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This post will share details on how to spend 72 hours in Malta.
For my first trip of 2025, I decided to head down to Malta.
This was initially supposed to be a family trip for November 2024, but unfortunately, one of my brothers couldn’t make it.
I also couldn’t take a specific day off to avoid clashing schedules.
So, my other brother went for his birthday, which immediately made me jealous, especially since it was the first time he had visited a country before me.
After contemplating a bit, I finally decided to visit Malta in March.
This was a bad idea because the weather was as terrible as I had feared.
The temperature was between 18 and 21 degrees, but it was primarily windy and cloudy, with a dash of rain.
Yes, there were fewer crowds.
The trip was the cheapest I’ve had in a while, but at what cost?
Regardless of the weather, I tried to enjoy the trip by sticking to my planned itinerary.
This way, when I decide to come back during the warmer months, I would not have to do too much, as I would have covered enough ground.
I would chill on the beach and enjoy the weather.
Let’s get into the trip’s details with that out.
Here’s How To Spend 72 Hours In Malta On A Budget
Malta is an island between Sicily, Italy and North Africa on the Mediterranean Sea.
Yes, a Sicily-Malta ferry route takes around 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Unfortunately, there isn’t a direct ferry service to Tunis or Tripoli.
The country’s capital, Valetta, happens to be the smallest in Europe.
This should not be mistaken for Vatican City, the smallest country in Europe.
Being one of the smallest countries in Europe after the Vatican City, Monaco, San Marino and Liechtenstein, the island is pretty small and easy to explore.
But before we go further into sightseeing and explorations, let’s cover the basics.
Flights
Cost – £55.98/€66.75 (return)
This was possibly the cheapest return flight I’ve had in a while.
I think booking in advance contributed to the price, as I booked this flight immediately after I returned from Bucharest in December.
I secured my annual leave and could book my dates without issues.
Seeing that price made me decide always to book my next flights immediately after I return.
Despite the delays, the flight took around 3 hours and 20 minutes, and the return took just around the same, with us arriving 30 minutes earlier.
Airport Transfer
We landed after midnight.
Passport Control went quickly despite the crowds, and I booked my transfer just outside the airport.
I couldn’t take an Airport Shuttle bus at midnight, so I took a Bolt taxi.
Bolt is a lot more efficient than Uber in Malta.
I arrived at my hotel in about twenty minutes and was ready to check in.
Accommodation
Cost – £184/€209 – 4 nights
As I typically do, I booked my hotel immediately when I booked my flight.
I try not to let it stall; otherwise, the price will go up the closer it gets to the trip.
Also, booking early enough secures the best option and allows the host to adjust for special requests.
My most significant requirement for this hotel was to stay close to the ferry port.
This way, I can easily catch my buses and ferries for all my activities.
Choosing Where To Stay In While Spending 72 hours in Malta
Like most islands, there are different regions where you can stay.
It honestly boils down to your itinerary for the trip.
After some research, I found that the best areas to stay in Malta are Valletta, Sliema, St Julian’s, and St Paul’s Bay.
I avoided Valetta because it would be a lot more expensive, being the capital city.
Also, I didn’t want to go too far out.
After choosing my activities on Get Your Guide, I found a sweet spot in the middle: Sliema.
There is a ferry terminal right by the promenade.
Many boat and cruise operators also have pick-up points near their ferry terminal.
This alone made it the perfect location to stay.
Not forgetting the many cafes and restaurants around for food and supermarkets for groceries.
Hotel Review
After picking Silema, it was easy to compare my options and finally make a choice.
I chose a four-night Double/Twin Room at East Sliema Suites.
This was the perfect hotel for me, especially since I had specific specifications for my ideal hotel.
But before booking, I checked the reviews to see what I needed to look out for.
Someone says she was given a room that faced the wall with no ventilation.
So, when I was booking, I specifically asked for a room with a terrace, not particularly for the view but to ensure the room would be well ventilated.
