Where to Stay
Choosing where to stay in Malta might not be a life-or-death decision, but it's crucial that you pick the best place to stay in Malta to have the best holiday possible. There are six main areas for you to stay in whilst on holiday in Malta, and this guide will help you decide which is the best place to stay.
Table of Contents
Sliema
Best place to stay in Malta for the first time visitor
Best place to stay in Malta for a short stopover
Is a great place to stay for seniors
Sliema began to develop during British rule, and for this reason, you will find a large number of Victorian buildings in this area. The mainly residential Victorian buildings are the heart and soul of Sliema and are now encircled by new high-rise buildings that dominate its 10kms of coastline. Sliema began to develop during British rule, and for this reason, you will find a large number of Victorian buildings in this area. The mainly residential Victorian buildings are the heart and soul of Sliema and are now encircled by new high-rise buildings that dominate its 10kms of coastline.
Eat & Drink
Sliema is the most prosperous area in Malta and a desirable place to live. For this reason, it is also a major commercial area full of the best shopping, restaurants, bars and cafes where you can watch the world pass you by.
Accommodation
Strangely enough, despite Sliema being an affluent area, you will not find any luxury hotels here, and most of the accommodation is in the budget range but at mid-range prices.
Getting around
Sliema is the best location for a first-time visitor to Malta not just because of what it has to offer but also because it is very easy to get to Valletta, and it’s only 5-10 minutes away from the nightlife of St Julians. So if you stay in this area, you can really have your cake and eat it!
Beaches
There are several good swimming locations in Sliema, but they are all rocky beaches. The lovely sandy beaches of the north are around 45 minutes away by car and 75 minutes by public transport.
Valletta
A great place to stay for culture and history
Is perfect for a romantic couples holiday
Has plenty of luxury places to stay
Valletta was a carefully designed city built by gentlemen for gentlemen. It is one of the only cities of its time to be built from scratch and designed with a grid-style system to provide the best possible living for its inhabitants. The city was designed by Pope Pius V military engineer Francesco Laparelli, and when he died his work was continued by his Maltese assistant Girolamo Cassar. Girolamo Cassar built the city of Valletta in the Mannerist style, which was popular at the time, but many of the buildings were then modified during the Baroque era.
Valletta is the capital city of Malta and also the smallest capital city in the European Union. This small capital is a walled medieval city rich in history and culture; therefore, most of the must-see museums and historical attractions are located here.
Eat & Drink
Valletta is also well regarded for having a significant number of high-quality restaurants to satisfy your every craving. While it is not well known for its bustling nightlife, it does have a more relaxed wine bar atmosphere at night.
Getting around
Since Valletta is a capital city, it has excellent transport links to all regions around the island. Valletta also has a ferry service to the historical residential area of the Three Cities and the more modern shopping district of Sliema.
Accommodation
Valletta is a harbour city that has fantastic views and stunning baroque architecture that you will become completely immersed in. Due to its small size and because new buildings are not allowed, you will find that the accommodation prices are very high, and therefore it caters more towards the high-end market.
Beaches
Since Valletta is a harbour city, it does not have beaches or swimming locations. It is also quite far away from the best beaches in Malta, so if you are after some sun and fun, then we would suggest staying in either St Pauls Bay or Mellieha.
Mellieha
Is a great place to stay for a local experience
Perfect place to stay for beach lovers
The perfect choice for a relaxing holiday
Mellieha is a beautiful local town that towers high above the largest sandy beach on the island - Mellieha Bay. Mellieha is the northernmost resort in Malta, set on a high ridge surrounded by nature. The central part of the town has a very local feel to it, and most of the hotels are closer to the beach.
Eat & Drink
There are a few restaurants and English-styled pubs in the area, but it is not well known for having a vast array of eateries. You might get bored eating at the same restaurants here, but thankfully you are only 10-15 minutes away from the tourist resort of St Paul's Bay which possesses a more significant number of restaurants.
Accommodation
Most of the hotels in this area are mid-range, but there are a few budget options if you are lucky enough to find them.
