aromatic flavors wafting from their kitchen up to our balcony was too good to resist. Later in our trip, two different people told us this is their favorite restaurant on Gozo.
Da Manuel is a family run restaurant which is frequented by locals. Our server explained that she was home from college (Rome) for the summer and like every summer, she was helping her father run the front of the house while her grandmother makes desserts from scratch in the kitchen.
If you go, expect the service to be relaxed. Dishes are made fresh and to order, and the small staff prides themselves in serving delicious food which may be time intensive to create. This just allows you to slow down too and take in the beauty of the harbor beside you.
Zoomed in View from Our Balcony
There are many options for boat tours to Comino Island, the Blue Lagoon, and the beautiful coastline of Gozo. The Detour Lab did our research. And there is one winner. (Remember, we do not get paid to say this. Nor do we use affiliate links or things like that. The Lab is scientific, unbiased and unpaid hahaha.)t
Day 3: A day on the Water. An Evening in Victoria
Kayak Gozo does guided kayaking tours across the entire channel to Comino Island! What a way to get to the Blue Lagoon! They also offer a variety of boating excursions as well. This small company is fantastic! They care about Gozo, they love the water, they are locally owned and operated and they enthusiastically share the beauty of Gozo and Comino with others in a way that is sustainable and respectful to the natural environment.
In order to make the most of our time, I booked two tours with Kayak Gozo on the same day. We would already be in that area for the morning tour so I figured, we should do both on the same day. I connected with Kayak Gozo in advance via email and they were happy to book both tours for us on the same day, the kayaking tour to the Blue Lagoon followed by a private boat tour along the coast of Gozo. They even made it so the private boat tour would begin 30min later than usual, giving us enough time to transfer from the kayak location to the boating dock. They gave me honest answers to my questions- because the boat tour is private, they would be able to ensure that the boat would go to places not visited via the kayak tour too. Had we joined a larger boat tour with them or with any other company, they would not be able to be so accommodating.
I had booked the 10am guided kayak tour from Gozo to Comino (about 60 Euro each), followed by the Gozo and Comino private boat and snorkel adventure at 2:30-5:30 (280Euro total).
We were so excited for this! However, the crossing to Comino was too choppy for kayaking due to extremely heavy winds and the company had to cancel our morning kayak tour. Not to worry, our guide kindly informed us of this need the day before our scheduled tour (based on the weather forecast) via whatsapp and we were able to adjust a plan for the morning. Additionally, they suggested we bump up our departure time for our boating excursion to around noon, which freed up our later afternoon. So, after a relaxing morning and light lunch, we headed to the marina to meet Laura, our skipper for the tour.
The private boat tour was a highlight of our trip to Malta! Laura was an incredible guide. She was a skillful and experienced skipper and exceptionally knowledgeable about the geological features and landscapes of Comino and Gozo. She brought us to little known caves that were almost hidden in the cliffs, unnoticed by other passing tourists. And because we were on a small boat, we were able to enter some caves by boat that others could simply not fit into. Like this one!
And This one.
Our first stop was the Blue Lagoon. As you can imagine it was absolutely stunning. The water is as crystal clear and as blue as all the photos you see online. It was not as crowded as I had expected, based on what I read online (Aug). We snorkeled in the lagoon for a bit (gear provided) and swam ashore.
Laura explained that there is a tunnel just to the right of the small beach. You can swim all the way through and come out on the other side of the island. It was amazing! We would not have known about this without Lauraās suggestion and like other swimmers, we may have turned back halfway through the tunnel not realizing how gorgeous the other side is. Be sure to do this at the lagoon if you are comfortable swimming. Being a private tour, we were able to stay at the lagoon as long as we liked before heading to other stops.
Here are some of those stops.
Victoria
Victoria is a very walkable city. Spend a couple of hours wandering the streets, have another pastizzi, and go in St. Georgeās Basilica (My personal favorite in all of Malta). Make a stop to explore the Citadel with the Assumption Cathedral and the old prison. Within the walls of the the Citadel there is also a visitor center and the Gozo museum of archaeology.
