How to take the bus to St.

Paul’s Bay
Malta Public Transport is the cheapest way to travel around the islands. The service is
frequent, with buses every hour going from Malta Airport to St. Paul’s Bay, and the cost is
unbelievably low – just €2 euro per person (€1.50 in winter).
Not everything about public buses is perfect though. When using public transport, you
could end up waiting a long time for the next bus – sometimes only to find it full. That
could really ruin your holiday, more so if you are on your way back to the airport.
Another downside to using public transport is the lengthy travel time. Buses are slow,
especially during rush hour.
There’s a direct bus, called the X3, which goes from Malta Airport to St. Paul’s Bay directly.
If using public transport, I suggest using this bus, as it is more convenient and has extra
space for your luggage. Here are the steps for catching the X3 direct bus:

Step 1: Go through immigration at the Malta International Airport. You’ll find yourself in
the arrivals area of the airport (called the Arrivals hall).

Step 2: Look for the Malta Public Transport desk. They offer advice and sell bus tickets,
both for a single trip or multi-day passes.
Tip: Several other outlets at the airport sell bus tickets. These include WHSmith (Arrivals),
Agenda Bookshop (Departures), and a dispensing machine in the outer corridor. Tickets
can also be bought on the bus.
Bus ticket prices:
 Winter (one-way) – €1.50
 Summer (one-way) – €2.00
 Night service (one-way) – €3.00
 Multiday pass (for 1 week, any destination) – €12

Step 3: With the tickets, head out of the airport. The X3 bus bay is just across the road.
Wait for the next bus.
Tip: The X3 bus schedule can be found X3. The bus passes every hour between 5.30 am
and midnight.

Step 4: Hop on the bus when it arrives and settle back for the trip.
Tip: Download the Malta Public Transport app on your phone (Android or Apple) to check
when the next X3 bus is due. The app shows you also where to stop.

Step 5: Get off the bus and to your holiday residence in St. Paul’s Bay!
 Day 1: Valletta and Vittoriosa
Valletta
Let’s start our 2 days trip by exploring the capital of Malta. It is one of the most popular
Malta tourist attractions, named by UNESCO a World Heritage Site, described as ‘one of
the most concentrated historic areas in the world.’

Valletta was built by the Knights of St John, who decided that all corners of the city had to
be embellished by statues or niches. Find what to do in Malta’s capital city!

City Gate and Valletta’s streets

Enter the city center through the glorious main gate and look right at the Parliament
Building, completed in 2014. The center of Valletta is pedestrianized, full of restaurants),
cafés, souvenir shops, and hidden gems.

Make sure that you visit the western part of Valletta. Few steps from the Anglican
Cathedral of St. Paul’s you can find the buildings with colorful, picturesque balconies.
TIP#1 If you are a cinema lover, keep your eyes open and look for little tablets that
display the names of the movies shot in the given part of the city.
 The St. Jonh’s Co-Cathedral
Don’t hesitate to enter this Malta’s most impressive church. It is one of the top Malta
places to visit due to its greatest treasure – the massive painting of John the Baptist by
Caravaggio.

The inside of the cathedral is impressive. Numerous arts and golden decorations, as well as
beautiful ceilings and the marble floor scripts, will leave you with your mouth open.

Upper Barrakka Gardens & Lower Barrakka Gardens

Go to Upper Barrakka Gardens and enjoy the best views over the waterfront of Valletta
and Vitteriosa. You can get there by foot or use the lift in the harbor. There is a free public
toilet as well as a few benches and a little café. Don’t miss the cannons fire at noon!
Lower Barrakka Gardens are not as famous and touristy as the Upper one but worth
visiting. It is a small, peaceful place with beautiful monuments, flowers and trees, fountain
and great views.

TIP#2 Grab something to eat at the local Food Market Is-Suq tal-Belt. It is located
halfway between the Upper and Lower Barrakka Gardens, at Triq il-Merkanti.
 Vittoriosa (Birgu)
Vittoriosa lies opposite Valletta, and you could already see its harbor from the Upper
Barakka Garden balcony. You can get here from Valletta by various buses (A2, A3, A11) or
by water taxi from Valletta (cost €1.5).

