9 Most Beautiful Places in Malta

Just a few reasons why Malta should be on your radar when you're planning your next sunshine getaway...

Malta’s small but perfectly formed capital city follows a grid system of streets, making it almost impossible to take a wrong turn. By all means though, lose yourself in the honey-coloured architecture, instagram the famous balconies and if you only do one touristy thing, check out St John’s Co-Cathedral with its extravagant marble and gold leaf interiors and magnificent Caravaggio paintings.

The Blue Hole in Dwejra, Gozo is one of the best dive sites in the Maltese Islands. Located next to the the Azure Window, the underwater sea cave is home to a coral garden as well as a colourful collection of marine life including parrot fish and sea horses. Eat your heart out Ariel…

It doesn’t take a genius to see why Mdina caught the eye of Game of Thrones producers. The 4,000 year old city is filled with cobbled streets, monasteries and narrow alleyways as well as its crowning glory – Mdina gate, which made an appearance in the first season of Game of Thrones as the entrance to King’s Landing.

Something of a hidden gem, San Anton Gardens is a shady little oasis, located in the grounds of San Anton Palace in Attard. The gardens feature a large variety of beautiful flowers and trees (some of which are over three hundred years old), as well as fountains and ornamental ponds. Entry is free.

Popeye Village started out as the film set for the 1980 movie ‘Popeye’ starring Robin Williams and is today one of the top tourist attractions on the Maltese Islands. Open all year round, day-trippers can look forward to tours of the village set, plus plenty of water-based amusements.

The Dingli Cliffs are located at the highest point of the island and as you might expect, the views of the Mediterranean are spectacular. All year round, this is a popular spot to watch the sunset but is especially beautiful in spring when the area is covered in wild flowers.

Famous for its seaside restaurants and cafés, the fishing village of Marsaxlokk is well worth a day-trip. Browse the market stalls and check out the technicolour fleet of traditional luzzu (fishing boats) in the bay before sitting down to a plate of top-notch seafood.

Vittoriosa, Cospicua and Senglea are known as The Three Cities. Older than Valetta, against all odds, they’ve retained most of their original look and feel, despite being heavily bombed during World War II. Go for a wander and don’t forget your camera.

No round-up of Malta’s most beautiful places would be complete without mentioning the island of Comino and its Blue Lagoon. Located right in the middle of the channel that separates mainland Malta from the island of Gozo, its crystal clear waters make it the ideal spot for snorkelling or diving.

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Flights to Malta

- Fiona Hilliard

Check out the Try Somewhere New podcast to discover more things to do in Malta