Malta is not just an island bathed in sunlight 360 days a year, but one rich with history. Positioned between Africa and Europe, it has witnessed the passage of Romans, Carthaginians, Arabs, Knights Templar, and the English. Though small, Maltaโs history rivals that of much larger European nations. Perhaps itโs no surprise that its most treasured attractions are steeped in the past. Come along as I share my 13 favorite sites across the island!
Are you looking for attractions on the neighboring island of Gozo? Read more here: 8 Must-See Attractions on Gozo โ Malta
1. Valletta's alleys and colorful "balconies"
The capital, Valletta, is Europe's smallest capital, with an area so small that you could almost hug the city. But Valletta feels much larger than its 5000 inhabitants. Valletta was built by the Knights of the Order in 1565 and the city is still a fortified city with a solid wall. Inside the walls you will find tall sandstone houses on narrow alleys with small restaurants and steep stairs.
As a popular UNESCO World Heritage Site and Maltaโs most iconic attraction, Valletta is constantly in the spotlight for tourists. But the city is characterized by old and worn-out buildings that are difficult to adapt to modern living requirements. One of the cityโs unique architectural features that is being fought to preserve is the unique, built-in bay windows โgallarijaโ that adorn the houses in every color of the rainbow. Although the cityโs sandstone facades all have the same beige tone, these colorful little balconies break up like cheerful exclamation marks.
Settle into the narrowest alley you can find for a lunch of Maltese specialties and soak up the city's history. A stroll through Valletta's alleys is a must if you're forced to choose just one thing from all the attractions in Malta.
2. Mdina
Mdina, Malta's ancient capital, is a walled city located on a high hill in the middle of the island. Known as the "Silent City" for its tranquility, the city has a unique historical atmosphere with its narrow alleys, sandstone houses and an impressive city wall that offers views across the entire island.
The city flourished under Roman and Arab rule and bears traces of 2000 years of history, although most of the buildings in the city today date from the 17th century after an earthquake. The most impressive gate is The Vilhena Gate, also known as the gate to King's Landing in the first season of Game of Thrones.
A highlight is St. Paul's Cathedral, and for a perfect ending, a coffee at the Fontanella Tea Garden with spectacular views and sumptuous pastries is recommended.
Read more about Mdina here: Mdina - The city of silent walls in Malta
3. Palazzo Parisio
It's not hard to understand why Parisio Palace is often referred to as Maltaโs โmini-Versaillesโ. Built in the 18th century as an elegant palace for the Parisio family, no expense was spared when it came to furnishing the palace. The walls and ceilings are adorned with elaborate stucco work, beautiful paintings and gold-plated details.
The palace has been owned by the Paraiso and Scicluna families over the years. The Parisio family, who belonged to the country's political elite, left their mark on the palace, while the Scicluna family, continued to manage its beauty and develop the gardens throughout the 19th century.
The Italian garden stretches over several levels and is one of the most beloved features of Palazzo Parisio. The garden features several fountains and rippling water features, while the orangery is filled with orange and lemon trees.
The castle is open to visitors and you can also book the castle for events, such as weddings.
4. Blue Grotto
The Blue Grotto, or โIl-Blue Grottoโ, is one of Maltaโs most iconic sites, often depicted on postcards and photographs. Situated on the porous limestone coast, the force of the sea has carved an impressive network of caves and natural stone arches. The caves have almost luminous blue water and are popular for boat trips into them.
The location is also popular for diving and snorkeling and offers a rich underwater life.
5. Marsaxlokk
Marsaxlokk is Malta's most charming fishing village and is mainly visited for its colourful luzzo boats which traditionally carry the eyes of Osiris to protect fishermen at sea. Although most luzzo boats in Malta have been replaced by more modern vessels, they are still used daily here.
Marsaxlokk has a rich history, with the Phoenicians landing here more than 2 years ago and Napoleon himself visiting the village during his invasion. A unique tradition that still lives on in the fishing village is the fishing for lampuki, a migratory fish caught with palm fronds.
At the dock, you can enjoy local seafood pasta or just sit down and watch the boats slowly bob in the sunshine.
Read about Marsaxlokk here: Marsaxlokk โ The colorful fishing village in Malta
6. The temples of ฤฆaฤกar Qim and Mnajdra
The temples Hagar Qim and Mnajdraare two of Malta's most impressive archaeological sites and also UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The buildings have been dated to around 3500 BC, making them older than the Egyptian pyramids.
Both Hagar Qim and Mnajdra are temple complexes within walking distance of each other, built of large blocks of stone and carved out of the rocks. A large stone beam marks the summer and winter solstices, which has elevated these temples as an astronomical sensation. Not many (if any) peoples around the world had this astronomical knowledge 5000 years ago. A must-see place!
