Malta Travel Advice - Everything you need to know before you go!
Getting to Malta
​​Which airlines operate to Malta
You can fly to Malta direct from most airports in the UK,
Jet2 - book via the Jet2 app for additional savings, also sign up for their updates as they frequently send discount codes.
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Flight only prices remain excruciatingly high if you are looking to fly from a none London airport or an airport where only one carrier operates the route to Malta. The reason being that they prefer customers to purchase a package holiday rather than a flight-only. It is highly advisable to conduct a search of all airlines as well as departures from nearby airports, before making a booking. Scheduled airlines can often work out to be a more cost effective option than low cost carriers when purchasing a seat only.
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Tip!
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Skyscanner and Google Flights are both awesome comparison tools to help you conduct a best price search, and more importantly searching this way ensures you receive the best price.
Once you've found your bargain using one of the above comparison tools, you simply hop over to the airlines own site to book your flight. Skyscanner will often offer fares slightly cheaper than the airline directing you to an Online Travel Agent. Be careful here, although cheaper the terms and conditions of the ticket may be harsh, sometimes 100% no changes or refunds. Safer to book with the airline directly.
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If you carry out your initial searches with the airline site direct, they store cookies on those searches, then when you return to book, the price will often be higher than when you first looked, as you've created a "demand" for those flights. So best to always use a comparison tool first.
My favourite is Google flights as it's incredibly intuitive and has a map search too.
Flights from the UK take around 3.5 hours and all arrive into Malta’s International Airport, Luqa.
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Package Holidays
In the aftermath of the pandemic, the role of your local travel agent has become more crucial than ever. They possess licenses that safeguard both you and your finances, and can provide comprehensive assistance with all needs, from insurance to currency exchange. Additionally, many now offer the option to spread the cost of a holiday through monthly direct debit payments and, in most cases, can match offers found online.
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Tour operators offering holiday packages to the Maltese Islands include, TUI, First Choice, Jet2 Holidays, Easyjet Holidays, and Mercury Holidays. If booking a package holiday direct please check my Easyjet Holidays discount codes shown on the home page)
Due to the island's compact size, transfers to resorts in Malta take no more than 45 minutes at most. (Transfers by bus, will of course, take longer)
Entry requirements for UK nationals
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Up to date entry requirements for UK nationals can be found at the following link,
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Entry requirements - Malta travel advice - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
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Please be mindful that starting Autumn of 2025, an ETIAS - European Travel Information and Authorization System will be required for a trip to Malta. This requirement applies to short-term visits of 90 days or less.
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Dual citizens of the UK and Malta using their Maltese passport are exempt as are holders of a residence permit, card or document issued by Malta.
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Once in place it will be highly recommended that you apply for your ETIAS travel authorization BEFORE making your travel arrangements. Applications will be processed quickly, within a few minutes, but it could take up to 4 days, and in certain cases you could be asked to provide additional details or documents or even attend in person. Potentially extending the process by up to 30 days.
The basics
Time difference
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No jet lag here, Malta is GMT+1
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Dialling code
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You can contact all of the new Maltese friends you will make using country code +356
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Language
Malta has two official languages, Maltese and English. Italian is also widely spoken.
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Religion
Predominantly Roman Catholic, but many other religious denominations are also represented too.
Public Holidays Holidays
The islands have 14 annual Public Holidays.
The only date which varies from year to year is Good Friday, every other holiday is celebrated on a set date. Interestingly, Boxing Day is a regular day - pop it in your diary though, as Malta's Boxing Day Sales are epic! 🤩
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2025 public holidays are as follows:
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Monday​ 1st January - New Year's Day
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​Monday 10th February​ - Feast of St. Paul's Shipwreck
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Wednesday 19th March - Feast of St. Joseph
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​Friday 18th April - Good Friday
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Thursday 1st May - Worker's Day
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Saturday 7th June - Sette Giugno
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Sunday 29th June ​- Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul
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Friday 15th August - Feast of the Assumption
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​Monday 8th September - Feast of Our Lady of Victories
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​Sunday 21st September - Independence Day
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​Monday 8th December - Feast of the Immaculate Conception
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​Saturday 13th December - Republic Day
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​Thursday 25th December​ - Christmas Day
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Christmas in Malta and Gozo is a truly magical time to visit the islands - you can learn more here
Climate
Typically Mediterranean, the islands climate is strongly influenced by the sea. Malta gloriously enjoys over 300 sunny days a year.
