Malta has long been one of the Mediterranean’s best-kept secrets. While travelers often flock to Italy, Greece, and Croatia, the tiny archipelago nation—located south of Sicily, with a population of 574,000—has remained relatively under the radar for Americans, thanks in part to cumbersome flight connections. But that changed this summer.
On June 7, Delta launched the first-ever nonstop flight between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Malta International Airport (MLA), operating three times weekly through October. The new seasonal route makes it significantly easier for U.S. travelers to reach the sun-soaked island nation (which includes the islands of Malta, Gozo, and the barely populated Comino). It’s known for its honey-colored cities, colorful balconies, turquoise swimming coves, and a culture shaped by centuries of European and North African influence.
If you’re planning to take advantage of the new service, here are a few reasons Malta deserves a spot on your summer travel list. I just returned from a four-day visit, which I packed with boat rides, long walks, cool sea swims, shop-hopping, church and fortress tours, and lots of ice cream. Here’s what I discovered.
Check into one of Malta’s chic boutique hotels
The 17-room residence turned boutique hotel Casa Bonavita opened in May 2026.
Courtesy of Casa Bonavita
In the heart of Valletta, Malta’s UNESCO-listed capital, the 24-room (and growing) Iniala Valletta remains the gold standard as the only high-end hotel in the heart of the buzzy capital (for now; see below for more). Set across several meticulously restored aristocratic homes overlooking the Grand Harbour, the hotel combines contemporary interior design with some of the most spectacular views in the Mediterranean. It’s also got the only two-Michelin-star restaurant in town, the ION Harbour by Simon Rogan, which sources its prawns, beef, fennel, bream, and pretty much everything else locally. The bar staff has ingeniously crafted a nonalcoholic “Admirer” and a low ABV “Explorer” pairing, which are as inventive as any cocktail menu.
If you want to be where the locals live, head over to the Attard area, which is residential, and stuffed with stunning, massive private villas, including some that are available to book. Casa Bonavita, the family home of Christopher and Suzanne Sharp (the Maltese British former owners of the Rug Company, known for luxe rugs from around the globe) recently turned their 17-room home into a boutique hotel in May and it has quickly become one of the island’s most talked-about addresses. The intimate property is set in a trio of 18th-century baroque buildings with hand-painted wall coverings, loads of hidden nooks, a full-service spa, three pools, two restaurants, and a bar. You probably won’t want to leave.
Opening up in late summer is Romègas Hotel, a passion project by a Spaniard who has taken this former aristocratic property down to the studs and reimagined it as a very stylish, 23-room boutique hotel. The spa and pool on the roof are reason enough to book in here, but its location in the busy, pedestrian area of Valletta also makes it temptingly convenient.
Take in the local traditions
One of Malta’s best bargains is also one of its most memorable experiences. For around €10 (US$11), visitors can hire a traditional dgħajsa, a colorful wooden boat often described as Malta’s answer to a Venetian gondola. Grab one at the Valletta harbor to cross to the Three Cities—a triptych of fortified sandstone villages across the harbor—most notably Birgu, where you’ll find the Inquisitor’s Palace (an intact Roman inquisition headquarters that dates to 1530) and imposing Fort St. Angelo, a 13th-century castle that also served as the headquarters of the Knights of St. John during the Ottoman attacks of 1565. The 30-minute ride on day one will give you your bearings, plus scenic views of the island’s fortified waterfront on both sides of the harbor.
Colorful dgħajsa boats are a fun way to explore the scenery in Malta.
Photo by James Michael Morris/Shutterstock
You can’t visit Malta without entering the absolutely over-the-top St. John’s Co-Cathedral. Completed in 1577, the ornate high-baroque church is an homage to the patron saint of the Knights of Malta. This group of monks originally set up an order in 1048 C.E. in Jerusalem to offer shelter and care to pilgrims to the Holy Land. King Charles I of Spain made this archipelago their home in 1530. (They are now a sovereign entity that owns no land but still has “nation” status and even a permanent observer at the United Nations and the ability to issue passports.) Book tickets in advance online so you can skip the massive queues.
Discover Gozo’s quiet side
Many visitors never venture beyond the main island, but Gozo rewards those who do. Take the 45-minute fast-ferry from Valletta, or the older one, which is, bizarrely, faster, at 30 minutes (departures run regularly throughout the day) from Cirkawwa on Malta’s northwest tip (closer to Mdina) for a few euros. Slower paced and more rural than Malta, the island feels a world apart. If you want to linger longer, book a stay at Hotel Ta’ Cenc, set on dramatic cliffs high above the sea. Have a drink on the terrace, then call a Bolt (Uber’s European rival) to drive you five minutes to the hotel’s off-site restaurant, Il-Kantra, where you can dive off three-meter cliffs (or climb down a ladder) into a refreshing “river” of emerald seawater that seems to flow directly from the golden limestone rocks. Few destinations can compete with swimming in a secluded cove with a view of Malta in the distance.
From Gozo, you can also hop on a private or charter boat over to the Blue Lagoon, a shallow marine inlet on Comino where the water seems to reflect psychedelic hues. So do the fish, who eagerly interact with snorkelers. But go first thing to beat the crowds; loads of tour operators await guests as they disembark from the ferries.
Have a drink where the locals do
Valletta is not really a party town, despite the package holiday travelers. But as evening falls, head to the Bridge Bar. Every Friday night, locals and visitors spill onto the bar’s stone steps overlooking the harbor, creating one of the city’s most atmospheric aperitivo scenes. Order a glass of local wine and watch the lights flicker across the water. If you’re looking for a real party scene, head to the neighborhood of St. Julian’s, a 20-minute drive north of Valletta. It’s a bit young, but sometimes the beach club Café del Mar hosts day parties by the pool and there is always something going down at the nearby Paceville entertainment district in St. Julian’s, where bar-hopping is the norm.
See Mdina after dark
Stroll the streets of the historic and enchanting Mdina.
Photo by Eva Darron/Unsplash
Known as the Silent City, Mdina (pronounced “em-Dina”), about seven miles west of Valletta, is beautiful at any hour, but it’s at its most enchanting after sunset. Once the day-trippers leave, the medieval city a few miles west of Valletta becomes quiet. Wandering its narrow limestone streets at night feels like stepping into another century. With golden lantern light reflecting off centuries-old palaces and hardly another visitor in sight, it may be the most magical experience in Malta. It gets dark around 9 p.m. in summer, and most restaurants in Mdina are closed by then, so you may want to eat elsewhere before an enchanting evening stroll here.
