Malta 5 Day Itinerary: Travel Guide (2024 Edition)
Did you know: Malta was awarded the George Cross by King George VI of England, to commemorate the bravery of it’s citizens who defended the islands against German invasion during the Second World War. To this day, the George Cross features on the flag of Malta.
Want more facts about Malta? Head over to my post: 20 Interesting Facts About Malta
P.S. Be sure to download your FREE Malta Travel Cheatsheet near the end of this post. Scroll on to read: Malta 5 Day Itinerary: Travel Guide 2024Table of Contents
This itinerary post contains affiliate links. I will receive a commission if you use these links.COVID-19: Entry Requirements for tourists:
Tourists wishing to travel to Malta face entry requirements upon arrival, please check your country of residence’s guidelines for travel.- UK citizens – you can find the most up to date entry requirements here:
- US citizens – view the latest travel information from the Department of State here:

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Essential Malta Travel Resources:
For more useful Malta travel guide information, check out these articles:
✪ The Complete Malta Travel Guide (+ FREE Cheatsheet) ✪ Ultimate Packing List for Malta ✪ The Perfect Malta 1 Week Itinerary ✪ How to Travel Malta on a Budget (2024 Edition) ✪ Car Rental in Malta: The Complete GuideMalta 5 Day Itinerary: Travel Guide 2024
Malta & Gozo Attractions:- Day 1 – Valletta: The Capital, a UNESCO World Heritage City (1)
- Day 2 – Blue Grotto: Cave tours and clear blue waters (2)
- Mdina: The Silent City (3)
- Day 3 – Coral Lagoon: canoe ride into the open caves (4)
- Little Armier Beach (5)
- Popeye Village: children’s waterpark and stunning cliff views at Anchor Bay (6)
- The Red Tower (7)
- Day 4 – Gozo Island: Megalithic temples, salt pans and diving spots (8)
- Comino Island: The Crystal Lagoon and Blue Lagoon (9)
- Day 5 – Golden Bay & Ghejn Tuffieha panoramic coastline views (10)
- Marsaxlokk & St. Peter’s Pool (11)
>> Malta 3 Day Itinerary <<
Day 1: Valletta, the capital


Sliema Ferry to Valletta
In late afternoon we caught the bus to Sliema and bought ourselves a one-way ferry ticket for €1.80, and before long we were sitting on the top deck of the ferry heading towards the harbours of Valletta.
Dinner: Pan Fried Rabbit

Valletta day trips
Check out the widget below for day trips and excursions in Valletta:Day 2:
Blue Grotto

Useful Tips:
How to get there: Number 74 bus from Valletta Main Bus Terminal (Stand A5) Admission: Free. Boat rides to the caves cost €8 per person. Opening times: All hours What to bring: backpack with water, shades, and plenty of sunblock. If you’re getting the bus from Valletta down to Blue Grotto, the journey is about an hour long, so be sure to head out early to beat the crowds. Most people will get off at Grotto, but I advise staying on the bus as it goes back up the winding hill, and get off at the next stop called Panorama. Just like the name says – this stop is directly in front of the most breathtaking panoramic sights of Blue Grotto – this is an absolute MUST see, and a bonus that there’s hardly anyone there!
This spot has the BEST views of Blue Grotto, but it’s crazy that not many people know this.
Boat Trip to the Caves

Rock jumping and swim in the sea
After the boat trip, head back down to the boats and turn left onto the rocks where you’ll see people sunbathing, swimming, and leaping from the cliffs into the sea. Tip: If you get chance, head over to the Dingli Cliffs for more stunning coastlines.Heading back to Valletta
Now it’s time to make your way back to Valletta for some lunch at a restaurant called Falafel Street Lebanese Kebab and Grill. I had a mixed grill of chicken and beef with a selection of vegetables, yoghurt and houmous, and pitta bread, and a chilled drink, all for less than €10.Blue Grotto day trips
Check out the widget below for day trips and excursions in Blue Grotto:Mdina: The Silent City
Wander around the Fortress City of Mdina Rabat.

