Travel guide of Malta

Travel packages to Malta are offered by major tour operators all year round. In this travel guide you'll find some of the best holiday destinations on Maltese archipelago.

Mdina & Rabat

No visit to Malta would be complete without a visit to its ancient city Mdina and its suburb, Rabat. Mdina and Rabat were built more than 4000 years ago, when they were parts of a Roman settlement. Some say that in 60 A.D. the apostle St. Paul visited Malta after his ship have sunken near the Maltese islands.
A silent city by day, Mdina comes alive at night when hundreds of twinkling lamps and lanterns transform the narrow and curved streets leading onto bastions and palace courtyards into something magnificent. A traveler can enjoy a delicious specific meal at one of the many restaurants from Mdina and enjoy a glass of chilled beer or wine in any one of the open air bars, under the glittering lights of this exotic ancient city.
This old city, which was the medieval capital of Malta, rises high above the Maltese archipelago and offers panoramic views of the city and its surroundings. Many walking tours and scenic bus tours are available, allowing travelers to discover the hidden attractions of this great city.
Named Rabat by the Arabs in 870 A.D., Mdina's suburb is a village that has changed constantly over the years. With an own character, it offers to travelers a plenty of interesting sights and attractions and gives a vibrant testimony about Maltese village life and a real feeling of Maltese history and folklore.
Buildings from all historical periods and architectural styles have been blended together harmoniously to form an interesting ensemble of residential houses, shops, monasteries and churches. Don't expect to find there a concentrated array of historical monuments and treasures as within Mdina. Rabat offers plenty of scattered curiosities that Mdina cannot provide, simply because there's no space for them within the old capital.
Parish square is considered to be the commercial and business centre of Rabat. Bustling with activity from early morning till late at night, this village is dotted with small shops and a few surprisingly good restaurants. Some of the best souvenir and handicrafts made from Maltese cotton are on sale here. Every Sunday morning, this square becomes the venue for a traditional flea market, mostly equipped with items for tourists. A wide display of homemade delicacies include genuine bee honey, Maltese nougat, carob juice and a good selection of Maltese wines.
The highlight here, on Parish square, is without any doubt St.Paul's Church. Originally built in 1572 above an underground chapel, that travelers still can visit today, it was reconstructed and enlarged in 1694. Its peculiar interior becomes particularly attractive during July when it's fully decorated for the annual village festival. Don't miss the painting by Mattia Preti above the high altar. From the church's front parapet step down into the underground chapel, the first Christian chapel from Malta. Called "St.Paul's Grotto", and regarded by the locals as miraculous, it houses splendid frescoes, a statue of St. Paul, and a golden galley that dates back to the time of the Knights of St. John.

Vacations in St. Julians

St. Julians is a beautiful quiet harbor in Malta. The water is dotted with brightly colored boats, from which many are adorned with painted eyes to ward off evil. Vacationers should walk around in the early morning and observe fisherman because it's a great spectacle. In St. Julians are many bistros and cafes which are perfect places to enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning or a glass of a tasty Maltese wine in the evening.

Travel to Comino

Once you've seen one of the oldest cities from Malta, Mdina, it's time to go diving! Malta offers amazing diving and water sport opportunities for both beginners and advanced divers around its tiny island Comino, with its stunning and world-renowned Blue Lagoon. All travelers which spend a holiday on Malta should visit island Comino for its natural and historical attractions.

Travel to Gozo

On arriving in the sheltered Mgarr, vacationers can see Churches of Our Lady of Lourdes and neighboring Ghajnsielem, both overlooking the fishing boats filled harbor.
By Dwejra, on Gozo's southern coastline, is the Inland Sea, created when the roof of a vast cave collapsed. The cave entrance still connects to the sea. On calm days, small fishing boats carry visitors through the narrow opening to see Fungus Rock and the Azure Window. The entire area is rich in geological faults and quirks and the result is an "inland sea", bowls in the land, islands stranded off the coast, and the Azure Window. The Azure Window is an arch that loops over the water and create a rectangular window at sea level. So, no wonder that is the most photographed attraction on Gozo...
The Fungus Rock stands in the sweeping bay alongside the Inland Sea. Fungus Gaulitanus, a fungus much prized by the knights for its medicinal powers, grow here. This rare plant was kept under constant guard for centuries and anyone caught stealing was killed.
One of the most visited sites on Gozo is basilica Our Lady of Ta Pinu. The church contains a small chapel dating from the 16 century. Spared from demolition and repaired in 1879.
Village Fontana is a suburb of city Victoria. Fontana took its name from a bountiful spring. People settled the area due to the freshwater springs. The arches built in the 16 century over each spring shelter the people fetching water. Inside are traditional stone water tubs in which locals sometimes still do their daily washing!
Victoria is the capital of the island. This commercial centre contains the Citadel, an impregnable strategic point with origins in the late mediaeval era, but later refortified by the Knights of St. John to protect the inhabitants. For many centuries, pirates and corsairs used Gozo's small harbors as refugee and they raided the island in search of fresh produces and water. Often they even took the inhabitants captives to sell them as slaves! So, the inhabitants which discovered that the enemy has landed, gone into the Citadel for safety. Within its walls lies the cathedral designed by Lorenzo Gafa, built between 1697 and 1711. Cathedral's museum contains vestments, silver, and gold items used in sacred services.
The Citadel holds also the Archaeological Museum of Gozo, the Natural History Museum, and the Folklore Museum. There is also a craft centre housed in the old prison's buildings.
The Maltese are very religious, so it's not surprising that vacationers find a church behind every corner, in Malta every village or town has at least one church.
The Knights built also many churches, so now 365 religious settlements dominate the skyline. This range from narrow chapels to exquisite cathedrals.