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Spring and autumn are refreshingly cooler than #summer, although the African Scirocco winds do occasionally bring in unseasonably high temperatures and humidity. I love spring as this is when the islands are at their greenest and abundant in beautifully colourful wild flowers.
In summer expect to enjoy 12 hours of delicious sunshine a day, Malta is one very hot and dry rock during these months.
In mid winter, sunshine drops to around 5-6 hours but the days are mild. Winters can also experience cold spells caused by the Northern winds from Central Europe. It’s not unknown for me to wear a fur coat and fur hat, then next day, T-shirt and shorts. Best advice, prepare for every eventuality!
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Rainfall
You’ll be pleased to hear that annual rainfall levels are low, around 600mm a year, but be prepared, as when it rains in Malta, it really rains! Think monsoon, and the drainage on the roads is dreadful, well pretty much none existent really. The roads will flood, and getting around the islands on stormy days can be troublesome. Your journey can be severely disrupted, expect long delays/waits for buses and when you do get onboard, a numb bum. A 20 minute journey can turn into 2 hours! The Malta-Gozo ferry and the Sliema - Valletta - Three Cities ferries are often cancelled. Any trip cancellations due to bad weather are only known on the day and will be announced on social media channels.
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Electricity
No panic, your hairdryer will work absolutely fine here as the islands use our 3 pin UK plugs. I would however recommend that if you staying in a farmhouse that you pop in a couple of two pin adaptors just to be on the safe side too.
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Water
The official line is that tap water is safe to drink across the islands, but I’ve had one too many upset tummy’s to believe that over the years.
I always drink the local bottled water, it’s inexpensive and hotel rooms usually pop in a bottle or two to start you off, or replenish daily. I also avoid ice in my drinks unless I know it’s made from bottled water.
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Driving
Beware! The Maltese drive in the shade, it’s sometimes comparable to the Wacky Races. On the plus side the official rule is you drive on the left. I have a dedicated blog post which covers everything you need to know when driving in Malta and Gozo.
Getting around
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Bus
Both Malta and Gozo have an inexpensive network of bus services.
Do they run on time? Rarely! Are they often full or very crowded? Yes indeed.
Patience is required by the bucket load in the summer months and expect to stand for part if not all of the way, and expect for buses to go right by you if they are full.
Please also be extra careful of your belongings when travelling by bus, there are more and more reports of pickpocketing taking place, and its difficult to look after your bag on a crammed bus hanging on for dear life.
My advice? A bum bag worn across your body at chest height to keep your valuables safe, and anything else you can pop into your beach bag.
Also if you aren't stood right at the bus stop don't expect the driver to stop for you if you try to flag them down, they will carry on straight past.
The main bus terminus in Malta can be found in the capital Valletta, with a smaller version in Bugibba. Over in Gozo you'll find it in the capital Victoria.
Single journeys which allow a transfer (full journey to be completed within 2 hours) are priced as follows,
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Daytime €2.50 (Winter €2)
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Night Services €3.00 (bus numbers beginning with N)
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Tickets can be purchased as you board from the driver (exact change in cash, or by debit card.)
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I can 100% recommend the purchase of a 7 day Tourist card - the Explore Tallinja card. This card offers super value as you receive 7 days of unlimited travel at any time of day, across Malta and Gozo for a one off cost of just,
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€25 for adults
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€7 for children up to the age of 10
(TD services are excluded)
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Find out more information here
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Whilst you can purchase your Explore card from self service machines across the island, please do consider buying it from an independent store, as the owners do make a little commission, and they are delighted to answer any questions you may have - local knowledge is invaluable!
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There are other options available including the Tallinja Explore Flex Card which is a pay-as-you-go option, allowing you to top up your card and travel as you please. This card offers a discount of 15c per journey compared to regular fares. The initial card costs €6 which is added to the card as credit.
