How Many Days? 6
Food - How Much? €7/Meal
Hotel - How Much? €60/Night for a 4 starts Hotel
Featured:
Favorite beaches, best food, sightseeing, tours, transport, hotels and much more.
Overall Experience was... FANTASTIC!
My first time in Malta was in Sep, 2019.... Well, if I knew this place was so incredible like this, I'd not have taken that long to visit it. Over 4 years in Europe without exploring this magical place... such a pity! But I am delighted to have spent my 2 last summers there.
Ahhhh, I completely fell in love with that place... which explains pretty much why I chose to visit Malta again in Sep, 2020, yeah, I know, in the middle of that crazy time, so much going on.... I knew I could pick only 1 place after so long without traveling and without knowing when I would be able to travel again (indeed it was a lot of time, just traveled now 1 year later to Cyprus).
To be honest, I had no doubt that Malta was the place that I wanted to be on my only break in 2020. I could have gone for somewhere new (and I always pick new options if I have a choice), but that time was different, after months of mental draining I needed a place that I would feel like home, I would feel safe, relaxed and also have a great time... It could be nowhere else, but Malta!!!
My connection with Malta is so strong that the second time I was there I thought "What if we move to Malta for a few months...?" No, it is not crazy, it is a dream that can become true... maybe... who knows?
Well, as I have so much to go through, let's leave those dreams for now and start with the amazing tips that I have, I'm so excited to share them with you.
Which city did I stay in? And how many days?
Malta has so much to offer, I mean... if you like walking around cities, great! You will have a good time!
If you prefer to spend time on the beach, grand! You will love it!
If you are more into history, perfect! Get ready to dive into Maltese culture!
The best place for you is the one which is gonna give you easier access to what you like... in my case I planed to do a little bit of everything, what justifies my decision to stay in Cospicua (5 min from Valetta and very close to others cities as well) and Mellieha, where is closer to the most beautiful beaches.
First time I spent 3 days in Cospicua and 2 in Mellieha and the second time I had to change a little as I wanted to spend longer closer to the beach, so we stayed 3 days in Cospicua and 5 in Mellieha.
I stayed at Casa Birmula the first and second time I visited Malta. I really love this place! The Casa Birmula Boutique Hotel, Cospicua, is one of the finest and coziest hotels in Malta. It is very private, they have 9 very unique stylish rooms. It is well located with different sites and easy access to public transport as well. The decoration is sublime: it has a mixture of ancient Maltese architecture, including paintings from local artists, together with romantic-contemporary furniture and an atmosphere with Asian touches. The staff is extremely helpful and very polite.
Casa Birmula website link: www.casabirmula.com
It is important to remember that this last time we stayed at Casa Birmula we felt very safe, the staff was keeping the place very clean, we could find sanitizer in many spots around the hotel and we had to email the reception the night before saying what time and what exactly we want for breakfast. Buffet was no longer available due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The rooftop terrace made my stay so special! There is a pool and large relaxation area on the roof with a superb view, providing both sun spots and shaded areas.
The first time I stayed at the Hotel I did not spend much time in the pool, but the second time I spent every morning there, just a perfect place with the most incredible view for my gratitude meditations.
The rooftop was also the place that I spent my 3 nights in Cospicua… yeah! The view was fascinating at night and the water was at a great temperature!
Transport and Car Rental
In 2019 I did not rent a car, so we used taxis most of the time. Uber does not operate there, but the similar app is called "Bolt", so before going to Malta it is better to download the app and create an account adding your card. I used the bus a couple of times, it is not bad, but it is pretty slow and you can waste lots of time.
In 2020 I rented a car, so much better, it was around 300€ for 8 days, which was great! Just make sure you read the reviews before renting, search very well as most of the car rentals are known for ripping off their clients.
Some hotels have car rentals connected with them, which would make me trust more, so take a look.
Unfortunately I do not have the name of the one that I picked, but I had a few issues, so I would not completely recommend either. Just make sure you have insurance and make videos and take pictures with the agent before taking the car.
