Our magical 3-day family weekend in Malta

Why Malta? Our last-minute decision

Honestly, we were just looking for a destination not too far from the UK for a long weekend with our two teenagers (15 and 17). The idea of Malta came from a colleague who'd shown us her Instagram photos - and we thought "why not?". Three weeks before leaving, we found direct flights from London at £160 per person with Air Malta. The stroke of genius? Leaving on Thursday evening to return on Monday - prices were 40% cheaper than a regular weekend!

Day 1: Valletta totally blew our minds (Thursday evening - Friday)

Arrival and first surprise

We landed Thursday at 10:30 PM, and first mishap: couldn't find a taxi! Luckily, we'd booked a private transfer with Malta Transfer for €35 (actually cheaper than a taxi). The driver, Joe, gave us our first tips during the 20-minute ride to our Airbnb in Sliema.

Our apartment was perfect - sea view from the balcony, 5 minutes walk to the ferry to Valletta. Pro tip: avoid Paceville hotels if you want to sleep - it's THE party zone for young Europeans!

Valletta: love at first sight from morning

Friday morning, first wake-up with a view of Valletta from our balcony - magical! We took the 9 AM ferry (€2.80 return, the kids love it) and then... WOW. The city is a real open-air museum.

Our rookie mistake: we wanted to start with St. John's Co-Cathedral without booking. Result: 45 minutes queuing in the sun! Now we know you need to book online on their official website. But what a visual shock when we got in! Our 15-year-old daughter, normally not an art fan, spent 20 minutes in front of the Caravaggio taking photos (technically forbidden, but hey...).

Local lunch: our foodie discovery

For lunch, we followed Joe's advice: heading to Nenu the Artisan Baker in Merchant Street. Pastizzi at €0.50 each became our addiction! Our son ate 6 in a row. The manager, David, explained that his grandfather was already making pastizzi in the same place in 1950. That's what authenticity is about!

The afternoon at the Three Cities: our favorite moment

In the afternoon, we took the dgħajsa (pronounced "dah-issa" - took us 2 days to figure that out!) to cross to Vittoriosa. €2 per person for a 5-minute trip, but what a view! Our favorite photo moment of the entire trip.

In Vittoriosa, we visited the Inquisitor's Palace - the kids were fascinated by the prison cells and torture instruments. Not very cheerful but super educational! The French audio guide is perfect.

Our restaurant insider tip: we dined at Tal-Petut in Birgu (Vittoriosa). 100% local atmosphere, reasonable prices (€25 per person for a full meal), and the owner Mario offered us homemade limoncello. Definitely book ahead!

Evening in Valletta: our highlight

In the evening, we returned to Valletta for drinks at the Upper Barrakka Gardens. The sunset over the Grand Harbor... we'd never seen anything like it! Even our teens put down their phones for 10 minutes. The little café on site makes decent mojitos for €8.

For dinner, we tried ION Harbour - a bit pricey (£140 for 4) but the panoramic terrace was worth every penny. Our daughter even said "it's better than London" (and coming from her, that's a compliment!).

Day 2: Gozo, the island that won us over

The ferry: already an adventure

Saturday morning, 6:30 AM wake-up to catch the 7:45 AM ferry from Ċirkewwa. We'd rented a car from Europcar Malta (€45 for the day) - essential for Gozo! The ferry journey with the car (€15 return) was already quite an experience for the kids.

Victoria and its Citadel: more beautiful than expected

First stop: Victoria and its Citadel. Unlike crowded Valletta, we were almost alone at 9 AM! The view from the ramparts over all of Gozo island... I still get goosebumps. The kids loved exploring the old dungeons.

Funny anecdote: in the cathedral, our son spent 10 minutes looking for the dome he'd seen in photos... before we explained it was a trompe l'oeil painted on the ceiling! He was stunned.

The It-Tokk market delighted us: local fruits at ridiculously low prices, and we tasted ġbejniet (local goat cheese) directly from the producer. €3 for an assortment of 6 fresh and dried cheeses - the kids loved it!