Useful Tips:
How to get there: Number 74 from Blue Grotto to Valletta, then the 51, 52 or 53 bus from Valletta Main Bus Terminal Admission: the city is free to visit, but tickets are required for entry to the Cathedral, Museum and exhibitions (€5 for adults, free for children under 12) Opening times: the city is open all hours but may close on public holidays. The Cathedral and Museum are open Monday to Saturday 9:30am-5pm, and are closed on Sundays. What to bring: water, shades, sunblockMdina day trips
Check out the widget below for day trips and excursions in Mdina: Essential Item: Since the water on Malta has a bitter taste, you may find yourself buying small bottles of water at €2 each. Carry a Water-to-Go Filter Bottle with you instead. Not only will it filter any water you put into it, it will also save you money and help save the planet from plastic waste (bonus!) Get 15% off using code at checkout: GIVEME15
Day 3:
Open Caves at the Coral Lagoon
Row a canoe through the Open Caves at the Coral Lagoon in Little Armier Bay We checked out of Valletta this morning and moved to an Airbnb apartment in Mellieha – it’s a two hour bus journey to the north-west of the island, but if you drive there – it takes just 40 minutes. Take the bus to Little Armier Beach. Here, you’ll find boats docked over on the far side. For €30, we hired a 2-person canoe boat for two-hours to see the open caves at the Coral Lagoon.


Popeye Village
The Popeye Village at Anchor Bay is a children’s water park that used to be the film set for the 1980 Popeye TV show. The set is still there, the bay is quiet and scenic except for the water park which is good for the kids, but kinda spoils the views at certain angles.
Useful Tips:
How to get there: Bus 101 from Valletta or St. Paul’s Bay Admisison: €17 per person. However, we got free entry when we told reception that we’re both deaf. Opening Times: 9:30am – 7pm To be honest, even though we had free entry to Popeye Village, it wasn’t that great, certainly not worth 17 euros. But I guess it’s aimed at young kids so it would be more suitable for families. Before you get back on the bus, take the path on the right toward the cliff edge and keep walking up and around the cliff, and behold this spectacular panoramic view of Anchor Bay from high up (watch you don’t tumble off the cliff though!).
Trek up a hill to The Red Tower
You’ll have noticed by now a large red tower on the hills near Popeye Village and Mellieha. Take the bus to Qammieh stop and from here walk up the hill to this large, bright red watch tower that also goes by the name Saint Agatha’s Tower. (Alternatively you could drive up and park beside the tower.) Here’s a great spot to admire the bold, red-painted tower as well as enjoy the sunset views over the horizon.
>> Malta 4 Day Itinerary <<
Day 4: Gozo Island
Malta’s sister-island Gozo is a more rural and scenic place, well-known for the Azure Window as seen in Game of Thrones, but unfortunately no longer exists as it collapsed into the sea in 2017. Still, with its historic Megalithic temples and ruins, its salt pans, golden sand beaches at Ramla Bay and diving sites like the Blue Hole, it’s well worth spending a day in Gozo, so be sure to set out early.
Useful Tips:
How to get there: Bus numbers 41, 42, 221, and 222 from Valletta Main Terminal goes straight to Cirkewwa. Admission: Ferry from Cirkewwa to Gozo island costs €10. Opening times: Ferries operate from 8am until 6pm What to bring: backpack with water, sunblock.Gozo Island day trips
Check out the widget below for day trips and excursions on Gozo Island:Comino Island: The Blue Lagoon (and Crystal Lagoon)
Take a ferry ride to Comino Island and enjoy the breathtaking Crystal Lagoon Malta’s third island, Comino, is a tiny, uninhabited island that host natural stunning beauty spots including The Blue Lagoon – the most popular attraction in Malta. If you have time, stop by Comino island en-route back to Malta on the ferry. The boat docks at the Blue Lagoon. This is the largest stretch of pure blue waters in Malta, but unfortunately it’s absolutely packed full of tourists. The water is LITERALLY crowded with people just standing beside each other, like a massive flock. This didn’t bother me, as my intention is to visit a much quieter, secluded little gem called the Crystal Lagoon, on the southern coast of Comino.

Useful Tips:
How to get there: The ferry back to Malta from Gozo stops at Comino island en-route. Admission: €10 return trip on the ferry (you don’t need to pay anything if you already booked your return tickets to Gozo). Opening times: Ferries operate from 8am until 6pm What to bring: backpack with water, sunblock.>> Malta 5 Day Itinerary <<
Day 5: Golden Bay
Wander The Coastline of Ghejn Tuffieha and Golden Bay For a more off-beat route of stunning scenery and panoramic views across two coasts, the Golden Bay is a must-visit.

