6 days and 5 nights in Malta

Valletta, Mdina and the Three Cities in 6 days

Six days of Malta heritage using Valletta as the main base, with focused visits to Mdina, Rabat and the Three Cities.

Published by Fernando Ruiz
3 overnight basesBus · Ferry · WalkingBalanced pace
Best for
First-time visitors prioritising history, museums and harbour settings.
Largest trade-off
Short distances still involve hills, congestion, ferry conditions and some unnecessary luggage movement.
Best months
March, April, May, June, September, October, November
Accessibility
For the Valletta to Three Cities itinerary, compare assistance in Valletta with room access and terrain in Three Cities.
  1. 1

    Days 1 to 4

    Valletta

    A living capital of museums, bastions, steep streets and useful harbour ferries.

    3 nights · Arrival and orientation
    Next: Bus, 35 to 60 minutesValletta bus terminal to the Rabat or Mdina stop shown on the current route 50, 51, 52 or 53 planner. Allow 45 minutes before departure. Advance reservation is not normally essential. Check Malta Public Transport. Fallback: Use a taxi and allow 25 to 45 minutes, depending on traffic.
  2. 2

    Days 4 to 5

    Mdina

    A compact walled medieval city best understood together with neighbouring Rabat.

    1 night · Bus transfer and hotel change
    Next: Ferry, 60 to 100 minutesthe Rabat or Mdina stop shown on the current journey planner to Cospicua ferry landing. Use the bus and ferry service described by the operator. Allow 45 minutes before departure. Advance reservation is not normally essential. Check Malta Public Transport and Valletta Ferry Services. Fallback: Use Malta Public Transport through Valletta to Cospicua or Birgu if the harbour ferry is suspended.
  3. 3

    Days 5 to 6

    Three Cities

    Cospicua, Senglea and Birgu as a connected Grand Harbour heritage area.

    1 night · Ferry transfer and hotel change

Day-by-day plan

DayOvernight baseMain planTransferApproximate burden
1VallettaMorning: Settle near a useful bus or ferry connection and visit Upper Barrakka Gardens. Afternoon: Leave the remaining time open for a slower route around Valletta. Evening: Keep the evening close to Valletta after the main visits. Book: Check the current timetable, opening hours or booking terms for the named visit. Short on time: If time is short, keep the main visit and remove any optional detour.Arrival and local orientationTimed visits and local travel around Valletta.
2VallettaMorning: Visit St John’s Co-Cathedral and one Heritage Malta museum with time for the steep streets. Afternoon: Leave the remaining time open for a slower route around Valletta. Evening: Leave the evening open in Valletta instead of adding another long journey. Book: Check the current timetable, opening hours or booking terms for the named visit. Short on time: If time is short, keep the main visit and remove any optional detour.No hotel changeTimed visits and local travel around Valletta.
3VallettaMorning: Explore the city walls and one harbour-facing area without adding a cross-island journey. Afternoon: Leave the remaining time open for a slower route around Valletta. Evening: Finish the day in Valletta, with time to reset before the next morning. Book: Check current weather, daylight and access notices before setting out. Short on time: If time is short, keep the main visit and remove any optional detour.No hotel changeOutdoor conditions and walking around Valletta.
4MdinaMorning: Walk Mdina’s lanes. Afternoon: Visit Rabat and a catacomb site if stairs suit the group. Evening: Use a quiet evening in Mdina after the day’s main route. Book: Check the Malta Public Transport timetable from Valletta bus terminal to the Rabat or Mdina stop shown on the current route 50, 51, 52 or 53 planner shortly before travel. Short on time: If time is short, keep the morning priority and omit the afternoon extension.Bus from Valletta bus terminal, 35 to 60 minutesBus transfer, 35 to 60 minutes.
5Three CitiesMorning: Cross to Cospicua, continue through Birgu and visit Fort St Angelo if open. Afternoon: Leave the remaining time open for a slower route around Three Cities. Evening: Keep the evening close to Three Cities after the main visits. Book: Check the Malta Public Transport and Valletta Ferry Services timetable from the Rabat or Mdina stop shown on the current journey planner to Cospicua ferry landing shortly before travel. Short on time: If time is short, keep the main visit and remove any optional detour.Ferry from the Rabat or Mdina stop shown on the current journey planner, 60 to 100 minutesFerry transfer, 60 to 100 minutes.
6Departure from Three CitiesMorning: Return by the current ferry or bus and leave a traffic buffer for the onward connection. Afternoon: Leave the remaining time open for a slower route around Departure from Three Cities. Evening: Leave the evening open in Departure from Three Cities instead of adding another long journey. Book: Check the current timetable, opening hours or booking terms for the named visit. Short on time: If time is short, keep the main visit and remove any optional detour.No hotel changeTimed visits and local travel around Departure from Three Cities.

Ways to adjust the route

Use a taxi and allow 25 to 45 minutes, depending on traffic.
1
Use Malta Public Transport through Valletta to Cospicua or Birgu if the harbour ferry is suspended.

Malta’s principal historic centres fit into six days when Valletta remains the main base. Five hotel nights avoid unnecessary moves, while Mdina and Rabat share one inland day and the Three Cities use a separate harbour crossing.

Give Valletta two full heritage days

Choose one important interior each day and keep nearby streets together. Valletta’s steep grid, steps and museum visits take longer than the city’s small footprint suggests.

Valletta skyline with St Paul’s Pro-Cathedral and the Carmelite dome
Valletta’s church domes above the fortified city

Pair Mdina with neighbouring Rabat

Use the same bus corridor for the walled city and one Rabat site. Underground catacombs, cobbles and midday heat need a separate access and timing decision.

Mdina skyline in Mdina
Mdina landscape and arrival context

Cross the harbour for the Three Cities

The ferry provides a useful approach when it is operating. Begin around Cospicua and Birgu, then add Senglea only if the walking route and return remain comfortable.

The Three Cities seen across Grand Harbour from Valletta
Birgu, Senglea and Cospicua across Grand Harbour

Six-day Malta heritage sequence

Day 1 settles in Valletta, days 2 and 3 cover the capital, day 4 visits Mdina and Rabat, day 5 crosses to the Three Cities, and day 6 protects the onward journey.

Keep a bus alternative for harbour weather

Wind or operational changes can interrupt the ferry. Check the live service and save the current bus route so the day does not depend on one crossing.

Open the guides used in this route

Planning information reviewed 4 September 2026, next review due 4 December 2026.

Planning sources

Check current operator timetables, reservations and access details before booking the route.