Ġgantija: 5000 years of history under our feet

The stop at Ġgantija temples was mandatory. Well, attention-wise it was borderline for the teens, but when the guide explained that these stones were there before the Egyptian pyramids... that hit home! Heritage Malta's site offers an excellent family audio guide.

Ramla Bay: our beach highlight

The afternoon at Ramla Bay will remain etched in our memories. That red-orange sand, that turquoise water... and in October, we were almost alone! The kids swam for 2 hours (water was 22°C). We picnicked on the beach with our purchases from Victoria market.

The climb to Calypso's Cave? Sporty but worth it! Panoramic view over the entire bay. Our daughter took her best selfie of the trip up there.

Xlendi: our culinary discovery

For dinner, heading to Xlendi and its little fishing port. We ate at Zafiro Restaurant - fresh grilled fish of the day, sea view, honest prices (€35 per person). The owner even offered us a bottle of local wine and explained his village's history. These moments of authenticity are what make a trip unforgettable!

Day 3: Mdina and Malta's hidden treasures

Mdina at sunrise: our magical moment

Sunday morning, we got up early to arrive at Mdina at 8 AM. And there... the silent city really lives up to its name! Not a tourist in sight, just us and the Maltese cats. The medieval atmosphere with the first light of day... magical!

Our photo insider tip: Mdina's ramparts at sunrise is THE Instagram spot! Our kids understood why Game of Thrones filmed here (King's Landing was Mdina!).

St. Paul's Cathedral impressed us with its richness. The little museum next door is really worth the detour - especially the ancient coin collection that fascinated our son.

Rabat: the catacombs that moved us

Just next door, St. Paul's Catacombs in Rabat. Now that's atmosphere guaranteed! Going down into these 3rd-century underground galleries... guaranteed goosebumps. Our teens found it "creepy but cool". The local guide told us stories that gave us chills.

Dingli Cliffs: our beautiful finale

For our last afternoon, heading to Dingli Cliffs. 250 meters above the sea, infinite view over the Mediterranean... The perfect spot for our last Maltese sunset! We picnicked up there with a view of Filfla islet.

Practical tip: bring warm clothes, the wind can be strong even in summer!

Last dinner: emotions guaranteed

Our last dinner at De Mondion in Mdina. Yes, it's expensive (€200 for 4) but the view from the terrace over the entire illuminated island... it was worth every euro! And our kids said "thanks for this amazing trip" - that's when we knew we'd nailed our vacation.

Our practical parent tips

Real budget (family of 4, 3 days):

• Flight: £640 (4 x £160)
• Accommodation: £210 (£70/night, Airbnb Sliema)
• Car: £80 (2 days)
• Ferries/transport: £55
• Restaurants: £400
• Visits/activities: £110
• Shopping/snacks: £70 Total: £1565 for 4 people, or £391 per person

What we'd do the same again:

• Airbnb in Sliema (perfect for families)
• Car rental for Gozo (essential!)
• Restaurant reservations in advance
• Traveling off-season (October, perfect!)

What we'd change:

• Book the Co-Cathedral online beforehand (avoid the queue)
• Plan more time in Gozo (one night there?)
• Bring hiking shoes for the cliffs
• Buy the Malta Pass (savings on sites)

Our essential apps:

• Tallinja (Maltese buses in real-time)
• Malta Beaches (all beaches with ratings and photos)
• What3Words (to find your car in Mdina!)

Our family verdict

Three days is short but enough to fall in love with Malta! The kids still talk about this trip 6 months later. The island is perfect for families: small (no long journeys), safe, full of history, and the Maltese love children.

Our final advice: Malta is like a giant Proust's madeleine. Every street corner tells a story, every sunset is different, and every local encounter enriches the journey. We're going back next year, for sure!

So when are you booking your tickets? 😉

This article reflects our personal experience in October 2024. Prices and schedules may have changed. Don't hesitate to check official websites before your trip!