The many faces of Malta: 9 tips for a great holiday with your child

From idyllic bays to picturesque towns, special nature, fun parks and museums. Malta may be small – the distance between the two furthest points on the island is only 17 miles – but it has it all. Malou has been looking forward to our outing for weeks. Not only because the two of us are going and the other half of our family stays at home, but also because she is finally getting on a plane. She sits at the window with a big grin.

many faces

We are quite an active family, we prefer to spend our holidays in the mountains for hiking and cycling, of course interspersed with a little lambing at the pool. When Malou and I take a taxi from the airport to our hotel on the coast, it immediately becomes clear that we are going to enjoy a different holiday here. There are no cyclists anywhere, traffic is busy and construction is taking place in many places.

“Malta has many faces, after every bend the view changes.”

With open mouths we view the area from the taxi. It turns out: Malta has many faces, after every bend the view changes. From busy roads with tall buildings to almost remote areas with huge cacti along the road and here and there a small, flat white house between the fields, to our favourite: the sea that suddenly looms up. Malta has 136 kilometers of coastline; that horizon never bores.

Fitness along the boulevard

We stay in the town of Qawra, in St. Paul’s Bay. That is the north side of the island and this part is also in full development, there are many hotels and apartments under construction. It is beautiful to walk along the wide boulevard towards the northwest. There are many nice restaurants and ice cream parlors.

Nice: here and there are fitness machines on the boulevard, for those who feel like some exercise. Malou and I skip that and go to the National Aquarium. Here it is like walking under water; the fish swim past you and over you. Meanwhile you hear water sloshing and in the distance a ship’s horn sounds. The marine life is beautifully displayed, next to each aquarium you can scan a QR code for more information. While I learn all kinds of things, Malou runs like a madman through all the windows, looking for the sharks. We can easily entertain ourselves for an hour.

When we have seen everything, night has fallen and we are hungry. Restaurant La Nave Bistro is located in the same building. Extensive menu, good food and good service.

Highlights

During our mini-vacation we spontaneously decide to go to the interactive museum Esplora. What a cool discovery, it looks a bit like Nemo in Amsterdam. Malou entertains endlessly with all kinds of experiments and experiments. It doesn’t matter to her that the directions are in English and Maltese; much just speaks for itself. While Esplora is aimed at children, it is just as much fun for parents. Also nice: entrance for children is four euros, for adults six.

The highlight of our vacation is Mellieha Bay. Here the beach is clear, the sea slopes gently and there are beds for rent. If it is up to Malou, we will spend the rest of our vacation in Popeye Village, which is located on the west side of this bay. This film set (from 1980!) has been converted into a small fun park: it is a picturesque, colorful village built against a mountain, where Popeye, Olijfje and Bluto give short tours. There is a small beach with lovely lounge beds. Malou runs into the crystal clear water in her bikini, I watch with a cappuccino.

“You can see Arabic, British and Italian influences in Mdina.”

It’s tempting to lie down here for the next few days, but Malta has more to offer. So after a relaxed morning in the sun we move to Mdina, the former capital that is located in the middle of the island. In this walled city you can see Arab, British and Italian influences. We leisurely walk past palaces and squares, the church and the monastery. With an ice cream from Fior di Latte in hand we walk towards the city wall. Because Mdina is built on a hill, you have a great view over the island from here.

Read also
In a camper from Scandinavia to the Mediterranean with these great holiday tips >

Laid back

The current capital of Malta is Valletta, which is located on a peninsula. Before we dive into the inner city, we walk through the Upper Barrakka Gardens: a small public garden with a beautiful view over the harbors. We walk into the city via the stately office of the Prime Minister, the small steep streets offer views to the sea everywhere. The atmosphere is relaxed and Mediterranean. There are shops, terraces and squares everywhere.

We order the local drink Kinnie (nice and fresh and bitter) and a savory cheesecake (you can skip it in our opinion) on the terrace of Caffe Cordina and then continue to St. John’s Co-Cathedral. It is impressive: from the tombs of the knights in the floor to the immense painting on the ceiling, the eight chapels, mainly gilded with gold, to the painting by Caravaggio. We thought that was a must-see.

“In the capital Valletta there are shops, terraces and squares everywhere.”

On our last evening in Malta we end up at Nine Lives, a nice beach bar. With a huge mocktail in hand and our feet in the sand, we look back on our days here. As the sun slowly sinks into the sea, we decide that a tradition has been born. Mother daughter days are a hit. Just like Malta; we haven’t seen everything here yet and are already making plans for when we go together again.

To do

Presidential
In the President’s Kitchen Garden you can sit on the terrace with a drink while your child is having fun in the playground or vegetable garden, the sports field or the petting zoo. The cafe’s profits go to a presidential charity.
St. Antony Street, Attard

harbor idyll
Watching boats in Birgu, also called Vittoriosa. At the harbor are a number of nice terraces next to each other. The beautiful yachts in bright blue water against the background of a medieval city, beautiful!

Fun with Popeye
Don’t forget your swimming gear when you go to Popeye Village. This fun park is located in a beautiful bay with a fine beach and wonderful lounge beds.
popeyemalta.com

To sleep

Private beach
Dolmen Resort is a huge complex that lies between two seaside resorts. It has its own beach (which is exceptional in Malta) and also a number of swimming pools.
dolmen.com.mt/en

Own spot
Prefer no hotel? Then rent an apartment in the Sunseeker Complex.
sunseekerholidaycomplex.com

island hopping
Gozo is Malta’s smaller sister and is easily accessible by ferry. Here you can rent beautiful villas with swimming pool. Ideal for families.
gozofarmhouses.com

Food

beach life
Not typical Maltese, but very tasty: eating sushi at Nine Lives, on the beach of San Pawl il-Baħar.
ninelivesmalta.com

ice fun
Malta’s most popular ice cream parlor is SottoZero in Birgu. Count on a row, but it’s well worth the wait.
sottozerofactory.com

Everything is right
Browns is located just outside Valletta center, right on the water: extensive menu, generous portions and great service.
browns.com.mt

Italian
On the beach of Mellieha Bay there are tents where you can get drinks and snacks. Do you want just that little bit more? Then go to the terrace of Il Pirata, the menu here is mainly Italian.
ilpirata.com.mt/mellieha-bay/

This article can be found in Kek Mama 02-2022.

More travel stories? Follow us on facebook.