Where to stay for couples

Quiet, characterful places for two, away from the strip.

Malta is at its best for couples away from the strip, and most of the accommodation is on the strip. The good news is that the alternatives are small, characterful and often cheaper.

The same places work for a honeymoon as for a long weekend. They are good for the quiet and the character rather than anything sold as romantic.

Where to look

The best answer

Valletta townhouses

Small boutique conversions inside a UNESCO city that empties every evening. You get the architecture, the restaurants and the quiet, all on foot.

There aren’t many rooms in Valletta, so book earlier than you think you need to.

What to see in VallettaCompare places to stay
A historic Maltese street looking down towards the harbour
Across the harbour

The Three Cities

The same architecture as Valletta with a fraction of the visitors, and terraces looking back across the Grand Harbour at it.

Fewer restaurants than Valletta, and the ferry becomes part of your day. Most people count that as a gain.

Harbour ferries
Boats and the historic waterfront at Birgu
Quiet and remote

Gozo farmhouses

These are converted stone farmhouses with private pools and no neighbours. They are quiet, almost remote, and that is why people choose them.

You’ll need a car. Treat Gozo as the holiday rather than a base for day trips to Malta.

More about farmhouses
A converted stone farmhouse in Gozo with its own pool
When to come

Go in shoulder season

May, early June, late September and October give you a warm sea, empty streets and roughly half the summer rate.

Malta in August is hot, full and expensive. Everything that makes it romantic is easier in the shoulder months.

Month by month
A Mediterranean harbour with sailboats and historic buildings

Other places worth a look

Where to look

Valletta townhouses
Small boutique conversions in a UNESCO city that empties every evening. The single best answer for two people.
The Three Cities
The same architecture, fewer visitors, and terraces facing Valletta across the Grand Harbour.
Gozo farmhouses
These are converted stone farmhouses with private pools and no neighbours. They are quiet, almost remote, and that is why people choose them.
Mdina and Rabat
The silent walled city after the day trippers leave. Very few beds inside the walls, so book early.
Spinola Bay
If you want St Julian’s convenience without Paceville, the bay itself is the compromise.

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