Be sure to walk the back alleys and along the walls of the citadel. The gate of the citadel and the walkway is open to the public 24 hours a day while the other attractions within the fortified walls close at 5pm, including the church. The views from the walkway were incredible, displaying several large churches in neighboring towns and offering views of the entire island.
NOTE: There is a sign on the door St. Georgeās Basilica that reminds visitors that this is a place of prayer and your visit should be for that purpose. Shoulders and knees must be covered to enter the church. Be respectful and silently appreciate the beauty of the interior. I was told photos are ok but do not use any sound, flash, or take photos in a distracting way.
This is not the best video I have ever taken but I loved hearing the bells of the Cathedral echo off the old walls. Only the bells and the wind.
Suggested dinner: Roza in St. George Square for both the food and atmosphere. Roza serves Gozitan food in a romantic courtyard that looks like a secret garden, tucked away from the busy city street just outside.
After dinner: Walk to It-Took (Independence Square) to grab a bottle of wine, some tasty local Ĕbejniet cheese, and Gozo olives from one of the nearby shops to be enjoyed while you watch the sunset over the Mediterranean sea from your balcony back in Xlendi.
Laura tailored the trip for us because I said I would love to see some caves and other cool geological features. She brought us to a small tunnel on the Gozo coast that opens up to what was once a small cave. Years ago, the roof of the cave collapsed and now it is a perfectly hidden lagoon. We were the only two people there. Later, we visited a small beach only reachable by boat that had remains of old salt pans, rumored to be the oldest in all of Malta. The beach also has a small section of clay that you can apply to your skin, dry in the sun, and wash off in the crystal blue water. This was my version of a spa day!
Our boat tour of Comino and Gozo gave us a different perspective of both islands and we came away with a better sense of the country having seen some of the coastal nooks and crannies. After the tour, we stopped for a refreshing Cisk beer from the nearby kiosk to continue our relaxed pace. Next stop, the capital city of Victoria!
Day 4: Cliffs and Beaches
A Morning Walk to Sanap Cliffs and Taā Cenc Cliffs
Your last morning on Gozo is the perfect time to walk what most consider the prettiest part of the Gozo Coastal Walk. This is the 30-40 minute walk from our accommodation in Xlendi to the Sanap Cliffs (1.5 km, about 1mile) and onward to the tallest cliffs in Gozo, Taā Cenc Cliffs (not pictured) which are an additional hour to hour and a half more.
Even though it is a short walk, bring plenty of water! There is absolutely no shade and you will be in direct sunlight the whole time. Also bring a sun hat, sunscreen, and proper hiking shoes. The earlier you set out the better, ideally between 7-8am, so you do not end up walking during the most intense sun of the day.
This segment is part of the longer The Gozo Coastal Walk which fully encompasses the whole island, connecting every natural beauty of Gozoās rugged coast. Itās possible to see all of Gozo in this one, long, beautiful walk. However, to do that, I recommend you couple a three-day walk with our 4-day itinerary.
More on the Gozo Coastal Walk
It usually takes three days or more days to walk the entirety of the trail but it is easily broken down into smaller segments at a time or pick and choose which segments to walk. Towns and villages (your nightly accommodations) dot the trail and/or are in close proximity to the trailheads. I have seen some videos from people who power through it and complete the walk in two days/one night. Iām sure there is an ultramarathon version of it now. It does seem like an amazing place for one. But this would be rushed and youāre in Gozo after all. Gozo is about slowing down, not speeding up.
Personally, I have not done the full Gozo Coastal Walk. I plan on returning soon so that I can. So, this part is just my opinion for now: If you are visiting Malta for the first time and you want to walk the entire trail, I would tack on an extra three nights to this itinerary. This gives you time to slow down and enjoy the walk everyday, pause to enjoy the views, bask in the sun at the beaches, and go for a swim. Seven nights/8 days total would allow you to complete the Detour Labās itinerary (including the Malta portion) and it also frees up some time for other non-trail activities on Gozo (the boat tour, museums, and of course- a festival). I would still recommend using Xlendi as a base and start your walk from there. The trailhead is very nearby. Instead of bolting to the harbor for the boat tour like we did, you could walk there the day before the boat tour, making this the first leg of your Coastal Walk. Contact The Detour Lab and we will plan the whole thing for you based on your preferences, integrating the full Coastal Walk perfectly into this 4-day plan.
