Must-see attractions in Malta

  • St John's Co-Cathedral, Valetta, Malta

    St John's Co-Cathedral

    Valletta

    St John's Co-Cathedral, Malta's most impressive church, was designed by the architect Gerolamo Cassar. It was built between 1573 and 1578, taking over…

  • Malta, Paola, Hal Saflieni Hypogeum, Interior

    Hal Saflieni Hypogeum

    Malta

    The Hypogeum (from the Greek, meaning 'underground') is a subterranean necropolis, discovered during building work in 1902. To visit is to step into a…

  • Details of Mnajdra megalithic temples of Malta (Qrendi)

    Ħaġar Qim & Mnajdra

    Southern Malta

    The megalithic temples of Ħaġar Qim (adge-ar eem; 'standing stones') and Mnajdra (mm-nigh-dra) are the best preserved and most evocative of Malta's…

  • The Grand Master's Palace.

    Grand Master's Palace

    Valletta

    The stern exterior of the 16th-century Grand Master's Palace conceals a sumptuous interior. This was once the residence of the Grand Masters of the…

  • Malta, Birzebbuga, Ghar Dalam cave, Interior

    Għar Dalam Cave & Museum

    Southern Malta

    The reason to head to Birżebbuġa is to see the Għar Dalam Cave & Museum, 500m north on the main road from Valletta. Għar Dalam (aar-da-lam; the name means…

  • Sleeping lady statue, Museum of Archaeology, Valletta, Malta.

    National Museum of Archaeology

    Valletta

    The National Museum of Archaeology is housed in the impressive Auberge de Provence. Exhibits include delicate stone tools dating from 5200 BC, Phoenician…

  • Feast Day banners outside St Paul's Cathedral.

    St Paul's Cathedral

    Mdina

    The cathedral is said to be built on the site of the villa belonging to Publius, the Roman governor of Malta who welcomed St Paul in AD 60.

  • Ġgantija Temples

    Gozo

    Perched on the crest of the hill to the south of Xagħra, the awe-inspiring megalithic Ġgantija Temples command soaring views over most of southern Gozo…

  • Limestone cliffs surrounding St Peter's Pool

    St Peter's Pool

    Southern Malta

    St Peter's Pool is a fantastic swimming spot, a natural lido in the rocks with large areas of flat slab for sunbathing between swims. Follow the narrow…

  • Upper Barrakka Gardens, Valletta, Malta

    Upper Barrakka Gardens

    Valletta

    These colonnaded gardens perched high above Grand Harbour were created in the late 16th century as a relaxing haven for the Knights from the nearby…

  • Fort St Angelo

    Vittoriosa

    The Knights took over this medieval fort in 1530 and strengthened it, and Fort St Angelo served as the residence of the Grand Master of the Order until…

  • Dwejra Bay & Dwejra Point

    Gozo

    The collapsed cavern of Dwejra Bay has been invaded by the sea, and is guarded by the brooding bulk of Fungus Rock. A path below Dwejra (Qawra) Tower…

  • Malta National Aquarium

    Northern Malta

    Opened in 2013, this glass-and-metal starfish-shaped building perches in a sublime position on the Qawra headland, with endless blue views. It's great fun…

  • San Blas Bay

    Gozo

    San Blas, a tiny, rock-strewn bay with some patches of coarse, rust-coloured sand, is backed by steep, terraced fields with prickly-pear hedges. There's…

  • Wied il-Għasri

    Gozo

    A 5km hike west along the coast from Marsalforn is the narrow, cliff-bound inlet of Wied il-Għasri. Here a staircase cut into the rock leads down to a…

  • Malta Aviation Museum

    Malta

    This is aircraft-enthusiast heaven, located on the former site of the Royal Air Force station, with stars of the show including a WWII Spitfire Mk IX and…

  • St Paul's Catacombs

    Malta

    St Paul's Catacombs (so-named for their proximity to the church) date from the 3rd century AD and were used for burial for around 500 years. Worship took…

  • Ta' Mena

    Gozo

    This winery near Xagħra en route from Victoria to Marsalforn sells good wine under the Marsamena and Ancient Gods labels, and has a well-stocked farm shop…

  • Salt Pans

    Gozo

    Walk or drive west along the promenade, past the tiny sand beaches at Qbajjar Bay and the more scenic Xwieni Bay, until you reach a rocky shore. This wild…

  • Aerial view of Valletta and St. Elmo Fort, Manoel Island, and Dragutt Point on the right, Malta, Mediterranean, Europe

    Fort St Elmo & National War Museum

    Valletta

    Guarding Marsamxett and Grand Harbours is Fort St Elmo, named after the patron saint of mariners. The fort was built by the Knights in 1552 in just four…

  • City Gate

    Valletta

    The Renzo Piano–designed City Gate forms part of the architect's dramatic and harmonious development. It echoes the dimensions of the original 1633…

  • Modern stone and glass Parliament building near Valletta City Gate at entrance to Valletta, Malta.  Designed by architect Renzo Piano of Renzo Piano Building Workshop and completed in 2014.

