Top 5 Villages to Visit in Malta

Malta is a small island but full of culture and vibrancy! There is so much for families with kids to enjoy. This list was hard to narrow down because there is so much about Malta that my family loved. We spent 10 days there with my 6 and 8 year old kids in the month of August and this was our top 5 villages in Malta that we loved. Each of them offers something different and special. I recommend renting a car in Malta as it is much easier to get around all the villages at your own pace.

1. Valletta

Valletta is the capital city of Malta. It is a walled city set right on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.

Where to park:

Park your car just outside of the city in Floriana at Independence Ground located on Triq il-Mall. It’s just a short walk along the tree-lined sidewalk until you get to Triton Fountain, which is the start of Valletta. I recommend this because the roads are small and can get crowded and difficult to find parking. Also, it will cost more to park the closer you get.

What to do in Valletta:

Enjoy walking around the pedestrian friendly streets and souvenir shopping along Republic Street. Stop at Republic Square for a coffee and a traditional Maltese pastizzi at Eddies Café. Some of our favourite activities are Fort St. Elmo and the National War Museum. It’s easy to spend a couple hours exploring this massive area. The kids will love learning about the history of Malta with the interactive displays and videos. The views from the top of the fort are incredible! Other ideas are to check out Malta 5D and the Upper and Lower Barrakka Gardens.

2. Mellieha

Mellieha is in the northern region of Malta. Kids and adults alike will love this area for the beaches, the most popular being Mellieha Bay. A lesser known, smaller option would be Armier Bay. The village of Mellieha sits at the top of a cliff so the views from top are beautiful. The main square boasts a beautiful old church with restaurants right outside. Enjoy a meal on the patio at Il-Bottegin!

Right around the corner from the church check out the World War 2 shelters. This interesting museum will take you through underground tunnels all over Mellieha. It only costs 3 Euros to enter, you and your kids will find it fascinating.

The main street, Gorg Borg Olivier Street, is where you will find tons of restaurants, souvenirs shops and hotels. It’s a small windy road, be sure to hold your kids hands!

3. Marsaxlokk

This village is located at the southern end of the island of Malta. It is most well known as a fishing village. Head to the harbour and view all the amazing and colourful Maltese fishing boats. Check out the eye on the front of each boat. Legend states this eye was to protect the fishermen while they were out at sea.

Walk along the harbour and visit the market stalls, grab some handmade crafts or souvenirs. There are plenty of places to eat along the harbour. If you arrive early enough, you will make it in time to see the boats bring in their catch of the day!

Nearby along the coast, you will find many lookout spots to the Mediterranean Sea.

Also, just 12 minutes by car, your kids will enjoy a few hours at Playmobil! It is an indoor and outdoor building and play area.

4. Marsalforn

To visit this Maltese village, you will need to take the Gozo Ferry to the smaller Maltese island of Gozo. This is an adventure in itself. The kids will love watching the front of the boat go up and down to let the cars on and off.

Marsalforn is on the north coast of the island. There is plenty of free parking. Spend the day at Marsalforn Beach surrounded by unique European style buildings. For lunch, walk along the boardwalk to Pierre’s Restaurant for some pizza. It’s right on the water so the kids will love watching the fish while waiting to eat. For dessert head to Gelati Granola for some ice cream! There are public toilets and change rooms to use after swimming right beside the Chill Bar.

5. Mdina

When visiting Malta, visiting a walled city, or fortified city, should be on your list! Mdina was the original capital city of Malta and dates back to the 1500’s. It is fun to wander and get lost around the tiny streets and taking pictures with all the colourful doors. Enjoy a meal with a great view of the country at a cute little tea house called Fontanella Tea Garden. Because it sits so high up, even on a hot day, the breeze is a blessing!

More Tips

We stayed in the village of Mellieha for 10 nights at the Solana Hotel. We had a nice 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom suite. It was a nice hotel with 2 pools, one of them on the roof which was amazing!

We rented a car from Drifter Car Rental where we were able to pick up and drop off at the airport without any hassle.

We went in August which was extremely hot. If you’re visiting at this time because it works for school holidays like us, make sure to include beach and pool time each day!

I hope this post has inspired you to add Malta to your bucket list! For a list of activities to do with kids, check out 9 Fun Things to do in Malta with Kids.