After our visit to the cliffs, we were ready for some beach time. Ramala is a top rated beach in most Malta travel blogs. We went. It had red sand. It was ok. If you are looking for a quieter sandy beach you might prefer the lesser known San Blas Bay. It has the same striking red sand and crystal clear water but it is smaller and less crowded than Ramala. The limited parking and a steep walk down might deter some visitors. If a sandy beach is a priority for you, you should flip the San Blas beach visit and the Coast walk segment, allowing you to visit the beach first thing in the morning. If you did decide to rent a car to explore Gozo, it is important to note that the tiny lot holds maybe five cars and fills up early.
Xwejni Bay
After our short stop at Ramala, we decided it wasnāt right for us and it was time to take Lauraās local advice and spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing at Xwejni Bay. We loved this beach! The cute Crab Shell Kiosk serves crab and prawn burgers and chips right there on the beach. Loungers and umbrellas are available to rent. The beach is a pebble beach with clay closer to the shore. it was quieter than Ramala and had some interesting rock features on both ends. A beach like no other!
On one end of the beach, towers the clay and limestone rock known as Qolla l-Bajda, which has been beautifully weathered and strikingly shaped by the wind and sea into its unique cone. We walked along the coastline to get a better look.
On the other end of the beach there is a 350 year old sea salt harvesting operation with hundreds of salt pans hand-carved in the rock. Some of the companies have been harvesting salt using traditional methods for decades. One family, the Cini family, has been harvesting sea salt here by hand for over 150 years. If you are lucky their little cave-like shop, Leli tal-Melħ, will be open (directly across the road from the salt pans) and you might have a chance to chat with Leli (Emmanuel Cini), Rose, or their daughter Josephine about their traditional process and purchase some small bags of salt. (May-Sept from 10am-5pm). Like the Cini family, The Attard family has carried on the tradition for decades and they too have a little shop across from the salt pans ((pictured).
Dwerj Bay and Surrounding Area
Next, we headed to Dwerj Bay, home of the famous Blue Hole and neighbor to the Inland Sea. I must admit we did not spend nearly enough time in this area. I thought āIām not a diver. And I have swam in some incredible spots in my life.ā Now, we did totally enjoyed the view from above and were captivated by it but.. Well.. I was wrongā we should have made the short walk down to the blue hole for a swim. If you go, be sure to bring water shoes as the rocks are sharp. Doing this is now on my next time list and I highly recommend people do this the first time around!
We spent our time exploring the cliffside, rambling over rocks, wondering about the fossils (until we saw the info sign) and walking up to little chapel on the hill. We enjoyed a refreshing beverage at the kiosk and walked over to the inward sea to view it from above. This is a super interesting area and as I mentioned, I would recommend spending more time here (at least enough for a climb down to the blue hole for a swim and maybe even get a closer look at the Inland sea.
Detour of the Trip: Xewkija
After a full day of taking in Gozoās natural beauty we decided we wanted to end the day in a little village that we had not heard of and do something unplanned. Xewkija became this impromptu stop. Once there, we learned that Xewkija is the oldest official village in gozo (1678) and home to the third largest unsupported domes in all of Europe! Only St. Peterās in the Vatican and St. Paulās of London beats out the massive done of the Rotunda of St. John the Baptist Church.
There is something special about a village on a tiny island of one of the smallest countries in Europe in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, being the site of a structure that is almost as big as the one in the global center of the Catholic church and in a a major world capital. Whatās more is the Rotunda of St. John the Baptist was truly a community project designed and constructed all by local a local architect and master masons using Maltese limestone. It took 20 years to build and was fully funded by the residents of Xewkija. The Sculpture Museum (3 Euro) within the church tells the story of the construction and highlights local involvement in the project with photos and other artifacts. It is open 9:30-5pm except Sundays (12:00-4pm). You can also take the elevator up to the domeās balcony for 360 views of the village and a close up view of the dome. Then you can walk all the way around the dome and have access to the belfry too.
