Spend five days with me in this St. Paul’s Bay, Malta Itinerary. I’ve also added a couple day trips to switch things up. Is there anything more magical than spending time on a beautiful island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea? The island of Malta is located right below Sicily and is a hidden gem.

Why Visit Malta

Malta is the perfect place for those who love history and learning about a variety of cultures. Maltese culture has been shaped by many different countries and peoples. These include the Phoenicians, Romans, Greeks, Arabs, Normans, Sicilians, Swabians, Aragonese, Hospitallers, French, and British.

Its capitol city Valetta is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The city has buildings and attractions that are hundreds of years old. These include the Grand Master’s Palace and St. George’s Square.

There are five unique islands to visit during your trip to Malta. They include Malta (main island), Gozo, Comino, and Kemmunett (Comminotto) and Filfla (uninhabited islets).

Most people on the island speak English so it is easy to get around. (However, learning a little Maltese is fun too.)

How to Get There

There are no direct flights from the United States to the island of Malta. Many people fly into Switzerland, as I did, or Germany. The flight from New York City to Zurich, Switzerland is generally around 8 hours. The flight from Zurich, Switzerland to Malta is a little over 2 hours.

Day 1: Tourist Street

Do:
Rest and rejuvenate. Most likely you’ve had a long flight. Spend most of this day exploring the area around Tourist Street. Also locate the Bugibba Bus Terminal.

Eat:
A great place to enjoy Italian food is La Stalla. This restaurant has endless pasta options. If you stopped here all five days for breakfast, lunch and dinner, you still wouldn’t be able to try all the pasta dishes. I enjoyed their ravioli. They also serve traditional Maltese ravioli called “ravjul”. My sister and I came back here multiple times. Address: 270 Tourist Street, Bugibba, Saint Paul’s Bay, SPB 1025, Malta.

Also check out Cafe Maroc. It is part of the San Antonio Hotel (image below) and offers lots of drinks and sweets. Address: 348-328 Tourist St, St Paul’s Bay, Malta

Explore:
Get to know all the shops and restaurants on Tourist Street. The name says it all. This is a great place to explore. There are plenty of small grocery stores and places to purchase souvenirs.

Stroll through Welbee’s Supermarket. This two-level grocery store is cozy yet offers a great selection. There is even a hidden area on the second floor. It has lots of home goods and there is a beauty item section as well. Address: Triq Il-Merluzz, San Pawl il-Baħar SPB 1453, Malta

Also check out Scooby’s. It’s a much smaller shop that still has a lot of food items. Their wine is really inexpensive and makes for great souvenirs. The bottles below are 2.69 and 4.54 euros. Address: Triq it turisti, bugibba, Malta

Day 2: Bugibba Square

Do:
Take a chocolate making class at the Malta Chocolate Factory. They offer classes for children and adults. Make chocolate truffles or take a wine pairing workshop. There are also special seasonal workshops. Address: 179 Triq Sant’ Antnin Street, Bugibba SPB 2658, Malta

Eat:
The Malta Chocolate Factory is also a great place to eat lunch. My mom ate there one day for lunch and enjoyed her food.

I suggest the Greek restaurant, Zorbas. They have a great variety, and the staff is so friendly. I was literally escorted off the street and asked to come in. It wasn’t a bad tactic, and it worked. I was not disappointed. The chicken souvlaki platter I had was delicious. Address: Bay Square, St Paul’s Bay SPB 2511, Malta

Explore:
Walk around the area of Bugibba Square. Places to visit include the Malta National Aquarium. Address: Triq it-Trunciera, San Pawl il-Baħar SPB 1500, Malta

Day 3: Day Trip to Valetta

Do:
Our St. Paul’s Bay, Malta itinerary would not be complete without a day trip to Malta’s capital City of Valetta. Enjoy seeing lots of beautiful architecture that dates back hundreds of years.

Eat:
My recommendation is the Sphinx Pastizzeria. They sell lots of meat and other types of turnovers. They are perfect for a grab and go snack or lunch. Address: VGX7+RR7, Republic St, Valletta, Malta.

Explore:
Enter the city gate and stroll through Republic Street. Places to visit include the National Museum of Archeology. Address: Auberge de Provence, Republic Street, Valletta, Malta. I also suggest the Grand Master’s Palace. Address: VGX7+9GX Palazz tal-President, Il-Belt Valletta, Malta.

Pick up local artisan creations at the Artisan’s Centre. I will talk more about what I bought there in a future post. Address: 288 Republic St, Valletta, Malta.

There was a cute toy store called Handcrafts that was huge. Address: 83, South Street, Valletta, Malta.

Day 4: Bugibba Perched Beach

Do:
Visit Bugibba Perched Beach. Keep in mind that the beaches in St Paul’s Bay are not like those found in the Caribbean or similar places. Some parts are very rocky. However, the beaches are still really beautiful. The Bugibba Perched Beach is manmade and has had sand added. It is located across the street from the Malta Post. Address: Dolmen, San Pawl il-Baħar, Malta. The images below show what Malta’s natural rocky beaches look like.

Eat:
For lunch, head over to Vinnie’s. Their fries (called chips) are so good. So much so, that I forgot to take a photo. Address: Islet promenade street Bugibba, SPB 2506, Malta. After lunch, visit Tony’s Ice Cream for Gelato. Address: XC26+X55, St Paul’s Bay, Malta.

I have to include Mr. Kebab. My mom has been raving about this place since 2016. It was just like she remembered. They have shish kebabs, wraps and other items such as burgers. They’re located near the Bugibba Bus Terminal (The address doesn’t have a number, like many addresses in the area.). Address: Tourist St, St Paul’s Bay, Malta

Balkan Kebab & Grill is another great option for kebabs and wraps (image below). My parents discovered them during this trip and went back multiple times. Address: 205 Tourist St, St Paul’s Bay SPB 1024, Malta

Explore:
Explore the Bugibba Islet promenade area. There are many shops and restaurants. Admire the unique architecture of the buildings. Tal-Lira Bugibba is a shop that offers lots of imported items. They have a little bit of everything. It’s a few doors down from Vinnie’s. Address: Promenade Street, St Paul’s Bay, Malta

Day 5: Day Trip to Mosta

Do:
Take a day trip to Mosta. Head to the Pama Supermarket. It is huge. I had so much fun exploring the aisles and buying local spices to take back home. Many shops are located right alongside the supermarket. This includes a bookstore that is connected to the supermarket. This was where I picked up an Italian magazine for my foreign magazine collection. You can check out the Pama Mall across from it. However, the mall was very small and didn’t have a lot of variety. Address: Triq Valletta, Il-Mosta MST 9017, Malta

Eat:
On your way back to St Paul’s Bay, stop at the Ta’ Cassia Salina Restaurant. They have many traditional Maltese dishes. I had traditional Maltese ravioli with cheese from the Maltese island of Gozo. It was doughier than I’m used to, but still very good. The ambiance makes this the perfect place to end the last evening of our St. Paul’s Bay, Malta itinerary. Address: Triq il-Katakombi, In-Naxxar, Malta

Explore:
Before you leave, get lost (not literally) in the Mosta area. There are many shops and restaurants. Please don’t miss the Mosta Dome, also known as the Rotunda. Marvel at all the architecture.

I hope you enjoyed our 5-day St. Paul’s Bay, Malta itinerary. Stay tuned for more Malta posts!