Valletta's dome and spire rising above its sea walls at sunset
TheMediterranean.com The Luxury Gateway
DestinationsStayResortsSailCruisesFlyTrainsLiveLuxury Real EstateShopDineExperiencePlan a Trip

Home›Mediterranean destinations›Malta

Malta

From the Baroque city of Valletta and its Grand Harbour to the silent city of Mdina and the green island of Gozo: Malta at its finest, at the very centre of the Mediterranean, chosen by one rule: first class or not at all.

Valletta at sunsetPhotograph: Micaela Parente

Il-kultura

Knights, Baroque and the Grand Harbour

Malta sits at the very centre of the Mediterranean, and every power that ruled the sea has left its mark here. Its megalithic temples, older than the pyramids of Giza, are among the oldest free-standing buildings on earth, and the Knights of St John, who held the islands from 1530, built Valletta after the Great Siege of 1565.

Valletta, the smallest capital in the European Union, is a UNESCO World Heritage city of honey-coloured Baroque streets, with Caravaggio's Beheading of Saint John in St John's Co-Cathedral. Across the Grand Harbour lie the Three Cities; inland, the walled city of Mdina keeps its silence; and the sister island of Gozo is greener and slower still.

This guide brings together only the first class: the hotel, the table, the harbours, the homes and the residency that meet our standard.

A few words of Maltese
EnglishMalteseSay it
HelloBonġuBON-joo
PleaseJekk jogħġbokyek YOJ-bok
Thank youGrazziGRAHT-see
Good eveningIl-lejla t-tajba (or Bonswa)il-LAY-lah t-TIE-bah (bon-SWAH)
The bill, pleaseIl-kont, jekk jogħġbokil-KONT, yek YOJ-bok
Cannons of the Saluting Battery above the Grand Harbour, with Fort St Angelo and superyachts in the marina at Birgu across the water
The Saluting Battery and the Grand Harbour, Valletta

Where to go

The best places to visit in Malta

Valletta and the Grand Harbour: the best time to visit, the one best hotel and restaurant, and how to arrive by private jet, helicopter or yacht.

Malta

Best time to visitMay, June and late September to October are best: warm sea, almost no rain and fewer people than in high summer. Malta's mild winters make it a good choice out of season too.

  • Stay
    Iniala Harbour HouseForbes Five-Star and two MICHELIN Keys

    Facing Valletta's Grand Harbour, Malta's highest-rated hotel on both counts.

  • Dine
    ION Harbour by Simon Rogan

    Above the Grand Harbour at Iniala, Malta's only two-MICHELIN-star restaurant.

  • Beach
    None that meets our standard yet.
Arrive privately
By private jet
Malta International Airport (MLA / LMML), at Luqa, about 20 minutes by car to Valletta. Private flights are handled at the ExecuJet FBO, run with Executive Aviation Malta.
By helicopter
Not a regular option.
By sea
Grand Harbour Marina, Birgu, superyacht berths of 30 to 100 metres; directly across Grand Harbour from Valletta, a short boat crossing or about 20 minutes by car.

The full Valletta guide ›

The Baroque front and wide stone steps of the Cathedral of the Assumption inside the Citadel of Gozo under a blue sky
The Cathedral of the Assumption, the Citadel, Gozo

Beyond the coast

Mdina and Gozo

Mdina

Malta's walled hilltop city, its capital until the Knights of St John arrived in 1530, with quiet lanes, baroque palaces and St Paul's Cathedral. Its ramparts look across most of the island to the sea.

Best time to visitMay, June, and late September to October.

  • Stay
    No hotel here yet meets our standard; visit as a day trip from Valletta.

Gozo's interior

Malta's greener sister island, with the walled Citadel of Victoria and the Ġgantija temples, which are older than Stonehenge and the pyramids of Giza. Ġgantija was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980, later extended as the Megalithic Temples of Malta.

Best time to visitMay, June, and late September to October.

  • Stay
    No hotel here yet meets our standard; visit as a day trip from Valletta.
The stone bridge and Baroque gate leading into the walled city of Mdina, above a green moat garden
The Mdina Gate

Stay

Luxury hotels and resorts in Malta

Malta's hotel at our standard, on the walls of Valletta above the Grand Harbour.

