The country of Malta is a true hidden gem in the Mediterranean. Located off the coast of Italy, you can easily spend a week soaking up what the island has to offer. This three-day Malta itinerary highlights the best parts of the island that we explored.
Disclaimer: Special thanks to the Malta Tourism Board for hosting me at several attractions on my trip to Malta! As always, all thoughts and opinions remain my own. This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no cost to you.
Table of Contents
History of Malta
The island nation of Malta’s history dates back to 5900 BC, when the first settlers from Sicily arrived. Throughout the next thousands of years, various groups settled on the islands such as the Phoenicians, the Cathegians, and the Romans.
It later fell under Byzantine, Arab, and Napoleon’s rule (to me, it seems like everyone has control of Malta at some point). In 1814, Malta came under the control of the British with the Treaty of Paris of 1814.
A popular era in Malta was the time of the Knights of Malta. They used Malta as a headquarters of sorts and formed a military religious order.
Finally, in September 1964, Malta became an independent nation, but the last British troops did not leave until 1979. In 2004, Malta became part of the European Union.
When to Spend Three Days in Malta
Shoulder season (May, September, and October) is typically the best time to visit Malta, as it will be less crowded, but you will still have nice sunny weather. June-August is typically the peak season when it is the hottest. Winters are typically mild and chilly, but not ideal if you want to spend time in the water.
How to get to Malta
Malta has one airport: Malta International Airport. You can typically get many flights from the United States and Europe. We flew here from Jordan using Ryanair for $50/person and then onwards to Madrid afterward.
I’ve seen flights from Los Angeles to Malta for around $500-$600 per person. You can also book flights to wherever is cheapest in Europe and grab cheap flights to Malta from there.
How to get from the Airport to Valletta
You have several options on how to get from the Airport to Valletta: Bus, Taxi, or Rental Car.
We opted to take a taxi for 17€ because we did not want to deal with the bus due to luggage. It is about a 15-minute drive from the airport to Valletta.
The bus seemed pretty straightforward. There are bus lines that run all over the island. From the airport, hop on the 73, 71, or X4 lines. This should cost you 1.50€ a person depending on the time of day.
If you plan on exploring a lot of the island and do not want to take the bus around the island, you can opt to get a rental car. Autoslash constantly has the best prices for me. We opted to not rent a rental car since we had a couple of day tours that took us around the island.
Transportation in Malta
If you choose to rent a car, I recommend renting a car through Autoslash as that is where I always find the best deals. However, I felt the bus system was pretty easy to use to get you around Malta. There are also ferries that can take you to the different islands or other parts of the island.
Where to Stay in Malta
TripAdvisor is a great place to start your hotel search. Search for the best Malta hotels here!
We opted to stay in Valletta at The Cumberland Hotel. I recommend staying in Valletta for your three-day Malta itinerary if you want to explore various parts of the island and have a lot of restaurants really close by.
If you are more into the resorts, you can stay in St. Julian’s or Sliema. This area has better access to beaches. The Hilton Malta is a good choice in this area. You can always try searching Priceline Express Deals for a better price. The following are also some great options.
- DoubleTree Malta
- Malta Marriott Resort & Spa
- The Westin Dragonara Resort
- Hyatt Regency Malta
- Hyatt Centric Malta
- Intercontinental Malta
Language and Currency in Malta
Malta has two official languages: Maltese and English. Many people also speak Italian. We never had a problem communicating with anyone in English.
The National currency in Malta is the Euro (€) as they are part of the European Union.
Things to do During a Three Day Malta Itinerary
You can easily spend a week exploring everything that Malta has to offer. However, this three-day Malta itinerary gives a good sampling of what to see on this island nation.
Day 1: Valletta
Today will be all about exploring Valletta, the capital of Malta on this three-day Malta itinerary. This walled city was established in the 1500s by the Knights of St. John. Start the day with some breakfast at your hotel.