Getting around
Being in a more rural setting, it does not have especially good transport links, so we would suggest getting a car if you intend on staying here. Valletta and Sliema are about 75 minutes away by public transport.
Beaches
If you are a beach lover, then Mellieha is the perfect place to soak up the sun's rays. Not only does it boast Malta’s largest beach but it’s also only 15 minutes away from the sandy beaches of Ghan Tuffieha.
Bugibba
A great place to stay for families
Perfect choice for those on an average budget
Best place to stay for a package deal holiday
St Pauls Bay, Qawra and Buggiba are three small villages that sprawl into one large tourist resort. St Paul’s Bay has been inhabited since 4000 BC, but very little remains of its history. In the 1960s, Bugibba was developed as a tourist destination that saw a large number of tourists from the UK visit it. Further development saw the village of Qawra created, which has more modern buildings and four-star hotels.
Eat & Drink
The whole area of St Pauls Bay is one giant tourist resort with lots of hotels, restaurants and bars at affordable prices. This region boasts a large number of British-type pubs but does not offer the vibrant nightlife that St Julian has. The restaurants in this area are of good quality, with a few excellent ones as well.
Accommodation
St Paul’s Bay has a few boutique hotels and apartments to rent. Bugibba mainly has budget accommodations and hotels. In Qawra, you will find that the accommodation is more mid-range with a nice variety of four-star hotels.
Getting around
Located in the more rural north of the island, it is about one hour (or 10 miles away) away from Valletta and 30 minutes from Sliema. It might be a good idea to rent a car if you plan on staying in this resort; however, public transport links are excellent and run frequently.
Beaches
There are a few good swimming locations in the area, but you will not find any sandy beaches here, apart from Perched Beach, which is a man-made sandy beach. You are only ten minutes away from the lovely sandy beaches of Ghan Tuffeiha and 20 minutes from Malta’s largest beach found in Mellieha.
St Julians
Great place to stay for a lively nightlife
Perfect choice for a resort holiday
Best place to stay for a package deal holiday
St Julians started out in life as a peaceful, sleepy fishing village surrounded by farming land. However, since the 1960s significant commercial development has occurred turning this little village into Malta's number one commercial and tourism hub. It also boats Malta's tallest building the Hilton Business tower which stands approximately 95 meters tall.
Eat & Drink
St Julian's has a large number of restaurants and pubs. Your eating choices are as limitless as your cravings. You will find local cuisines and also those from all around the world. If you like nightlife, then St Julians is the place to be, with plenty of nightclubs, pubs, and Casinos.
Accommodation
St Julian's has hotels and apartments to suit all budgets but in recent years more and more 5-star hotels have been built than anything else.
Getting around
Located in the centre of Malta, it is about 30 minutes away from Valletta and 5 minutes from Sliema. There are good transport links to all areas of the island.
Beaches
This area only has one man-made sandy beach which gets extremely crowded in the summer. With that said a few of the five-star hotels in the area have their own private beaches.
Marsascala
Best place to stay on a budget
Marsascala is situated in the southeast of Malta and started out in life as a simple fishing village. In recent years it has developed into more of a tourist destination, although it is not as popular as the mega-resorts of St Paul's Bay, Sliema and St Julians.
Eat & Drink
Being a former fishing village, Marsascala is much sought after for its seafood, and there are a good amount of quality restaurants that serve seafood. It has a significant number of bars and cafes, but Marsascala is not renowned for its nightlife.
Accommodation
There are not a lot of hotels in this area; however, you can find quite a few suitable budget apartments here.
Getting around
Marsascala is very much out of the way, so you most certainly need a car if you plan on staying here during your holiday. With that said, it will take about 30-45 minutes to get to Valletta by bus.
Beaches
Marsascala offers mainly rocky beaches, but it does have a lot of lovely swimming spots and is only 10 minutes away from the famous St Peter's Pool. The nearest sandy beach is Pretty Bay which is only 20 minutes away.