Tallinja Personalised card holders Personalised Tallinja Card can travel for free on Day Routes, Night Routes and Special Services. Tallinja Direct (TD) Routes are not free and a fare will apply depending on the card used. Passengers are still required to tap their personalised Tallinja Card on the ticketing machine every time they board the bus. (Personalised cards carry your photo and name and can be topped up with credit easily online, via the free Tallinja App or at any of their sales outlets. Any credit loaded to this card is valid indefinitely. (ID is required to register for a Personalised card) A fee applies for this card. The registration fee for Adult/Student and Gozo cards is €25. For Child and Concession cards, the registration fee is €5. In addition to the registration fee, registered postage charges also apply.
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A full list of Tallinja Card sales outlets can be accessed here
Full bus schedule information can be found here
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Taxi
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Taxi's are readily available at the airport upon arrival, but beware they charge an arm and a leg!
Plan ahead and download the E-Cabs and Bolt, apps to your phone. Once you have collected your bags you can hop on the app and book your ride.
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These two companies are just like Uber (Uber are present on the islands but do charge a little more, and are not as plentiful) and you can pay in cash to the driver as well as using a card stored in the app. Whilst saving you a lot of money they also offer you security, as you know the car registration and driver details of your ride, which you can share with a friend or loved one. Far safer than haling a cab in the street on an evening out.
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Ferry
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Take the breathtakingly beautiful journey from Sliema to Valletta by ferry or from Valletta to the 3 cities (Cospicua) onboard Valletta Ferry Services
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Adult Day single €2 (night services after 1930 €2.50)
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Adult Day return €3.80 (night services after 19.30 €4.20)
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Child Day single €1
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Child Day return €1.50
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​Journey's taken on the Sliema to Valletta and Valletta to 3 cities ferry service are free to anyone who holds a Tallinja Personalised card.
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Barrakka Lift
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When travelling back to Valletta from Cospicua do ask the crew for a ticket or retain your ticket as this will allow you to use the Upper Barrakka lift free of charge.
The Barrakka Lift is a lifesaver when you need to get back up into the city. It's located at Lascaris Wharf, which is situated on the waterfront Grand Harbour side of Valletta, and it will transport you to the Upper Barrakka Gardens situated next to Castile Place.
The lift is just a short stroll away from the Valletta Cruise Ferry Terminal and is just opposite the landing place for the harbour ferry crossing.
Standing at 58 metres tall, the lift takes just 20 seconds to cover the journey between the two points. Trust me your legs will love you for it!
Personalised Tallinja card holders may also use the lift free of charge now too.
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Schedules and routes can be found here
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When travelling from Valletta to 3 cities - please also consider taking a local water taxi. These leave from the jetty adjacent to the ferry. It's so much fun and an awesome experience. The fee is €2.50 per person each way. You may need to wait five or ten minutes until the little boat fills before the journey commences but it's a lovely way to get to know your fellow passengers.
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There is no way to reach the island of Gozo or Comino other than by boat.
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Gozo car ferry service (Gozo Channel)
Cars and passengers are carried by Gozo Channel services between Cirkewwa on Malta and Mgarr on Gozo and vv. These services operate year round, 24 hours a day. The full schedule can be found here
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The crossing time is approx 25 minutes. Do take a seat outside as the scenery is stunning. Ferry tickets need to be purchased from the ticket desk prior to departure in either direction. If the weather permits, upon boarding, head straight up to the sun deck, the views are beautiful and the breeze in the summer months is a lifesaver.
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Fares are as follows,
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Standard foot passenger fare €4.65 return (night fare after 8pm €4.05 return)
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Standard child fare (age 3 to 12) €1.15 return
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Car plus driver €15.70 (night fare €12.80)
To calculate a fare with a car, two adults and 2 children, €15.70, plus one foot passenger at €4.65 and two children at €1.15 each = €22.65
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Gozo passenger only fast ferry service
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​Gozo High Speed Ferries operate a foot passenger only service from Valletta in Malta to Mgarr in Gozo. These are fast ferries with a journey time of less than 45 minutes!
