3 Days in Malta: 19 Fun Things to See & Do (Plus Places to Eat)

Learn about things to do in Malta in 3 days. Spend 3 days in Malta exploring things to do in Valletta, Mdina, Rabat, Ħaġar Qim and Marsaxlokk.

We spent 3 days in Malta on a short trip from Dublin and were impressed with what this small island nation had to offer. 

Located just a short jaunt from Sicily, one of our favorite road trip destinations, we could feel the Italian influences in Malta while still recognizing that we were in a unique place. 

Malta is one of the reasons that we love living in Europe. Malta is a destination we'd be unlikely to consider traveling to from the U.S. but it's so easily accessible on low cost carriers across Europe. 

Read on for ideas of the best things to do in Malta for a 3 day long weekend and find out why you should take time to visit.

1. Take a Wild Ride in a Malta Taxi

Hold on to your hats as we kick off our 3 days in Malta! We'd heard stories about the crazy drivers but my jaw dropped when we witnessed it for ourselves less than 10 minutes after touching down at the airport. 

We were whisked away in a taxi past numerous 'Speed Kills' signs clocking 120 km/hr in a 50 km/hr zone. We saw not one, but TWO accidents on the 15 minute drive to our hotel in St. Julian's. It's a good thing we would mostly be getting around on foot, by ferry, or by bus over the next few days.

2. Take a Moonlit Stroll Around the Harbour at St. Julian's

We took time after dinner for a moonlit stroll around the harbour. An iconic church anchored the waterfront in St. Julian's. We looked back across the water at the restaurant and terrace where we'd just eaten. 

Walking further into St. Julian's, we spotted some boats 'up on blocks' (I don't think this has the same connotation as for cars in the U.S...) Our gaze followed the ramp boats used to launch. 

After taking one last pass through the neighborhood we retraced our steps and followed the quaint streetlights back toward our hotel. We were definitely looking forward to exploring Malta by day.

3. Walk from St. Julian's to Sliema

We decided to take a leisurely walk from St. Julian's to the Sliema ferry port to catch a boat to Malta's capital, Valletta. We could have easily shortened the walk considerably by cutting through town but we decided it was much prettier this way. 

We started out on the bay in St. Julian's across the street from our hotel. We wound our way past the iconic church to the border with Sliema. A small, functional park stood just around the bend.  

As we continued through Sliema, the park below us became more elaborate. A historic tower stood watch over the sea. 

The views along the way were truly stunning. The waves crashed heavily on the rocks below adding a pleasant auditory backdrop for our Maltese walk.

SIDEWALK SAFARI SPOTLIGHT: Looking for other off the beaten path destinations to visit in Europe? Just like Malta, Luxembourg has a rich history and is small and easy to get around. Explore the country with a Luxembourg Card. One you are in Luxembourg, you can take public transit (free starting in 2020) and do a variety of day trips from Luxembourg City.

4. Take the Ferry from Sliema to Valletta

We rounded the edge of Sliema and emerged on the other side where we got our first glimpse of Valletta. We waited at the dock for the ferry to arrive and for just a couple euro whisk us away to Malta's capital city. 

We could see the blue painted ferry approaching from the distance. We boarded and were on our way; enjoying the sights and sounds from the water, one of my favorite things to do in Malta. 

The iconic dome of Valletta loomed in front of us. We passed an island fortification where we could see enormous yachts peeking out just beyond. 

Malta is that kind of place. Before we knew it, the short ride from Sliema to Valletta was coming to a close.

5. Climb the Bastions of Valletta

Valletta is a warren of hilly narrow streets lined by sand-colored buildings that we had an amazing time exploring. We took some time to admire the watery views.

Various bastions along the old town wall hint at a former defensive purpose. From the bastions we took a more macro look at the town. 

Sculptures dotted otherwise ordinary buildings. The daily lotto numbers were posted. Was it someone's lucky day? A series of shops lined the main street through town and were housed in the ground floors of ornate buildings.