St. John’s Co-Cathedral
Cost: €15
Hours: Mon-Fri: 9:30am-4:30pm, Sat: 9:30am-12:30pm
To start off your day, head to St. John’s Co-Cathedral, the main Roman-Catholic cathedral in Valletta. It was built in the 1500s by the Order of St. John. The Co-Cathedral is mostly known for its Baroque-style interior. Either get there right when they open or visit towards the end of the day to avoid the crowds.
St. George’s Square
Cost: Free
St. George’s Square is the main square in Valletta. The Presidential Palace is located here along with several other government buildings. Many events and ceremonies take place in this square. You can even check out the live webcam here.
Palace Armoury
Cost: €6
Hours: 9am-4:30pm
The Palace Armoury (attached to the Presidential Palace) contains a wide collection of arms. It is the world’s largest collection of armories that is still housed in its original building and a fun thing to add to a three-day Malta itinerary. There are various armored suits and weapons from medieval times. The museum is not huge but will take about 30 minutes to go through. You can also opt to book a guided tour.
Grana
Cost: €€
Hours: 12pm-3:30pm, 6pm-10:30pm
Next, grab a delicious lunch at Grana, an Italian restaurant attached to the Cumberland Hotel. Make sure to try one of their many spritz drinks! (Aperol and Limoncello are my favorite)
City Gate
The city gate is the official entrance to Valletta. Outside of these gates is where you can catch buses to all other parts of the island. The present gate is the fifth one to stand on the site and was built in 2011.
Upper Barrakka Gardens
Cost: Free
The Upper Barrakka Gardens is a public garden located in Valletta. It offers a gorgeous view of the three cities and the Grand Harbor. You may even see some cruise ships in port. This area was originally used as an area for the knights to hang out.
Lower Barrakka Gardens
Cost: Free
After visiting the Upper Barrakka Gardens, head over to the Lower Barrakka Gardens. The lower gardens are a bit smaller, and it has more monuments within the park. It also often hosts special events and is a nice place to relax for a while.
Guze Bistro
Cost: €€
Hours: Tues-Fri: 12:30pm-2:30pm, 6-9:30pm, Mon, Sat: 6pm-9:30pm (closed Sunday)
To end your first of three days in Malta, grab dinner at the delicious Guze Bistro. This Michelin Guide restaurant has a rotating menu, but it typically serves some Maltese dishes. Make sure to try the sheep cheese as an appetizer.
Yard 32 Gin and Tapas Bar
Cost: €
Hours: Sun, Wed-Thurs: 6pm-12am, Fri-Sat: 6pm-1am (closed Mon, Tues)
After dinner, stop at the Yard 32 Gin Bar for some after-dinner drinks. This bar is known for having a huge assortment of gins and tonics that they pair together. They also have over 50 different kinds of tapas.
Day 2: Blue Lagoon and Comino
Today, opt to head to the smaller islands of Malta: Comino and Gozo. I recommend booking a tour in order to see the most in a short amount of time. If you have more time to add to your three-day Malta itinerary, you can opt to split this into two days and not go on a tour.
Tour Options
Keep in mind that these boats hold over a hundred people and it can be a little chaotic. You get what you pay for as most of these tours start at $25/person. If you have a larger group, you can opt to hire a private charter.
- The Crystal Lagoon, Blue Lagoon, and Gozo
- The Blue Lagoon (smaller group)
- Gozo, Comino, and the Blue Lagoon
- Private Charter for Blue Lagoon and Gozo
- Blue Lagoon Catamaran
Getting to the Port
To catch a lot of the tours, you will need to head to St. Paul’s Bay. It is very easy to get here from Valletta by bus. It costs €1.50 per person, and you can hop on bus 48. In Valletta, look for signs for the bus at the main bus station right outside of the city gates. You will then get off at the stop Moll. It will take about 45 minutes to get there. Once there, you will need to follow the instructions on your booking for which boat to get to.
