Malta With Kids | Suitability | Itineraries | Accommodation

Golden Bay Beach
Golden Bay
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Malta is a fantastic place for kids of all ages. The island offers a plethora of family-friendly activities and amenities that cater to the needs and interests of children. Additionally, most restaurants are kid-friendly, and there are family-friendly resorts available to ensure everyone has a great holiday.

Here is all the information you need to understand the suitability of Malta as a destination for a family holiday. Including itineraries with kids activities, suggestions on the best areas to stay, and the best hotels with the most amenities for families.

Suitability

Petting Farm ta Qali

Malta is an excellent choice for a family holiday for many reasons. Firstly Malta is known for its safe environment, making it an ideal destination for families. The locals are friendly and welcoming, and the crime rate is relatively low.

There are a wide range of activities that are specifically designed for children. That includes sandy beaches, as well as parks and indoor spaces where they can play.

Accessibility is also an important factor. Malta is a relatively small island, making it easy to navigate and explore in different ways with children. You have the option of renting a car, the easiest way to check deals is by using Discover Cars, or using public transport.

The public transportation system is efficient, and many attractions are within a short distance from each other. This convenience minimises travel time and ensures that children won’t get too tired or bored during journeys.

Lastly there are also a range of child-friendly accommodations. There are of course some areas that are more suitable for a families to stay for various reasons.

Plus a selection of hotels and resorts in Malta are family-oriented and provide amenities and services tailored to children. Some establishments offer dedicated kids’ clubs, children’s pools, playgrounds, and even babysitting services. As a result both parents and kids will have a comfortable and enjoyable stay.

Itineraries for Families with Young Kids

Popeye Village
Popeye Village

There is plenty to keep you occupied to experience Malta with kids. Here are a couple of itineraries as suggestions of things you can get up to. They are based on the kids activities in Malta listed on this site.

4-day Itinerary

Day 1: Popeye Village
Day 2: San Anton Garden and Kitchen Garden
Day 3: Horse riding (5+) and Golden Bay Beach
Day 4: Mediterraneo Marine Park

7-day Itinerary

Day 1: Popeye Village
Day 2: Horse riding (5+) and Golden Bay Beach
Day 3: Ta’ Qali; Aviation Museum, National Park and Petting Farm
Day 4: Mdina: old fortified town and playground
Day 5: Mediterraneo Marine Park or Splash and Fun
Day 6: San Anton Garden and Kitchen Garden
Day 7: Bird Park and Salina Park

The 7 day itinerary has a couple of things that are great for adults. I tried to balance the day so that the kids do not get too bored while you are sightseeing.

Mdina is exceptionally small, around 250 meters by 250 meters, so it is easy to experience it in a few hours or less. Additionally next to the main gate there is a good sized kids playground located here where your kids can have a break.

In Ta’ Qali there are many things to do. The Aviation Museum has an interesting collection of antique aircrafts. The kids might also enjoy it, at 6 years old my nephew liked seeing the different planes. Additionally he got the opportunity to sit in a helicopter and a plane which is always a highlight. From there you can move on to do more fun things to enjoy the day.

Unfortunately Valletta does not have any playgrounds and kids activities. So if you have kids in tow, it’s not the best place to explore.

You could just stick to kids activities and hang out with your kids all day. However some resorts are incredibly kid-friendly and provide babysitting, child care facilities and kids clubs. If you use these services you can head out to explore some of the amazing sites in Malta, knowing that your kids are in safe hands.

If you choose to do this, you can consider visiting some fantastic places of interest. Here are a couple of itineraries with suggestions on where you should visit:

Mdina Gate

4-Day Malta Itinerary: Ultimate Island Escape

7 days in Malta

7-Day Malta Itinerary: Ultimate Island Escape

Best Areas to Stay and Accommodation for Families

There are 9 popular areas where to stay in Malta, but not everywhere is suitable for families. You definitely do not want to go to St. Julian’s since that is too close to the clubs and nightlife. It gets noisy, and it’s not the ideal location for children.

The Hilton is the only exception, because it is cordoned off in an area for itself that is very quiet. However it is a very expensive luxury hotel. It includes family rooms, a games room, 5 swimming pools including a kids pool, kid-friendly meals and babysitting and child minding services.