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Adult fare €15 return
Seniors & Disability Card holders €6 return
Child age 4-10 €6 return
Under 3's travel free
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They also offer a fabulous discounted return fare of just €12 bookable online only here
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Hop on, Hop off ferry service
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The hop on, hop off catamaran service connects Sliema with Comino and Gozo, so you can have a super day exploring and island hopping!
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​Pass and schedule information can be found here
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As well as the catamaran, you can also have fun experiencing a hop on, hop off bus tour of Malta or Gozo including access to all of the major Heritage sites,
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Check out the full list of pass/package options and pricing here
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Comino ferry
Comino can also be visited from Malta by one of the many day trips offered by various sightseeing companies.
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Bella Comino Ferries operate a scheduled ferry service from Mgarr Harbour in Gozo to the Blue Lagoon on Comino. The journey is quick, no more than 15 minutes. Prices are,
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€9 return per adult
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€4 return per child (aged 5-10 years)
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Children up to the age of 4 carried free
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The full schedule can be viewed here
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Word from the wise! Swerve the option of an add on cave tour for this one - the ferry is too large to enter. There are a plethora of speedboats available on Comino which will take you on a thrilling ride to the caves at a very reasonable fee. The speedboats can actually enter the caves allowing you to fully experience the amazing blue hues of the water and the many colourful corals.
From Marfa and Cirkewwa on Malta the Comino ferry service is operated by the Comino Ferries Co-Op Ltd.
The journey time is approx 25 minutes. They also offer a 3 island service connecting Malta-Comino and Gozo.
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Pricing is as follows,
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€15 return per adult
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€7 return per child (under the age of 10)
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Schedules can be found here
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Beware of the departure times from Comino, this service runs to the captains schedule. Also be mindful this is a small boat and you will find the journey bumpy if there is any kind of swell or if its windy. My advice, avoid sitting at the front in these conditions.
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Sicily
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After experiencing all of the above, should you still have wanderlust its also possible to visit Sicily for the day too!
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The service is ran by a high speed catamaran operated by Virtu Ferries Ltd.
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The service transports you from Valletta Waterfront to Pozzallo in Sicily During the summer months there is an awesome day excursion to Mt Etna and Taormina offered and in the winter months, Mt Etna and Siracusa, or Ragusa, Modica and Scicli. The day excursions also offer collection from your accommodation for an additional fee.
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Pricing varies but starts at circa €156 for adults, children aged 4-14 €107, and under 4's free.
***There are some super offers available in May which you can find here
Please be aware that this is a long day,
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Depart Malta at 0630 - arrive Pozzallo at 0815
Depart Pozzallo at 2130 - arrive Malta at 2315
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Sicily is a huge island in comparison to Malta so be mindful that a large part of your day will be spent onboard the coach, however the scenery is stunning.
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Full information can be found here
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If you prefer to freestyle your visit, you can purchase foot passenger or car plus passenger tickets allowing you to spend your time in Sicily totally at leisure. If on foot Virtu Rapid offer an onward coach connection from the port at Pozzallo to the port at Catania.
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Find out more here
Safety and Security
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Cyber Security Warning! (Open Wi-Fi, QR Codes and public mobile phone chargers etc)
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Please be extremely careful when connecting to public wi-fi, scanning any QR codes or using chargers found in bars etc. These are not secure and your personal data could be compromised.
It happens, it happened to me.
When visiting Mosta Dome I was urged by the staff to connect to the church's Wi-Fi and scan a QR code to access the tour. By the time I exited the church 45 minutes later, someone had tried to gain access to several of my accounts - it was terrifying and resulted in me having to do a full factory reset of my phone. I also overheard a young lady in a 5* hotel in Valletta telling her partner she had received several reset emails for her Shopify account, she'd never used it in years. Scammers are lurking everywhere these days and we all need to be extra careful and super vigilant. Please think twice before connecting to any open networks, including hotel networks, or scanning any QR codes to access itineraries, tour information, menu's etc.
Most mobile phone companies allow you to use your phone in Europe at no extra charge so please don't be tempted to save a few GB in data - it can be perilous.
