A Family Holiday to Malta: How to Keep the Kids Entertained

Family-friendly places for your Malta Family Holiday

Best places to stay with kids

Buġibba, Qawra and St. Paul’s Bay

In the this part of Malta, further up North, you can find a small cluster of villages called Buġibba, Qawra and St. Paul’s Bay which is a popular resort in Malta for family holidays. You can find the Malta National Aquarium here, and a few water parks to swim in.

There’s an artificial beach as well and you can find decently-priced hotels and resorts in the area that are family-friendly. It’s a pretty lively area during the evenings in summer as well and Maltese families tend to have holiday apartments in the area so local kids will be out and about as well.

Mellieħa

Mellieħa is a lot quieter but the area has some of the best sandy beaches around, so days at the beach are a great option, especially at Mellieħa Bay where the sea is pretty shallow. The downside is that you won’t find cinemas or play parks around in the area, so for longer stays it might not be the best choice for family holiday in Malta.

Sliema/St Julian’s area

The Sliema/St Julian’s area is surrounded with rocky beaches and most hotels or resorts there have a swimming pool, where kids can splash around in. Sliema and St Julian’s have a lot of child-friendly cafes and restaurants but activities in the area aren’t really suitable for kids and as such it does get pretty busy here.

I’d only recommend staying in this area on a family holiday if you’re interested mostly in a short resort holiday where you have everything what you need at the hotel and just want a few day trips out and about. It’s easy to get to Valletta by ferry from Sliema, for example, and public transport connections are pretty good.

Particularly the St. Julian’s district of Paceville known for its nightlife (and unfortunately increasing crime levels) isn’t kid-friendly nor kid-safe and I’d avoid it altogether.

Places that are great to visit with kids but not necessarily to stay

Valletta

Valletta, which is also the capital city, is full of pedestrian lanes, large squares, forts, fountains, museums, historical landmarks, gardens and a round-Valletta tourist train that can take you around the capital for 45 minutes with a tourist guide.

Should you opt to stay in Valletta, taking a bus from Valletta to anywhere else on the island is the easiest option. You could also take the ferry to Sliema from the Marsamxett area or else the ferry to Birgu from close to the Valletta Waterfront.

Unless your kids are interested in the many historical sites which the city has to offer, it might not be the most entertaining area for them to stay in.

Central Malta

At the centre of Malta are Ta’ Qali and Attard, which are very close to each other. They are full of places that appeal to both kids and adults alike. Ta’ Qali is home to the National Park (which sounds grander than it is), which is a good option for some outdoor fun with the kids outside of the hot summer months.

You can also find the Crafts Village there where a few local manufacturers of traditional crafts are located. You can find the glassblowers’ factory of Mdina Glass shop there, as well as Ċeramika with its pottery events, where children can learn everything about making pottery and ceramics (hands on as well!).

Between Ta` Qali and Attard, around the corner from the Crafts Village, you can also find an animal petting farm.

Attard is a quiet and calm village although traffic can get a bit heavy there at times.The beautiful San Anton gardens are the big attraction here if you’re going around with the family.

Finally, Mdina is the old capital of Malta that goes back to the times of the Arabs in Malta. It is host to a lot of interesting museums and horse-drawn carriages. Walking through Mdina with its cobbled streets really leaves an impression. If you have kids with you, you don’t have to worry about holding their hand all the time. When the odd car does drive through the ‘silent city’, it is usually at a very slow pace as the place is not too car-friendly. Outside the Mdina walls, there is also a large playground, where kids can run around and play.

Southern Malta

If your kids like hikes, why not take them for a walk across the natural landscape close to the Ħagar Qim and Mnajdra temples in the Żurrieq/Qrendi area? From here, you could also walk it to the rocky beach of Wied iż-Żurrieq, where you could also take the boat ride to the majestic Blue Grotto.

There is also Marsaxlokk’s Sunday market as well as the caves of Għar Dalam near Birżebbuġa. The three cities of Vittoriosa, Senglea and Conspicua, also known as the Three Cities, have their own particularities and distinct characteristics, especially Vittoriosa (also known as Birgu) with its quaint and historical streets.

Gozo

Whilst staying in Gozo would probably be a bit too quiet for a family holiday in Malta, taking the ferry or a boat trip can be quite an adventure. Whilst life on these two islands is at a much slower pace than Malta, Gozo especially, is much greener than Malta and a stroll around the Citadel Victoria, its capital, will transport you back in time.

Taking the kids swimming in Gozo is also a good idea, with the beaches there being generally a lot quieter. (More on that below!)

Comino

Much is made of Comino and its stunning Blue Lagoon Bay, and although they’re beautiful to visit they do tend to get very busy during the summer.

If you decide to visit with the family during the months of July and August, I’d recommend taking a boat trip. Boats berth at the Blue Lagoon normally and that makes for a safer environment for kids than the small crowded beach there.

Since there’s little shade to be had there, make sure your kids are well protected from the sun and keep an eye on them at all times. The water isn’t very shallow there.