Malta & Gozo with Kids: Our Family Guide (Where to Base Yourself)

Most families who go to Malta stay on Malta. We didn’t. We landed, drove straight to the ferry, and spent five nights on Gozo, the smaller, greener island to the north. Then we gave Malta one day at the end, on the way back to the airport. With a five-year-old and a two-year-old, I would do it exactly the same way again.

This is our guide to Malta with kids: how the three islands differ, where to base yourselves, how to get between them, what’s worth doing, and what we’d change. Our trip was in May 2018. Every price and rule below was checked in September 2026.

Malta with kids, in short

• Three islands: Malta (busy, where you land), Gozo (rural and quiet, our base) and Comino (tiny, home of the Blue Lagoon).
• Best base for small children: Gozo, with a car. Everything is a short drive away.
• How long: a week works well: five nights on Gozo, plus a day or two on Malta.
• When: May for exploring. For swimming, late June to early October. In May the sea was too cold for our boys.
• Useful for parents: English is an official language, the currency is the euro, they drive on the left, and plugs are the British three-pin type.

Malta or Gozo: which is better for families?

For young children, Gozo. Malta is the main island: urban, busy, with a lot of traffic and most of the big hotels and attractions. Gozo is the other way round: villages, fields, cliffs and short, empty roads. Gozo is only about 13 km long, so nothing is more than 20–25 minutes’ drive from anything else, and parking was easy almost everywhere we went.

Choose Malta if your children are older, you want a resort hotel with a kids’ club and sandy beaches like Mellieħa Bay on the doorstep, or you’re not hiring a car. Choose Gozo if you want a villa with a pool, quiet evenings and a slower holiday.

Everything we did on Gozo is in our Gozo with kids guide and the day-by-day 5-day Gozo itinerary.

How to get to Malta and between the islands

We flew from Barcelona to Malta with Ryanair. Malta International Airport is the only airport. There’s no airport on Gozo, so you cross by sea:

• Car ferry, Ċirkewwa → Mġarr (Gozo Channel): about 25 minutes, 24 hours a day, no booking. In September 2026 the return fare was €4.65 per adult, €1.15 for children aged 3–12, free under 3, and €15.70 for a car and driver, all paid when you leave Gozo.
• Fast ferry, Valletta → Mġarr: about 45 minutes, foot passengers only. Book ahead in summer.
• Comino: small shuttle boats from Mġarr on Gozo, or from Ċirkewwa and Marfa on Malta.

All five ways of getting from the airport to Gozo, with small children and luggage, are compared in Malta airport to Gozo with kids.

Where to stay in Malta and Gozo with kids

We stayed five nights at Ta Leli, a three-bedroom villa with a private pool just outside Xagħra on Gozo. Our stay was a collaboration with Baron Holiday Homes. With a two-year-old, a house with a kitchen and a pool beat a hotel every time.

• On Gozo: Xagħra or Victoria for a central base, Marsalforn to walk to the sea and restaurants, Xlendi for sea views. Full comparison in where to stay in Gozo with kids.
• On Malta: we didn’t stay overnight. For a night or two with kids, Floriana and Valletta put you next to the capital and the fast ferry to Gozo, and Mellieħa is closest to the Gozo car ferry and Malta’s best-known sandy family beach.

The best things to do in Malta and Gozo with kids

On Gozo (where we spent most of our time)

• Xlendi Bay: cliffs, boats and turquoise water. We went twice, once just for breakfast.
• Dwejra: where the Azure Window stood until it collapsed on 8 March 2017. We went back three times for the sunset.
• Ramla Bay: the red-sand beach, and a 2026 Blue Flag beach.
• The Citadel in Victoria: steep walls with views over the whole island.
• The Xwejni salt pans: around 350 years of salt-making, cut into the rock.
• Ġgantija Temples: older than the pyramids of Egypt. See Ġgantija with kids.

More in the best Gozo beaches for kids.

On Comino

The Blue Lagoon: the clearest water we have seen in the Mediterranean. Since 1 May 2025 you need a free booking to land there. Details in Blue Lagoon Comino with kids.

On Malta

Valletta: we spent our last day there, straight from the airport. City Gate, the streets around St John’s, a playground by Fort St Elmo, and the five-minute ferry to Sliema. The whole day is in Valletta with kids.

What we didn’t do, and would next time: Mdina, the walled “silent city”; Popeye Village, the old film set in Mellieħa; and a proper beach day on Malta. We haven’t been, so we won’t review them. They’re simply the first things on our list for a return trip.

When is the best time to visit Malta with kids?

For swimming, late June to early October. For exploring, spring. We went in May: warm, sunny days, but the sea at Xlendi and the Blue Lagoon was cold enough that the boys only paddled. July and August are the hottest and busiest months, and the Blue Lagoon slots fill fastest then.

How many days do you need in Malta with kids?

A week. Five nights on Gozo gave us time to go back to the places we loved, which with small children is the real luxury. One day in Valletta was enough for a first taste of Malta. If you have only four days, split them three on Gozo and one on Malta.

Practical tips for Malta with kids

• Drive on the left. If you’re hiring a car, it takes a day to get used to it. Gozo’s quiet roads are the easiest place to practise.
• Hire on Gozo if you’re staying on Gozo. Our car was provided by Mayjo Car Hire as a collaboration. They met us at the airport and handled the ferry for us.
• Hills and steps. Valletta and the Citadel are steep. A carrier beats a buggy for under-3s.
• Shoes for the rocks. Many swimming spots, including Xlendi and the Blue Lagoon, are rock rather than sand.
• Buses: children under 4 travel free. A single ticket is €2.50 in summer and €2.00 in winter (2026).

All our Malta and Gozo guides

• Gozo with kids: 7 best things to do, beaches and where to stay
• 5 days in Gozo with kids: our itinerary
• Where to stay in Gozo with kids
• The best Gozo beaches for kids
• Malta airport to Gozo with kids
• Ġgantija Temples with kids
• Blue Lagoon Comino with kids
• Valletta with kids
• Baron Holiday Homes Gozo review
• Mayjo Car Hire Gozo review

Malta with kids: your questions answered

Is Malta good for a family holiday with young kids?

Yes. It is small, English-speaking, uses the euro and has short distances, and the island of Gozo is especially easy with young children. We went with a five-year-old and a two-year-old, based ourselves on Gozo, and found it one of our easiest family trips.

Is Malta or Gozo better for families?

Gozo, for young children. It is quieter, more rural and has much less traffic than Malta, and every drive is short. Malta suits families with older children who want resort hotels, sandy beaches and more attractions within reach without a car.

How many days do you need in Malta with kids?

About a week. We spent five nights on Gozo and one day in Valletta, which gave us time to revisit favourite places without rushing. With four days, spend three on Gozo and one on Malta.

What is the best time to visit Malta with kids?

Late June to early October for swimming, and spring for sightseeing. We went in May and the days were warm, but the sea was too cold for our boys to do more than paddle.

Do they drive on the left in Malta?

Yes. Malta and Gozo drive on the left, and plugs are the British three-pin type. Gozo’s quiet roads are the easiest place to get used to driving on the left.

How do you get from Malta to Gozo?

By ferry. The Gozo Channel car ferry runs from Ċirkewwa to Mġarr in about 25 minutes, 24 hours a day, and a fast ferry for foot passengers runs from Valletta to Mġarr in about 45 minutes. There is no airport on Gozo.

Last checked: September 2026. Our trip was in May 2018. Ferry fares, bus fares and the Blue Lagoon booking rules change by season, so confirm them before you travel.