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We recently returned from visiting Malta for a week during Abby and Jake’s spring break 2025. And, I was surprised how many people have never heard of Malta! Malta is an island nation that is both exotic and familiar. It’s a unique, fun, and affordable place to visit, making it a wonderful warm-weather vacation destination for families. During our trip, we took several Malta tours.
So, I thought it might be helpful to go over some of the more popular tours we took, some that we wish we had time to take, and other tours in Malta that we would love to take on a future trip!
Malta Tours Overview
Malta is renowned for gorgeous deep blue water holes surrounded by rugged coastal cliffs. As an island chain, there’s no shortage of boat outings and hidden beaches to explore. The Malta islands are steeped in culture, with prehistoric temples and medieval cities dotting the rocky landscape.
The beautiful Malta landscape is bathed in sun most of the year. Likewise, many places offer stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea, along with fantastic sunrises and sunsets.
Why We Use Get Your Guide Tours
We love taking Get Your Guide tours and have had great experiences all over the world. These tours are usually our family’s favorite part of any vacation. It’s always fun to get the kids’ input on which tours they find most interesting, which is how we ended up feeding monkeys by hand in the middle of the Panama Canal last year!
Taking a guided tour eliminates the stress of planning your own outing. Additionally, the expert guides provide commentary and helpful information to make the experience come alive. Guided tours are great educational excursions that combine learning with adventure.
The Get Your Guide app is super easy to use while on vacation, and we use it on every single trip, even just to buy entry tickets to places. Also, many of the Get Your Guide tours, including most Malta tours, have flexible cancellation and change policies.
Malta Tours
Below are some popular and highly rated tours from Get Your Guide. Each of these tours is rated at least 4 out of 5 stars and has positive comments. Be sure to read the tour description closely, as each Malta tour is different and has unique meeting points, amenities, and restrictions. Malta tours are great ways to explore the islands and learn more about what makes Malta special.
Of course, we will share more first-hand information about the places we visited, along with photos that I took on our trip to Malta!
Malta Boat Tours
Boat tours from and to Malta are abundant. Many of them will take you from Malta to the islands of Comino and Gozo. These tours are a great way to see each island and unique places like the iconic Blue Lagoon.
We took one of these Malta boat tours and wrote a post about it here: Our Malta Boat Tour. There are several great sunset cruises and catamaran cruises, and there are also opportunities to rent sea kayaks.
It is important to note where the boat tours leave from and pick one nearest to you. We stayed at the Hyatt Centric St. Julian, so we chose a tour that departed from a smaller town north of us rather than trying to get into the heart of Valletta.
From Sliema: Comino, Crystal Lagoon, and Blue Lagoon Cruise
Gozo & Comino Islands, Blue Lagoon & Seacaves Tour
Sunset Cruise to the Blue Lagoon
Ultimate Kayak Adventure in Malta
Malta City Tours
Some Malta tours involve exploring the urban areas in and around Valletta, Sliema, and St. Julian’s (the three densest populated areas on Malta). There are numerous tour options in the city, such as food tasting, walking tours, and even nightclub tours.
These Malta tours are a great way to get some exercise, see the city’s layout and architecture, and experience its restaurants, bars, and hidden gems. We regret not taking an actual walking tour of Valletta! There is just so much to see, and while we used our phones to try and identify landmarks and learn about them, it would have been much easier with a guide!
Guided City Walking Tour Of Valetta
Valletta Street Food and Culture Walking Tour
Malta and Gozo Island Tours + Exploration
There is so much more to Malta than the big cities and boat tours. On our five-day trip to Malta, we explored several other areas and really enjoyed getting out of the busy city.
Several wonderful Malta tours take you outside the urban areas to explore the smaller cities and more rural areas. These tours lead you to places like the Medieval fortress city of Mdina (“The Silent City”), beautiful coastal beaches, landmarks, and less-traveled paths around the island. We particularly loved spending a half-day in Mdina. And, it’s a must on any Malta itinerary!
On the island of Gozo, you can explore the massive Citadel in Victoria, see Gozo’s natural beauty, and experience its rugged solitude. There are also highly-rated buggy tours, where your group can drive four-wheelers to find the less-traveled highways and byways across Malta or Gozo’s countryside. These are perfect for small groups, couples, or solo travelers. We almost did a quad bike outing. However, we had a couple (very rare) wet days during our trip in late March, so we couldn’t fit it in.
Highlights of Malta & Mdina Full Day Tour with Lunch
Full-Day Gozo Quad Tour with Lunch and Boat Ride
Full-Day Gozo Jeep Tour with Lunch and Boat Ride
Malta Archeology Tours
The Maltese Islands are filled with some of the most important archaeological sites in the world. These sites date back to the earliest civilizations and are built with massive stones, making them the earliest megalithic structures in the world!
On the main island of Malta, you can find caves inhabited in prehistory, the Hagar Qim and Mnajdra Archaeological Park, and other fascinating places. On Gozo, there is the world-renowned ancient megalithic temple of Ggantija. In Valletta, you can delve into the amazing Hal Saflieni Hypogeum.