Lo and behold, they honoured my request and gave me a room with a terrace.
The room was stunning, incredibly spacious, and cleaned daily, even when I didn’t ask.
They made adequate self-check-in provisions when I mentioned that I would arrive late.
The area is pretty quiet with little to no street noise.
Surprisingly, the rooms were also well soundproofed, as I heard no noise besides people walking in the hallway.
Overall, the hotel checked all my boxes, with all my required facilities, including a kettle, tea/coffee station, and mini fridge.
I recommend this hotel for spending up to 72 hours in Malta, and I will be returning with my brothers.
Getting Around Malta
While I didn’t need to use any of it, Malta has an excellent public transportation system.
I always saw a public bus going either way for all the major regions I covered, so it’s pretty easy to move around if you’re not renting a car.
Read more about Malta’s Public Transport.
Activities & Experiences
Choosing how to explore a new city or country can sometimes be challenging, but the best approach is to select your activities first.
When you have picked your activities, you can split them into the number of days you have.
This method has worked well for me on my last few trips, and I’ve covered a lot of ground with it.
With that out of the way, here’s how my planned itinerary;
- Day 1 & 3: Hop On & Off Sightseeing Tour : North & South Route
- Day 2: Gozo, Comino & The Blue Lagoon Boat & Bus Tour
Here’s how it went;
Day 1
After the late night/morning, I naturally had a late morning, so I wasn’t in a rush to get out of bed.
Eventually, I left the hotel around noon, grabbed a quick brunch in a nearby cafe and headed down to the promenade to catch the next bus for my tour.
Thankfully, one came in fifteen minutes so that I could start the journey’s North route.
If you don’t do anything else while spending 72 hours in Malta, please jump on the Hop On Hop Off Sightseeing Bus Tour.
It is honestly the most thorough bus tour I’ve done in a while, so much so that they had to split the routes into two because of how much ground they covered.
The tour covers most of the island, so buy tickets for both routes.
I recommend splitting the routes into two so you have time to hop off and explore each one thoroughly.
North Route
I was pleasantly surprised by how much of the island the North route covered.
We passed and stopped through all the critical regions, including;
- Manoel Island: We passed by a small island fortified by Portuguese Grand Master António Manoel de Vilhena, the architect of Louis XIV.
- Ta’Xbiex – We also passed the Ta’Xbiex Harbour and the Msida Yacht Marina.
- Valetta: We had a stop at the Valetta city gate for anyone who wanted to spend the next hour exploring the capital city. I didn’t bother hopping off because the South Route covered Valetta much more.
- Balsam & Ta’Quali: We stopped by the San Anton Garden, Ta’Qali Crafts Village, and Aviation Museum.
- Mosta: We stopped at the Mosta Rotunda and passed by the Speranza Bridge, Chadwick Lanes and the small town of Mtarfa.
- Mdina: If I had more time, I would have visited Mdina, the old capital of Malta. That will be a priority next time.
- Rabat: Then we moved to Rabat, where we stopped at the Domus Romana Museum.
- Mgarr: We passed Bingemma and stopped by the rural village of Mgarr to see its historic parish church.
- Golden Bay: There was a stop here for anyone who wanted one of the island’s best sandy beaches.
- St Paul’s Bay: Then we moved on to the original fishing harbour, St Paul’s Bay, where we could stop to explore the Wignacourt Tower and St Paul of the Shipwreck Chapel while admiring the uninhabited islet, St Paul’s Islands.
- Bugibba & Qawra: Together with St Paul’s Bay, Bugibba and Qawra are the largest seaside resort towns, so bear that in mind if you’re visiting during the Summer.
- St George’s Bay, St Julian’s, Spinola Bay & Balluta Bay: On our way back to Sliema to end the tour, we approached the major residential and touristic areas, and you could feel the energetic vibes.
By the time I was done, I was fully satiated despite the heavy winds and the cloudy weather.
I felt like I had seen a lot in just a few hours.
