Best things to do in Malta on a 2 Day Trip

This trip to Malta was my first solo trip in years. It was also the first one in years where I planned everything at the very last minute – booked the hotel about a week before the departure, and decided on the itinerary the night I checked in to the hotel. Oh well. It all worked out well! So here are the best things to do in Malta on a quick weekend trip.

Where to stay in Malta

Malta offers a variety of hotels, hostels and airbnbs in various different locations – the capital Valletta, St Paul’s Bay where I stayed, the countryside, the island of Gozo etc. Now, the reason I booked my hotel so late was that I just couldn’t decided where to stay – would Valletta be the best option because it’s the capital and probably has a lot to offer? What about Cirkewwa, so that I can access the ferry to Gozo easily? Mdina looked wonderful with its historical buildings!

I ended up staying at Sunflower Hotel in St Paul’s Bay – a pretty standard 3-star hotel. It was only about 15 min walk from the coast and Bugibba bus station, so I could access other parts of Malta easily. For more luxurious options go for Corinthia Hotel or The Phoenicia.

Itinerary

I arrived in Malta on a Thursday afternoon, then spent two full days in Malta, and departed early on a Sunday morning.

As soon as I got to the hotel, I knew I wanted to start exploring, so I started the first evening enjoying a sunset in Qawra, St Paul’s Bay.

Day 1

Sunrise at St Paul’s Bay, bus to Mdina/Rabat, Rabat to Blue Grotto, Blue Grotto to Valletta, Valletta to Bugibba.

I started my first full day by heading back to the coast and taking some sunrise photos. It was a beautiful and peaceful morning – perfect for a photoshoot. Include this idea in yout list of things to do in Malta. 

Then it was time to head back to the hotel, have some breakfast and start exploring other parts of the island.

Find out here how I take photos of myself!

Mdina is one of the most beautiful historical places to see in Malta, and it was the first place I decided I wanted to see when researching Malta. It is a small and historical place with very pretty little streets established back in the 8th century BC.

After Mdina, it was time to see Blue Grotto. Such a beautiful and unique formation.

After Blue Grotto, it was time to explore the capital of Malta – Valletta where I spent a few hours, and then it was time to head back to the hotel and get ready for another day of exploring.

Day 2

Bugibba to Cirkewwa, Ferry to Gozo, Mgarr to Victoria, Victoria to St Lawrence – Azure Window. Same back

One of my favourite things to do in Malta was visiting Gozo island.

After taking a bus to Cirkewwa, it was time to get on the ferry to the Gozo island. There are three main islands in Malta – Gozo, Comino and Malta. I visited Malta and Gozo during this trip.

When I got to Gozo, it was time to start exploring! I probably should have checked the bus routes beforehand though because I didn’t realise that if you want to get pretty much anywhere on the island, you have to go via Victoria. So you cannot go directly from the ferry to Azure Window and then from there to any other place along the coast. You have to go from the ferry terminal to Victoria, wait for a bus there to Azure Window, then go back to Victoria, and then if you want to go to another place on the coast, just wait for the next bus.

I had a few places on my mind before I got to Gozo, but I decided to start with Azure window or whatever is left of it. I spent some time just sitting there and enjoying the views.

Then by the time I got back to Victoria, I decided to head back to Malta because it had already been a long enough journey getting to Gozo and I didn’t want to arrive back at the hotel too late. There are certainly more great places to see in Gozo, but it’s best if you stay on Gozo for at least one night, so that you have plenty of time to explore everything.

Have you been to Malta? What were your favourite places there?