Here is a quick overview of the better places for families to stay including the best hotels you could consider. Based on my local knowledge and supplemented by additional research, the stays recommended below are carefully curated to offer a selection of options.

Sliema

Positive
  • Several kids playgrounds
  • Good public transport connections
  • Small rocky areas for swimming
  • Hotels that cater for families
Negatives
  • Expensive area
  • Limited parking
  • Crowded during peak season

The Preluna Hotel

The Preluna hotel has been recently renovated, modern, clean and has a very good overall rating. It is generally within average cost, but it does get more expensive during summer months. However it is the best hotel in Sliema for families due to the range of amenities. It has:

  • Family Rooms
  • 2 swimming pools, 1 with a shallow end
  • Board games/puzzles
  • Babysitting/child services
  • Games room
  • Parking in location close by
  • Evening entertainment
  • Kids meals
  • 300m from the Tigne playground
  • 1km from Exiles play ground and beach
  • Spa and wellness
  • Next to 1 of 2 the main bus stops in Sliema

Plaza Regency Hotel

The Plaza Regency is quite a good hotel with overall good reviews. It doesn’t have the range of facilities The Preluna has and no car park. However it is within average cost even during peak summer months and less expensive during shoulder months.

  • Family Rooms
  • 3 swimming pools, 1 shallow kids pool
  • Evening entertainment
  • 100m from Independence Garden
  • 300m from Exiles play ground and beach

St Paul’s Bay

Positive
  • A couple of water parks
  • Bird Park, Salina Park, Aquarium not far off
  • Good public transport connections
  • Small rocky areas for swimming
  • Hotels that cater for families
  • Most hotels within average cost
Negatives
  • Limited parking
  • Crowded during peak season
  • Further away from major cities

db San Antonio Hotel + Spa All Inclusive

db San Antonio Hotel and Spa is the best hotel for families in St. Paul’s Bay. Other hotels may have family rooms, but they do not have the range of facilities as db San Antonio. It is quite an expensive hotel, but the good thing is that it is an all inclusive. It offers:

  • Family Rooms
  • 4 swimming pools, 1 for kids
  • Kids club
  • Babysitting/child services (additional charge)
  • Indoor play area
  • Car park (additional charge)
  • Live evening entertainment
  • Kid-friendly buffet
  • Fitness centre
  • Spa and wellness (additional charge)

Mellieha

Positive
  • 2 best beaches in Malta, great for tots
  • Popeye Village, horse riding
  • Good public transport connections
  • Hotels with most amenities for families
  • Most hotels within average cost
Negatives
  • Limited parking
  • Further away from major cities

Radisson Blu Resort & Spa

Radisson Blu Golden Sands

The Radisson Blu Resort & Spa is quite expensive and far from the main areas. The hotel itself is in a very secluded area with only another building in the area. This means that although there are direct buses to get to many different places they may not be frequent. However it has a fantastic rating, in a beautiful location with fantastic views. Plus it has many amenities for families. It offers:

  • Family Rooms
  • 3 swimming pools
  • Kids club
  • Babysitting/child services (additional charge)
  • Indoor play area
  • Children’s Playground
  • Games room
  • Board games/puzzles
  • Kids outdoor play equipment
  • Kid-friendly buffet and kids meals
  • Live evening entertainment
  • Spa and wellness centre
  • Next to Golden Bay, shallow beach perfect for young children

db Seabank Resort + Spa All Inclusive

There are complaints by locals and foreigners recently on the amount of traffic in this area. This is due to the recent road design alteration from a two-lane to single-lane carriageway according to the Times of Malta.

The db Seabank Resort and Spa is from the same db brand that also owns San Antonio. Hence you can expect the same amenities at both hotels. The hotel is directly in front of Ghadira Bay, which is one of the best beaches on the island. It is a lovely sandy beach with shallow waters that are perfect for tots. The hotel offers:

  • Family Rooms
  • 2 swimming pools
  • Kids club
  • Babysitting/child services (additional charge)
  • Indoor play area
  • Outdoor play equipment
  • Car park
  • Live evening entertainment
  • Kid-friendly buffet
  • Fitness centre
  • Spa and wellness (additional charge)
  • In front of Ghadira Bay

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