Comino Island
The island of Comino is the smallest of the three main islands that make up Malta. Only two people officially live on the island. It is known for its sea caves and crystal-clear aquamarine lagoons, especially the popular Blue Lagoon.
The Crystal Lagoon
The first stop on our tour was the Crystal Lagoon. It took about 45 minutes to get there. Along the way, you will pass by St. Paul’s Islands and the eastern coast of Malta.
Once at the Crystal Lagoon, you will get about an hour of swim time. Feel free to hop right off the side of the ship or head down the water slide. The water was crystal clear and a nice break from the heat.
Gozo and Victoria
For your lunch stop, you will head to the island of Gozo. On our tour, we had the option to head into Victoria or to the bay for 5€. We opted to head to Victoria as we felt there would be more to do there. The drive from the Gozo port is about 15 minutes.
Victoria is the largest city on Gozo and is named after Queen Victoria. The city is not huge, and you can definitely see everything in the allotted three hours of time. Upon arrival in Victoria, walk to St. George’s Square and there are a ton of places to eat. The restaurants there had a ton of lunch specials. We opted to eat at Pasta Republic. It was good, but we wished we had just gone directly to the main square.
After grabbing some food, opt to visit the sites of Victoria and spend some time wandering the streets. St. George’s Basilica is the main cathedral of the city.
Make sure to check out the Citadella which contains the Gozo Museum of Archaeology and the old prison. Also from the Citadella, you can catch some decent views of the area.
The Blue Lagoon
The final stop of this tour on your three-day Malta itinerary is the Blue Lagoon. You will get about an hour for this last stop before you head back to Moll.
The Blue Lagoon is known for its small white sandy beach and crystal-clear blue waters. While it was a gorgeous stop and the water was cool and clear, I felt it was a bit hyped up. It was so crowded that you could not really swim anywhere and there were lines for everything.
Final Thoughts on the Tour
Although this was a very cheap way to see a lot of things and I am glad I did this tour, there were a lot of cons to it. Make sure to keep in mind the boat will be VERY crowded (like over 100 people on the smaller boat). There are no reserved seats, and we found that even if we left stuff on our seats, people just moved your stuff.
The tour also said there were towels available, but we did not see any. So basically, keep in mind you get what you pay for.
Return to Valletta
After spending the day on the water, head back to Valletta for dinner and some drinks around town. The bus ride back will take about 45 minutes to an hour.
Pastaus
Cost: €€
Hours: 12pm-11pm
Tonight, grab dinner at Pastaus, an awesome Italian place where you can create your own pasta dish. First, you will want to pick out what shape and type of pasta you would like. Then, you can choose what kind of sauce to have. It makes for the perfect meal after spending the day on the water.
Coffee Circus Lisboa
Cost: €
Hours: Tues-Sat: 8am-10pm, Sun: 8am-8:30pm
After dinner, grab some drinks from Coffee Circus Lisboa. They have some simple cocktails and a buy one, get one free happy hour. They also have a lot of coffee options as well.
Day 3: The Island of Malta
The main island of Malta is also called Malta. On this third day of a three-day Malta Itinerary, you will explore some parts of the main island of Malta.
Barrakka Lift
Cost: 1€
To start out the day, you will want to take the Barrakka Lift down to the harbor. The Barrakka Lift is located in the Upper Barrakka Gardens and takes visitors down to the port area. From there, you can catch a boat over to the Three Cities: Birgu, Singles, and Cospicua. This is an easy way to get down if you do not want to climb stairs.
Ride on a Dghajsa
Cost: 2€
I highly recommend paying the 2€ to take a Dghajsa across the harbor. A Dghajsa is a Maltese gondola-shaped boat. These were typically used by ferry sailors and seamen. It was very easy to walk down to the dock and hop on one. It is a set price per person.
