Three islands of honey-coloured limestone in the middle of the Mediterranean, with English as an official language, driving on the left, and temples that predate Stonehenge.
Malta's coast is mostly limestone shelf, and the sandy beaches are few and busy.
Golden Bay and Mellieħa have sand; most of the rest is flat rock with ladders into deep clear water, which is superb for swimming and no good for sandcastles. Gozo, thirty minutes by ferry, is greener, quieter and slower — the island most people wish they'd given more nights to. Comino between them has the Blue Lagoon, which is extraordinary at eight in the morning and unbearable by noon. If a sandy beach fortnight is the aim, Malta isn't it; if you want history, swimming and a walkable capital, it's excellent.
A fortified capital, prehistoric temples, and water clear enough to see the bottom at twenty metres.
A whole UNESCO city built by the Knights of St John, walkable end to end in half an hour. St John's Co-Cathedral has two Caravaggios.
Thirty minutes by ferry. Green, rural and far quieter, with the Citadel at Victoria and salt pans along the north coast.
Astonishing turquoise shallows, and packed by mid-morning. Take the first boat, or an evening trip.
Megalithic temples on a clifftop, around 5,000 years old — older than the pyramids and Stonehenge.
The silent walled city on a hill, the old capital. Best in the evening once the day visitors have gone.
Some of the clearest water in the Mediterranean, with wrecks and caves. Malta is one of Europe's best and cheapest places to learn.
Small islands. Where you stay changes the pace more than the distance.
Hotels, restaurants and the ferry to Valletta. Rocky swimming, and the busiest part of the island.
Boutique hotels inside the walls. Beautiful, and quiet at night once the day-trippers leave.
Closest to the sandy bays and the Gozo ferry. Calmer and better with children.
Rural, green and slow. Farmhouse stays with pools. Where we'd send you for a second week.
April to June and September to October are ideal. Winter is mild and very good value.
Spring brings wildflowers and comfortable walking weather. September and October have the warmest sea of the year — around 25°C — and thinner crowds. July and August are hot and busy. Winter sits at 15–17°C: too cool for swimming, but excellent for Valletta, the temples and Gozo, at half the price.
3h 15m to Malta (MLA), year-round from most UK airports.
Buses go everywhere and are cheap; they're also slow and crowded. Drives on the left, and roads are narrow.
Euro. Cards accepted widely.
Thirty minutes from Ċirkewwa, frequent, and cars are allowed. Comino is by small boat only.
We'll split the week between Malta and Gozo if you want, and write the payment plan out in full.
A few — Golden Bay, Mellieħa, Ramla on Gozo. Most swimming is off rock platforms into deep clear water, which many people prefer.
If you have a week, two or three nights there is the best decision you can make. It's quieter, greener and completely different.
Yes, with the caveat about beaches. Older children who'll snorkel do better than toddlers wanting sand.
Not essential — buses reach everywhere. But roads are easy, it drives on the left, and a car opens up the temples and the west coast.
Flights, accommodation and transfers as one package. Every one can be reshaped — different dates, different board, a different airport, or a stopover on the way.
Guide prices, per person, based on two sharing, including return flights, accommodation and transfers. They indicate what a holiday of this type has typically cost and are not an offer or a quotation. Your price depends on dates, party, board basis, departure airport and availability, and is confirmed in writing before any payment is taken.
Ready-built itineraries with flights, transfers and internal hops booked as one package, ATOL protected. Every one can be reshaped around your dates.
10 nights · May–Jun, Sep–Oct · from £1,449pp
11 nights · May–Jun, Sep · from £1,149pp
10 nights · Mar–May, Sep–Nov · from £849pp
11 nights · Apr, Oct · from £2,699pp
12 nights · Jun–Oct, Jan–Feb · from £3,399pp
12 nights · Jul–Oct · from £3,099pp
11 nights · Jun–Oct, Dec–Feb · from £1,799pp
11 nights · Nov–Apr · from £2,199pp