In this picture I am in the Ferry. They have a Ferry that is 5 min from the hotel that goes from Cospicua to Valetta, single ticket is 1.50€ and return 2.80€. I would recommend taking the ferry if you have the option, as it not only gives you a beautiful view, but it is also faster than a bus or taxi.
What to do while in Cospicua/Valetta?
My days were planned depending on what was around the Hotels.
As I was staying in Cospicua the first nights, it was a great opportunity to:
- Walk around Valetta and I have to say... it's GORGEOUS, so charming! It has so much to offer. You can take one entire day to explore the city, get lost and end up in a bar or restaurant with a nice view. I would highly recommend Piadina Caffe, we had a great experience, the location was very nice and the cocktails were just on point.
- Cospicua is around 15 min away from St. Peter's pool. It's on the South of the Island, so it is way better to visit when you are staying in Valetta/Cospicua, otherwise if you go while staying in the North, you will spend over 45 min in the car to get there.
-Fisherman’s Village, first time I went to Peter's pool I visited Fisherman’s Village after. I had no car the first time, so it was around a 30 min walk. The place was interesting, but I did not spend too long, just had some cocktails and went back to the Hotel.
- Mdina is a few minutes away, a beautiful place to spend the morning or afternoon.
- I spent one day in
St. Peter's Pool
One of my favorites places in Malta FOR SURE! It is soooo cool, so much adrenaline and YEAHH, just go for it and JUMP! Maybe in the first moment you will think you won't be able to do it... but my advice is: DON'T THINK TOO MUCH, just go!
You won't find any restaurants or drinks to buy around the area, so get yourself prepared, some snacks and cans will get you sorted.
The road to St. Peter's pool is horrible, so take care and drive carefully. You will find a car park there for 3 euros or less.
Don't forget beach towels as well, the rocks are pretty hot and you will definitely need it to line down.
Where did I stay? Part 2.
As already mentioned, the second village I chose was Millieha, why? It is less than 10 minutes from Golden Bay Beach, Melieha Bay Beach and others. When I am on holiday I really consider my location, so I don't waste too much time (and money).
First time there I stayed 3 nights at Solana Hotel & Spa and the second time I stayed 5 nights at its twin Pergola Hotel & Spa as they did not have any availability at Solana.
I can not fault those hotels at all, everything from start to finish was amazing. The swimming pool was great and the view WOWW fantastic! They also have delish food and cocktails in the pool bar, on the happy hour you pay 1 and get 2 cocktails.
Both stays I had rooms with a lovely balcony for my meditation practice. The breakfast has so many options and a great selection of cheese and salad (I tried the best gorgonzola cheese at Pergola). The staff is always very friendly and ready to help. I can not imagine a better place to stay, considering the price, location, facilities and service.
Pergola Hotel & Spa website link: www.pergolahotel.com.mt
Solana Hotel & Spa website link: www.solanahotel.com
Restaurants around Mellieha
Most of my meals during the day I had at Solana Hotel or Pergola Hotel, it is a great value 8€ for a pasta, salad or pizza and the quality is pretty good, so I used to stay in the pool as much as possible and just leave to order my food.
I have a couple of restaurants around the area that I went at least twice that are perfect to have a nice dinner:
1. L'Amigo Restaurant - it is a small family business restaurant, you can get a bottle of wine for 6€ and nice meals for 10€, my favourite that I will never forget was the Cannelloni... OMG it was the best that I have ever tried.
2. Tosca - Italian restaurant, the pasta was so fresh! I spent my last night in 2019 in there and I said it was gonna be the first one I was gonna have dinner when back in 2020.
Both restaurants are on the main road in Mellieha, beside Solana Hotel. I have to say that my favorite food in Malta was more Italian than anything else, I tried Maltese cuisine a couple of times, but it was not my thing.
I can not forget to say to wake up earlier one day before going to the beach and walk around the Mellieha Village, it is so cute and the architecture is brilliant. I have done that both times I went to Mellieha and I had a wonderful time with myself.
