Malta rewards those who plan around the Blue Lagoon and Gozo early — both sell out in peak season. Use Valletta or Sliema as your base and work outward. The island is small (27km long) so no destination is more than 90 minutes from anywhere else.
✔ Blue Lagoon morning boat — sells out daily in July–August, book 48 hours ahead
✔ St John's Co-Cathedral timed entry — required year-round
✔ Gozo ferry — no booking needed but check timetables
✔ Accommodation — Valletta boutiques book out quickly year-round
Day 1 — Valletta
Morning: walk the length of the Republic Street from City Gate to the Lower Barrakka Gardens — the Baroque facades, the Grand Harbour views and the War Memorial. St John's Co-Cathedral (book timed entry): home to Caravaggio's "The Beheading of St John", the largest painting he ever created. Upper Barrakka Gardens for the panoramic view over the Grand Harbour. Afternoon: the Three Cities (Birgu, Senglea, Cospicua) by ferry from Valletta — the original fortified cities that protected the harbour before Valletta was built. Evening: dinner in Valletta's Strait Street (the old sailors' entertainment quarter, now lined with excellent restaurants and bars).
Day 2 — Mdina & Rabat
Morning: Mdina — the Silent City. Drive or bus to Malta's ancient capital, built on a hilltop with views across the entire island. The Cathedral of St Paul, the Palazzo Vilhena, the Mdina Dungeons and the narrow lanes where cars have never driven. Arrive early (before 10am) — the day-tripper coaches arrive by mid-morning. Rabat, immediately outside Mdina's walls: the St Paul's Catacombs (Roman-period burial tunnels with remarkable frescoes), St Paul's Church (built over the cave where St Paul sheltered after being shipwrecked on Malta in 60 AD). Afternoon: drive south to the Neolithic Temples of Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra — two of the world's oldest surviving religious structures (3600–2500 BCE), older than Stonehenge, on a clifftop above the Mediterranean. Allow 2 hours including the visitor centre.
Day 3 — Blue Lagoon, Comino
Full day: Blue Lagoon boat trip from Valletta or Sliema harbour. Take the 9am departure — the lagoon is at its best (and least crowded) in the morning. The Blue Lagoon at Comino is genuinely extraordinary — one of the most vivid turquoise bodies of water in the Mediterranean. Swim, snorkel, photograph. Most tours also include the Crystal Lagoon, the Blue Hole and the Comino caves. Return by early afternoon. Evening at leisure in Sliema or St Julian's — excellent seafood restaurants along the Spinola Bay waterfront.
Day 4 — Gozo
Full day: Gozo ferry from Ċirkewwa (45 minutes by bus from Valletta, 25-minute ferry). On arrival: hire a car or scooter (recommended — Gozo's distances require transport) or join a guided tour. Victoria (Rabat) — the Citadella fortified city with extraordinary views across the island. Ggantija Temples (5,500 years old — older than any other Neolithic structure in the world). Ramla Bay — the only significant sandy beach in the Maltese archipelago, deep red-golden sand backed by dunes. The Azure Window dive site (now submerged but still visible from the cliff at Dwejra, and accessible for diving/snorkelling). The Inland Sea — a seawater lagoon connected to the Mediterranean by a sea cave. Return ferry by evening.
Day 5 — Marsaxlokk & South Malta
Morning: Marsaxlokk fishing village — Malta's most picturesque traditional fishing harbour, lined with brightly painted luzzu fishing boats. The Sunday fish market is extraordinary (but any morning is good). Lunch at a Marsaxlokk waterfront restaurant — the freshest fish on the island. Afternoon: Tarxien Temples (another Neolithic site, within walking distance of the historic shipbuilding village of Paola). The Hypogeum of Ħal Saflieni (if you booked timed entry weeks ahead — this underground Neolithic burial chamber is one of Malta's most extraordinary and most restricted sites — only 80 visitors per day).
Days 6–7 (Extended Stay)
Day 6: Valletta deeper exploration — the National Museum of Archaeology (the world's finest collection of Neolithic Maltese artefacts, including the extraordinary Sleeping Lady figurine), the Palace State Rooms, the Manoel Theatre (one of Europe's oldest working theatres, 1731). Evening: Strait Street wine bars. Day 7: Scuba diving or snorkelling day trip (Malta's clear water and accessible wrecks make it one of the Mediterranean's top diving destinations) or second Gozo visit with more time at Ramla Bay. For 10-day stays: add day trips to the island of Comino (overnight camping or a luxury villa stay), a sailing day around the Grand Harbour, and the Tarxien Temples and Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum.
Essential Tips
- ✔ Blue Lagoon: always take the first morning boat — the lagoon is crowded by 11am in summer
- ✔ Mdina: arrive before 10am — the day-tripper coaches make it difficult after mid-morning
- ✔ Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum: book online weeks ahead — only 80 visitors per day are permitted
- ✔ Gozo: hire a car or scooter on arrival — the island is too spread out for walking or taxis
- ✔ Valletta: the free (tip-based) city walk from City Gate is excellent for orientation on Day 1
- ✔ Malta is compact — almost no journey between sites takes more than 45 minutes
FAQs
How many days do you need in Malta?
5 days covers Valletta, Mdina, Blue Lagoon, Gozo and Marsaxlokk. 7 days adds more depth. 3 days is the absolute minimum for the Blue Lagoon and Valletta highlights.
Is Malta good for a 3-day trip?
Yes — 3 days gives you Valletta and the Blue Lagoon comfortably. Add Mdina on Day 3. Not enough for Gozo — save that for a longer visit.
What is the most important thing to book in Malta?
The Blue Lagoon morning boat (sells out in summer) and St John's Co-Cathedral timed entry. The Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum requires weeks of advance booking — only 80 visitors per day.
Is Gozo worth a day trip from Malta?
Yes — one of the best day trips available from Malta. Better with a hire car or scooter than on a guided tour if you have experience driving on the left (Malta drives on the left).
Can you combine Malta and Sicily in one trip?
Yes — a Virtu Ferries fast catamaran runs Valletta to Pozzallo (Sicily) in 90 minutes. Excellent for combining both islands on a 10–14 day trip.