Malta stole my heart the first time I visited, but let me be honest with you—it nearly broke my spirit too. This tiny Mediterranean gem packs more surprises per square kilometer than anywhere I’ve been, and not all of them are pleasant if you’re caught unprepared.
You’ll find yourself falling for honey-colored limestone buildings one minute, then cursing the midday sun the next. The locals are warm and welcoming, but Malta has its quirks that can turn your dream vacation into a sweaty, confused mess if you don’t know what’s coming.
Here’s what I wish someone had told me before I landed at Luqa Airport, wallet full of euros and head full of unrealistic expectations.
Things to Avoid in Malta
Your trip can be absolutely magical if you sidestep a few common mistakes. Let me walk you through the pitfalls that catch most first-time visitors off guard.
1. Underestimating the Mediterranean Sun
That breeze coming off the sea? It’s a liar. You feel cool, even comfortable, as you wander through Mdina’s ancient streets or lounge on a beach in Mellieha. Meanwhile, your skin is getting absolutely roasted.
Malta sits at the same latitude as Tunisia. Let that sink in for a moment. This isn’t your typical European summer—the UV index here regularly hits extreme levels from May through September. I watched a British couple turn lobster-red within two hours at Golden Bay because they thought the wind meant they were safe.
Pack high-SPF sunscreen before you leave home. The stuff at Maltese pharmacies costs nearly double what you’d pay elsewhere, though it’s admittedly very good quality. Apply it liberally, reapply every two hours, and don’t skip your ears, feet, or the back of your neck. These are the spots that’ll make you miserable later.
Hydration matters just as much. You’re walking everywhere in Malta—up hills, down narrow stairs, across vast temple complexes—and you’re sweating more than you realize. Carry a refillable water bottle always. Tap water is safe to drink, though most locals prefer bottled water because it tastes better. You’ll find water fountains in some public spaces, but don’t count on them.
The sun peaks between noon and 3 PM. Schedule your indoor activities during these hours. Visit museums, duck into churches, and have a long lunch. Your skin will thank you, and honestly, you’ll enjoy Malta more when you’re not battling heatstroke.
2. Renting a Car Without Knowing What You’re Getting Into
Your international driving confidence means nothing on Maltese roads. These streets were designed for donkey carts, not modern vehicles. We’re talking passages so narrow that your side mirrors fold in automatically, one-way systems that make no logical sense, and parking situations that would make a Formula 1 driver sweat.
Valletta’s streets measure about 1.5 meters wide in places. You’ll be expected to navigate these while buses barrel toward you from the opposite direction. Maltese drivers have years of practice threading this needle. You don’t.
Here’s what actually happens when tourists rent cars in Malta: they spend half their vacation stressed about scratching the rental, the other half lost in some residential area in Birkirkara trying to find their way back to the hotel. Insurance excess fees can run €1,000 or more if you damage the vehicle, and those narrow village streets make damage almost inevitable.
Public buses cover the entire island for €2 per journey in summer, €1.50 in winter. You can buy a week pass for €21 that includes unlimited rides plus a ferry trip to Gozo. The buses run frequently between major tourist spots. Yes, they’re sometimes late. Yes, they can be crowded. But you’re on vacation—the extra twenty minutes won’t kill you, and the money you save is enormous.
If you absolutely must drive, rent the smallest car available. Think Fiat 500, not SUV. Book directly with local companies rather than international chains—they’re more understanding about the inevitable minor scratches. And seriously consider limiting car rental to your Gozo days, where roads are slightly more forgiving.
3. Spending Your Entire Trip in Valletta
Valletta is stunning. Those Baroque buildings, those views across the harbor, those fortifications—I get it. But Malta is barely 316 square kilometers, and you’re missing so much if you plant yourself in the capital.
The fishing village of Marsaxlokk comes alive on Sunday mornings with a market that smells like sea salt and fresh bread. Fishermen moor their traditional luzzu boats—painted bright blue, yellow, and red with protective eyes on the bow—right along the waterfront. You can eat fish so fresh it was swimming that morning, served at waterside restaurants where prices are half what you’d pay in Valletta.
