Malta from the UK

Best time to visit

Monthly breakdown for the UK travellers planning a Malta trip.

Best value

Apr · May · Jun · Sep · Oct

Peak season

Jul · Aug — Hotter, busier and more expensive

Getting there

Flight time

~3–3.5 h

Why Malta?

Malta has been a fixture on the British holiday map for decades, and the connection runs deeper than sunshine: English is one of the country's two official languages, road signs and menus need no translating, and cars keep to the left, just as they do back home.

The islands spent over 150 years as a British colony and naval base before independence in 1964, and that history shows up everywhere, from red phone boxes and post boxes still standing in Valletta to a legal system with British roots and a genuine fondness for tea. Add EU and Schengen membership, the euro, and a well-worn package-holiday infrastructure built around UK arrivals, and Malta feels unusually easy to navigate for a first-time visitor.

The appeal beyond the familiarity is straightforward: over 7,000 years of history packed into an archipelago you can cross by car in under an hour, a mild climate with some of the warmest winters in the Mediterranean, and direct flights from six UK airports putting the capital within roughly three hours of London.

Where to stay

• Valletta — Malta's compact, UNESCO-listed capital, built by the Knights of St John and dense with Baroque churches, palazzos and fortifications within a single walkable grid.
• Sliema — A modern seafront town across the harbour from Valletta, with a long promenade, shopping streets and ferries that make it a popular base for visitors who want restaurants and nightlife on the doorstep.
• Victoria — Gozo's hilltop main town, built around the Cittadella fortress, offering a slower pace and rural views in contrast to the busier main island.
• Marsaxlokk — A traditional fishing village on the south-east coast, known for its harbour of brightly painted luzzu boats and a Sunday fish market that draws visitors and locals alike.
• Birkirkara — Malta's largest town by population, a central and largely residential hub that gives a more local, everyday view of the island away from the coastal resorts.

Direct flights from London, Manchester, Birmingham or Edinburgh typically run from around £40–£120 return depending on season and how far ahead you book, with prices climbing sharply in July and August. A mid-range hotel double room costs roughly £60–£120 a night in Sliema or St Julian's, less in Valletta or Gozo outside peak weeks. Eating out is generally cheaper than the UK: a sit-down meal with a drink runs about €15–€25 per person, and a pint or house wine is typically €3–€5. Buses cover the whole island cheaply, and a ferry to Gozo costs a few euros each way, so a week's spending money beyond flights and hotel often comes in lower than a comparable trip to Spain or Portugal.

Plan your trip

• Malta travel guide
• Events in Malta

Package holidays vs booking independently

Compare packages from the UK-based operators against building your own trip.

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