Malta Travel Guide:

    Best Places to Visit in Malta

Map of the leading tourist destinations in Malta

The nation of Malta is composed of three islands, Malta, Gozo, and Comino, that are attractive and loaded with beaches, bays and coastlines inviting exploration.  In addition, the Malta is place of enormous historical importance, including stone megaliths and other monuments to nearly 7,000 years of civilization. The island has been ruled by the Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs and the Order of the Knights of St. John. If any country deserves the reputation of a potpourri of cultures, Malta certainly is near the top of the list. More recently, Malta has become a popular cruise destination and we consider it to be a great "add-on" destination when traveling in the Mediterranean.

Read our sections on Malta Travel Information and Malta Facts to complete your basic preparation for exploring the best places to visit in Malta.

The pictures of Malta on this page were provided by  the Malta Tourism Authority.  Visit them at www.visitmalta.com

• Malta

  • Malta, the largest and busiest of the three islands comprising the country of Malta, has been an important settlement in the Mediterranean for millennia.  The island is filled with interesting archaeological sites (Hagar Qim, the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum (a large underground structure that was excavated in 2500 B.C. and eventually converted to a necropolis - a World Heritage Site)) and impressive scenery.

    

  
  

  • Valletta 

    • Valletta, the Capital of Malta, is the commercial, administrative, and tourist center of the country.  Valletta's history is closely intertwined with the Knights of Saint John  (the Hospitallers) who were founded in Jerusalem at the time of the Crusades.  After being forced to leave Jerusalem and, then, Rhodes, the Knights of Saint John settled in Malta.  In 1565, they defended the city during an epic battle with the Ottoman Turks, marking a rare defeat in the Mediterranean for Suleiman the Magnificent (Suleiman I).  Some of the fortifications used in the battle remain intact today.

    • In addition, the city is endowed with interesting architecture and a few  good quality museums (although many are currently closed or partially closed for renovation - see Heritage Malta for information on what's open and visiting times).
      
      

  • Sliema/St. Julian's/Paceville

    • Sliema and St. Julian's are the two leading coastal resort areas on Malta, just to the northwest of Valletta.  St. Julian's, once a quiet fishing village, is the more scenic of the two areas and merges with Paceville, a popular area featuring of nightclubs, dancing and a number of good restaurants.

• Mdina and Rabat

• Mdina, the historic capital of Malta, is a walled city given its name by the Saracens during their occupation of the Island.  Known as the "Silent City", vehicles are prohibited in Mdina. The city's  walkways wander through narrow canyons of interesting buildings.




• Rabat is less interesting that Mdina but be sure to see the beautiful Cathedral of St. Paul: legend has it that St. Paul was shipwrecked  on the island  during the first century A.D.

• Gozo (Għawdex)

  • Take the ferry from Malta to Gozo, an agricultural island that can provide a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of the busier main island.  Gozo's main attraction is a series of prehistoric megaliths and some of the best dive spots in the Mediterranean( see, especially  the Blue Hole and Chimney at the Azure Window).

    • Gozo is thought to be the place of legends, as it has been identified by some as Calypso, the mythical island in Homer's Odyssey

  
  

• Comino (Kemmuna)

  • The smallest of the islands, Comino is another great place  for snorkeling and diving.  Be sure to see  the famous Blue Lagoon where you can swim, snorkel, dive or wander to your heart's content.

If you are interested in Malta, click the links below for more information

If you need information about another travel destination, try Googling our site or the Web

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