Head south to the Blue Grotto before 10 AM, before the tour groups arrive. The limestone caves glow electric blue when morning light hits the water just right. Further west, the Dingli Cliffs offer views that stretch to the horizon—on clear days you can see Sicily. There’s a small chapel perched on the cliff edge where I once watched the sun set while eating ħobż biż-żejt (Maltese bread with olive oil, tomatoes, and tuna) from a nearby café.
The Three Cities—Vittoriosa, Senglea, and Cospicua—sit across the harbor from Valletta but feel like different centuries. These areas see fewer tourists despite being equally historic. You can walk their quiet streets, peek into churches that date back to the Knights of St. John, and actually hear yourself think.
Mdina deserves an evening visit. This silent city, as locals call it, becomes almost mystical after dark when day-trippers leave. The medieval streets echo with your footsteps, and the views from the bastions show you Malta twinkling below.
4. Eating Where the Tour Groups Eat
That restaurant on Republic Street in Valletta with photos of pasta dishes in the window? The one where staff practically drag you inside? Yeah, skip it. The rabbit stew costs €24, tastes like it came from a jar, and you’ll regret every bite.
Maltese people don’t eat in tourist zones. They head to family-run spots in residential areas where menus are sometimes handwritten and nobody speaks perfect English. These places serve massive portions of braġioli (beef olives), stuffat tal-fenek (rabbit stew), and timpana (baked pasta in pastry) for less than half the tourist-trap prices.
Ask your Airbnb host where they eat. Or watch where locals congregate on Saturday nights. In Birkirkara, there’s a restaurant called Ta’ Marija that serves traditional Maltese food in a dining room that looks like someone’s grandmother’s house. Because it basically is. The owners have been cooking the same recipes for forty years.
Pastizzi stands are your friend. These flaky pastries filled with ricotta or mushy peas cost 40 cents each. They’re sold from hole-in-the-wall shops, often with just a window facing the street. Crystal Palace in Rabat has been making them since the 1960s. Eat three or four for breakfast and you’re set until lunch.
Street food doesn’t mean low quality here. Ħobż biż-żejt from a proper bakery—crusty bread rubbed with tomatoes, topped with capers, olives, and tuna—makes a better lunch than anything you’ll find at tourist restaurants. And it costs maybe €3.
Check if restaurants display prices outside. If they don’t, or if they push a “special tourist menu,” keep walking. Good Maltese restaurants are proud of their prices because they’re reasonable.
5. Ignoring Siesta Culture
Malta shuts down in the afternoon. I mean really shuts down. That shop you wanted to visit? Closed from 1 PM to 4 PM. That government office? Not even bothering to answer phones. It took me three days to figure out why I kept arriving at places that were locked up tight.
This isn’t laziness—it’s survival. When temperatures hit 35°C in the shade, smart people retreat indoors. Shops reopen around 4 PM and stay open until 7 PM or later, especially in summer. Restaurants typically stay open, but many bakeries and small businesses follow traditional hours.
Plan your shopping and administrative tasks for the morning or late afternoon. Need stamps? Get to the post office before noon. Want to browse that bookshop in Sliema? Go at 10 AM, not 2 PM. Your afternoon is for beaches, museums with air conditioning, or following the local example and taking a nap.
Sundays are even quieter. Many shops don’t open at all, though tourist areas maintain some services. Supermarkets might close at 1 PM. If you need supplies, stock up on Saturday. Otherwise, you’re stuck with expensive hotel minibar snacks or hunting for one of the few 24-hour convenience stores.
Banking hours are particularly brutal. Most close by early afternoon on weekdays and don’t open on weekends. If you need to exchange money or deal with a banking issue, get there by 11 AM to avoid the pre-lunch rush.
This rhythm forces you to slow down. Fight it at first, embrace it by day three, and you’ll find yourself actually relaxing on vacation instead of rushing around in the heat.
6. Making the Blue Lagoon Your Only Swimming Spot
Yes, the Blue Lagoon near Comino is gorgeous. That aquamarine water is real, not photoshopped. But here’s what Instagram doesn’t show you: between June and September, you’re sharing that small bay with roughly 3,000 other people daily.