At the end of my little walking tour I stopped in a coffee shop to enjoy the view and eat my fav cake: a carrot cake... and WOW it was unreal, such a nice vibe. The coffee shop is called "Sea View Cafe/Bar".
Popeye's Village
The open hours are from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and it costs 12 euros per person which includes some popcorn and sun-beds. The place was just 10 min away from the Hotel, which was handy.
I was actually very surprised, it is a very fun way to spend your day. They are perfect for kids as Popeye and Bluto stay around interacting and playing with everyone the entire day.
Many competitions happen during the day with kids and also adults, it is so funny! I participated and I won the 3rd place hahaha I felt I was 12 yo again, priceless!
My advice is to arrive there earlier to get a nice spot, they have some areas with sun-beds a couple of metros from the sea, but of course, this is the first area to get overcrowded.
There are a few restaurants, they do not have too many options, but what they have available is good quality, also very affordable, the cocktails were delicious and pretty big, for only 5.50€. I ate half of Marguerita Pizza and it was only 7€ (for the entire pizza).
Mellieha Bay Beach
Although I do not like comercial beaches, I really liked spending my time at Mellieha Bay Beach. You do not need to worry about bringing food and get yourself sorted to go there as you are gonna have many quiosques and restaurants to choose from. It is a larger bay with clear water (the second year I was there it was not as clear as the first time), you can rent sunbathing chairs, if you wish.
My advice is going to the restaurant at the very end called Munchies Mellieha Bay, they have a great selection of wine, cocktails and food. I got salad one day and it was delish, the other day I tried some margherita pizza and it was also pretty nice. Great food with good value!
Blue Lagoon, paradise!
Here was the clearest water that I have ever seen in my life! I have no words to describe how amazing it was to spend the day swimming in there.
First time I got the ferry, which was a great deal, it was around 20€ return and you get around 3 hours there. You can purchase food and drinks on the ferry if you wish, but they have plenty of options on the beach as well.
The sand area is pretty small and always overcrowded, so my advice is: GO AS EARLIER AS YOU CAN, if you are planning to rent sunbeds and umbrella (around 20/25€ for a pair), otherwise you won't be able to get it. I did not rent anything, what I did was, I just swam to the other side of the beach that had way more empty space and spent my time there, could not have done better.
The second time was even better, I rented a small private boat for the day and it gave me a completely different experience. You get the instructions on how to be a great pilot before and just go for it!
I could stop anywhere that I wanted and it was for sure the best way to to enjoy the blue lagoon, I had my own spot, no crowds, cold rose and nice food that I had brought. Literally paradise!
The cost was 210€, I found most of the companies were asking for 250€, but luckily I found this one cheaper (so sorry, I just can not find the name here).
Golden Bay
Maybe it is my favourite beach in Malta! Very cozy reddish sandy beach, shorter than Mellieha Bay, but everyone can get a nice spot to relax on the sand. The vibe over there is different, such a refreshing breeze. Youwill pay 14€ for a pair of sunbeds and 1 umbrella.
Perfect spot to watch the sunset!
You have a couple of restaurants to choose from. I would highly recommend the one on the top called Apple's Eye Restaurant. It is so nice that I kept coming back, I have been there plenty of times!
It is a nice terrace overlooking the bay, very close to the beach itself (3 min walk) with very reasonable prices. Staff is friendly and there is a ton of choice of food and drink! I love their mushroom chicken risotto and also their desserts (they usually have on the window a plenty of delicious cakes, I tried the kinder bueno and also the oreo cake, could not choose which one was the best).
That is a lot, right? hahaha I told you! I am sure you have no doubt by this time if it's a good idea or not to spend a few days in Malta! It is just incredible, I would leave there, no problem.
Hope you guys enjoyed my tips, this post has absolutely everything that anyone needs to know before going to Malta, so if you want to visit or have a friend who dreams about the place, save it and send this post to them!
For ideas of pictures and also some more information you can visit my Instagram @marianacalonso to check my posts and highlights.
Thank you very much,
with lots of love,
Mari Alonso
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