The finest hotels

Each rated Forbes Five-Star or holding two or three MICHELIN Keys.

Dine

The best restaurants in Malta

Malta's two-MICHELIN-star restaurant, looking out over the Grand Harbour.

Two MICHELIN stars

Birgu and its bastions on a creek of the Grand Harbour, yachts at anchor and Valletta beyond
Birgu and the Grand Harbour

Sail

Yachting in Malta

Malta's superyacht marina and the yard that serves it.

Superyacht marinas

  • Grand Harbour MarinaBirgu

    Superyacht berths of 30 to 100 metres across Grand Harbour from Valletta, open day and night in all weather, with a superyacht shipyard alongside. Visit website ↗

Refit and maintenance

  • Palumbo Upfit (formerly Palumbo Superyachts Refit)Naples, Malta and Marseille

    A Naples-based group with seven yards (Naples, Messina, Ancona, Savona, Malta's Grand Harbour, Marseille, and the Viktor Lenac yard at Rijeka in Croatia, mainly for commercial ships) and dry docks for vessels up to 268 metres; its Malta yard has a 160-metre dry dock, a covered 140-metre dry dock and a 420-tonne travelift. Visit website ↗

Cruises

Malta by sea

The cruise ports of Malta, and where the luxury lines call.

Every ship comes into the Grand Harbour at Valletta, one of the great arrivals by sea.

Where the luxury lines call

From the lines' own 2026 and 2027 voyages. Ports change from season to season, so check the voyage before you reserve.

Luxury Cruise LinesSuites at Sea
The turquoise water of the Blue Lagoon at Comino, with Gozo on the horizon
The Blue Lagoon, Comino

Experience

Events and things to do in Malta

The Maltese year: the great events, month by month; each event's own website gives this year's dates.

The great museums

  • National Museum of ArchaeologyValletta

    Malta's prehistoric treasures, including the "Sleeping Lady" from the Hypogeum, in the 16th-century Auberge de Provence. Visit website ↗

  • St John's Co-CathedralValletta

    The church of the Knights of Malta, built between 1573 and 1578, and its museum. The Oratory holds Caravaggio's Beheading of Saint John the Baptist (1608), the only painting he signed. Visit website ↗

Opera houses, concert halls and festivals

An old stone watchtower on golden sandstone cliffs on the coast of Gozo under a deep blue sky
A watchtower on the coast of Gozo

Sport and motoring

  • Royal Malta Yacht ClubTa' Xbiex, Malta

    Founded in 1835, the club that organises the Rolex Middle Sea Race (on the Events list), as well as the Cannes–Malta Race and the Round Malta Race, with reciprocal ties to yacht clubs worldwide. Visit website ↗

Weddings and celebrations

  • Palazzo ParisioNaxxar

    An 18th-century palace with gilded mirrored salons, frescoes and Italianate walled gardens, Malta's leading wedding palace, with its own catering and event team. Visit website ↗

A classic motor yacht moored in the marina below the honey-coloured houses and church domes of the Three Cities
The marina at the Three Cities

Live

Luxury real estate in Malta

A home in Malta: the agencies and advisers at our standard, for the purchase and for life after it.

Prime real estate

  • Malta Sotheby's International RealtySt. Julian's

    Sotheby's affiliate for Malta and Gozo with offices at Portomaso Marina and Tigné Point, handling villas, palazzos and penthouses. Visit website ↗

Residency

  • Malta Permanent Residence ProgrammeMalta

    Administered by the government agency Residency Malta, it grants the right to settle and reside permanently in Malta, with Schengen travel, and can cover up to four generations. Visit website ↗

International schools

  • Verdala International SchoolPembroke

    Malta's leading international school, set at Fort Pembroke, offering the IB Middle Years, Diploma and Career-related programmes and accredited by the Middle States Association. Visit website ↗

Plan your trip

Luxury travel in Malta and the Mediterranean: your questions answered

When is the best time to visit Malta?

May, June and late September to October are best: warm sea, almost no rain and fewer people than in high summer. Malta's mild winters make it a good choice out of season too.

Where are the best luxury hotels in Malta?

Iniala Harbour House (Forbes Five-Star and two MICHELIN Keys).