Marsaxlokk: Malta’s Fishing Village
Relax in a natural deep, aqua-blue pool on your last day in Malta. From Golden Bay, head across the island over to the east coast, to Marsaxlokk – Malta’s iconic fishing village. Here you’ll catch a glimpse of authentic Maltese life – where the locals go about their daily lives in laidback fashion. You may notice a unique tradition – the boats are painted in bold colours, and every single boat has a pair of glaring eyes on the front!
Other Things to See & Do in Malta:
Lascaris War Rooms – discover Malta’s best-kept WW2 secret: an underground complex of tunnels and operation rooms set up in 1940 to counter the threat from the Nazis and Italians during the war. Book your tour here: Salt pans of Gozo – see the historic salt pans and visit nearby multiple breathtaking villages on Malta’s true hidden gem island that is Gozo. Book your full-day jeep tour here: St. Pauls catamaran cruise – go on an unforgettable, modern catamaran cruise around the bays at St Pauls and snorkel at Malta’s best beaches. Book your tour here:


5 Day Itinerary Breakdown
Flights from the UK: $115 / £90 return from Birmingham International (via Skyscanner) Accommodation cost: $25-32 / £20-25 per night (private double bedroom on Airbnb) = $160 / £125 for 5 nights Transport in Malta: €55 car hire + €50 fuel = €105 Food: $200 / £155 (Average price $9 / £7 per meal, $4 / £3 per drink) Airport transfer: €0 (we hired a car instead of using public transport) Activities: (tours/rides etc.) €48Total Spent: $665 / £515 Total Days: 5
Bear in mind this is a basic guide only – based on myself travelling with a partner (hence the private double rooms) around Malta in 5 days. We also hired a car, instead of using public transport, saving on airport transfers. Your itinerary may be similar, or different, from mine.Looking back..
Despite its small size, there was so much more to see and do in Malta than I realised. Five days here certainly wasn’t enough time to see everything. The seas are some of the most purest aqua blue waters I have ever seen, and Valletta is one of the most charming capitals in Europe.For the budget travellers..
Flights to Malta are really cheap, and accommodation quite reasonable, and this is what tempted me to book a last-minute trip there in the first place. The food in Malta is a bit costly, but then this is Europe after all. Considering I went during peak season, the overall cost was not too bad.Where to Stay in Malta:
- St. Paul’s Bay – offers a good selection of hotels & private accommodation, decent restaurants, bars and pubs, and is near to public transport and sandy beaches.
- Sliema – one of the oldest tourist spots in Malta – ideal for budget travellers and close to the capital Valletta – by bus or even a short ferry ride away.
- St. Julians’ and Paceville – the ideal choice for dining and nightlife downtown, and resort holidays
- Mellieha – affordable, a more peaceful and quieter alternative, and close to the finest sandy beaches in Malta. My partner and I stayed in Mellieha during the second part of our Malta trip.

FAQs about Malta:
How many days do you need in Malta? It depends on your itinerary and what you’re coming to see. 5 days in is ideal for some, 6 days in Malta is better – not too short and not too long. If you really want to explore Malta, I’d recommend going for at least 7 days, like I did. Whilst I covered a lot here and was satisfied with my trip, there is still loads I’ve yet to see here. Click here to read the perfect Malta Itinerary 7 days Travel Guide. What is the best month to visit Malta? Spring and early Summer (April, May and June) are the best months to visit, when the weather is perfect as its not too hot and nights are cool, and the island is not crowded with tourists. Malta has also been described as the country with the best climate in the world by International Living. What is the coldest month in Malta? January is the coldest month in Malta, where temperatures plunge to a maximum of 12-20C (54-68F) during the day, and a minimum of 6-12C (43-54F) at night. What is the best part of Malta to stay?- Bugibba, Qawra, St. Paul’s Bay – perfect for couples and families with kids, due to their vast selection of hotels and private accommodation, restaurants, bars and pubs, and good public transport network.
- Mellieha – for more quieter locations with restaurants and the best sandy beaches.
- Birgu, Rabat and Mdina – are known as Malta’s quiet, boutique destinations
- Sliema – plenty of high-rise apartments, suitable for shopping and nightlife
- Gozo island – perfect for authentic experiences away from the crowds
Malta Day Trips and Activities on Get Your Guide:
Check out some excellent deals on tickets for the top places to visit, most popular day trips and most exciting things to do in Malta Gozo and Comino. (Remember, you can cancel your bookings at anytime!)Travelling to Malta soon?
- Malta: The Complete Travel Guide – a comprehensive guide of everything you need to know before you go
- Read this itinerary to learn how to travel Malta on just $50 per day!
- For Malta’s top highlights, head over to Top 10 Things to See & Do in Malta
- How big is Malta? This post is packed with visually comparable maps of Malta and other popular city and island destinations