6. St. John's Co-Cathedral

One of our favorite points of interest in Valletta was St. John's Co-Cathedral. It doesn't look particularly extraordinary from the outside but the interior is another story entirely! St. John's Co-Cathedral is a gilded chamber with stunning frescoes on the ceilings.

Various side chapels are dedicated to the patron saints of the different langues (sections) of the Knights of St. John. Square rectangular tiles line the floor. Skulls and skeletons are a prominent theme.

We strolled past the altar and took a closer look at some of the gilded decorations around the central chamber. Even a vase in one of the chapels was adorned with skulls. 

The St. John's Co-Cathedral Museum on-site featured the works of Caravaggio. Caravaggio's artwork is stunning (photos are allowed, just no flash) but we were even more stunned by the artist's story. 

Apparently, Caravaggio had a penchant for getting into drunken brawls which led to him being ejected from Italy. He was welcomed to Malta by the Knights of St. John for a time but then history repeated itself and he found himself on the run once more. 

Fascinating... For further reading on Valletta, check out Malta Uncovered's Valletta - The Definitive Guide to Malta's Capital City.

7. Walk the Coastline Around Valletta

Valletta sits on a peninsula that juts out into the Mediterranean. It's an easy diversion to take a walk and trace the coastline around Malta's capital. There are so many things to see on the labyrinthine streets of Valletta. 

We past curious dogs and sandstone buildings full of character until we reached the path that ran along the old city wall. We took a moment to look out across the clear blue water toward Sliema. 

Behind us, the 'skyline' of Valletta stood quietly. We could see the ferry that had taken us to the capital making its twice hourly run. 

As we walked along, we admired the impressive fortifications. Wrought iron lampposts added a touch of class to the scene. 

We could see Fort Ricasoli on the other side of the narrow inlet. Below us were a number of ramshackle cottages. A 'cat on a hot tin roof' wandered listlessly.

8. The Siege Bell Monument

We chanced upon Valletta's Siege Bell Monument along the water's edge just below Lower Barrakka Gardens. This WWII memorial offered stunning views over the sea.

9. Valletta's Lower Barrakka Gardens

Lower Barrakka Gardens sits just across the street from the Siege Bell Monument and offers a quiet oasis in the heart of Valletta. The elevated views from the park were even more stunning. 

We even enjoyed nice views of the Siege Bell Monument and sea beyond. We highly recommend taking a coastal walk in Valletta, there are no finer views when the sun is shining.

SIDEWALK SAFARI SPOTLIGHT: Do you love visiting tiny countries like Malta? Why not visit Liechtenstein in a day from Zurich Switzerland, take the bus from Nice to Monaco and experience Monte Carlo for yourself, or plan a one week Cyprus itinerary.

One thing that particularly impressed us about Valletta were the magnificent parks. We passed some stately museum buildings and emerged into Upper Barrakka Gardens which offers even more spectacular views. 

We couldn't get over the contrast between the deep blue of the sea and the sandstone colored buildings of Malta's capital city. Benches sat between two sets of parallel arches so park-goers could rest in a bit of shade while still admiring the views.

Plaques commemorating various dignitaries like Albert Einstein lined the arches. We looked out across the water and saw a tremendous yacht at anchor. What a life! 

The Three Cities sat intriguingly across the bay. The park was clearly a former military bastion. A green grassy area sat below with a single line of cannons. 

The cannons are still fired ceremonially on a daily basis. We took one last look out over the Three Cities and decided to find a way to get there ourselves. We could see the ferry boat chugging across below so we knew we had options!

10. Take the Ferry from Valletta to the Three Cities

After admiring the sweeping views from Upper Barrakka park in Valletta, we decided it would be a fun thing to do to make our way over to Malta's Three Cities for a closer look. A huge elevator leads from the park to sea level but we opted for the stairs instead.

Beware...it's a long way down but we got lucky with perfect timing! We arrived at the dock just as a ferry was set to depart for the Three Cities. 

For less than 5 EUR, we were whisked away on a 15 minutes ride across the bay. The views of the Three Cities were even more stunning up close. 

