I'm booked for the best of Sicily tour in September and seriously considering traveling on to Malta for 5 days or so. Has anyone done this and is 5 days enough time in Malta? It would be my first time there. I would fly from Catania at the end of the tour to Malta and then fly back to the States from Malta. Any thoughts from someone who has done a similar itinerary?
Posted by
11606 posts
We haven’t done this but it sounds like a good plan.
Posted by
Washington DC
28247 posts
The topic of Malta comes up from time to time but not so often that it would be burdensome to review the posts from the last 6 to 12 months. Here they are:
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA ☔️
6811 posts
I just got back from Malta and Gozo - we were there for two weeks in late September/early October. I thought it was awesome, fascinating, overflowing with history, and really cool, though not without its shortcomings (primarily: seemingly endless crowds of cruise ship passengers filling the streets and ranging all over the islands every day). Is 5 days enough? Depends on your interests and priorities. I was glad we had two weeks, and could have used a few more days. Happy to answer any questions.
Posted by
Utah
455 posts
We spent 4 nights/3.5 days in Malta after the RS Sicily tour in 2017. We were able to do a lot but one more day would have been good. Our hotel was in Valletta, we had a car, and we didn't go to Gozo. At that time advance reservation was required for the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum. It's amazing. We went to the other ruins as well, visited Marsasloxx, Mdina and one of the"three cities". St John's Co cathedral was beautiful, don't miss the huge Caravaggio painting, and the archaeology museum was great.
Posted by
Ashburn VA
834 posts
We loved our week+ in Malta, and 5 days would certainly give you time to see a lot. The history and scenery are stunning, and it’s easy to get around. For me, the “don’t miss it sites” were definitely the co-cathedral (but it wasn’t open all day, everyday when we were there; check the opening hours early to make sure you don’t miss it) and Mdina. In the day time was wonderful; at dusk and after dark it takes on a totally different personality with no day trippers and little business activity. Kind of haunted and mysterious. We used a Tours by Locals guide for Gozo and packed a tremendous amount of stuff into one day. You might want to pick and choose to make a more comfortable day of touring. The WWII history in Malta is surprisingly interesting and plentiful. I had no idea that Malta played such a pivotal role, or took such a devastating hit, during the war. Don’t miss the museums; they are a great way to learn and appreciate what the Maltese endured. The food is heavily influenced by Italian, but don’t miss the rabbit dishes and ftira. Definitely worth the trip.