6 Travel Tips for Planning an Authentic Malta Trip
Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is a group of 3 islands in the southern Mediterranean. It’s comprised of Malta, Gozo, and Comino. The capital, Valletta, is on Malta and serves as the gateway to the other two islands.
With a little over 500,000 inhabitants, it’s one of the smallest countries in Europe. If you take out the many principalities and pseudo-states, it’s really the 2nd smallest after Iceland. In terms of physical area, its 316 sq. kms make it the 5th smallest.
But what Malta lacks in size, it more than makes up for in sights, culture, cuisine, and nature. With some of the best and freshest seafood in Europe, thousands of years of history at the literal crossroads of civilizations, more beaches than you can imagine, astonishing architecture, and more than 90 traditional festas to party at, this little country packs a serious punch. Combine that with pleasant year round weather and a friendly, welcoming populace, and you get one hell of a destination.
Rather than hit you with a “listicle” of 2,753 things to do in Malta, we asked 30-year veteran local guide Joan Sheridan for some of her best tips and tricks on how to have a fabulous, and authentic, visit to Malta. If you’re the type of traveler who likes to get off the beaten path and explore a new place like a local, read on!
Meet Joan, your Local Expert in Malta!
To get the inside scoop on exploring Malta like a local, we chatted with local guide Joan Sheridan for some expert advice.
Joan is a based on the island of Malta and has been helping visitors explore her homeland for over 30 years.
She’s available for Malta Travel Consultations and Private Guided Tours at www.goaskalocal.com/joan.
The Best Local Tips for a Visit to Malta
1. What is an authentic experience you recommend to visitors?
I recommend our traditional rabbit dinner in one of the restaurants in the quaint village of Mgarr, which is mainly inhabited by farmers and is surrounded by lush vegetation and vineyards. Enjoy it as a local.
As a first course spaghetti is served with rabbit sauce. Then come the rabbit portions in a huge bowl. One can opt to have the rabbit baked in a casserole or fried in garlic. A second bowl with fries is placed in the centre of the table and everybody eats using the silver fork: by hand!
2. What’s a unique activity that visitors to Malta typically enjoy?
A nighttime tour of the historic city of Birgu, just across the water from Valletta, is a magical experience. You’ll cross over to Birgu from Valletta by boat (the crossing only takes a few minutes and departures are super frequent) and get to admire the fortifications as they light up at sunset.
After arriving, you should walk through the Maritime City of the Knights Hospitallers of the Order of St John, experiencing their exclusive 16th century residential quarter, with the many elegant palazzos in the Collacchio. End your visit at a 500-year-old cellar turned wine bar for a traditional platter and wine.
3. If you could give one tip to a traveler coming to Malta, what would it be?
Malta is an open-air museum. It has the highest density of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in a small area, so if one is interested in archaeology, history, or culture, you need to plan well and allow time to visit these sites without rushing through them.
Here in Malta we also love traditional events, and the Maltese cultural calendar boasts over 400 events every year, including 90 Religious festas accompanied by impressive firework displays in every town and village. Attending these events and participating will help a visitor to understand and also enjoy the culture of the islands.
Another absolute must-do in Malta is a visit to the sister island of Gozo. An overnight visit is ideal as it gives you much more time to explore.
One last thing that no one should miss out on is a visit to the Blue Lagoon on Comino for a dip in its crystal-clear water.
4. If you could only have one meal, where would you go and what would you order?
Surrounded by the sea, my favorite dish is fish baked in local coarse sea salt, ‘Al Sale’ (on the menu), and in ‘Huta fil-melh’ in Maltese language.
My ideal restaurant for this dish would be at ‘The Country Terrace’ on Gozo overlooking the sea channel between the islands. The view is breath-taking.
The salt for this dish is sourced from the salt pans along the northern coast of Gozo, in Xwejni. Once the fish is baked and still in its salt case, the chef brings it round on a trolley, and whilst pouring some liquor over it, he sets it alight. Since the salt solidifies in the oven, it is broken up with a small hammer; the fragments opening up to reveal the most tasty and moist fish one can imagine. The fish itself does not absorb any of the salt. Accompanied by a glass of local white chardonnay, you can toast to a beautiful sunset overlooking the Gozo channel.
5. What’s a nice experience for travelers to mingle with locals in summer?
Swimming: Without doubt, swimming in the open sea is always one of the best ways to meet locals. It’s a favorite pastime of most Maltese people, and it’s been my favourite hobby from childhood, in particular from June to November. Sea temperature reaches 28-30 degrees celsius in summer!
On a summer day, after 5 pm many Maltese will head for their daily dip at one of our rocky coves. Afterwards, it’s off for a dinner of fresh seafood and a cool glass of wine as we enjoy the sunset. Follow this rhythm, and you might make some new local friends.
Summer Festas: Weekends in summer would not be the same without our traditional festas. Although the actual aspect is religious, since we are technically celebrating the festa of a particular saint (Malta is predominantly Roman Catholic), these are also major social events. They are a chance for everyone in the community to meet up with friends and family to eat, drink, and chat! If you’re coming here in summer, be sure to check the calendar for what local festas will be happening during your dates. They happen all over Malta, so you shouldn’t have a hard time finding one.
6. Is winter a good time to visit Malta?
High season in Malta is technically summer, but we receive visitors year round and winter is a fine time to visit.
Winter temperatures in Malta are mild, with average highs of about 60 degrees Fahrenheit and lows of 50 degrees. December, January, and February are actually excellent months to visit as the temperatures are pleasant and there isn’t much rain.
While the winter months are too cold for swimming for all but the bravest, there’s still plenty to do. Some dedicated tourist infrastructure will be closed and daily departures for ferries, buses, etc. will be more limited in the summer months, but most everything is still open and running.
Historical and archeological sights, museums, cultural centers, and restaurants will all still be open. Many tour operators also continue running as usual. Hiking and trekking, in addition to more traditional sightseeing, is my recommendation on the best thing to do here in wintertime. Many of our hikes can be done entirely self-guided, but tour operators also can organize both private and group hikes.
Would-be hikers can also join organized groups like Ramblers and the Geographical society which organize treks of varying degrees of difficulty on all 3 of Malta’s islands.
Want more great Malta info?
If you’re looking for expert advice on how to plan a better DIY trip to Malta, connect with Local Expert, Joan!
Joan has worked as a local guide on all 3 islands for over 30 years. She is our resident expert on all things Malta and an unparalleled source on information.
Joan offers Malta Travel Consultations and Private Guided Tours at www.goaskalocal.com/joan.
