Malta Explorer

Itinerary · 7 days

A diver descending into the Inland Sea tunnel at Dwejra, Gozo, with limestone walls and blue light

Active Malta in 7 days: diving, hiking, kayaking and the cliffs

A different rhythm for the same week: shore dives off Gozo, the cliff walks no guidebook covers, sea kayaking around Comino. Independent itinerary.

For travellers who want to use their bodies as much as their brains in Malta. Diving from Gozo (the central Mediterranean’s best shore-diving destination), the coastal walks no guidebook covers, sea kayaking around Comino, and the southern cliff walks. Two nights on Malta to cover the cultural essentials, five on Gozo for the activity-base. Different audience from the classic 7-day visit, but the same total length and budget.

Who this works for

  • PADI Open Water divers or higher.
  • Travellers wanting to certify (3-day Open Water course on Gozo).
  • Hikers comfortable with 8-15 km days on unmarked Mediterranean cliffs.
  • Sea kayakers (the Malta-Gozo channel is well-suited for guided trips).
  • Anyone who finds the standard cultural-only itinerary insufficient.

Not the best fit for: travellers who want the Cathedral, Cittadella, and the temples first. The active week deliberately compresses culture to leave time for the outdoor activity.

Day 1: arrival, Valletta evening

Land at the airport, X4 bus or Bolt to your Valletta base.

Late afternoon walk: a compressed version of the standard Valletta tour. Triton Fountain, Republic Street, St John’s Co-Cathedral (book online ahead, 90 minutes), Upper Barrakka, Lower Barrakka. Skip the smaller museums; you have other priorities.

Evening dinner in Valletta. Early to bed; tomorrow starts at 06:00.

Day 2: south coast hike + temples

Hire a car for the day.

Early morning (07:00-09:00): drive to Dingli Cliffs. Park near Dingli village. Walk the cliff-edge road south past the chapel of St Mary Magdalene, continue to the Buskett Gardens turnoff, then loop back via Maddalena Chapel. 8-10 km, 2-3 hours, unmarked.

Mid-morning: drive to Hagar Qim and Mnajdra (€10 combined ticket, 90 minutes). Or skip if you have no interest in the temples and you want more cliff time.

Lunch in Marsaxlokk or at a quick Maltese kitchen.

Afternoon: Blue Grotto cliff dive if you are a certified diver. Several Wied iz-Zurrieq schools run shore dives from the cliff platform (€60, 90 minutes). Or continue hiking the cliff path north toward Marsaxlokk for the coastal limestone shelf walk.

Evening drive back to Valletta or, if you have an early ferry tomorrow, to a Cirkewwa-area hotel.

Day 3: ferry to Gozo, settle in, first dive

Morning crossing: drive to Cirkewwa for the 09:00 or 09:30 ferry. Arrive Mgarr by 09:30 or 10:00.

Drive to your Gozo accommodation (a farmhouse near Sannat or Xlendi works best for this itinerary; Marsalforn for north-coast diving). Drop bags, change into dive kit.

Afternoon first dive: book a shore dive at one of the Xlendi sites (Xlendi Cave or the small reef off the bay) or at Mġarr ix-Xini. Half-day dive €60, takes 90 minutes including kit setup.

If you are not diving today, swim at Mġarr ix-Xini instead and have lunch at the small Rew Rew restaurant on the slipway (cash only, fresh fish, queue from 12:30).

Evening: dinner at a casual Gozo kitchen. Lights out early; tomorrow is a full dive day.

Day 4: Dwejra dive day or coastal walk

Two main options.

Diving option: book a two-tank boat day at Dwejra. The Inland Sea Tunnel and the Blue Hole are two of the best shore-dive sites in the central Mediterranean. €110-130 with a Gozo school. Boat departs around 09:00, surface intervals, second dive by 12:00, lunch back at the school.

After the dive, slow afternoon at the farmhouse or a short coastal walk near Sannat.

Walking option (or for non-divers): the San Lawrenz to Gharb cliff walk along the western coast. 6 km, 2-3 hours, with the Wied il-Mielah natural rock arch as the endpoint. Combine with a Dwejra visit on the return.

Evening dinner at Ta’ Frenc in Xagħra (book ahead) or Ic-Cima in Xlendi.