    Parliament Building

    Valletta

    Renzo Piano's breathtaking Parliament Building was completed in 2014. Its design includes two massive volumes of stone that look suspended in air, but are…

  • Tarxien Temples, UNESCO excavation

    Tarxien Temples

    Malta

    The Tarxien Temples (Tarxien is pronounced 'tar-sheen') are hidden up a backstreet several blocks east of the Hypogeum. These megalithic structures were…

  • Valletta, Malta - January 9, 2020: Shot from cannon at noon in Saluting Battery at Upper Barrakka Gardens, with Birgu on the background, Valletta, Malta.

    Saluting Battery

    Valletta

    The Saluting Battery is where a cannon once fired salutes to visiting naval vessels. The battery has been restored, and a cannon is fired Monday through...

  • Stall at Sunday Fish Market, Marsaxlokk

    Sunday Fish Market

    Southern Malta

    At Marsaxlokk's colourful, packed-to-the-gills Sunday Fish Market, you can admire the riches of the Med before they're whisked off to Malta's top hotels…

  • Basilica of Ta'Pinu

    Gozo

    The Basilica of Ta'Pinu, accessible via a short, scenic walk from Għarb, is an extraordinary sight – a huge, lone church on a Gozitan hillock, towering…

  • Fort Rinella

    Malta

    Built by the British in the late 19th century, Fort Rinella has been restored and converted into an interesting military museum with hands-on displays of…

  • Our Lady of the Grotto

    Malta

    Walk 1km south from Rabat to St Dominic's Priory, where there's a small chapel dedicated to Our Lady of the Grotto. Legend claims that around 1400, a…

  • Mdina Ditch Garden

    Mdina

    Mdina's ditch was an important element of its fortifications. It was first created in the 15th century, but was rebuilt by the Knights of St John's…

  • Mosta Dome

    Malta

    The Parish Church of Santa Maria, better known as the Rotunda or Mosta Dome, was designed by the Maltese architect Giorgio Grognet de Vassé and built …

  • Park tal-Majjistral

    Northern Malta

    The area between Golden Bay and Anchor Bay was once earmarked for a golf course, but opposition from environmental groups led to the creation of National…

  • Ramla Bay

    Gozo

    Ramla Bay is one of the prettiest sandy beaches on Gozo, with red-gold sand. The minimal remains of a Roman villa are hidden amid the bamboo behind the…

  • Lascaris War Rooms

    Valletta

    A mechanically ventilated underground tunnel complex that lies 40m beneath the Upper Barrakka Gardens, this housed Britain's top-secret command in Malta…

  • Rotunda

    Gozo

    The Rotunda is built around a 17th-century church that was too small for the community's needs, and this more recent structure can seat around three times…

  • Ta'Ċenċ Sea Cliffs

    Gozo

    A track to the left of the entrance to Hotel Ta'Ċenċ leads to the high plateau of Ta'Ċenċ. Views north to Victoria, Xewkija and Xagħra are good,…

  • Filfla

    Southern Malta

    Filfla is the smallest of Malta's archipelago of five islands. It's 5km off the south coast of Malta, and was separated from the mainland as the result of…

  • Inquisitor's Palace

    Vittoriosa

    The Inquisitor's Palace was built in the 1530s and served as law courts until the 1570s, when it became the tribunal (and prison) of the Inquisition,…

  • Popeye Village

    Northern Malta

    Steep-sided, pretty little Anchor Bay was named after the many Roman anchors that were found on the seabed by divers, some of which can be seen in the…

  • Palazzo Falson

    Mdina

    The magnificent Palazzo Falson is a beautifully preserved medieval mansion. Formerly the home of artist and philanthropist Olof Gollcher (1889–1962), the…

  • Mellieħa Bay

    Northern Malta

    The warm, shallow waters and soft white sand of Mellieħa Bay are easily accessible (via bus or you can park on the road that backs the beach), safe for…

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