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Looking for the best Malta tours and excursions, or looking to spend a day trip out in Malta, Gozo or Comino?
You’re in the right place.
As a tourist-turned-local, I’ve taken dozens of guided tours and excursions with various tour operators around the Maltese islands and continue to do so frequently.
There are many quality options out there, but also tour operators that are a waste of your money and time.
In this guide, I’ve collected the best tour options to help you decide on the best way to spend your time on holiday in Malta. (You’ll also find a few discount coupons to help you save some cash!)
In this guide, I’ll cover and refer to more reviews I’ve written for:
… and more.
You’ll find a few links to recommended tours and services within this Malta itinerary. I will earn a small commission if you book via these links, but:
If that’s all fine with you, I greatly appreciate your support!
Gozo Island is a popular destination to stay in, but most first-time visitors will prefer to base themselves in Malta, taking a day trip to Gozo to get a taste of what the island is like.
It’s a great way to get to know Gozo’s natural beauty while getting guided around the best highlights and attractions, as well as a few lesser-known places of interest.
These are the options I highly recommend if you’re looking to take a day trip to Gozo.
TIP: Use coupon MALTA5 and get 5% off!
These tours pass by (but don’t stop) at Comino Island for a short tour.
These tours actually stop at the Blue Lagoon for around an hour so you can swim and spend some time at this popular and beautiful spot.
These tours start in the afternoon and will enable you to tour Gozo at a cooler time of day, enjoying stunning summer sunsets along the way.
This recommended tour operator is an excellent tried-and-tested choice for an all-inclusive day trip to Gozo Island. They offer different types of vehicles: You can opt for tours on either a 6-seater Tuk Tuk, driven by a local guide, or join a Quad Bike tour, whereby you drive your own Quad and follow a lead driver.
These tours consistently get 5/5 ratings, and that’s no surprise: Their guides and drivers do a great job of showing you around and taking you to the best places around Gozo.
You get everything you need for the day (including a light traditional Gozitan lunch) and transport to/from your place of stay in Malta or Gozo. That includes a boat crossing that takes you to or past (depending on the tour and time of year) Comino.
Would you prefer to have a Tuk Tuk just for you and your travel companions? You can also book a private tour of Gozo (including a Blue Lagoon stop, weather permitting) with Yippee Tours.
For larger groups, they also cater for Group Tours.
Looking for more options to tour Gozo? Have a look here: Top 10 Gozo Day Trips, Tours and Excursions to Take.
Comino is the smallest of Malta’s islands and is known for the bright, azure blue waters of the stunning Blue Lagoon Bay, which is a very popular tourist destination between May and October.
Although you can take a simple ferry to get to Comino Island itself, getting the most out of a trip to the Blue Lagoon is best when going there on a boat trip. Having limited space onshore at Comino, several boat tours spend most of the day there, some with stops on the way and others combining a boat trip with a few hours’ excursion on land at Gozo Island.
Here are the best options to consider. (All highly rated/reviewed and tried and tested personally!)
The best provider for private boat tours to the Blue Lagoon is, without a doubt, I Malta Boat Trips. Why? They provide the best value for money and offer the most flexibility.
Although you can get a private boat for just 2 hours, I would recommend these options instead:
Booking a boat trip with them is easy, and an experienced skipper will help you get the most out of your trip.
Although they’re a little more expensive, taking a private trip is the best way to go. You can charter a boat for 2 hours up to a full day (your choice), which makes for a quieter experience at a tourist hotspot. Moreover, you have the flexibility of stopping at more secluded bays as well, planning your route together with the captain before you set off.
There are several providers in the Buġibba (/St Paul’s Bay/Qawra – located near each other) area, but Sea Adventure Malta (my review) offers the best options, in my opinion.
(TIP: Get 5% off all their tours using coupon code MALTA5)!
Tight on time or don’t want to spend a full day at the Blue Lagoon? Consider taking a combo trip that takes you on a highlights tour of the island of Gozo with Yippee Tours (mentioned above). I’ve also taken these guided tours myself and can only recommend them:
(TIP: Get 5% off using coupon code MALTA5!)
