ESTIMATED READING TIME: 6 MINUTES
Traveling to Malta with a toddler? We traveled there for our son’s 3rd birthday. Here’s what you need to know: from getting there to 4 toddler-friendly activities in Malta.
Getting to Malta
There’s only one airport in Malta, Malta International Airport. If flying, this is the airport you’ll arrive at. If you’re traveling to Malta from Sicily like we did, you have the option of flying or taking a ferry. We chose to fly because the flight is only about 50 minutes and depending on the time of year, it costs a fraction of the price of taking the ferry.
However, If you decide to take the ferry, you can expect it to take about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Price varies and can increase significantly if you decide to take your vehicle.
Getting around Malta
Ride Shares in Malta
Ride shares are widely available and they make traveling through Malta easy. The most commonly used ride share is Bolt. It’s an app similar to Uber or Lyft, but I felt it was a bit better in that you can request vehicles that have a booster seat or car seat available. Perfect for families traveling to Malta with a toddler.
Renting a Car in Malta
If you’ll be doing a lot of sightseeing or visiting the different sides of the island, your best option is to rent a car. Especially if traveling with littles or need more than one car seat. Renting a car allows you to get around Malta and explore at your own pace. You’ll also be able to see more places without having to pay for a ride share. It really just gives you more freedom in general. One thing to note, if you are from the US or another place that drives on the right side of the road, they drive on the left in Malta.
Living in Japan prepared us for this, but if you’re not used to driving on the left, I’d be cautious.
Public Transportation in Malta
Although we didn’t use public transportation, we saw plenty of buses as we explored Malta. This leads me to believe that the transportation system there is pretty good. Much better than what we’re used to in our town anyway. You can always use Google Maps to determine if using the bus system is a good option for you.
*Note* If renting a car or using a ride share, it is illegal for children to ride if they are not in an appropriate seat. Plan accordingly.
Should You Take a Stroller?
As far as getting around Malta with a stroller, I saw plenty of parents pushing their children in one. We didn’t take ours on this trip but if you’re sticking to the major areas, strollers aren’t a problem. My suggestion would be to bring a travel stroller or one that is compact. There are some restaurants that don’t have enough space to accommodate a full-sized stroller.
We did fine by just taking our 
Baby Tula carrier. It’s well worth the money! We’ve had ours since our son was about 6 months old and I love that it has grown with him. They even have carriers specifically made for toddlers!
Where to Stay
Deciding where to stay is dependent on what your plans are. We decided to stay at the Hyatt Centric in St. Julian’s. This hotel was central to all of the things we wanted to do. It was also easy to walk to places like the grocery store, the beach, and a number of restaurants. I will say that St. Julian’s is known for its party scene, but it’s pretty centralized along one strip. The Hyatt Centric is far enough away from the strip so that you don’t hear any of the commotion.
The hotel is very comfortable, the rooms are clean, and the staff is extremely attentive. There’s also parking onsite (for a fee). If you decide to stay here, make sure to take advantage of the rooftop pool! We had a late flight at the staff stored our luggage while we lounged by the pool.
4 Things to do in Malta with Toddlers
Since it was our son’s birthday, finding things for him was my primary goal. Here are four toddler-friendly activities in Malta that he absolutely loved.
1. Malta National Aquarium
This aquarium is located in St. Paul’s Bay and about 15 minutes from our hotel by car. Though smaller than what we’re used to, it was a welcomed change since there are no aquariums in Sicily. Our son loves fish so this was a must.
Price: €13.95 per adult, kids 4 and under are free
2. The Eden
This facility has a bowling alley, karaoke rooms, pool tables, arcade, and laser tag. We only bowled and played games but our son had such a great time.
Price: The bowling was reasonably priced at €9.95 per adult and €7.60 for children under 14. You can also purchase a family pack for €30. The arcade games were a bit expensive in my opinion. It was great that it was less than 5 minutes walking from our hotel though.
3. Esplora Malta
Esplora is a science center and I’ll admit, we enjoyed it just as much as our son. We spent the entire day here and stayed until closing. They have several free shows and activities for the kids throughout the day. The main highlight of the center was the area for little esploras. It’s a section specifically for kids under 5 and it even has a nursing room. I HIGHLY recommend that you check it out. It was located about 12 minutes away from the Hyatt Centric in the opposite direction of the aquarium.
Price: It costs €8 for adults and €6 for ages 3+. You can add on a show in the planetarium for just €2 more per person.
4. Indepence Gardens ("Cat Park")
The park is always a great way to let your toddler burn off some energy and we were happy to stumble upon this one on our walk from St. Julian’s to Sliema. If you stay at the Hyatt Centric, be prepared to walk about 30 minutes to this park. Trust me though, the views along the seafront make it 100% worth it!
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