Where to Stay in Malta: Best Areas and Hotels

Malta is small, so you are never far from anything, but where you stay still shapes your trip. This guide compares the six best areas, who each one suits and what to watch out for.

Best Areas to Stay in Malta at a Glance

Area	Best for	Feel	Getting around
Sliema	First visit, shopping	Busy seafront	Ferry to Valletta, buses, boat trips
St Julian’s	Nightlife	Lively, late nights	Buses, walk to Sliema
Valletta	History, couples	Historic, calm at night	Main bus hub, ferries
St Paul’s Bay	Budget, families	Resort town	Buses, boat trips
Mellieħa	Beaches	Village, relaxed	Near Gozo and Comino ferries
Gozo	Peace and quiet	Rural, slow	Ferry to Malta, car useful

Staying in Sliema

Sliema is the most popular base for a first trip. A long promenade runs along the sea, with shops, cafés and restaurants behind it, and a short ferry ride takes you across the harbour to Valletta. Many harbour cruises and Comino boat trips leave from the Sliema seafront.

• Good for: first-time visitors, shopping, getting around without a car.
• Watch out for: swimming is mostly off rocky lidos rather than sandy beaches.

Staying in St Julian’s

Next door to Sliema, St Julian’s wraps around pretty Spinola Bay and includes Paceville, Malta’s main nightlife district. Many of the island’s larger hotels are here.

• Good for: nightlife, restaurants, big hotels with pools.
• Watch out for: rooms near Paceville can be noisy late at night.

Staying in Valletta

Staying inside the capital’s walls means waking up next to its sights. Many hotels are boutique stays in restored historic buildings. Valletta is the main bus hub, and ferries go to Sliema, the Three Cities and Gozo.

• Good for: history, couples, short city breaks.
• Watch out for: it is quieter in the evenings than Sliema or St Julian’s, and some streets are steep.

Staying in St Paul’s Bay, Buġibba and Qawra

The resort towns of St Paul’s Bay, Buġibba and Qawra in the north have lots of mid-range hotels and apartments, often at lower prices than Sliema. Boat trips to Comino leave from Buġibba.

• Good for: budget stays, families, package holidays.
• Watch out for: it is further from Valletta, so expect longer bus rides.

Staying in Mellieħa

A hillside village above Mellieħa Bay, Malta’s largest sandy beach. It is close to the Ċirkewwa ferry terminal, which makes it a handy base for Gozo and Comino.

• Good for: beaches, families, day trips to Gozo and Comino.
• Watch out for: it is far from Valletta and the nightlife.

Staying in Gozo

Gozo is greener and much quieter than Malta. Stay in Victoria for the Citadel, or in the seaside villages of Xlendi and Marsalforn. Converted farmhouses with private pools are a Gozo speciality. The ferry from Mġarr to Ċirkewwa takes about 25 minutes.

• Good for: peace and quiet, couples, longer stays.
• Watch out for: a car makes life much easier, and you need the ferry for Malta’s sights.

Best Area to Stay in Malta for First Timers

Sliema, or Valletta if you prefer history over the seafront. Both put you close to the main sights and to the ferries, so you can do a lot without a car. If nightlife is part of the plan, choose St Julian’s instead.

Best Area to Stay in Malta for Couples

Valletta for a city break in a boutique hotel, or Gozo for a slower trip in a farmhouse with a pool.

Malta All-Inclusive Hotels

All-inclusive options are mostly found in the larger resort hotels. If you want flights and hotel together, compare all-inclusive holidays to Malta.

Where to Stay in Malta FAQ

Is it better to stay in Sliema or St Julian’s?

Sliema if you want easy ferries to Valletta and a calmer seafront. St Julian’s if you want nightlife on your doorstep. They are next to each other, so you can walk between them.

Where should I stay in Malta without a car?

Valletta or Sliema. Valletta is the main bus hub, and ferries link Sliema, Valletta and the Three Cities.

Is it worth staying on Gozo?

Yes, if you want a quieter trip. For a first visit, many people stay on Malta and visit Gozo as a day trip.

Planning the rest of your trip? See the best things to do in Malta and Malta weather by month.

Keep Planning

Sources: Ferries to Gozo (Big World Small Pockets) · Ferrygogo: ferries to Comino