The Three Cities: Birgu, Singles, and Cospicua
Next, spend some time exploring what the three cities have to offer. The three cities is the name for the three fortified cities of Birgu, Singles, and Cospicua. If you only have three days to spend in Malta, focus on exploring Birgu.
Birgu
Birgu is the oldest of the three cities and it has existed since the Middle Ages. Spend some time wandering the old alleyways and check out the city gates. The Church of St. Lawrence is one of the largest and oldest churches in Malta.
Sicolo Norman House
Make sure to pop by the Sicolo Norman House. It is said to be the oldest standing building in Birgu. The house is three stories tall, and you can check out what houses in the 12th century looked like. It is still currently being restored but worth checking out!
Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum
Cost: €35
Hours: 9am-5pm
After spending some time in Birgu for this three-day Malta itinerary, head to the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum. This underground burial complex dates back to the Neolithic times. It was thought to be a necropolis as over 7,000 bodies were found there. The Hypogeum was accidentally discovered in 1902 when they were laying the foundation for some houses.
Teacher Tip: Book your tickets far in advance for the Hypogeum as they do sell out!
Mdina
End your last part of this three-day Malta itinerary with a visit to Mdina, also known as “The Silent City” as there are no vehicles allowed within the city walls. Mdina is the old capital of Malta during the Medieval period.
There are many things to see within Mdina. Start with walking through the main city gates and head to St. Paul’s Cathedral, the main cathedral in Mdina. Other things to do include the Mdina Dungeons, the Catacombs, and multiple Game of Thrones filming locations.
Rabat
End your last part of this three-day Malta itinerary by spending some time exploring Rabat, one of the suburbs of Mdina. It also has many streets and gorgeous buildings, and an underground cemetery. Make sure to stop by the Crystal Palace for a Pastizzi once you get hungry!
More Than Three Days in Malta?
If you have more days to add to your three-day Malta itinerary, plan to explore other parts of Malta such as the following.
Ta’ Betta Wine Estates
Malta actually has quite a few wineries on the island. Although many of them are not open all of the time, you can easily schedule private appointments for tastings. You could also opt to book a tour that will include a visit to a winery.
We opted to visit Ta’ Betta Wine Estates, which I would highly recommend. We got a tour of the property, and we were able to taste several of their wines along with some snacks. Any wine lover will love visiting a winery on a three-day Malta itinerary.
Popeye’s Village
Popeye’s Village is a must-visit for any lover of Popeye. Visitors are able to wander the film set from the 1980 production. Various special events are held there throughout the year. You can opt to book tickets prior to visiting or get them upon arrival.
Relax at the Resorts in St. John
If you just want to relax along the water, you will want to head to St. John’s for all of the resorts. The Hilton Malta is a popular option to stay at if you want to stay in the area. You can also opt to get a day pass to several of the resorts to relax for just one day. It is a great thing to add to a three-day Malta itinerary if you want a place to chill.
Final Tips for a Three Day Malta Itinerary
Malta is such a fun and underrated European country to visit. I cannot wait to go back and explore more of what this awesome island nation has to offer. If you have more time, opt to head to Italy or Spain along with your Malta trip.
5 thoughts on “Three Day Malta Itinerary: Amazing Sites to See on Gozo, Comino, and Malta”
Glad to see you made it to the Three cities, not being biased that’s the nicest spot in Malta. I know, I live here. Glad you enjoyed Malta.
Malta looks stunning. I didn’t realize that flights were that cheap. This to totally do-able! I think the Comino Island and Crystal Lagoon would be an amzaing time. Thank you so much for sharing. Saving this for later!
Malta looks like a great country to add to my bucket list! And thank you so much for writing this very helpful travel itinerary! 🙂
Wow, I’m shocked how reasonable the prices are in Malta! It is gorgeous, and I would love to relax at a resort in St. John. This is an excellent guide, and plan to save for my future trip!
Malta has always sounded like such an exciting destination to me – and this comprehensive guide makes me want to visit all the more! Saving this for later 🙂