In this guide to Malta, I want to share our itinerary, our favorite spots, and the highlights of this beautiful country. My husband and I took a cruise from Venice to Rome, and Malta was one of the stops. Malta is in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea south of Italy and east of Tunisia.
Malta is a very unique country in terms of culture and language. It closely aligns with Italy but also has a distinct Arabic influence that is shown in its architecture. The Maltese language is even a blend of Italian and Arabic. We found our time here very enjoyable and got to explore much of the island.
Itinerary:
Our ship docked in Valletta, and this was an excellent jumping-off point to explore the rest of the island. Valletta is the most southern capital in Europe and indeed a beautiful capital. From the docks and our cruise ship, we got a commanding view of the entire city.
Early morning in Valletta, we did not take an excursion from our cruise. We decided to explore the island on our own by hiring a taxi for 3 hours right at the dock shore. 75 dollars for a taxi driver who will take us anywhere we want to go.
Having read ahead, we first went across the harbor to the Grand Harbors three cities. They are worth a visit even if you drive through for their unique architecture and stunning views of the harbor.
Senglea juts out like a peninsula and at its tips offers stunning views of the city of Valletta. It’s also a perfect town to drive through. Because we were on a time schedule and we wanted to see other parts we chose just to drive through, and that was totally fine.
From Senglea, we then drove through Cospicua and took pictures by the harbor as well as one out of three hundred churches Malta has. Seriously Malta has so many churches that we saw at least 30 during our day just driving around.
Finally, we went to Birgu, the oldest of the three and can be dated back to the medieval ages. It also has a massive fortress that has protected Malta in the numerous sieges Malta has endured.
From the Grand Harbor, we then traveled southeast to Marsaxlokk. This little fishing village is most known for being an intact and functional fishing village that uses traditional Maltese boats. Our driver let us explore for 30 minutes and really the only thing to do is take pictures or shop at the local market.
We then crossed the island and went towards the ancient capital of Mdina. This is where the Maltese rulers led the country from ancient to the medieval period until the capital was changed to Valletta. The whole town is made out of this sandy color stone and looks quite stunning from a vantage point down below. I recommend walking the city, exploring the many activities you do, and taking a picture from the road below.
From Mdina, we then went back into Valletta to explore the capital city itself. Valletta is surprisingly big, but the main central part of Valletta is walkable and has tons of shopping, bars, cafes, and sights to see. Highlights include the St. John’s Co-Cathedral and the Casa Rocca Piccola. Honestly, the architecture itself is worth your time in Valletta.
Map of Malta:
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A Map of Malta
Restaurants and Spots
Favorite restaurants and spots while in Malta.
Restaurants
A charming cafe and bar where we had delicious cocktails and people watched handsome men.
A great stop for authentic Maltese pizza
Spots
Valletta
It’s an awesome city with unique architecture.
Marsaxlokk Harbor
Beautiful a great chance to snap photos of traditional Maltese ships.
What to Wear:
In this guide to Malta, I want to help male travelers style when deciding what to wear. This country is distinct but follows closely to a western European look. Western male travelers should fit right in with a little bit of travel style.
Shirts
For male tourists, I like a casual Mediterranean look. Stick with solid colors and more loose-fitting clothing that is breathable. Linen is great for that, but cotton works as well. Shirts should be clean, modern and stylish but no need to be over the top.
Go for the florals, plain, or even stripe shirts. They are easy to mix and match with a solid base for your shorts. Comfort is critical, but please don’t be lazy or have oversized shirts. Then it won’t look good at all. A nice polo is also a good look.
If you’re traveling in the winter, Malta may be chilly, but it’s unlikely it will be that cold. A jacket may be needed.
Pants/Shorts
Bring shorts that can easily mix and match with your other items. A blue or khaki shorts for your entire trip is more than enough. I used those to mix and match with every shirt I had, sometimes throwing in linen shorts.
Shoes
Sandals, flats, or sneakers would be the ideal shoes to bring. Remember that you’ll probably be walking a lot, so comfort is vital. Leather is a good look with sandals and canvas material for shoes are pretty comfortable. I wore a pair of Toms that are stylish and comfortable.
Accessories/Gear
You don’t need too many accessories, but perhaps a watch or bracelet would be stylish. As a traveler, you may need to carry a backpack to store your valuables.
Design
Malta is squarely European in dress and close to Italy in what clothing men wear. Obviously, stick with what you’re comfortable with but in general men wear tighter clothing that is more form-fitting.
For male traveler stick with simple, modern look like below. Summers can be hot, so comfort is vital. I like the Mediterranean look meaning a looser fit in the shirt that perhaps is linen. If you sweat a lot, this will help. Shoes should be comfortable, and I like stylish flat or leather sandals.
An Ideal Look:
What I Loved:
I think I loved the look of Malta. I didn’t expect the country to be so unique in terms of architecture, color, and even language. It feels like Europe but perhaps one step away from it. So traveling there does feel unique and I appreciate that.
What I Disliked:
The only thing I can think of that was annoying was the heat. Europe had been going through a heatwave, but Malta is hot in general since it is much further south from other European countries. It’s just hot in general in the summertime, and it can be uncomfortable.
Ideas and Tips:
If you’re coming by a cruise, hire a taxi at the port. They are cheaper and will go where you want to go to.
Charles Grech in downtown Valletta is absolutely a great place to grab a drink.
Thoughts:
I have to say that I really loved Malta and I wasn’t expecting that. People told us that Malta was boring and there isn’t much to see or do, but we found the opposite. Sure it’s not a big island, and there is a limited amount of attractions, but we found a unique country compared to the rest of Europe.
For me, the best part of my time in Malta was the ease of access to these sites. It was easy to hop in a taxi and go wherever we wanted to go. Walking around, Valletta was straightforward and very scenic. We found our selves enjoying just being and experiencing, and that’s what an excellent destination is all about.
More Info on Malta
If you’re looking for more info on Malta, I have a few guides and books to read on.