The Blue Grotto, near the village of Żurrieq in the South West of Malta, is a stunning place of natural beauty. Apart from the many cafeterias and restaurants that line up the road going down to the sea, you can take a boat ride around the caves to see the sparkling blue of the water from where the place takes its name.
It is said that the blue hues are also the reason why the nearby village is called Żurrieq, which in old Maltese means ‘Blue’.
Although you can get a 30-minute boat ride from near the Blue Grotto itself, it’s not an easy spot to reach by public transport. That’s why I recommend visiting this spot as part of a tour that takes you to more places on this side of Malta.
The best option here is combining the Blue Grotto visit with a guided tour of the fishing village of Marsaxlokk.
The Grand Harbour and Marxamxett Harbour contain an incredible wealth of places to see that are best admired from the sea. Being among the larger natural harbours in Europe, there’s a lot of history to this area, not least because it’s located near Malta’s capital city of Valletta.
So, if you want to take a boat trip that doesn’t take up a full day, this is a great option to consider if you want to learn a bit more about the history of Valletta and the harbour area.
There are two options I suggest:
Sicily being so close, you’ll find it really easy to hop between the islands. There’s much to see in Sicily, an island that has at least as much history as Malta does.
If you’re on a big trip in Europe, it’s definitely worth taking a full-day excursion for a visit to Sicily while you’re based in Malta.
All three are full-day excursions (early morning – late evening) provided by the same provider that operates large high-speed catamaran ferries that sail between the Valletta cruise port and Pozzallo in Sicily. When you arrive, a tour bus will take you out for a day around the island.
After arrival in Sicily, you’ll be taking a guided tour by air-conditioned coach to a few of the most popular locations that the island has to offer: Mount Etna and the beautiful seaside town of Taormina.
You’ll be accompanied by an experienced guide who will be providing a running commentary along the way. There will also be an opportunity to sample some of the local flavours of food along the way.
The first stop takes you up to the Sylvester Craters of Mount Etna, after which you’ll take in the views at Taormina
Exploring the eastern part of Sicily, you’ll be getting a taste of typical local village life at three locations:
With so much to see and learn about Malta and Gozo, taking a private guided tour is ideal to give your trip a kickstart. A private tour makes it easy to get to know different locations in Malta better, with an experienced guide who can provide deep insight, personalise your experience and answer any questions you may have along the way.
Private guided tours can be booked for a few hours, half- or full-day, and cover specific destinations in Malta and Gozo, or a custom itinerary for a full-day excursion. All arrangements will be made for you, and you’ll usually have a dedicated, knowledgeable tour guide who can help you experience a memorable day out.
Of all the private tour providers I got to know, the most professional, passionate and friendly guides are Chris and his team at My Dream Malta.
They offer a few options to choose from that I recommend.
This tour can be completely customised to your requirements and will take you to one of these three important destinations (your choice):
(If you have the time, I recommend visiting all three, whether or not on a private tour.)
Taking this option will allow you to plan 4 to 8 hours of sightseeing with Chris and his team across different locations in Malta. They usually start with a basic itinerary that can be customised to your liking.
You’ll be able to visit a mix of popular hotspots, landmarks (such as the Mosta Dome and San Anton Gardens) and attractions but also lesser-known places and out in nature as well. Chris is a proud and knowledgeable local and knows the islands inside out.
If you’re looking for a full tour holiday package that includes tours/excursions, accommodation and meals for a set period of time, there are a few great hassle-free options to choose from.
This is basically a “book and go”, an all-inclusive option where you can participate in well-organised guided tours of the Maltese islands where flights, accommodation and transport are taken care of. You also get an experienced guide providing you with rich insight into the different stops and destinations as part of your chosen itinerary.
Most of these guided tours are considered “small group tours”, where you’ll have a maximum of 6-12 participants you’ll be travelling with during your stay in Malta.
These are the options I’ve reviewed and recommend that you consider. I’ve found the best itineraries and deals with Tourradar.com.
