Planning A Holiday To Malta

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We were thinking about going to Malta for a holiday. Has anyone here been there? Is it affordable? Is there enough to do in a week?

Any and all information is appreciated.

BlindZenDriver

I do not have much in the way of details, but a friend of mine has been there on a family trip. They loved it and are talking about going back + trying to sell me on going.

Lots of historic things to see and apparently a really nice place. He hasn't mentioned it being expensive so I should think it can not be bad, but that may depend on perspective since he will have been comparing with Denmark and few places are more expensive than here.

tynic

I have a few good friends from malta. It's got good weather, interesting history, great diving, some unique foods, and is very affordable (some of my friends were renting 4/5 bedroom airbnbs for $70-$80 US a night last time they were there). Dunno if you'd want v to spend a long time there, but great for a week or so.

Mojo_Jojo

I only went once as a small child and the family still discuss "that terrible week in Malta" but that was largely the fault of unseasonal cold and an oil tanker dumping crude oil all along the coast.

A friend got married there recently and they reported a much better time. You can spend all your time in a resort hotel getting sloshed if you want and there are plenty of all inclusive places catering to just that. But there's a good density of historical sites, like a big underground burial hall that dates from a few thousand years BC. It's apparently quite a lot like Kos in that a lot of the sites are just sticking out of the ground at odd places rather than dressed up as tourist sites. And delicious fish.

Pasha

My partner and I went in 2015 and we loved it. Would recommend it to anyone. Here are some thoughts/suggestions in no particular order:

• One week is about right. That's plenty of time to see the main sights and not be too rushed. We spent four nights in the capital Valletta (self-catered apartment inside the old city) and four nights on the smaller island of Gozo (shared villa just outside a little town called Gharb). Cost around 100 Euro per night, booked through Tripadvisor.
• Renting a car is a popular choice, which would give you total freedom to explore. We went with public transport, which was also fine. The country's entire bus network was modernised a few years ago, and is reliable.
• Valletta is an awesome city, especially if you're any sort of history buff. Your guidebook or Tripadvisor will give you all the info on what to see and do there, and the city is small enough that everything is easily reached on foot. A word of caution: while there has been some effort to make the main attractions accessible to disabled people, some places are going to be challenging if not outright inaccessible. Suggest further research if anyone in your party has a disability - I don't think I'm well placed to advise.
• Most other areas on the main island are within day-trip distance from Valletta. Again your guidebook/website of choice should have all the info you need. All the bus routes radiate out from the bus station in Valletta. Note: If you want to visit the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum (underground burial hall mentioned in a previous post) you need to book in advance - We didn't, and we missed out. Everywhere else you can just turn up.
• If you can make time for Gozo it is well worth a visit. We probably enjoyed Gozo more than the main island. Atmosphere is more chilled out, it's easier to find good local food on the cheap, and easier to escape the hordes of fellow tourists. Bus network is decent here too, or you can take your rental car across on the ferry.
• Be aware (especially if you are using an old guidebook) that Gozo's famous Azure Window rock formation collapsed last year. Gozo still has plenty to offer though.
• I can't really comment on the resorts, other than there are a lot of them. From what I could see (passing by on the bus) they look like everything you would expect from a Mediterranean seaside resort. If that's your thing, there is plenty of choice.
• Summer is Very Hot. It's also peak tourist season, so expect the main sights to be crowded. If I went back, I'd go in late spring or early autumn, outside the school holidays.
• Food prices vary a lot. If you're dining in the touristy areas you can expect everything to be over-priced. Search the back streets or seek advice from the locals for the better places to eat. Maltese cuisine is mostly Italian-influenced, with some local twists (try the rabbit!) Lots of great seafood for obvious reasons. The local wine is pretty distinctive too - I won't spoil it for you, but it's good stuff.