Everything You Need Before You Visit

Malta is actually a series of islands, with Gozo and Malta being the two main ones. By far most people live on Malta and this guide will concentrate on that island. Malta is similar to Singapore in this sense. It is a small island where the port city has grown so large it has essentially become a city state. People refer to Valletta but this is really just one part of a larger conurbation, what one might term Greater Valletta, in the same way the city of London is just part of "London."

This conurbation essentially has four key areas – 1. St.Julian's/Porto Masso, 2. Sliema/Tigne, 3. Valletta 4. The Three Cities (Birgu, Cospicua and Senglea – each of which confusingly has alternative names – Vittoriosa, Bormla and Isla). Most of the places you will eat will be in one of these four places. The exception is Rabat/Medina which is the old capital to the left of the conurbation.

Malta is a major cruise destination, but tourists are largely "kettled" in Valletta (with some day-trippers to Medina) which can be quite overwhelmed on cruise ship days. In consequence most of the tourist shops are found in Valletta, and the restaurants are somewhat pricier than elsewhere, often for lesser quality. For a broader picture, browse our guide to the best restaurants in Valletta and beyond.

Getting around

Fortunately, unlike London, this conurbation has a motorway that goes right through the middle connecting these four key areas (yellow on this map) which means you can cross the conurbation at surprising speed considering its size. And, thank God, there are no bike lanes or low speed restrictions.

This means the best way to get around is by taxi and BOLT is by far the best service. So download BOLT now and establish an account. The only exception is when you arrive at the airport when it is best to use one of the official airport taxis, found to the left as you exit customs. The lady will ask you for your hotel address and then issue a slip she gives to one of the waiting drivers. The fare is usually around €20-25, and outside rush hours the journey is 10-20 minutes depending on where you are staying.

Otherwise, Malta is very much about the water, indeed the older parts can feel quite Venetian, so there is nothing nicer than to cross by the Vaparettos from the Three Cities to Valletta, or from Valletta to Sliema. The Grand Harbour is one of the largest in the world. A tallinja card gives you free ferry and bus travel for a week.

A note of caution, those Venetian flagstones can be slippery, so think about rubber soled deck shoes when in the older districts.