Small Island, Smaller Budget: How I Saw Malta Without Breaking the Bank
Back in December, I was staring at a spreadsheet of European countries I’d yet to visit - a little self-set challenge to tick off every country on the continent (that’s safe to visit) before I hit 30. Staring me right in the face was Malta. A small archipelago in the Mediterranean that somehow always managed to slip through the cracks every time I planned a trip. But this time, I was determined. The catch? I wanted to do it with just £200 to my name. Flights, accommodation, food, drink, exploring - all in. A challenge, yes. But a fun one.
And spoiler alert: I did it. I managed four days in Malta, including a trip to Gozo, with money to spare, ending the trip at £197.88. If you think budget travel means you’re sleeping in a cupboard and surviving on crisps, think again. This one was full of culture, sights, great food, a couple of beers (maybe a few more than a couple), and even a time-capsule full of old Subarus. Here’s how it all played out.
Flights: The Art of Bargain-Hunting in the Off-Season
The first and often most expensive part of any trip is getting there. But if you know where to look, and when, flights don’t have to be the thing that breaks your budget. I keep an eye on all the usual suspects: Ryanair, EasyJet, Wizz Air, and any other airline that flies a tin can across Europe at a discount. You’d be amazed what pops up if you’re flexible. A good hack too is using a VPN and setting yourself in Argentina and looking during quiet parts of the week. Everyone’s looking for flights on Sunday nights when the pre-week blues kick in, but Tuesday nights? You’re good to go.
Off-season, particularly in places like Malta where summers are boiling and winters are mild, is a goldmine for cheap flights. Airlines want to fill seats, even if it means practically giving them away. I’ve seen returns to Barcelona for £15, Amsterdam for £12.50, it’s madness what you can find.
In this case, EasyJet came through. A return from London Gatwick to Malta for just £27.98. The catch? The flight out was at 6:20am on a Saturday morning, and the return was midday Tuesday. So while technically four days, I really only had Saturday afternoon through to Monday night to properly explore. Still, for that price, it’s a worthy trip.
Living near both Gatwick and Heathrow has its perks. Having access to two of the UK’s busiest airports gives you a much better shot at catching a bargain, and when you’re planning trips like this on a tight budget, it makes all the difference.
Accommodation: Where to Stay Without Selling a Kidney
With flights sorted, that left me with £172.02 to play with. Accommodation was the next big decision. Hotels? Not a chance. Even the mediocre ones would wipe out over half the budget. But hostels, when done right, can be an absolute steal. I wasn’t after a bunk bed in a room of 16 with no lock and a guy snoring like my dad, I wanted something a little more comfortable, but still budget-friendly.
After some careful searching, I landed on Mandera’s Boutique Suites & Dorms. It cost me £91 for three nights in a four-bed dorm, and honestly, it was one of the best hostels I’ve ever stayed in. The place was spotless. The rooms had proper ventilation, lockers were large and secure, the showers and toilets were immaculate, and the whole vibe felt more like a boutique B&B than your typical backpacker haunt.
What I really appreciated was the quiet. No late-night drama, no endless hallway chatter, just a solid base to sleep, shower, and recharge. The staff were helpful and friendly, which always makes a difference, and the hostel was in a decent location for getting around. It’s always a bit of a lottery with hostels, but this one felt like winning the lottery.
So that was £91 spent. Total so far? £118.98. Still over £80 left. Time to sort transport.
Transport: Getting Around Without Going Broke
Malta doesn’t have trains. Instead, the whole public transport system revolves around a surprisingly efficient (for its size) and extensive bus network. They cover pretty much the entire island and run fairly frequently, even in quieter months. If you’re not hiring a car, which I wasn’t, buses are the way to go. From the moment I landed, I grabbed an Explore Flex card from a ticket machine at the airport. It cost €19 (about £15.88 at the time), and gave me four days of unlimited bus travel. Not just on the main island either, the card also worked in Gozo, which I had firmly on my list.
Over the course of the trip, I properly made the most of it. Airport to Valletta, Valletta to Rabat, Rabat to Mosta, Mosta to Cirkewwa, then back again. Plus the ferry ports, and all the bouncing around in Gozo. If I’d been buying individual tickets, I’d have spent double. This little bit of pre-planning made the trip smoother and cheaper. By this point, with flights, accommodation, and transport all locked in, my running total sat at £134.86. That left me with £65.14 for everything else: food, drinks, entry fees, the odd souvenir if I felt like it. More than enough for three days of wandering.
Day One: Valletta and My First Taste of Malta
After arriving Saturday morning and making my way into Valletta by bus, I dropped my bag at the hostel and headed out to explore the capital. It’s one of the smallest capital cities in Europe at just 0.24 square miles, second only to the Vatican, but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in sheer character. From the moment you pass through the city gate by the Triton Fountain, you’re hit with that old-world charm. The architecture, the narrow grid-like streets, the old signage that looks straight out of the 1960s, it’s like walking through a time capsule. Malta gained independence from the British in 1964, and it feels like the aesthetic decided to stop right there in the best way possible.