We visited Hagar Qim and Mnajdra, and you can read my post here: Visiting Hagar Qim + Mnajdra With Kids. It was incredible to know that we were standing somewhere so rich in history. Plus, the views of the sea from this historical site are wonderful!
From Malta: Gozo Day Trip Including Ggantija Temples
Prehistoric Temples of Malta Tour
Malta: Prehistoric Temples and Highlights of the South
Other Malta Things To Do
Several other unique Malta experiences take you to fascinating places and out-of-the-way wonders. These aren’t guided tours, but these pages allow you to purchase entry tickets.
Visit Popeye Village, a kid-focused theme park located at the set location of the original Popeye movie from 1980. Or check out the Malta National Aquarium to escape the heat and see amazing marine life.
Popeye Village Malta Filmset Entry Ticket
St Paul’s Bay: Malta National Aquarium Entry Ticket
Tips For Going On Malta Tours
I wanted to share some practical and helpful tips based on my experience taking guided tours in the past. Some of these go without saying, but when you are traveling, especially with kids, it’s easy to forget something. So, our tips will hopefully keep things fresh in your mind for your trip to Malta!
#1 Bring Cash For Tips
Be sure to bring some cash to tip your tour guide if you had a good experience. Malta is in the European Union, so it uses the Euro. They will accept Dollars, but having local currency is always the more considerate thing to do. Most tours won’t be set up to process tips via credit card.
There’s no clear consensus on how much to tip, and it’s not required in Europe as it is in the US. But if we had a great experience, I usually give up to 10% of the total tour price as a tip, especially if they have a tip jar out at the end of the trip.
#2 Consider Taking An Uber Or Bolt To The Meeting Point
In Malta, people drive on the opposite side of the road from the US, and traffic can be heavy. We decided to use Uber rather than rent our own car. Download the Uber and Bolt apps, as Bolt is also very popular in Malta. Most rides are fairly cheap (around $10) if you are traveling around the urban areas. Traffic can be heavy, especially during rush hour, so be sure to factor in enough time before the tour starts.
You can read about our decision not to rent a car in Malta in another blog post!
#3 Dress Appropriately For Malta Tours
Malta is very sunny and hot, with an average of 300 days of sunshine per year. Be sure to bring sunscreen and dress for the weather. I also recommend bringing a small backpack with water and snacks, as some excursions are lengthy and may not have immediate access to water. Most Malta boat tours have cafes on board, so you can purchase items there.
That said, on the day of our boat tour, it rained heavily, and the water was choppy. We wish we had brought a jacket and dry clothes.
We also always make sure to have at least one full portable charger with us when we head out on day trips. The last thing I want is a dead phone when I need to request an Uber back to the hotel!
SHOP: I love these portable chargers that have built-in cables and multiple full charges in them.
#4 Read The Tour Description Carefully
Always read the tour description carefully. Pay special attention to the meeting point and have an idea of how you will get there and back home. Some Malta tours offer hotel pick-up and drop-off. Many Malta boat tours leave from St. Paul’s Bay, so be sure to add in extra time to catch an Uber and get there.
Read the tour’s details, amenities, duration, and any special instructions. On boat tours, especially, read about the shore excursions and time available to explore on your own during stops. Many of these tours will also have a recommended list of things to bring with you!
We Loved Taking A Few Of These Malta Tours
I loved visiting Malta with my family. We all had a great time sailing the blue waters, exploring the beautiful countryside, and immersing ourselves in the local atmosphere.
Malta has three UNESCO World Heritage sites: the City of Valetta, the Megalithic Temples of Malta, and the Hal Safllieni Hypogeum. They are all worth visiting and deserve a place on your Malta itinerary!
Rich in history, Malta is a mix of many cultures, including Arab, Italian, British, and others. It’s a place with a fascinating, complex history and people who have been infused with influences from many countries and eras.
I highly recommend taking some of these Malta tours to learn and appreciate all the special stories, cultures, and personalities that have shaped Malta’s unique past. Most guides are knowledgeable and love to share more about Malta with you!
Other European Travel Inspiration
What makes Malta so special is that it’s an easy flight from many European countries. For our trip, we started with a few days in Paris, France, and then hopped on a quick flight to Malta for the rest of our family vacation.
Because no US destinations fly direct to Malta, I assume you will be exploring other parts of Europe on this trip. And you are in luck because I love traveling all around Europe! Whether you are visiting Italy, France, England, or other European countries, I have more first-hand travel guides for you, including how to plan a trip to Europe.
You can always browse the Europe Travel section on my blog, and here are some popular travel blog posts that you may enjoy reading!
- Europe Travel Tips
- Rome Colosseum Tours
- Visiting Camogli, Italy
- Flight Deals To Europe
- Sitges, Spain Boat Tour
- 4-Day Paris Itinerary
- Ancient Roman Baths
- Amsterdam Canal Tours
- Tips For Visiting The Vatican
- Five Towns Of Cinque Terre
- Munich Third Reich Tour
PIN: Top Malta Tours For Later
