A budget friendly guide to Malta

The best thing about Malta is that it caters for every kind of tourist.

Whether it’s finding scenic routes to enjoy nature views in, getting sun kissed by a beach, indulge in the higher-end of the lush life or find amazing bargains in things to do, in Malta, you’ll find it all.

Visiting Malta on a budget? Not to worry. Here are some insider tips on how to get around and what you can do without breaking the bank.

When to Visit

The best times to visit Malta is obviously during the summer, but this can be a bit expensive with accommodation, flights and everything included.

Flying over to Malta in June or September is a good compromise, the weather will still be in your favour and beaches won’t be as crowded given that kids will still be at school.

If history and culture is what you’re after you should consider coming during winter time, you won’t be able to get sun kissed on the beach, but you will be able to do some other great things.

Where to Stay on a Budget

The best location to stay which is close to all amenities and close to all landmarks has to be the St Julian’s area. You’ll find plenty to do here, but you’ll also find it easy to travel to other destinations in a very short time.

The Holiday Inn Express is a fantastic value for money hotel situated smack in the middle of St Julian’s. It’s affordable and quite nice to stay in.

Not convinced? Check out these 10 reasons why you should stay at the Holiday Inn Express.

Getting Around on a Budget

Malta is tiny in size and surrounded by water, so the main means of transportation here is either getting the bus, renting a car, hiring a taxi or getting the ferry to places.

If you’re trying to get around Malta on a budget, the best way forward is to get the bus. Public transport here is not expensive – during winter time it’s €1.50 and during summer it’s €2 for two hours.

For €21 you can get a 7 day bus pass to travel to any destination. Not all buses are frequent. To certain, more remote locations, buses are only available once, or maximum twice per hour.

There are express buses from the airport that will help you reach your destination easily at the same fare as all the other buses.

Alternatively, if you’re in Sliema and would like to make your way to Valletta, a lesser known means of getting there is to catch the ferry. For a €3 trip, you’ll get there in 20 minutes with a fascinating view to absorb.

Want to go to Gozo? Your best bet is to look up the closest route to Cirkewwa from where you’re staying. Other than that, a walking passenger fare on the Gozo ferry will cost you €4 for a round trip and buses are also readily available in Gozo. Once you’re in Gozo, you can check out these great things you can do there.

What to Eat on a Budget

Your best option when it comes to eating on a budget is to picnic it with food you can buy from the supermarket. A mixture of pastizzi, that cost around €0.40 a pop, ftira biz-zejt, a mere €2 for maltese bread filled with a mixture of tuna and veg; snack bars and pastizzerias will have these ready on the go. Some ġbejniet with water biscuits won’t cost you more than €3, and stuffed olives and sun dried tomatoes are quite inexpensive when bought from a super or mini market.

Little snack bars and Maltese band clubs are considered to be the pot of gold when it comes to dining on a budget. Don’t expect much upon entry as these aren’t exactly the modern haven of restaurants. Having said that, you’ll find a variety of dishes to choose from at an extremely affordable price and quite the generous portion.

You can learn more about the traditional food you can eat on a budget by reading about the Maltese food you can’t leave the island without trying.

If your budget is a bit more flexible, then restaurants are also at the plenty with different cuisines served all over the island at different price ranges. Pizzerias are typically the cheapest around, serving pizza and pasta at an affordable price of around €10 – €15 per person for a meal.

What to do on a Budget

If you’re a lover of culture, interested in all things history, you’re on the right track looking at things to do in Malta. With such a rich history, there are museums and sights to visit all over the island for €6 or less.

If you’re visiting in May, June or September, you will still have the option to go to the beach. Whether it’s sandy beaches or rocky beaches that you’re after, either way, you’ll be spoilt for choice.

For the photo lovers out there, Malta has some great locations worthy of your Instagram feed. Just take a look at these 10 instagram-worthy locations you can visit for the gram.

If you’re really tight on money, there are still some fantastic things that you can do for free when visiting Malta.