Similarly avoid using mobile phone chargers found in bars etc across the islands, invest in your own portable power bank before you leave home. It will only set you back £15-£20 and your mind will be totally at rest if you need a little extra charge during a day of exploring.
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Added security safeguards
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2 Factor Authentication
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I'd also recommend setting up 2 factor authentication wherever you can - if an account is compromised during your travels you will receive an alert that someone is trying to access that account. Without the code the scammer cannot gain access. Once you receive an alert and you know it wasn't you, you can secure your account by resetting the password.
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RFID blocking purses and wallets
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Another tip, invest in an RFID purse or wallet. These have built-in RFID-blocking technology. This technology is designed to protect your credit card information from being stolen by radio frequency identification (RFID) scanners. These scanners can be used by identity thieves to steal your credit card information without physically touching your wallet or purse. An RFID-blocking purse or wallet contains a special lining that blocks the radio waves emitted by these scanners, thereby preventing them from reading your credit card information. A no brainer for crowded buses or bars. Check out my inexpensive recommendations in Travel Essentials.
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Mobile Antivirus
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Do invest in antivirus for your android or iPhone - again its inexpensive and allows you to scan your device if you feel it's been compromised, change passwords on any compromised accounts, and connect to a secure VPN. VPNs encrypt your internet traffic and hide your IP address, making it difficult for anyone to intercept or monitor your online activity. This helps to protect your privacy and security online, especially when using public Wi-Fi networks
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Paceville
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In my opinion this area needs bulldozing and rebuilding. Its awful day and night, dirty, rubbish in the streets, greasy pavements and flies. It's so sad as way back in the day, I spent a lot of time here as it was so much fun and really classy, full of fabulous wine and cocktail bars, world class nightclubs and karaoke. Over the years its rapidly declined, losing any charm it once had. Most of the bars now are much of a muchness attached to the Hugo chain, and it's now home to a plethora of gentleman's clubs.
I've seen drugs openly offered to tourists walking through, and there is frequent violence.
Be mindful when choosing a hotel in St Julians as a lot sit on the cusp of Paceville. For example the Westin and the Corinthia, The Golden Tulip Vivaldi is right in the middle, as is the Intercontinental and Holiday Inn Express. The Hilton Portomaso is in a better area, with some cool little bars on it's doorstep, for example The Sun in Splendour with its Beer Garden, but sits at a busy crossroads. Spinola Bay is also just steps away from here where you will find the Cavalieri and Juliani Hotels, and a pleasant stroll along the promenade towards Sliema will bring you to the Marriott Hotel in Balluta Bay.
You will find two shopping centres in Paceville, The Bay Street Shopping Complex which is in the heart of Paceville, sits at the bottom of St Rita's steps, whilst the new Mercury Complex can be found mere steps away from the main thoroughfare . If visiting I'd urge you to watch your bags and keep your wits about you.
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Comino
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The island of Comino, dubbed Malta's paradise island turned hell-on Earth, has for years fallen victim to horrific over-tourism and over crowding.
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To try to solve the problem, and to protect the environment (up to 12,000 tourists a day were shockingly recorded at the Blue Lagoon at any one time last Summer) a new booking system with the theme "Book, Protect, Enjoy" was planned and went live on the 1st of May.
This would cap daily visitors to 4,000 per day - who could book one of three daily time slots, 8am to 1pm, 1.30pm to 5.30pm and 6pm to 10pm times at 4,000 per day. (Those entering the site without authorisation would be liable to fines, with a period of good grace during the transition)
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Visitors received a QR code which was scanned by the officials upon arrival at Comino, and they were given a wristband, which allowed access only for the duration of the time slot.
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Sadly as quickly as it went live, it was taken down due to a Court Decree issued on the 2nd of May which temporarily upholds an application by ferry operators to block the implementation of Port Notice No. 03 of 2025 implementing the Book. Protect. Enjoy booking system.
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I'll update here if/when it is granted the full permission to go ahead.
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Until then, please don't let this put you off visiting. You can still thoroughly enjoy a visit to this gem of an island but you need to do a little planning first. Please refer to my dedicated Visit Comino blog for all of the hints and tips you need.