This is an example of what these tour packages are like:
The Malta Discovery Private Tour is a 5-day tour that covers the most popular areas across Malta, Gozo and Comino.
Although the itinerary is solid in terms of covering the major highlights, this is a good option for those on a time budget really. To put things into perspective: If you’re a curious traveller, there’s enough to see and do in Valletta to fill three full days.
If you have a few more days, I’d consider either taking a longer package tour or (since flights need to be booked separately anyway) adding a few extra days to stay in Gozo, for example.
Valletta itself holds enough interest to keep you entertained for three full days (My travel guide to Valletta can show you how if you’d like to get a head start), and these recommended guided tours can help you get a primer on your first visit to the capital.
The Majestic Valletta half-day tour is a 4-5 hour walking tour through Valletta that’s designed to take you to some of the best sightseeing highlights, including:
This Valletta Street Food and Culture Walking Tour is a great option if you’re not super interested in museums or prefer visiting those at another time.
The tour is focused on taking you past various landmarks and locations within the city and getting a few authentic tastes of local food on the way.
A licensed tour guide will share their knowledge with you and take you past places like Castille Place, Republic Street, Merchant Streets, the Upper Barrakka Garden and the old market, among other points of interest.
If you’re spending more than 4 or 5 days in Malta, consider visiting The Three Cities if you want to get a feel for local village life paired with rich history.
You can get there quite easily using the ferry from Valletta or using public transport. And while you can wander around and take in the sights yourself, this Three Cities tour is a highly recommended option.
An experienced tour guide can tell you all the stories that hide in the streets and alleys of Senglea, Vittorioso (aka Birgu) and Cospicua, which make up The Three Cities together.
What better place to sample some of Malta’s best wines than in a 400-year-old wine cellar built by the Knights of St. John?
Local producer Marsovin invites you into their cellars accompanied by a professional wine taster who will first give you a tour of how the wine is produced. You’ll then be tasting a variety of wines accompanied by a few typical local snacks, from bread to olives and cheese.
The tour and wine-tasting session takes approximately 60-90 minutes, and a guided tour of the cellar is included.
A popular phenomenon in most tourist destinations, hop-on-hop-off buses can be a cheaper option for guided tours in Malta and Gozo. If you’re looking for an easy way to get around and reach the best sights to see around the Maltese islands, this is a very flexible option.
Having said that, don’t expect much in terms of an onboard audio guide and time your visits well to avoid waiting for long at the different stops.
The tours come with a choice of nine multi-lingual commentary channels. Along the routes, there are over 30 stops and 40 points of interest, and you can hop on and hop off as much as you like.
The Blue and Red routes start from Valletta and visit sites such as San Anton Presidential Gardens, the Medieval City of Mdina, Ta Qali Crafts Village, Mosta, the Three fortified cities of Vittoriosa, Cospicua and Senglea, the fishing village of Marsaxlokk, the Blue Grotto at Wied iz-Zurrieq (April – October) and Valletta city centre. The Green route leaves Buġibba centre every 30 minutes, passing by St Julian’s and Sliema before linking up with the Blue and Red routes in Valletta.
The main provider is iSeeMalta (who offer different types of tours and passes), and you can get a Hop-on/hop-off bus ticket for the Malta routes at €28 per day (adults – €20 for children)
There’s a hop-on / hop-off route there as well, and you can buy a combo with boat and bus with the Gozo Pass (also by iSeeMalta)
You can stop at several of the popular highlights of Gozo, including Victoria and its Citadel, Marsalforn, Ta Pinu Basilica, Nadur, Ġgantija Megalithic Temples, Xlendi, Ramla Bay, Dwejra Bay (and its inland sea, Fungus Rock and more) and more.
You can catch one of these buses at the ferry port in Mġarr Harbour and make your way around the island at your own pace.
Leave a comment below to let me know, and I can help you find what you’re looking for!
Edward is the Founder and Editor of Malta Uncovered and author of two guidebooks on Malta and Valletta.
As a tourist-turned-expat with Maltese roots, he knows the islands inside out and helps thousands of visitors enjoy a memorable trip every year.
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