How do you arrive in Malta by private jet?

Malta International Airport (MLA / LMML), at Luqa, about 20 minutes by car to Valletta.

Which are the best restaurants in Malta?

The finest table on our list: ION Harbour by Simon Rogan (Valletta).

Do you tip in Malta?

Around 5–10% in restaurants for good service, if service is not already included; round up for taxis and cafés. Luxury hotels: porters €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day.

What should you wear in Malta?

Malta is strongly Catholic and fairly conservative: shoulders and knees covered in churches, including St John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta; remove hats and sunglasses on entering, and carry a shawl or sarong. Keep swimwear for the beach and lido. On yachts, soft-soled or bare feet on deck. Smart-casual for fine dining.

More of the Mediterranean

Luxury travel across the Mediterranean

PortugalLuxury Portugal Holidays: Lisbon & AlgarveExplore PortugalSpainLuxury Spain Holidays: Mallorca & IbizaExplore SpainGibraltarGibraltar Travel Guide: The Rock in LuxuryExplore GibraltarFranceLuxury French Riviera Holidays & HotelsExplore FranceMonacoLuxury Monaco Holidays: Monte-Carlo Hotels & the Grand PrixExplore MonacoItalyLuxury Italy Holidays: Amalfi Coast & CapriExplore ItalySloveniaSlovenia Travel: Piran & Lake BledExplore SloveniaCroatiaLuxury Croatia Holidays: Dubrovnik & HvarExplore CroatiaBosnia and HerzegovinaMostar & Bosnia and Herzegovina Travel GuideExplore Bosnia and HerzegovinaMontenegroLuxury Montenegro: Bay of Kotor TravelExplore MontenegroAlbaniaAlbanian Riviera Travel GuideExplore AlbaniaGreeceLuxury Greece Holidays: Mykonos & SantoriniExplore GreeceTürkiyeLuxury Türkiye Holidays: Istanbul & BodrumExplore TürkiyeCyprusCyprus Luxury Travel: Limassol & PaphosExplore CyprusSyriaSyria: Ancient History, Culture & HeritageExplore SyriaLebanonLebanon: Ancient History, Culture & HeritageExplore LebanonIsraelIsrael Travel Guide: Tel Aviv & JerusalemExplore IsraelEgyptLuxury Egypt Holidays: Cairo, the Pyramids & the NileExplore EgyptLibyaLibya: Ancient History, Culture & HeritageExplore LibyaTunisiaTunisia Travel: Sidi Bou Said & CarthageExplore TunisiaAlgeriaAlgiers & Algeria Travel: Culture & HistoryExplore AlgeriaMoroccoLuxury Morocco Holidays: Marrakech & TangierExplore Morocco

Customs and etiquette

Customs and etiquette in Malta

How Malta does things.

Language
Maltese and English are both official. English is spoken almost everywhere.
Greetings
A handshake on first meeting, with eye contact; cheek kisses among friends and family, but wait for locals to start them. Sur (Mr) and Sinjura (Mrs) are used formally, but English courtesies are normal.
Dress
Malta is strongly Catholic and fairly conservative: shoulders and knees covered in churches, including St John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta; remove hats and sunglasses on entering, and carry a shawl or sarong. Keep swimwear for the beach and lido. On yachts, soft-soled or bare feet on deck. Smart-casual for fine dining.
Dining
Dinner is typically late, after about 8.30 pm, and meals are relaxed and unhurried. Book ahead in Valletta and on summer weekends.
Tipping
Around 5–10% in restaurants for good service, if service is not already included; round up for taxis and cafés. Luxury hotels: porters €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day.
Good to know
Malta drives on the left. Summer village festi (patron-saint feasts) bring processions, fireworks and road closures. Bird hunting takes place in spring and autumn, so take care in rural areas in those seasons.

Every list on this page is checked by hand and dated: last checked October 2026. Hotels, restaurants and events link only to their own official websites, where confirmed.

The Mediterranean Season Letter

Where to be, every season

Four letters a year, one for each season: the Mediterranean from spring to autumn, and Beyond the Mediterranean, into the Alps, in winter. The one best hotel to book, and the events worth crossing a sea for.