The boat from Cirkewwa deposits hundreds of tourists every hour. By 11 AM, you can barely see the sand through the crowd. Finding a spot to lay your towel becomes a competitive sport. The water itself turns into a human soup where you’re constantly bumping into strangers. Boats anchor so densely that you’re swimming around their propellers.
Malta has 196 kilometers of coastline. You have options. Golden Bay and Għajn Tuffieħa on the northwest coast offer proper sandy beaches with far fewer people. The water is just as clear, the sun just as warm. You can actually spread out your towel without touching your neighbor’s.
Rocky swimming spots are everywhere and often spectacular. Peter’s Pool near Marsaxlokk is a natural pool carved into flat rock where locals jump from various heights into deep turquoise water. Bring shoes with good grip—those rocks get slippery—and maybe a floatie if you’re not a confident swimmer.
Għar Lapsi, south of Dingli Cliffs, is a tiny inlet where fishing boats bob and locals bring their families on weekends. There’s no sand, just smooth rocks for sunbathing and steps down into water so clear you can watch fish darting around your feet.
If you must see the Blue Lagoon, go in May or October. Or arrive on the first boat at 9 AM, swim for an hour, and leave before the crowds descend. Better yet, kayak there from Comino Island—the journey itself becomes part of the adventure, and you’ll find isolated coves along the way.
7. Assuming Everywhere Takes Cards
Malta might be in the EU, but cash still rules outside tourist centers. That family restaurant in Żurrieq where you just ate an amazing meal? Cash only. The bus driver who needs exact change? Cash only. The guy renting umbrellas at the beach? You get the idea.
ATMs exist all over Malta, but they charge fees. Your bank back home probably charges additional fees for international withdrawals. You can easily spend €5 just to access your own money. Get cash out in larger amounts to minimize these charges, but be smart about where you carry it.
Many smaller shops, traditional bakeries, and market vendors don’t accept cards at all. Even places that theoretically take cards often have “broken” card machines or minimum purchase amounts. I once stood in a pharmacy for ten minutes while they tried to get their card reader working, eventually giving up and directing me to an ATM three blocks away.
Churches that charge admission fees? Cash. Public toilets in some locations? Cash. Parking meters in certain areas? Coins only. That lovely lady selling vegetables at the Marsaxlokk market isn’t exactly set up to swipe your Visa.
Keep €50-100 in cash on you at all times. Break larger bills at supermarkets or chain stores—they can handle €50 notes without problems. Restaurants and taxis often struggle with anything larger. Small denominations (€5, €10, €20) and coins make life easier for everyone.
Larger hotels, major restaurants in Valletta and St. Julian’s, and chain stores all take cards without issue. But the best experiences in Malta often happen in places that haven’t updated their payment systems since 2005.
8. Dressing Inappropriately for Religious Sites
Malta is deeply Catholic. Over 90% of the population identifies as Catholic, and churches aren’t just tourist attractions—they’re active places of worship. Walking into St. John’s Co-Cathedral in a tank top and shorts shows a level of disrespect that will get you turned away at the door.
The rules are simple: cover your shoulders and knees. No visible midriffs. No beachwear, no matter how far you’ve walked in the heat to get there. Churches provide shawls at entrances if you’re caught unprepared, but these are usually sad, sweaty pieces of fabric that previous tourists have used. You don’t want to wrap yourself in that.
Carry a light scarf or wrap in your day bag. Problem solved. You throw it over your shoulders or around your waist, see the incredible Caravaggio paintings in the cathedral, then remove it when you leave. Takes five seconds, costs nothing, and shows basic respect.
This applies to smaller churches too, not just major tourist sites. That little chapel you stumbled upon in a village where an old woman is praying? Same rules. Religious festivals and processions? Definitely same rules. Malta takes its faith seriously, and visitors who ignore this come across as entitled and ignorant.
Men should wear shirts inside churches, not just muscle tanks. Hats come off. Photos are usually allowed but check for signs, and never use flash. Some churches charge small admission fees (€3-10) because they’re maintaining priceless artwork and these places need funding.
