Top tips

Image by M W from Pixabay

The Quick Answer

• The best areas for a city break: Valletta, Birgu and Senglea
• The best areas for a beach break: Sliema or St Julians

Table of Contents

Our guide to where to stay on Malta is the ideal springboard for helping you choose where to stay on this fascinating island. With detailed information about key towns and neighbourhoods, plus practical recommendations for transport and activities, it will ensure that you’re perfectly placed to enjoy your trip to the utmost — whether you’re dreaming of touring Crusader forts, diving off Gozo or tucking into terrific seafood in town.

Guide to Malta’s Towns, Centres and Neighbourhoods

By Burmesedays - Own work based on the map of Malta by Xander, and Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection Malta Maps, CC BY-SA 3.0

Small, sun-drenched, and strategically positioned in the sparkling Mediterranean Sea between North Africa and Sicily, every inch of Malta is historic in one way or another. Its beautifully preserved Crusader forts and churches are well known, but it is also dotted with Neolithic temples, fringed by fossil-packed cliffs and scattered shipwrecks.

Malta comprises three islands: Malta, tiny Comino and Gozo. Most of Comino is a nature reserve, and there are only a few towns and settlements on Gozo — of which Victoria is the largest. Malta island is small in size, but there’s a lot to do here. The islands are well-connected to one another by ferry, and you’ll also find an easily navigable bus network linking towns and sites of interest on Malta island, making this a great destination for those who might prefer not to hire a car.

Valletta

Image by antheah from Pixabay

Malta’s capital, Valletta, is absolutely stunning. A walled community built in the 1500s by the Knights of St. John, the whole city is now heritage listed. Valletta’s charming, narrow streets are lined with beautiful heritage architecture, and dominated by several magnificent forts and majestic churches. St. John’s Cathedral is the undoubted highlight. The Grand Master of the Knights of Malta’s Palace is another landmark, and a great spot to delve into the island’s history, as are the National Museum of Archaeology and the National War Museum. 

Modern Valletta extends across several peninsulas, but it’s still only a couple of kilometres long, so very appealing to explore on foot. It’s worth noting, however, that the city is built on a ridge, so there are steep sections, and lots of stairs. Guided walking tours come highly recommended, some with a focus on architecture and food, others including strolls through the network of tunnels which lie beneath the city. 

Valletta is also a brilliant base for exploring the whole island, because it has the ferry port and the main bus station. Come evening, the city has a fantastic dining and drinking scene, and cultural events aplenty.

Birgu

Flickr user Mike McBey

Just across the Great Harbour from Valletta, to the south, sits Birgu, another impressive fortified city built by the Knights of St. John. Malta’s former capital, Birgu’s landscape is dominated by the imposing St Angelo Fort, as well as several golden-stone churches and palaces. 

If you’re keen to delve into Malta’s connections to the Knights of St. John, Birgu is the place for you — its Maritime and Vittoriosa Museums are fantastic. There’s a regular ferry service across to Valletta, as well as taxi boats and buses. Birgu’s lively waterfront offers a selection of small yet elegant restaurants and wine bars, making it a lovely hub for a convivial evening out.

Cospicua

Image by Cathalin from Pixabay

Like Birgu, Cospicua is a city on the Grand Harbour, to the east of Valletta. Before Valletta was founded, Birgu, Cospicua and Senglea — dubbed ‘The Three Cities’ — were Malta’s fortified harbour cities, surrounded by a line of thick defensive walls and towers built to withstand attack. These fortifications continue to characterise Cospicua, and remain a key draw for visitors. 

Built during the Georgian period, Cospicua’s docks are another place of historic and architectural interest, as are its numerous churches. Cospicua is larger than Birgu, but not as popular with visitors, so it has a more laid-back, residential feel. The city is famously home to one of Malta’s oldest football clubs — St George’s FC — and hosts fantastically elaborate Good Friday processions each year. 

There are plenty of attractive bars and restaurants in town too, and a good public transport network for those looking to see more of Malta.

Senglea

By © Plamen Agov • studiolemontree.com, CC BY-SA 3.0

The third of the three cities built on the Grand Harbour by the Order of St. John is Senglea. Designed to look well fortified with its harbour-facing bastions, this little town boasts beautiful churches, historic palaces and lovely gardens, as well as well-preserved forts. One of Senglea’s main sights is its magnificent basilica, which features a highly revered statue of Christ the Redeemer.