Next, we made a random stop (I was craving another pastizzi) in a pub with a small store front across the street. As soon as we walked in we saw all the black and yellow sports memorabilia on the wall- football jerseys, trophies, team photos, newspaper articles. It turns out we stumbled in the āTigers Bar" which is the clubhouse of the Xewkija Tiger Football Club. The pub was busy, even at non-peak hours for meals and it seemed like a bit of a central village hub. We enjoyed our pastizzi and other snacks while surrounded by the club's trophies and memorabilia. From what we could tell the club is very successful in the Gozitan football league.
Now that I had my pastizzi fix, we head out for a full meal. Itās important to note that the Ä gantija is nearby and should not be missed. We were planning on visiting the temples from Xewkija but honestly, we were enjoying our time so much and lost track of it a bit. We were not going to make it in time before the last entry (5:30pm). In our sample itinerary, we recommend a shorter time at the beach then we spent (2.5 or so), plus the trip to Ramala is cut (gasp!) giving plenty of time for a visit to Ä gantija.
Suggested Dinner: Vini & Capricci. This is a ten minute walk from the Tigerās bar. Itās a very cool deli/restaurant with local dishes. Even if you do not have dinner here, this place is worth checking out to shop the deli earlier in the day. You could buy some items for gifts or for yourself to bring back home and savor the flavors of Gozo. The restaurant does take-out if you prefer to not dine-in and enjoy back on your balcony. (reservations highly suggessted)
The Rotunda Cafe Bar is a good choice for something more casual. It serves tasty traditional dishes and seems to be popular with the locals.
After dinner, we headed back to Xlendi for one last stroll along our new favorite little harbor.
Day 5: Back to Valletta
We woke early to make our ferry from Gozo back to Malta. We took the first ferry over because our flight home was at 11:30am. The ferry wasnāt packed but I would still be sure to pre-book your ferry tickets to ensure you get the departure you want based on your flight time. This time, we took the fast ferry (45min) which goes directly to Valletta (not Mellieħa like the other ferry), giving you a very convenient last chance to experience this beautiful city.
From the port there is a lift up to the gardens, which is included in your ferry ticket. Simply follow the signs, walking with the daily commuters and early-rising travelers.
We strolled around the gardens and took in the views of the grand harbor once more. Two beautiful churches are within easy walking distance from here and about 2 mintues apart, St. Paul of the Shipwreck Church and St. John's Co-Cathedral, built by the Knights of Malta (1570s) and housing Caravaggio's "The Beheading of St. John the Baptist.ā
Grab a quick coffee at a nearby cafƩ and make the walk to visit both churches. Then, call a Bolt to bring you to the airport. Making the most of our time right till the very end, we squeezed as much as we could into this four day trip as possible, without feeling stressed or rushed.
Final Words about the trip: Gozo is truly a magical island. Yet, many people who visit only spend one day there. Or they visit the Blue Lagoon on Comino, only catching a glimpse of the island from across the channel. I cannot count the number of times I have read āthree days was plenty for Malta,ā as in ALL of Malta, on travel blogs or facebook travel groups. For each trip the Detour Lab does, we usually have a āDetour of the the Day.ā But for this oneā The whole of Gozo felt like a detour. A wonderfully unexpected and surprising trip and a detachment from the tour groups, a departure from your standard list of things to do. Gozo was everything we ever wanted. Itās still off the beaten path, still a little unknown, still an actual āhidden gemā and still full of surprises and wonder for those who venture to its shores. Gozo, in and of itself, is a detour.
This is the first sign I saw when I landed at the airport in Valletta; The very first photo in my Malta album.
They are not wrong.
And after you have spent even four days in this country, Iām sure you will feel the exact same way.