Day 5: Comino kayaking or early-morning Blue Lagoon

Early start either way.

Sea kayaking option: book a Malta-Comino sea-kayaking trip from one of the Cirkewwa or Mgarr operators. Half-day from €60 per person, includes kayak, life jacket, and guide. The route typically goes from Mgarr (Gozo) across the channel to the Crystal Lagoon side of Comino, then around the island. 4 hours, all swimming spots included, guided.

Early Blue Lagoon option: take the 07:30 small ferry from Mgarr to Comino. Arrive at the lagoon by 07:50 when it is empty. Swim, walk to Crystal Lagoon, climb to Santa Marija Tower. Return on the 11:00 boat.

Afternoon: back to Gozo. Slow lunch, then either a second dive (if you can stack two days of diving) or a swim at Daħlet Qorrot for the deep limestone-shelf experience.

Evening dinner: somewhere with a sea view (Xlendi or Marsalforn).

Day 6: Ggantija + Cittadella morning, Ramla afternoon

A culture day to break up the activity. The temples and the Cittadella deserve at least one slow morning even on an active trip.

Morning: drive to Xagħra for Ggantija temples + Ta’ Kola windmill (90 minutes). Then to Victoria for the Cittadella bastion circuit and Cathedral (90 minutes).

Lunch in Victoria at Caffe Jubilee or in the It-Tokk square.

Afternoon: drive to Ramla Bay for a final long Gozo swim. Walk up to Calypso’s Cave for the view. Optional walk to San Blas Bay if you want one more wild cove.

Evening dinner: pack-and-eat at the farmhouse, or a final slow restaurant meal in your village.

Day 7: morning dive or coastal swim, ferry, departure

Morning: one final shore dive at your favourite Gozo site (Xlendi Cave or Mġarr ix-Xini are good for a quick session before the ferry). Or, if no diving, a long swim at Daħlet Qorrot or Mġarr ix-Xini for one final immersion.

Pack and drive to Mgarr for the 14:00 or 15:00 ferry. Arrive Cirkewwa around 14:30 or 15:30.

Afternoon: depending on flight time:

  • Evening flight: drive directly to the airport, with optional Mellieha stop for a final coffee.
  • Morning flight tomorrow: drive to a Bugibba or airport-area hotel for the final overnight; eat dinner in Mellieha village.

Where to sleep

Malta side (2 nights):

  • Valletta or Sliema base. €100-200/night.

Gozo side (5 nights):

  • Sannat or Xlendi-area farmhouse or B&B for diving proximity. €120-220/night.
  • Alternative for north-coast diving: Marsalforn apartments at €80-130/night.

Transport pattern

  • Days 1-2: hire a car at the airport on day 2 morning. Or bus + ferry on day 1.
  • Days 3-7: continue with the car, drive onto the Gozo ferry, use it on Gozo, drive back, return at the airport on departure day.

A 6-day car rental at €25-35/day = €150-210 total. Worth it for the southern day and the Gozo flexibility.

Diving certifications

If you are not certified yet, the active 7-day trip is the wrong format for certifying because the PADI Open Water course takes 3 to 4 days of structured pool and confined-water sessions before any open-water dives. To certify, plan a 10-day trip and split the time differently (4 days for the course on Gozo, 3 days for diving the major sites, 3 days for Malta culture).

For already-certified divers (Open Water or higher), the 7-day pattern works as written. Bring your certification card and recent dive log; most schools verify a recent dive (within 6-12 months) and may require a refresher dive for divers who have not dived in over a year.

Budget

At mid-range, expect €1,400-2,000 per person for the 7-day active trip including flights, hotels, 6 days car rental, ferries, diving (3-4 dives), kayaking, and meals. Diving certification course would add €440-520. Add €200-400 for boutique upgrades.

Closing note

The active 7-day Malta is a different country from the cultural 7-day Malta. Same dates, same hotels in price terms, completely different experience. The shore-diving alone (the Inland Sea Tunnel, the Blue Hole, Santa Marija Cave) puts Gozo in the top three Mediterranean dive destinations. Add the cliff walks and the sea kayaking, and you have a trip that uses the archipelago in a way the standard cultural itinerary cannot.

For travellers who want both (some culture + some activity), the 10-day itinerary has time for both rhythms.