Senglea has a more tranquil, relaxed atmosphere than Valletta, although it is fairly densely populated. The charming waterfront is the place to go in the late afternoon and evening for sundowners and seafood suppers. During the day, there are some good swimming spots. Should you wish to experience Valletta’s nightlife and buzzy restaurant scene, it’s easy to hop across to the capital by boat or bus.

Gozo

Image by Angel from Pixabay

Gozo is well known and loved by divers and snorkellers from around the world, but there’s more to this island than its underwater magic. Far quieter than Malta island, rocky Gozo offers a spectacular coastline, and its small towns and villages have more of an Arabian feel. Plus, the island boasts an incredible megalithic monument: Ggantija, two temples made from giant, freestanding stones. This World Heritage Site is a thousand years older than Stonehenge and just as atmospheric, mysterious and humbling. There are churches to visit, too, as well as lively market days across the island, which is well-connected by both public and hop-on hop-off tourist buses. Rabat — previously known as Victoria — is the largest town and is well worth a wander.

Back out on the water, you’ll find offshore wrecks and reefs galore for keen divers, along with great snorkelling sites. The ‘Inland Sea’ dive site is an enduring favourite. With ferries to Malta island every hour — depending on the time of year — a trip to Gozo promises the best of both worlds.

Mdina

Image by kirkandmimi from Pixa

Before the Knights of St. John and the building of Birgu and Valletta, Mdina was Malta’s capital. It became home to Malta’s nobility too, so its palazzos are grand and its villas elegant, with crests and carvings bearing old aristocratic family names. When it fell from favour, many of its great families moved away, and the town started to decay. Today, hardly anyone lives in Mdina, but its buildings have been carefully restored, and there are some fabulous places to stay in town.

Romantics and heritage aficionados will adore ambling along narrow lanes, stepping into grand squares, popping into the cathedral and attached museum, or admiring the Roman villa. Guided walking tours are wonderful, as are the views from the bastion lookouts. A small selection of excellent bars and eateries await, too. Come for the peaceful atmosphere and sense of history.

Sliema

Flickr user Berit Watkin

If you’re dreaming of Mediterranean sunshine and a great sense of fun, then Sliema is a wonderful choice. A picturesque former fishing village on a peninsula just north of Valletta, Sliema has become a buzzy seaside town with a lively promenade featuring trendy, sea-facing bars, restaurants and cafes as well as boutiques and clubs. The town has an attractive, cosmopolitan feel, with English being widely spoken. Regular buses and ferries — every thirty minutes — to Valletta make exploring easy. Sliema has Malta’s largest shopping precinct, and there are great beaches for holidaymakers of all ages to swim and kick back.

St. Julian’s

Image by Dorian from Pixabay

St. Julian’s is Malta’s other seaside resort town. Similar to Sliema, it’s also to the north of Valletta, and famed for its buzzy bars, restaurants and beaches. When it comes to days spent soaking up the sunshine and lively evenings out on the town, look no further. Malta’s most popular package holiday destination, St Julian’s has long been a favourite with sociable solo travellers, couples, groups of friends and active families. Paceville offers hip bars and nightclubs, whilst the bays and beaches of the area’s craggy coastline promise plenty of space for those looking to stretch out on the sand.

Naxxar

Flickr user Jocelyn777

You’re looking for a quieter base, it’s well worth considering Naxxar, a stately old town on the main island’s northern coastline. Off the main tourist trail, this residential spot has a marvellous historic heart — with a large square and imposing church. Built by the Knights of St. John, the Ghallis Tower and the Qalet Marku Tower guard the entrance to the bay, and both are open to visitors. The 18th century Palazzo Parisio and its manicured gardens are also not to be missed.

Beyond Naxxar’s town centre, you’ll find narrow streets filled with the brightly painted wooden balconies for which Malta has become famous. There are good neighbourhood eateries and cafes, inviting small shops, and an easygoing atmosphere — as well as relatively few tourists. Keen wanderers can take in Naxxar’s main sights on foot, and regular buses will shuttle you across to the island’s other hubs.