7 Days in Malta: The Complete First-Timer's Itinerary
··15 mins
ℹ️ Short answer: Seven days is the sweet spot for Malta. Spend 4 nights based in Sliema or Valletta (Valletta + Three Cities + Mdina + a south-coast or Marsaxlokk day), then 3 nights in Gozo with Comino slotted in on the return ferry day. You don’t need a car if you base in Sliema and hire one only for Days 4–7. Total budget for a couple, mid-range: €1,400–2,000 all-in excluding flights. A week in Malta is enough to see almost everything that matters — but only if you don’t try to do everything every day. Malta is small (316 km²) but the bus rides are slow, the heat in summer is real, and ten minutes more at lunch in a Marsaxlokk waterfront restaurant beats a third museum every single time. This is the itinerary we’d give a first-timer who has 7 nights, wants the highlights without the death-march pacing, and would rather come home rested than ticked-off-a-list.