The yacht that we'd seen from above looked equally impressive eye-to-eye. We also spotted about a half-dozen additional and equally impressive boats moored in the vicinity. 

The harbour where Vittoriosa, Senglea and Cospicua now stand have been used since Phoenician times. There are ferry stops on both sides of the inlet. We alighted at the 2nd stop and took a short walk around the harbor. 

Stately churches overlooked water teeming with schools of fish. We skirted the water toward a town that was essentially deserted. 

We walked from where the ferry dropped us off around to the ferry stop on the other side of the harbour for our pick-up. We soon saw the familiar red boat and flapping Captain Morgan's flag. 

There is no real reason to spend more than 30 minutes or an hour poking around the Three Cities but it offers a nice contrast to Valletta and an excuse to get onto the water.

11. Witness Maltese Pomp and Circumstance

During our visit to Valletta, we noticed the red and white Maltese flag flying everywhere. We thought "Wow...what a patriotic people!" 

We soon got clues that something else might be at play. The Parliament and President's Palace were closed to visitors and there were camera crews hanging around. 

We saw guards wearing their finest while sitting atop valiant steeds. A large crowd had gathered on the main street through Valletta and we heard the sound of distant drums...a parade was on the way! 

What was this all about? The Maltese president, Marie Louise Coleiro Preca was being inaugurated that day and we just happened to be there. We love a little pomp and circumstance!

12. Explore the Parks and Gardens of Floriana

With three days in Malta, there is plenty of time to explore things to see in the more residential neighborhoods of Valletta like Floriana. I recall most vividly the lovely parks in this area of Valletta. 

We walked The Mall from end to end. As we sat on a park bench, we noticed a kitty eyeing us from the bushes. The more we looked, the more cats we saw and we soon recognized why. There was a local feeding station called a 'Cat Cafe' in the corner of the park!

We also took time to have a look at the Argotti Botanic Gardens which are located in Floriana. Sunset was soon approaching so the park was pretty empty. 

We admired the quiet fountains and a surprising collection of cacti. The botanical gardens offered beautiful views too.

The ornate sandstone buildings in and around Valletta's Argotti Botanic Gardens added to the atmosphere. Floriana also features strange circular protrusions poking out from an empty lot. 

Apparently, these were used to store grain underground in the distant past. The things you learn when you travel!

13. Explore With A Malta Bus Day Ticket

For the 2nd day of our 3 days in Malta, we decide to explore further afield. We couldn't believe it when we saw the print-out...it cost us 1.50 EUR for a day pass on the public bus that goes all around the island of Malta. We boarded a Malta bus headed clear across the island toward Mdina and Rabat.

14. Visit the Walled Town of Mdina Malta

After about an hour, the bus let us off in front of a sand colored building with gorgeous red shutters. Just a short distance away was the entrance to Malta's walled city of Mdina.

The 'moat' area had been turned into a lovely green space.

Inside the medieval walled town, we passed ornate public buildings. The eight pointed cross of the Knights of St. John, the chivalrous order that ran Malta for centuries, was laid out in stone on the ground. 

We wound our way through the narrow, car-less streets to the square anchored by St. Paul's Cathedral. I particularly loved the splashes of color on the otherwise sandy buildings on the square. 

Let yourself get lost on the narrow lanes of Mdina and then look out over the Maltese countryside from the town hall. I liked looking at the cathedral tower framed by the narrow streets.

15. Visit Rabat for a Non-Touristy View of Malta

Mdina is mainly for tourists but Rabat is an actually working town that sits just outside the walls of Mdina. We made the easy walk from Mdina to Rabat passing a statue of a popular dog-loving artist on the way (Anton Agus). We passed through the town square and discovered a local shop selling sweets.

We stopped at Parruccan and ordered a selection of cookies for our next bus ride. The owner was very generous in giving out samples so we couldn't resist buying something. 

