12 Day Trips and Half-Day Trips from Gzira

One of the underrated joys of basing yourself in Gzira is how far you can get with half a day. Malta is small enough that almost everything is within an hour, and Gzira's transport links — ferry, buses and the main coastal road — make it a perfect launchpad. Here are twelve trips we recommend to every guest, roughly ordered from easiest to most ambitious: a set list for your Malta weekends.

In short: from Gzira you can reach almost everything worth seeing in Malta within an hour, most of it without a car. The easiest wins are Valletta by ferry, Mdina and the Three Cities; the best full days are Gozo and the wilder western coast.

1. Valletta

Take the ferry from Sliema and you are in the capital in minutes. Baroque streets, the Upper Barrakka Gardens, St John's Co-Cathedral and harbour views everywhere you turn. The easiest half-day trip you will ever plan.

2. Mdina and Rabat

Malta's silent former capital is a walled hilltop city of golden limestone alleys, palazzos and bastion views across half the island. Pair it with neighbouring Rabat for catacombs and some of Malta's best pastizzi.

3. The Three Cities

Birgu, Senglea and Cospicua sit across the Grand Harbour from Valletta and feel a century quieter. Wander Birgu's back streets, visit Fort St Angelo and return by traditional dgħajsa water taxi.

4. Marsaxlokk

The famous fishing village in Malta's south east, best on Sunday morning when the fish market takes over the quay. Lunch by the water among the painted luzzu boats is the point.

5. The Blue Grotto

A series of sea caves on the southern coast where the water glows an impossible blue in morning light. Short boat trips run in good weather from Wied iż-Żurrieq.

6. Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra

Two of the world's oldest free-standing temples, older than Stonehenge and the pyramids, standing on a clifftop above the southern sea. The visitor centre gives the context; the site gives the goosebumps.

7. Mosta and Ta' Qali

The Mosta Rotunda's dome is one of the largest in Europe, famously pierced by a bomb in 1942 that failed to explode. Combine it with the crafts village at Ta' Qali for glass-blowing and local makers.

8. Dingli Cliffs

Malta's highest point, where the plateau drops sheer into the Mediterranean. Come for golden hour, walk the clifftop path and finish with dinner in a nearby village.

9. Golden Bay and Għajn Tuffieħa

The island's most scenic sandy beaches, side by side on the north west coast. Għajn Tuffieħa, reached by a long staircase, stays wilder and quieter than its neighbour.

10. Mellieħa and the north

A hilltop town above Malta's largest sandy beach, with the Popeye Village film set in the next bay for kitsch value and great coastal walking in between.

11. Mosta and Ta' Qali

The Mosta Rotunda's dome is one of the largest in Europe, famously pierced by a bomb in 1942 that failed to explode. Combine it with the crafts village at Ta' Qali for glass-blowing and local makers.

12. Comino and the Blue Lagoon

The tiny island between Malta and Gozo, ringed by the clearest turquoise water in the country. Go early or late in the day, or off season, to enjoy it at its best.

13. Gozo

Malta's greener, slower sister island deserves at least a full day: the Citadel in Victoria, red-sand Ramla Bay, salt pans near Marsalforn and long lunches in village squares. The ferry from Ċirkewwa runs frequently.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best day trips from Gzira?

The classics are Valletta via the Sliema ferry, walled Mdina with neighbouring Rabat, the Three Cities across the Grand Harbour, and Marsaxlokk fishing village on a Sunday morning. For a full day, Gozo and the north-west beaches are the standouts.

Do I need a car for day trips in Malta?

Mostly not. Ferries and buses cover the majority of destinations from Gzira, and ride apps fill the gaps. An occasional one-day car hire makes sense only for the remoter corners like the temple circuit and clifftop west.

How do I get to Gozo from Gzira?

Take a bus or taxi to Cirkewwa in Malta's north for the frequent ferry crossing to Mgarr, or use the fast ferry service that links Valletta to Gozo directly. Either way, allow a full day to do the island justice.

Staying a while? From our short stay and mid-term apartments in Gzira you can tick these off one relaxed weekend at a time, with a proper workspace waiting on Monday morning. New to the area? Start with our Gzira area guide and our complete guide to working from Malta. And for reaching all twelve, our guide to getting around Malta without a car has the ferries and buses covered. Find availability and our best direct rates at morrisoncourt.com.