Three days is enough to see the best of Malta if you base yourself in one place and day-trip out. This plan splits the trip into the island's three distinct sides: the capital and harbour on Day 1, the slower sister island of Gozo on Day 2, and the old walled city of Mdina with the south on Day 3. You don't need a car for any of it – buses, the Gozo ferry and the harbour ferries do the work. Here's the itinerary, plus how to swap in a beach day if you'd rather.
- 01Three days covers the best of Malta if you base yourself once and day-trip out rather than moving hotels.
- 02Day 1 is Valletta and the Grand Harbour; Day 2 is Gozo by ferry; Day 3 is Mdina, Rabat and the south.
- 03Base yourself in Sliema, St Julian's or Valletta – all well connected and walkable to transport.
- 04You don't need a car: buses, the Gozo ferry and the harbour ferries cover the whole plan.
- 05Prefer swimming to sightseeing? Swap a day for Comino's Blue Lagoon and keep the rest.
How to plan three days in Malta
Malta is small, which is its great advantage on a short trip: nothing is more than about an hour away, so you can sleep in one bed for three nights and still see very different places each day. The mistake first-timers make is trying to cram the Blue Lagoon, Gozo, Valletta and the south into every day and spending the trip on buses. This plan keeps each day to one area, so you actually enjoy it.
New to Malta? The Malta first-timers guide covers the practical basics – where to base, getting around and what to book ahead.
The one fixed point is the Gozo day, which depends on the ferry from the north of the island. Everything else flexes around your pace and the weather.
Where to base yourself
Stay once and day-trip – don't split three nights across two hotels. The easiest bases are Sliema and St Julian's, which have the most hotels, restaurants and nightlife and a direct ferry across to Valletta, or Valletta itself for atmosphere and an early start at the sights.
All three are well connected by bus to the rest of the island. For a full comparison of every area, see the where to stay in Malta guide.
Avoid basing yourself somewhere remote to save money on the room; you'll lose the time and the saving on transport. Central and connected beats cheap and far on a trip this short.
Day 1: Valletta and the Three Cities
Give the capital a full day. Valletta is tiny and walkable, and the highlights cluster together: St John's Co-Cathedral with its Caravaggio, the Upper Barrakka Gardens overlooking the Grand Harbour, and the main drag of Republic Street for the squares and architecture. Our things to do in Valletta guide has the detail, but a morning of sights and a long lunch is the right rhythm.
In the afternoon, take a traditional dgħajsa boat or the ferry across the Grand Harbour to the Three Cities (Vittoriosa, Senglea and Cospicua) – older and quieter than Valletta, with the best harbour views looking back. Round the day off back in Valletta, where the restaurants and Strait Street come alive in the evening.
Day 2: Gozo
Day 2 is the island's change of pace. Take the ferry from Ċirkewwa in the north over to Gozo, greener and slower than the main island, and built around the hilltop capital of Victoria with its Cittadella fortress.
From there the highlights are the dramatic Dwejra coast, the Ġgantija temples and the red sand of Ramla Bay. A full day does it justice without rushing.
The simplest way to fit it all in without a car is an organised Gozo day trip that handles the ferry and the driving between the spread-out sights. If you'd rather go independently, the ferry runs frequently and a local bus or hop-on tour links the island once you're across – just start early to make the most of the daylight.
Day 3: Mdina, Rabat and the south
Spend the last day inland and south. Start at Mdina, the silent walled old capital, and neighbouring Rabat – between them you get medieval streets, bastion views over the island, and the catacombs, all covered in our Mdina and Rabat day trip guide. Mid-morning is the sweet spot before the day-tour crowds arrive.
From there, head south to the fishing village of Marsaxlokk for the painted luzzu boats and a seafood lunch by the water, and if you have time and a car or taxi, the natural swimming spot at St Peter's Pool nearby. It's a relaxed final day that balances the city focus of the first two.
Want beach time? Swap in the Blue Lagoon
If you'd trade a sightseeing day for a swim, the easiest swap is Comino's Blue Lagoon in place of either Gozo or the south. The turquoise water is the most famous in Malta, reached by boat from the north, and it makes a strong half-day that you can pair with a shorter look at Gozo on the same trip. Go early – it gets very crowded by midday in summer.
This is the flex point of the plan. Two sightseeing days plus one beach day is a good balance for most first visits, especially in the warmer months.
Getting around
For this itinerary you can skip the hire car. Buses reach Valletta, Mdina, Marsaxlokk and the Gozo ferry terminal, the Sliema–Valletta ferry is quick and scenic, and Gozo is easiest as an organised trip.
A car only really pays off if you want the remote rocky swimming spots or dislike waiting for buses in the heat. Taxis and ride-hailing fill the gaps for the few spots buses don't serve well, like St Peter's Pool.
Featured image: Rhododendrites / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