Visit by Hagar Qim

Hagar Qim is a temple complex from Neolithic, close to the Blue Grotto. These are some of the oldest known ruins of the human made buildings on the planet, much older than the pyramids from Egypt. It's also called "Stonehenge of Malta" even if the real Stonhenge was built after this temples.
This is a fascinating place, especially if ancient ruins inspire and intrigue you. Even if they don't, the views and the landscape are extremelly beautiful, so visiting this places during your vacation in Malta will offer you great memories.

The Blue Grotto

Blue Grotto is a beautiful natural wonder on the southern coast of Malta. It's a good travel destination and stop on the way from the fishing village Marsaxlokk to the ruins of Hagar Qim.

Mosta

The main reason for a visit to Mosta is its largest church called Mosta Dome, which is visible even from distance. It's the third largest dome in the world, but compared with some other huge domed cathedrals, Duomo from Florence or St. Peter's Dome from Rome, it's not so majestic. It has a very simple looking, almost as if bricks were just piled atop one another in smaller and smaller circles moving upward. However, the interior is bright and beautiful, with a simple circular layout. During World War II, Germany dropped a bomb on the church, which pierced the shell of the dome and landed on the floor right in the middle of church services. But, miracle or not, the bomb didn't explode and was removed without a single person injured! A replica of the bomb and a little display of photos showing what happened can be seen into an adjoining room, off the side of the church.

Travel to Valletta

Valletta, founded in 1566 and capital city of Malta, was inspired by Roman military models. The Upper Barracca Gardens offer splendid views of the harbor, which was once the most important place of Malta and theatre of epic events. In the daytime, it's hard to not admire the "Birds of Paradise" and pistachio trees, to name just a few of the botanical treasures. This is a very popular meeting place in Malta and it offers some of the best photo opportunities on the island.
The most historically significant attraction is Cathedral of St.John, built by the Knights of St. John, in 1570. The stark front is reminiscent of the fortifications of Valletta, the fortress city in which it stands. Paintings, gilding, or carving cover almost every piece of the walls, vault and chapels. Sir Walter Scott called it the most beautiful interior of a church he had ever seen...
History and culture are everywhere in this cathedral. The smooth polished marble floor of the nave covers the graves of 364 knights. Mattia Preti painted the massive vault using oils straight on the stone. These paintings show episodes of the life of St. John the Baptist. The great Italian painter Caravaggio painted some of his finest works while serving here. The cathedral's museum contains his masterpiece from 1608 "The Beheading of St. John the Baptist", while one of the nine chapels of the nave contains his well-known painting of St. Jerome.
Fort St. Elmo and the War Museum offers spectacular historic collections of the numerous military conquests, battles and sieges of this strategic island.
Valetta is a bustling and colorful town, considered to be the heart of Malta. Cars are allowed within the walls of the old town, but it still somehow looks like a pedestrian city, modern yet charming.

Tarxien Temples

The Tarxien Temples where once part of an imposing temple complex built by prehistoric man. Constructed during the "Copper Age" (4100 B.C. to 2500 B.C.), the temples inspire awe by the sheer grandeur of their size. Some of the remaining temple walls exhibit bas-relief artwork, friezes of animals and spiral patterns. The remains of a limestone statue of an obese female figure, a symbol of fertility, represent a reflection of Mother Earth and is, in fact, the earliest known monumental statue in stone anywhere!

Hal Seflieni Hypogeum

If you're a person who likes to do unique or unusual things, you might enjoy Hal Seflieni Hypogeum. Discovered in 1902, this underground temple called Hypogeum has red ochre cave paintings, drawings, and decorating marks, as well as a labyrinth of underground rooms and tunnels. All these were carved out in 2000 years, from roughly 4000 B.C. to 2000 B.C.! It's unique in the world because nowhere else a temple was carved out completely underground. The Hypogeum has been added to UNESCO's World Heritage List.
The temple's structure is divided into upper, middle, and lower levels. At the lowest levels over 7000 human skeletons have been found. However, there are structural components whose exact purpose is unknown yet.
The experience of going into an underground temple is impressive, so during your vacation in Malta don't miss this place.