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Marsaskala & Southeast
A relaxed seaside town in the southeast, good for a quieter, more local base and waterfront dinners.
Where to stay
Marsaskala is a residential seaside town in the southeast, and it is the least touristy place on this list.
- Around the bay — Apartments and small guesthouses along the water, with the promenade and the restaurants.
- Inland streets — Ordinary, local and cheaper again.
- St Thomas Bay — A little further round, quieter still, with the boathouses.
What it is like
There is no headline sight here. That is the appeal, and it should also be the warning.
- The promenade — A long curve around the bay, busy with locals in the evening rather than visitors.
- Eating — Genuinely good and noticeably cheaper than Sliema, with several well-regarded fish restaurants.
- St Thomas Bay — Rock and small patches of sand, with the ramshackle boathouses that the Maltese use in summer.
- Swimming — Off the rocks and from the lidos, as almost everywhere on Malta outside the north.
- Marsaxlokk and St Peter's Pool — Both about fifteen minutes away, which makes this a reasonable base for the southeast.
Getting there
- From Valletta — Around forty minutes by bus.
- From the airport — Roughly twenty minutes by car, and it is the closest of these towns to it.
- Getting around — A car helps a great deal. Bus links to the north of the island are slow.
How long to stay
- As a base — For a week if you want somewhere lived-in rather than a resort, and have a car.
- A day — Not really a day-trip destination, since there is no single sight to come for.
- An evening — Worth driving over for dinner if you are staying in the southeast.
Worth knowing before you go
- This is a local town, not a resort. If you want hotel facilities and nightlife it is the wrong choice.
- It is the closest of these towns to the airport, which suits a first or last night.
- Buses to the north are slow. Without a car you will spend a lot of the trip travelling.
- Prices for food and accommodation are among the lowest on the island.
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Marsaskala & Southeast: frequently asked questions
Is Marsaskala worth staying in?
If you want a lived-in Maltese town rather than a resort, and you have a car. There is no headline sight, but the food is good and cheap and the southeast is on your doorstep.
Is there a beach in Marsaskala?
Not a sandy one. Swimming is off the rocks and the lidos, and St Thomas Bay nearby has rock and small patches of sand.
How far is Marsaskala from the airport?
About twenty minutes by car, which is closer than most places on the island and makes it convenient for a first or last night.
Do you need a car in Marsaskala?
It helps a lot. Bus links to Valletta are reasonable but getting to the north of the island without a car is slow.
What is near Marsaskala?
Marsaxlokk and St Peter's Pool are both about fifteen minutes away, and the southeastern coast generally.
Is Marsaskala cheaper than Sliema?
Yes, noticeably, for both accommodation and eating out.