The dress code extends to some restaurants in nicer areas. A few upscale spots in Valletta won’t seat you if you’re in beachwear and flip-flops. It’s not about being snobby—it’s about maintaining standards. Pack one outfit that could work for a nice dinner, just in case.
9. Booking Accommodation Based Only on Price
That €40 per night Airbnb in Buġibba looks amazing until you realize Buġibba is essentially British package tourism central—karaoke bars, full English breakfasts, and loud hen parties until 3 AM. Your peaceful Mediterranean getaway just became a budget version of Ibiza.
Location determines your entire Malta experience. Stay in Sliema and you’re walking distance to waterfront promenades, ferries to Valletta, and decent restaurants. Choose St. Julian’s if you want nightlife and don’t mind noise. Pick Mdina or Rabat for quiet authenticity. Each area has completely different vibes.
Check Google Maps for your accommodation’s actual location, not just the pretty photos. Is it near a bus stop? How far to a supermarket? Can you reach beaches or restaurants without a car? That cheap place in some random residential street might save money but cost you hours in transportation and frustration.
Read recent reviews obsessively. Malta has issues with water pressure in older buildings. Some areas suffer from noise—church bells, construction, bars nearby. Air conditioning is essential in summer, but some older properties don’t have it or charge extra to use it. You want to know these things before you arrive exhausted and discover you’re sleeping in a hot box next to a construction site.
Gozo requires different planning. If you’re staying there, factor in ferry schedules and travel time. That boutique hotel in Victoria might be charming, but you’ll spend time getting to Gozo’s beaches. Conversely, staying in Xlendi or Marsalforn puts you near water but far from shops and restaurants.
Budget €70-120 per night for decent accommodation in good locations. Yes, you can find cheaper. But those extra euros buy you quiet nights, working air conditioning, helpful hosts who answer questions, and locations that don’t require 45-minute bus rides to see anything interesting.
10. Relying Only on Taxis
Taxis in Malta are white and metered. Many drivers “forget” to turn on the meter and quote inflated prices to tourists. Airport to Valletta should cost around €20-25. Some drivers will try to charge €40-50 if you don’t know better.
Uber and Bolt both operate in Malta now, which helps keep taxi prices more honest. But even ride-sharing apps can be pricey for frequent trips. €15 here, €20 there—it adds up fast when you’re moving around the island daily.
Those buses I mentioned earlier? They’re genuinely good. Yes, they’re sometimes crowded. Yes, they don’t always run exactly on schedule. But the network covers everywhere tourists want to go. Malta is small enough that bus journeys rarely exceed 45 minutes, even from one end of the island to another.
Download the Tallinja app before you arrive. It shows real-time bus locations, schedules, and routes. You can plan journeys and see exactly which bus to catch. The app also lets you buy digital tickets, though many visitors find the physical weekly pass easier.
Walking works for more than you’d think. Valletta to Sliema? Twenty-minute waterfront stroll. Sliema to St. Julian’s? Another twenty minutes along the coast. You’re on vacation—the extra walking gives you time to see things, plus you burn off all that pastizzi and gelato.
Ferry services connect Valletta to Sliema (€1.50, runs every 30 minutes) and Valletta to the Three Cities (€2.80 return). These save time compared to buses around the harbor and offer beautiful views. The Gozo ferry from Cirkewwa is €5 return and an experience in itself—huge car ferries that cross the channel in 25 minutes.
For airport transfers, book online in advance. Several companies offer fixed-price services. You’ll pay €18-25, depending on the destination, knowing exactly the cost upfront. Or take bus X4 from the airport to various points around Malta for €2. It runs frequently, and most hotels are near its route.
Wrapping Up
Malta will surprise you in ways you can’t predict. The heat hits harder than you expect. The history runs deeper than guidebooks suggest. The food tastes better when you find the right places.
These ten pitfalls catch almost everyone, but now you’re prepared. You’ll stay hydrated in that relentless sun, explore beyond the obvious tourist spots, and actually talk to locals in family restaurants. Your photos will show beaches without crowds, and your wallet will thank you for those bus passes.
Malta rewards travelers who come ready to adapt, respect local customs, and venture beyond what Instagram shows you. Do that, and this tiny island will exceed every expectation you brought with you.