I wandered around the Upper Barrakka Gardens, scoped out some stellar views of the Grand Harbour, and stumbled across the perfect angle of the dome of the Basilica - oddly enough, from a car park next to the Bank of Valletta. The cloudy skies made the limestone buildings pop beautifully, which was a photographer’s dream.
I made it just in time to watch the Saluting Battery cannons fire in the evening - a daily tradition that dates back centuries. It used to help shipmasters calibrate their clocks. Now it’s a nod to the island’s military past and a cracking photo op. I ended the day tucked away on St Lucia’s Street with a pint of local Cisk beer and a warm serving of ftira, a sort of Maltese sandwich that’s far too good for how basic it looks. First day done, and I was sold on the place.
Day Two: Time Capsules and Towers
On Sunday, I set off to explore beyond Valletta. First stop: Rabat and its medieval twin city, Mdina. Mdina used to be Malta’s capital and feels like stepping into a film set. Narrow alleys, stone archways, architecture that blends Norman, Arab, and Baroque influences - it’s incredibly photogenic and just as atmospheric. Back in Rabat, I roamed the backstreets where you’ll see washing lines criss-crossing above your head, old bay windows hanging out over the alleys, and a tangle of electrical cables that somehow doesn’t feel messy.
From there, it was onward to Mosta, where I had a very niche photo mission: to find a 90s-era Subaru dealership that’s been frozen in time. The story goes that it shut down in the late '90s, the owner never sold the land, and the cars, all brand new at the time, are still sitting there behind the glass, collecting dust. Sure enough, I found it. And peering in at the layer of dust, the flat tyres, the lifeless silence, it was one of the strangest and most interesting photo stops of the whole trip.
Next was the Mosta Rotunda, a gigantic neo-classical dome that dwarfs the buildings around it. For €5 (£4.22), I went up inside to see the restored ceiling where a German bomb once fell through, and miraculously didn’t detonate. The views from the top were brilliant, and the light filtering through the dome made for some great shots. Lunch that day was at a Lebanese place just across the street. I had a shawarma that was so good it made me reconsider eating any back in the UK.
I wrapped up the day at Cirkewwa, watching the sun set behind the Red Tower, a 17th-century lookout post used in World War II. The light hit it perfectly with rich reds against the ocean horizon. A proper end to the day.
Day Three: Gozo’s Magic
Monday was my Gozo day. I caught the fast ferry from Valletta, which cost €24 return (about £20.06). It took around 45 minutes, and before long I was rolling into Victoria, Gozo’s main hub. First order of business was heading out west to the Blue Hole, a diver’s haven with scenery that looks straight out of a postcard. Jagged rock formations, a small chapel nearby that felt wildly out of place, and of course the water itself, deep, almost glowing blue. The sun peeked through the clouds and gave me the perfect contrast for photos.
Then back to Victoria to explore the mighty Citadel. It looms over the town and feels like something from a fantasy novel. I wandered the ramparts, taking in 360-degree views of Gozo with hills, cliffs, the sea in all directions. From up there, you get a sense of how compact and charming the island really is. Every direction looked like a photo waiting to happen. I grabbed lunch inside the citadel at a place called Ta’ Rikardu, known for their rabbit pasta. Full of bones, slightly rustic, but absolutely worth it. Rich, flavourful, and the kind of dish that feels properly local.
After lunch, I hopped on a bus to the Xwejni Salt Pans, one of the last remaining places where salt is still collected by hand. The rows of geometric pools shimmered in the late afternoon sun and made for one of my favourite photo moments of the trip. Across the road, an old man sat in his salt-selling shack, a fixture here for over 20 years. I wanted to buy some, but I’m sure airport security would be questioning the white substance in my bag.
Back to Valletta that evening, and as luck would have it, I stumbled into the middle of St Paul’s Shipwreck Day celebrations. Marching bands, fireworks, singing in the streets, I ended the trip with a beer in hand, surrounded by joy. It was the perfect accidental send-off.
Final Tally
By the time I boarded my flight home on Tuesday, I’d spent £197.88 in total. Flights, accommodation, transport, food, beer, and even that rabbit pasta all within budget. Proof that with a bit of flexibility and a keen eye for deals, you can still travel well without breaking the bank.
Malta was a place of contrasts: dusty dealerships and glowing sea pools to medieval alleys and modern bus routes, I left with a full memory card and an even fuller heart.
Until the next country.
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From crumbling backstreets to sweeping coastal views, the camera barely got a rest. You can check out the full photo series from the trip over in the gallery.