We went in search of a place to eat lunch in Rabat. It was a Saturday and this was surprisingly more difficult than we thought it would be -- the few places in town were either full or closed. In the end, we followed a small sandwich board sign off the main road. 

We ended up at a small shop/restaurant that didn't have an obvious name. For just a couple euro, we had a large arancini ball (one of our favorite street foods with origins in Sicily) and a soft drink. 

It wasn't the fanciest place in the world, but it was very friendly, the food was tasty, and there was even a lovely upstairs area where you could look down on the action below.

16. Catch the bus to Ħaġar Qim!

We continued our bargain Malta bus journey. Included in our 1.50 EUR day pass was the 'bus' ride between Rabat and the ancient ruins at Ħaġar Qim. In this case, the 'bus' was more like the collectivo style vans you see in Mexico. 

We wound our way through narrow town streets and coastal roads lined with yellow wildflowers. Spring was definitely in the air! We bought our admission ticket to Ħaġar Qim and set out to explore the ruins. There were two areas in particular protected by tents.

It's good to take precautions for a site that dates back to 3000 B.C.! We went in for a closer look at the megalithic temple complex. 

Precarious rocks sat above us. Remains of various columns and statues dotted our path. The second complex at Ħaġar Qimwas was constructed in a bit more orderly fashion. Decorative indentations were pushed into the rock.

We caught a glimpse of the sea beyond and decided to take a small hike while there was a break in the rain. We set our sights on a small watchtower a short distance away. The grave of a British commander sat at water's edge.

A storm was definitely brewing and we could feel the wind picking up around us. The watchtower slowly loomed closer as we struggled against the wind. 

We looked down at a delicate stone arch with waves crashing violently through it. We came face to face with the gravestone of Sir Walter Morris Concreve that we'd seen at a distance. 

We finally arrived at the solid structure of the watchtower which offered some shelter from the Maltese wind. We watched the waves crash through the arch below from the protected side of the tower. I definitely recommend Ħaġar Qim as one of the top things to do in Malta.

17. From Ħaġar Qim to Valletta

We waited at the bus stop for the once hourly service to take us back to Valletta. In some ways, the 1.50 EUR daily Malta bus fare proved to be a bit of a problem. 

Way more than 15 people (max capacity of the bus) lined up in anticipation of its arrival. We were actually worried about getting stuck there. 

Fortunately, the open-topped double-decker bus came to our rescue. For just another 1.50 EUR, they took us back to Sliema. 

It's a special deal that they offer to support the public bus service at crowded times. We paid a very slight premium on our bargain bus ticket but this actually saved us a good hour of transit time by taking us directly back to Valletta rather than on a circuitous route past the airport. What an adventure!

18. Travel From Valletta to Marsaxlokk

On the last day of our 3 days in Malta, we saved the best for last...The Sunday Fish Market at Marsaxlokk. We almost didn't make it there. 

The bus from Valletta was teeming with people (again an unintended side effect of the incredibly cheap 1.50 EUR per day price). I seriously considered skipping Marsaxlokk as I don't like elbowing my through a throng of people onto a crowded bus. 

I'm glad we persevered though because in the end, Marsaxlokk was an enchanting and memorable day trip from Valletta. It was a fair distance (10 minute walk) from the bus stop to the town but soon we were there steeping in the atmosphere. 

At first, we skirted around the water's edge admiring the brightly colored boats that make Marsaxlokk so charming. Colorful nets sat in bundles on a dock. We just couldn't get enough of this peaceful and colorful harbor. We admired the Marsaxlokk town square and cathedral.

19. The Sunday Fish Market at Marsaxlokk

The famous Sunday market in Marsaxlokk runs all along the waterfront. We detoured away from the water to have a a look at what was on offer. 

A huge pile of broad beans tempted passersby as did delectable strawberries well-priced at just 1.00 EUR per tub. All kinds of fish were on display including jumbo prawns. 

An impressive swordfish was being dissected and sold as we watched. Wow... In addition to things to eat, you could find anything from children's toys to electronics to underwear.