It was getting dark when the bus dropped us back at the Silema, so I had an early dinner at a nearby restaurant and retired for the day.
Despite the weather ruining the views, the day felt productive.
Day 2
Spending 72 hours in Malta would not be complete without a day trip to Gozo, the country’s second-largest island.
Typically, I start my itinerary with my day trips on the first day, but I’m glad I left this one until the second day because the weather was much more pleasant.
This was a full-day trip from Silema to Gozo and Comino, which I booked on Get Your Guide at the last minute.
The weather was so cloudy when I arrived that I almost cancelled the trip.
I figured I would not enjoy it with the terrible weather.
But I had nothing else planned for the day, so I booked it anyway.
This was one heck of an adventure, which I’ll share in a subsequent post.
Day 3
For my third and final day, I had to finish the rest of my bus tour.
I bought a two-day ticket at a discounted rate and had to use it.
So, I set out early in the morning to finish up the three-hour tour so I could spend a couple of hours exploring the capital city of Valetta.
Unfortunately, this did not go as planned, as it began to rain.
To make things worse, I wasn’t well prepared for the rain, so it’s safe to say I almost froze.
Regardless, myself and others still went ahead with the tour.
Thankfully, the rain stopped so that I could enjoy it a bit.
South Route
This route covered other parts of the island that we couldn’t cover on the North route.
There’s just so much to explore, so it makes sense for them to split the routes.
So we covered;
- Valetta: This time, we went through the bus terminus, the city’s entry point. We drove around and stopped by the;
- Valetta Harbour
- Valetta War Museum
- Fort St. Elmo
- Mediterranean Conference Centre
- Fort St.Angelo
- Valetta Waterfront
- Paola & Tarxien: We stopped by the Hypogeum and the Tarxien Temples as we drove out of Valetta.
- Birgu: We stopped by the Vittoriosa Waterfront and the Malta At War Museum.
- Zejtun: Then we passed the Zejtun Parish Church and St. Gregory’s Church.
- Marsaxiokk: The cloudy weather ruined this fishing village’s vision, but we could see St Lucian Tower.
- Birzebbuga: Some people stopped here to explore the Ghar Dalam Cave and Museum, but I honestly could not be bothered, especially with the drizzling showers.
- Zurrieq: Finally, we arrived at the highlight of this Southern Route, the Blue Grotto. Again, it was rainy and cloudy, so I could only do so much other than appreciate the view.
- Qrendi & Siggiewi: We finished with the Hagar Qim, Mnajdra Temples, and Limestone Heritage.
As you can see, I had such a packed three days despite the weather, and I honestly have yet to recover.
I cannot emphasise the importance of booking your tours in advance.
It’s the only way to stay on top of your itinerary, as there’s much to see and do.
Also, you can prevent being overcharged by booking in advance.
Where To Eat In Sliema, Malta
I typically do not like to recommend where to eat because I’m not adventurous with food, but I have had such good experiences that I want to share.
I’ll share the Google Maps links below so you can quickly locate them.
For breakfast and/or brunch:
- Abrazo Sliema: This has a lot of healthy options, which I love.
- Carolinas Petit Cafe & Tearoom: This cute cafe offers a variety of breakfast and brunch options. It’s also excellent for a tea party for at least two people.
- La Baguette Bros: You can get generously sized, affordable sandwiches with customizable options here.
For dinner:
- The Smokehouse: I had a steak meal here, which was really good.
- Cafe Sicilia: You can never go wrong with an Italian meal. I had Spaghetti Bolognese with Tiramisu, and it was excellent as well.
- Tiffany’s Bistro: I also had a steak meal here. It was fresh, the staff was lovely, and the ambience was cozy.
Generally, always check Google for reviews to manage your expectations.
Finally,
Honestly, I had such a swell time spending 72 hours in Malta.
I can’t imagine how much more fun I would have had if it were warm.
I’ll be coming back between September and November next time.