7. San Anton Palace and Garden
Il-Pallazz Sant'Anton, โSant'Anton Palaceโ, was built in the 16th century as the residence of a Grand Master of the Order of Malta. Today, the baroque palace is the official residence of the President of Malta and is often used for state events and important guests. Do you recognize the palace? Scenes for the Red Keep in the TV series Game of Thrones were filmed here.
As a tourist, you can mainly visit the palace garden, which is Malta's finest botanical garden.
8. St John's Co-Cathedral
In the middle of Valletta lies the great cathedral St John's Co-Cathedral (St. John's Co-Cathedral). The cathedral was built in the 16th century by the Knights of the Order of Malta and is dedicated to John the Baptist.
The exterior of St. John's Co-Cathedral gives a rather dull impression. Compared to the surrounding sandstone buildings, it blends almost invisibly into the city's architecture, but once inside you are greeted by a world that is anything but discreet. The interior of the cathedral offers large doses of baroque, almost to the point that it overflows from the walls. It is a place where color, gold and artwork really take center stage.
I stood for a long time looking at the floor, following the patterns and symbols of the beautiful marble mosaic โ memorial plaques of the Knights of the Order of Malta that are preserved here for all time. The most famous work in the cathedral is the painting of John the Baptist by Caravaggio, a bloody and dramatic painting of the beheading of John the Baptist.
9. Gฤงajn Tuffieฤงa and Golden Bay
Malta has several fine sandy beaches in coves along the dramatic rocky coastline. My two favourite beaches are located next to each other on the island's north-west coast โ the beaches Gฤงajn Tuffieฤงa and Golden bay.
Golden Bay has several hotels and may have the island's finest sandy beach. Here you will find both service, water sports and lots of people on sunny summer days.
Right next to Golden Bay, lies the wilder beach of Gฤงajn Tuffieฤงa. You will not find any hotels on this beach and you need to walk 186 steps to get down to the beach. Two reasons why this beach is never as well visited. At one end of the beach is a small beach restaurant, but that is all the service there is.
10. Meridiana Vineyard
Meridiana Vineyard was founded in 1985 and has worked to create high-quality wines on a relatively limited area in the small village of L-Iklin since the first vines were planted in 1994. Malta's many and long sunny days are perfect for the vines, although the heat of summer days can be a bit on the hot side.
Malta has two local grapes โ ฤ ellewza and Ghirgentina โ grown here, but youโll also find wines made from the more classic Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The 19 hectares of the vineyard produce four white wines, one rosรฉ and four red wines, totalling a production of 140.000 bottles annually. The vast majority of bottles are sold locally in Malta, but you can also buy wine directly from the winery.
We booked a wine tasting with a guided tour, which is recommended.
11. Mosta Church
The round Mosta Church from 1860 is best known for its gigantic dome (which is one of the largest in the world), but also for the miracle that occurred here in 1942.
The Miracle of Mosta occurred in 1942, in the middle of World War II. At the time, Malta was a British colony and therefore very vulnerable to Italian bombing. In the middle of a church service, the church's large dome was hit by a bomb from an airplane, but the bomb never exploded, but instead landed on the church floor. Incredibly, no one was injured, even though the church was full of people. This event was considered a miracle and the church is therefore considered a little extra sacred here in Malta.
When we visited the church, we were offered a free guided tour by a volunteer at the church, but we were more than happy to leave a donation for the church's renovations as a thank you.
Map
12. Dingli Cliffs
The Dingli Cliffs are a 4-kilometer stretch of coastline with cliffs on the west coast of Malta. Here the cliffs are a little bit extra steep, the nature a little bit extra wild and the views a little bit extra magnificent.
On clear days you can see the small neighboring island of Fifla (see picture) and you can also visit the 17th century Dingli Tower.
The road by the cliffs is narrow and it can be a bit tricky to find a place to park your car (both because of the many cars and because of the few parking spaces). Drive slowly so you don't miss a parking opportunity.
13. The view from the Upper Barrakka Gardens in Valletta
The Upper Barrakka Garden in Valletta offers magnificent views of the Grand Harbour, Malta's largest port. Across the water are the "Three Cities" - Senglea, Cospicua and Vittoriosa โ which you can easily visit via a 10-minute ferry ride from Valletta.
The Three Cities is a mix of narrow alleys with many restaurants, a large fort and high defensive walls. It has more than twice the population of Valletta and unlike Valletta which closes down in the evenings, the atmosphere is more vibrant and lively here.
Are there any sights in Malta that you think are missing from the list? Please let us know in the comments!
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No mention of Mellieha church or beach, ??
Hi Derek! There are so many wonderful places on Malta, I had to prioritize my favourites. I prefer less crowded beaches โ but Mellieha is a nice beach! Let's put that as tip number 14 :)