Our 3 days in Malta was rapidly coming to a close. We had just one final stop to make, for ice cream, before we could officially call an end to our holiday.

Places to Eat in Malta

One of the best things to do in Malta is eat. I've included some recommendations below of restaurants and cafes that we tried and enjoyed while exploring Malta for 3 days.

Piccolo Padre

We descended a set of steep steps into an rustic dining room. We were seated out on the terrace with views overlooking the crystal clear water. 

We started out by sampling a well-deserved glass of Maltese wine (not bad!). Homemade pasta and a Maltese style pizza with local cheese filled us up quickly. 

For dessert, we were intrigued by the Cassatella Siciliana, a dessert which seemed appropriate given how close we were to Sicily. We weren't disappointed. A rich oozing piece of cake was deposited before us.

Dolci Peccati

Stop in for a fine cup of coffee, plenty of sweet treats, and free wi-fi too. We sat near the open air entrance but there was additional seating upstairs. 

Dolci Peccati also sold a huge variety of flavors of Sicilian gelato. Our cappuccino was served in a lovely decorative cup. We had a hard time choosing a single sweet treat so ended up sampling a variety.

Caffe Cordina

Caffe Cordina is a popular place to eat in Valletta. The counter features various qassatats stuffed with savory fillings. 

We opted for a cheese filled pastizzi which we sampled at the bar. The surroundings alone make this cafe worth a brief stop if your stomach is rumbling in Malta.

Luciano Cettina Cafe

Valletta was awash in sunshine when we visited so we decided to seek out a place to eat outdoors for lunch. After circling the city center and comparing our options, we settled in at Luciano Cettina Cafe at a table underneath a unicorn. 

What's not to love?! The restaurant itself was situated across the street from St. John's Co-Cathedral and the outdoor tables sat beside the cathedral wall. 

A musician entertained us by playing the horn nearby. We ordered the stuffed mushrooms and octopus with a glass of Maltese white wine, of course. It was a lovely way to kick off the afternoon in Valletta. Luciano Cettina ended up at the top of our list of favorite places to eat in Valletta.

L'Artist

We booked ourselves in for dinner at L'Artist just a couple blocks off the waterfront in Sliema. We were seated at a small table and handed a huge wood-bound menu. Fresh crusty bread soon appeared. 

The atmosphere in the restaurant was artsy (surprise!) and chic. We started with a bowl of tortellini and a steaming bowl of mushroom soup garnished with truffle oil. 

Rabbit is quite popular in Malta and we tried the restaurant's specialty which came with a spicy peanut sauce. White fish and a huge bowl of vegetables rounded out the meal. We even saved room to shared a cup of tiramisu. L'Artist is a good choice for a delectable splurge in Malta.

Black Gold Saloon

We were intrigued by the Black Gold Saloon and moseyed on up to the bar for a drink. We were feeling a bit peckish and ordered a plate of calamari to tide us over until dinner.

Fresco's

Dine at Fresco's and treat yourself to more stunning views. We opted for a bottle of Maltese Falcon (a local red wine that I suspect is giving a nod to the tourist trade on Malta). 

A plate of rich, creamy gnocchi started things off. We followed that with a huge flavorful pizza and a bit of pork. That wasn't all, potatoes and vegetables were also served. Roll me home! 

The sun had set by the time we'd dispatched with our meal. We optimistically took the rest of the pizza home in case we got hungry later even though our hotel didn't have a fridge. You never know...

Lunch on the Square in Marsaxlokk Malta

Sunday lunch outside on the town square in Marsaxlokk is a weekly ritual. We managed to nab one of the last tables outside. 

We decided to relax for a while and enjoy this gorgeous Sunday afternoon over a carafe of white Maltese wine. We ordered the special fish of the day (how can you not order seafood in a fishing village?) at a bargain price.

Map of Things to Do in Malta in 3 Days

Check out this handy map of things to do in Malta to orient yourself to the places we visited on our 3 day itinerary. Click on the image below to open up an interactive version in Google Maps to help you plan your Malta weekend itinerary.

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