Vittoriosa is less busy and less crowded than Valletta and also a much older city than the
capital. You can spend a chilly and relaxing afternoon here, admiring the picturesque views
of Valletta.
Once there make sure to visit the walls of Fort St. Angelo, which is a UNESCO World
Heritage Site. It is also the oldest fortification on the island. Have a stroll at the
Vittoriosa Waterfront full of expensive yachts and boats.
 Day 2: Mdina, Mnajdra and Hagar Qim,
Marsaxlokk and Blue Grotto
Mdina
Let’s start our day with one of our favorite places to visit in Malta. Mdina, the former
capital of the island, is called the Silent City.

The city is located in the central part of the island. You can get here by bus, admiring the
medieval city walls, which are located on one of the few hills in Malta.

The city is surrounded not only by walls but also by a moat – now there is a park where you
can rest during hot days. Go to the tourist information office at the main gate and grab a
map of Mdina.

High walls of the city give shade and coolness on a hot day, narrow streets and sandstone-
colored houses add even more charm to this place.

There are several tourist attractions in Mdina (churches, museums), but our favorite
activity was strolling through the narrow streets of Mdina.
They are picturesque, and you can easily escape from crowds of tourists who enter the
main gate of the city.

Last but not least, enter the city walls and admire the beautiful views of the panorama of
the island and city of Rabat.
 Mnajdra and Hagar Qim
One of the most unusual things to see in Malta if you have only 2 days are megalithic
temples Mnajdra and Hagar Qim. They were added to the UNESCO World Cultural
Heritage List in 1992 as the oldest buildings of this type in the world, built by man.
You can reach the archaeological sites by an asphalt path. The first position is Hagar Qim,
whose name means “standing boulders” and was founded around 3000 BC. The complex
of these temples is considered one of the most beautiful in Malta.

Mnajdra, located 300 meters away, consists of three neighboring temples, which are
surrounded by a common wall. Both buildings were reconstructed, and now there are
under huge, white canopies to protect them from erosion.
You can get here from the town of Luqa [bus 201 leaves every hour]. The temples located
less than 2 kilometers from the famous Blue Grotto. They can also be accessed directly
from Rabat.
Tickets: Adult Price €10.00, Senior & Student Price €7.50, Children Price €5.50

TIP#3 When traveling from Mdina to the Mnajdra and Hagar Qim temples, don’t
forget to take some photos of the Dingli cliffs.
 Marsaxlokk
Visit Marsaxlokk and try fresh fish caught by local fishermen served in plenty of small
restaurants. The most recognizable element of the city are the luzzu – colorful fishing boats
with Osiris eyes painted on both sides of the bow moored in a small marina.

Every early morning there is also a daily market where you can buy almost everything,
from fresh veggies, fish and seafood to toys made in China.

Blue Grotto
One of the most popular activities in Malta is visiting the Blue Grotto. If you find spare
time and are not sure what to do or what else to see in Malta, you may add it to your
itinerary. Hop into one of the many boats waiting for tourists, and they will take you for a
25-minutes ride along the cliffs and six caves, including Blue Grotto. Boat ticket: €8.
https://www.voyagetips.com/en/2-3-days-in-malta/

Day 1: Valletta / The 3 Cities

Continue your visit of Valletta by the sea to then reach Upper Barrakka Garden, another
famous spot to enjoy a scenic view over the 3 Cities. It’s also famous for the saluting battery,
a cannon shot ceremony held every day at 12:00 and 16:00. Cannons were originally shot
to greet foreign vessels arriving at the port.
The 3 Cities is your next destination, and it’s very easy to go there:
1. Take the panoramic lift located in Upper Barrakka Garden
2. Once out, cross the street and go left to reach the piers.
3. There is a shuttle boat that will take you on the the 3 Cities in just 10min. A roundtrip ticket
is 2.80€.
The shuttle boat will drop you at Vittoriosa, one of the 3 Cities. The two others
are Cospicua and Senglosa. They are well known for their beautiful views over Valletta. It’s
really a great spot to go on a nice stroll on foot, or with the tourist train if you’re tired.

At the end of the afternoon, take the shuttle back and finish your day on Republic Street and
Merchant Street. Those are the main commercial streets in Valletta, a great place to do some
shopping and buy souvenirs.

Day 2 : Mdina / Rabat / Dingli Cliffs/ Ghajn Tuffieha Bay

For this second day of your 2-3 days itinerary in Malta, it’s a good idea to rent a car. As you don’t have
much time on the island, you shouldn’t waste your time with public transportation. The schedules aren’t
respected and the bus routes are not very convenient for sightseeing, making you waste a lot of time.