Things To Do in Malta holidays

It’s easy to see why Mellieha Bay is Malta’s most popular beach. The white sand here is dotted with sunloungers and backed by snack bars and cafés. The beach’s piece de resistance is its floating play area, which bobs in the sea a short swim from the shore.

Built in 1571, the Palace of the Grand Masters is one of Valletta’s oldest buildings. The palace was originally created as lodgings for the ruler of Malta but, today, it’s the seat of the Maltese parliament and part of a World Heritage Site. While you’re here, wander through gilded corridors, discover suits of armour in the armoury, and spot wall-sized weavings in the tapestry room.

Golden Bay, near St Julian’s, has 5-star credentials. This stretch of white sand is overlooked by one of Malta’s top hotels, the Radisson Blu Resort and Spa, which sets the benchmark for standards. The beach is edged by a few quality restaurants, there are watersports on offer, and there are plenty of shaded sunloungers to go round.

Housed in a 16th-century Baroque palace, Valletta’s National Museum of Fine Arts is an Aladdin’s cave for Western European art. You’ll find more than a dozen rooms dedicated to paintings from the 14th to the 17th centuries, representing Venetian, Dutch and Maltese schools. One of the highlights is a painting of Valletta’s Grand Harbour, painted by Turner.

Sliema’s summer festival is one of the biggest on the island. As part of the celebrations, a statue of the saint Stella Maris is paraded through the streets, bands march through the town, and fireworks ignite the sky in the evening. The statue normally leaves the Chapel of our Lady of Graces around 6pm on the Saturday of the feast weekend and it’s transported to the parish church. Once the statue has been moved, a 2-hour mass takes place. Then celebrations continue with a concert on Sliema’s open air bandstand.

You’ll find this postcard-pretty bay on the edge of Qawra. This short smile of golden sand is set against a backdrop of natural rocks, and it looks out over St Paul’s Island. The beach steers a careful course when it comes to tourist trimmings. There are cafes and restaurants near the sand, but not too many to spoil the natural beauty of the beach.

Just 5 minutes from Mellieha, Paradise Bay is a small sandy cove. The clear waters here are great for snorkelling – you might catch sight of goat fish and giant sea snails. At weekends, the beach has a real buzz about it, as groups of young locals set up camp for the day.

Founded in the Middle Ages, Rabat is now a major Maltese town. Its 25 minutes from Mellieha Bay, and its biggest claim to fame is its association with St Paul the Apostle. He’s said to have lived here after he was shipwrecked in 60 AD. The town is also full of calling cards from Malta’s Roman occupation. You can wander around the remains of an ancient villa and head underground to the catacombs.

Set on one of Malta’s highest points, this Medieval walled city is a dead-ringer for Camelot. The buildings are made from limestone, gargoyle-shaped knockers hang from front doors, and the narrow streets are only an arrow’s flight long. Mdina hasn’t changed much since the Knights of St John roamed the streets. It’s still illuminated by lamplight at night and there are no cars, so it’s virtually silent.

You’ll find this postcard-pretty bay on the edge of Qawra. This short smile of golden sand is set against a backdrop of natural rocks, and it looks out over St Paul’s Island. The beach steers a careful course when it comes to tourist trimmings. There are cafes and restaurants near the sand, but not too many to spoil the natural beauty of the beach.

This fishing village, 25 minutes from St Julian’s, is the most photographed in Malta, and it’s easy to see why. The harbour here is home to more than 250 fishing boats, which are all painted in tutti-frutti colours. Many of the vessels have an eye of osiris logo on the front, too, which is a good luck charm that dates back to Phoenician times.

This is one for film fans. Set in Anchor Bay, on the outskirts of Mellieha, Popeye Village was originally used as the set for the Eighties’ musical Popeye, starring Robin Williams. Known as Sweethaven in the movie, the wooden village was the place where Popeye fell for Olive. Today, the set is part of a fun park where you can take boat rides, play on water trampolines, and meet famous cartoon characters.

When it comes to history, Gozo means business. Malta’s sister island is home to a couple of prehistoric temples, one of which is older than Stonehenge and Egypt’s pyramids.

Sandwiched between Malta and Gozo, this tiny island is only a couple of kilometres wide. But don’t be put off by its size – Comino has more than its fair share of scenery. The island is all winding paths, secluded coves and sea views. One of the highlights here is the Blue Lagoon, a little bay where the waters blaze with blue. You can catch a ferry to Comino from Cirkewwa, which is just 5 minutes north of Mellieha Bay.

This explosive event takes place in the Grand Harbour in Valletta. The fireworks are made by local factories and, best of all, the whole display is free of charge. You’ll get some of the best views from Ta’ Liesse and Barriera Wharf.

If Malta’s complex history leaves your head spinning, make your way to The Malta Experience in Valletta. This audio-visual presentation will take you through the island’s timeline, step by step. The show is held in the basement of a 16th-century hospital, which was once run by the Order of St John.

This 3-night festival takes place in Valletta’s Grand Harbour. It sees some of the biggest names in jazz take to the stage alongside Malta’s finest home-grown musicians. Music-wise, you can expect everything from vocal jazz to flamenco fusion. A 3-day pass costs around 40 euros.