Top holiday gems in Malta | AD

Well hello to you my reader chums! I visited Malta last summer and it was one of those dreamy looking locations I'd return to again and again. The crystal clear waters, fossil-studded cliffs, hidden coves, and glistening bays are just some of the location's highlights. Whether you're interested in a weekend to sun it up, or week-long trip delving into the history and scuba diving, then Malta is a great holiday choice.

St Julians Malta

On my trip, I saw a few of Malta's hidden gems and really fell in love with the place. Although I didn't visit everything on my travels, I'm going to share my favourite spots and a couple of gems that are next on the list to see when I return in the future.

Here's a look at Malta's hidden gems...

What to see in Malta 

Blue Grotto

If you're a diving fanatic and love nothing more than swimming in the sea, the Blue Grotto needs to be top of your Malta agenda. Located on the southern coast of Malta, the Blue Grotto is made up of several sea caves, famous for their extraordinary sea reflections.

Blue Grotto Malta

To find the Blue Grotto, I took a hop on hop off bus tour, as it was located a 25 minute drive from the St Julian's area (where I stayed). The Blue Grotto area as a whole is something of Instagram dreams - if you picture clear waters and an ongoing mass of blue scenery - that's exactly what it entails.

Considering the several caves and cliffs, the Blue Grotto is the perfect location for water sports. You can simply go for a swim, snorkel, dive and if you're brave enough go cliff jumping. There's also plenty of spots to kick back and soak up the Malta sunshine, after going for a dip. The Blue Grotto is best visited during the morning up to around 1pm, as that's when the sea is the bluest in colour, and shines under the sun. Once activities are completed, having a stroll around the area is certainly worth while, as there are so many picturesque views to soak up.

Comino Island & the Blue Lagoon


Comino Island was one of my favourite experiences of the entire Malta trip as it has something for everyone. To reach the island, you can go by boat or even the option of a speedboat. The speedboat in itself is a fantastic experience; it felt like a mini dance party on board before arriving at the main island.

Comino Island Malta

The island is absolutely massive and has many beautiful hidden spots to explore. The Blue Lagoon is the favourite point for many visitors and runs between the main island of Comino and the smaller island, Kemmunett. The prime area of the island is packed with food stalls, great sunbathing spots, and plenty of activities, however, to experience the hidden gem of this location, I'd suggest swimming or getting a small boat over the Blue Lagoon to Kemmunett. 

On the smaller island, you're able to soak up the stunning views, and also experience the calmness to the Blue Lagoon, away from the main tourist hub. There are still plenty of snorkelling opportunities and relaxation spots - the only thing to consider is ensuring you pack enough water/food. Kemmunett is pretty much made out of all rock, like many of Malta's 'beachy' locations, and has various flat spots to set a base for a day on the island.

You can also go cave diving in Comino; the island is home to a selection of underwater caves that shimmer with dark blue luminescence - not the type of thing you'll see every day.

If a holiday to you is drinking cocktails out of a pineapple, snorkelling, and boat trips, Comino is the hidden gem for you.

St Julian's Bay

When you're holidaying it up in the sunshine, sometimes a lovely walk with pretty sights is all you need, and St Julian's Bay is that spot in Malta. Whether it's day or night, with your partner or family, there's plenty to see. The bay is surrounded by some of the very best restaurants, which look over the waters, shops and is also a water sports hub.

St. Julians Bay

At night, the bay glistens up and the whole area looks beautiful, that it makes for the perfect moment to toast a drink, have a picnic, or enjoy dinner with your loved ones.

Popeye Village

Popeye Village as the title suggests is the home of where the 1980's classic Popeye was filmed and has now become a tourist spot for everyone young at heart.

The colourful village greets you with Popeye and his friends, and a whole host of fun activities. Whether you'd like to explore all the old film sets or be a movie star for the day, the fun doesn't stop here. There's also water trampolines, boat rides, indoor jumping areas, and many wine spots for adults - so really a bit of something for everyone.

'Splash and fun' waterpark

No summer holiday is complete without a waterpark visit, and although Malta's version isn't the biggest out there, it still makes for a fun family day. The waterpark has a variety of different slides, large pool with a wave machine, plug slides and plenty of other attractions to experience with the whole family, and is located in the village of Bahar ic-Caghaq.

Where to eat in Malta

Aside from eating all the ice cream in sight on a sunny holiday, it's always lovely coming across some hidden culinary spots. Despite having all inclusive in the hotel, I wanted to see what Malta had in store for their food selection.

Lore & Fitch steakhouse

I'm a big foodie and love trying out new places, that I don't often return to the same restaurants on holiday, however, this steakhouse was an exception. It's the place all of my friends would recommend to everyone if possible - the food really is that good. Any steak fans would love this place - I even tried some steak and enjoyed it (usually I don't like it). 

The restaurant is quite upmarket, and would make an ideal location for date night or anniversary - and the menu matches its fancy interior. There's a wide selection of steaks and pasta dishes to choose from, plus enough wines to sink a boat. If you're staying in the St Julian's area, I'd highly recommend it.

Sardinella

Top holiday gems in Malta

Another restaurant that tickled my fancy was Sardinella, a charming Italian eatery.  I enjoyed beautifully cooked Italian dishes, accompanied by cocktails in the Malta sunshine. Sardinella is also in the St Julian's area and located opposite the steakhouse.

If you would like to book your dream trip to Malta, these low-cost holidays are for you.

I hope you enjoyed this post on Malta's hidden gems. Have you visited?

Thank you for reading <3

This is a sponsored post with Holiday Gems.

14 comments

  1. Malta has already been on my Bucket List but reading about it and seeing pictures makes me want to visit even more. Lovely post, Della!
    xxx Sophie

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  2. First of all girl, THAT HIGHLIGHT in the last picture! Absolutely stunning!
    Second, I need to visit Malta ASAP. I've had a couple of frienda who went there and all of them were super excited to go back!
    Lovely post x

    xx
    www.thedecemberdame.com

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  3. It looks like such a beautiful place to escape to!x

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  4. I want to visit Malta one day because it's so beautiful 😍 Lovely blog post, Della! 😊

    Xoxo
    Shirley | https://shirleycuypers.blogspot.be

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  5. I have visited Malta 3 times and it’s such a beautiful, tranquil and interesting place! Excellent post, there’s definitely some things I’ve missed, I reckon a 4th time is on the cards!

    Charlene McElhinney (@blogabtnothing1)
    www.charlenemcelhinney.co.uk

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    Replies
    1. Oh my you're so lucky going that many times! I hope you return one day xx

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  6. Lovely post! Just shared with a friend who is visiting in the next few months.

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  7. Me and my boyfriend have been trying to decide on a holiday location and Malta looks beautiful!

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    Replies
    1. It would make for the perfect romantic holiday!

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