Practical information

How to get to Malta, when to go, how to get around, what it costs. Plain answers to the questions travellers ask before they book the flight.

Getting there & around

4 guides in this section

A narrow Maltese country road winding between limestone rubble walls in the central island, late afternoon light

Driving in Malta: left-hand traffic, parking and the road reality

What to know before you drive: left-hand traffic, narrow roads, parking economics, fuel, the stop-sign convention, and where the locals are not joking about the traffic.

The Gozo Channel car ferry approaching Mgarr harbour at golden hour, the green Gozitan hills rising behind

Ferry to Gozo: Cirkewwa, Valletta fast ferry, and how the fare works

Mechanics of the Cirkewwa-Mgarr car ferry, the Valletta-Mgarr fast passenger ferry, summer queues and how to skip them.

A Maltese public bus on a Valletta street at mid-morning, honey limestone facades on either side

Getting around Malta: buses, Bolt, taxis and the case for a car

Honest comparison of the four ways to move around: the €2.50 bus network, Bolt ride-hailing, traditional taxis, and the hire-car option.

A passenger aircraft on final approach to Malta International Airport at golden hour, the honey limestone landscape of southern Malta visible below

Getting to Malta: flights, airports and the no-ferry reality

Direct flights from most European hubs, the airlines that fly the routes, the limits of the airport, and why there is no ferry from mainland Europe to Malta.

When to visit

1 guide in this section

A quiet Valletta side street in shoulder-season morning light, empty honey-limestone facades with a deep-blue gallarija balcony

When to visit Malta: the case for May or September

Why April-June and September-October are the sweet spots, what August is actually like, and a month-by-month breakdown of weather, crowds and what is open.

Budget

1 guide in this section

A pastizz and a small black coffee on a Maltese café counter at mid-morning, a few euro coins on the honey-limestone surface beside

Malta on a budget, mid-range and comfort: realistic daily figures

What a day in Malta actually costs by travel style. Accommodation, food, transport, attractions and the small extras most budgets forget.

Health & safety

1 guide in this section

A small Maltese village pharmacy with a green pharmacy cross sign mounted on a honey-limestone facade, traditional deep-blue shutters

Health and safety in Malta: tap water, pharmacies, EHIC/GHIC and the small things

Practical health and safety information for travellers: tap water (yes, drink it), pharmacy hours, the European health card, and the genuine risks worth knowing about.

Formalities

1 guide in this section

A traveller holding a phone showing a map at a Valletta café table, honey-limestone facade visible across the square in the background

SIM cards, eSIMs and internet in Malta: EU roaming and the alternatives

EU roaming means you do not need a SIM if you live in the EU. For everyone else, the eSIM, prepaid SIM and hotel-wifi options compared.

Culture & language

2 guides in this section

A Maltese village square decorated for a summer festa at dusk, festoon lights overhead and red-and-white banners across the limestone facades

Public holidays and village festas: the Maltese calendar

National holidays that close shops and museums, the festa calendar from June to September, and the small religious feasts spread through the year.

A hand-painted Maltese street-name tile in dark blue on white ceramic, set in a honey-limestone wall of a Valletta side street at golden hour

Language in Malta: Maltese, English and the Semitic-Romance hybrid

The only Semitic language in the EU, why English works everywhere, what signs actually look like, and a few useful Maltese words and phrases.