English-speaking, everything close by and a safe island for first family trips
🏰Malta
Updated 1 July 2026
Malta is one of the easiest places in the Mediterranean to travel with children. Everyone speaks English, so ordering food, asking directions and reassuring a lost toddler are all straightforward. The island is tiny, so nothing is far: you can do a fort in the morning, a beach after lunch and be back at the pool by teatime. Add warm water well into October, short flights from much of Europe and genuinely family-loving locals, and you have a stress-light holiday. The catch is beaches, Malta has fewer sandy ones than you might expect, so choosing your base around Ghadira Bay, Golden Bay or Gozo's Ramla Bay makes all the difference.
26 to 31C
Typical summer day highs
Into Oct
Warm sea for swimming
3h
Flight from northern Europe
English
Official language, spoken everywhere
Live prices & availability
Stays near Malta, Malta
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Why it works with kids
- English is spoken everywhere, a huge relief with kids in tow
- Everything is a short drive apart, so days can mix beach, pool and sights
- Popeye Village, a colourful film-set fun park, is a hit with younger children
- The Blue Lagoon on Comino has turquoise, shallow, calm water for paddling
- Warm sea and sunshine last well into October, past the peak-summer crowds
Best areas to stay
- 1Mellieha and Ghadira Bay: the island's best sandy family beach, shallow and gentle, with big resorts nearby
- 2Golden Bay: another rare sandy beach on the northwest coast, with cliffs and sunsets
- 3St Julian's and Sliema: buzzy town bases for sightseeing, with the Valletta ferry and lots to walk to
- 4Bugibba and Qawra: value-friendly family strip with the National Aquarium and a long promenade
- 5Gozo: the calmer sister island, greener and slower, with Ramla Bay's wide red sand
Our KidProof picks
Hand-picked and scored on the eight things that matter to families.
in Malta
Radisson Blu Resort & Spa, Malta Golden Sands
Smart, spacious rooms and suites terraced above Golden Bay, most with a balcony and a sea view worth paying for. Family rooms and suites give real room to spread out, and the higher floors catch the sunset over the bay.
in Malta
Malta Marriott Hotel & Spa
Polished, generously sized rooms and suites overlooking Balluta Bay, many with sea views. Family-friendly configurations and interconnecting rooms make it comfortable for four, with proper space to unwind after a day out.
in Malta
db Seabank Resort + Spa
Bright all-inclusive rooms and family rooms, many with balconies and sea or pool views. Family rooms sleep up to four, and interconnecting options make it easy to give older kids their own space without going far.
in Malta
Kempinski Hotel San Lawrenz
Large, calm rooms and suites set in gardens in the Gozo countryside, most with a balcony or terrace. Suites and interconnecting rooms give families real space, and the quiet setting makes for easy naps and early nights.
in Malta
Dolmen Hotel Malta
Well-kept rooms and family rooms on the Qawra seafront, many with sea or pool views. Family rooms sleep up to four, and the seafront wing puts you closest to the pools and the promenade.
in Malta
AX Sunny Coast Resort & Spa
Self-catering studios and one and two-bedroom apartments with kitchenettes, a real plus with fussy eaters and babies. Two-bedroom units give parents a separate room, and there is proper space to spread out for a week.
in Malta
Ramla Bay Resort
Comfortable rooms and family rooms on Malta's northern tip, many facing the sea and the Gozo ferry channel. Rooms are simple and practical rather than plush, but the sea-view family options are the ones to ask for.
in Malta
The Waterfront Hotel
Comfortable modern rooms and family rooms on the Sliema seafront, the best facing the harbour and Valletta across the water. Family rooms sleep up to four, and the location does the heavy lifting for entertainment.
Compare our picks in Malta
| Hotel | Score | Kids club | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radisson Blu Resort & Spa, Malta Golden Sands | 86 | ✅ Free kids club | 300€ |
| Malta Marriott Hotel & Spa | 86 | — | 190€ |
| db Seabank Resort + Spa | 85 | ✅ Free kids club | 180€ |
| Kempinski Hotel San Lawrenz | 85 | — | 280€ |
| Dolmen Hotel Malta | 83 | ✅ Free kids club | 140€ |
| AX Sunny Coast Resort & Spa | 81 | — | 120€ |
| Ramla Bay Resort | 79 | ✅ Free kids club | 150€ |
| The Waterfront Hotel | 79 | — | 110€ |
Browse Malta by what matters
Family things to do in Malta
Blue Lagoon on Comino
A boat trip to Comino's turquoise, shallow lagoon, calm and clear enough for young children to paddle and snorkel.
Popeye Village
The wooden film set from the old Popeye movie is now a colourful fun park with shows, play areas and a small beach.
Malta National Aquarium
At Qawra, with a walk-through tunnel and touch pools, a reliable plan for a hot or windy afternoon.
Mdina and Valletta forts
Walk the ramparts of the silent city and the capital's bastions, junior-knight adventures with sweeping harbour views.
Parents also ask
Is Malta easy with young children?
Very. English is spoken everywhere, the island is small so nothing is far, locals are warm with families, and healthcare and food standards are high.
Does Malta have sandy beaches?
Fewer than you might expect, most swimming is off rocky lidos. For sand, base yourself near Ghadira Bay, Golden Bay or Gozo's Ramla Bay.
When is the best time to visit with kids?
Late spring and September into October are ideal: warm sea, plenty of sun and fewer crowds than the hot, busy peak of July and August.
Do we need a hire car?
You can manage without one from a walkable base like Sliema or Qawra, but buses can be slow and crowded, so a car makes reaching beaches and sights much easier.
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