To ask you to tell me about Malta...

They don't call it the armpit of Europe for nothing.

I went in April with a 4 year old. It was perfect. Not a beachy place only really 2 beaches and they are nothing special. Get a sea front hotel with nice pool.
Food and people are amazing and cheap. car hire is easy and reasonable. They drive on same side as us. Food very similar to italian and the Maltese love children and welcome you so much. Museums and shops in centre and lovely pastry/coffee shops. I had a lovely time and would go back. Resorts are built up and no beaches but still beautiful views over sea.

I've been twice with now-DH before we had kids, once in 2010 and we stayed in Sliema for a week, once in 2017 when we stayed on Gozo for 5 nights and Valetta for 2 - we also got engaged on Gozo so I have very fond memories.

I'd recommend Gozo as a lovely and quiet, laid back kind of place. It has sandy beaches, which Malta does as well but I think they are in the very resort-y parts where I haven't been. Gorgeous snorkeling and diving. We stayed in an airbnb that was a converted 15th (?) century farmhouse and was very atmospheric.

If you are an archaeology nerd like I am the Ggantija temple complex on Gozo is incredible, and the Hypogeum on Malta is worth going to as well. Agree that Medina is amazing and atmospheric. Good restaurants and fairly relaxed, safe-feeling nightlife in Valetta.

You can get around both islands by bus quite easily, and Valetta is very walkable (though I live in Bristol so am used to hills!)

Sliema was fine, fairly relaxed, good base for exploring, but nothing incredibly special.

Not sure anything I have described is particularly child-friendly, though maybe if you have a very young baby you can just take her with you to do the grownup stuff. As a last hurrah before you enter the world of kids' clubs and activities, it might be really nice.

We went last year (second visit) and it was great. Loads to see on lots of levels. If you're interested in religious history/Christianity, St Paul's Bay is where the Apostle Paul was said to have been shipwrecked. Nice food, friendly locals and beautiful scenery. Would definitely go back.

I always refer to Malta as Ireland in the sun nice enough if u are a certain age range

@DappledThings

I know, I'm amazed. For a history nut like me it was paradise and DH loved the walking.
Yes, politically there are issues, but that applies to a lot of places.

It used to be fantastic, we've got Maltese passports and used to go every year to see family but I don't rush to go back so often. So much pollution and traffic now and when we visited the beach there were rough sleepers in tents abusing the tourists. Weirdly we had clothes stolen from our hotel room. It's a meh place. If the weather is bad there isn't so much to do.

Blimey. We spent a fortnight and didn't see everything...

I stay for two weeks in St Julians every year and travel all round the island.

I love it.

Huh. Didn't find it too bad and we are 61 and 76.
Loved loved loved Malta. See Hal Salflieni Hypogeum if at all possible but book well in advance or you may not get in. Avoid the seaside resorts as previously mentioned. Don't hire a car, buses with season tickets are cheap as chips and go everywhere but are often driven by non natives who won't necessarily know the right stops for sights. Check these yourself. Wonderful walking and Gozo is brilliant too but with only a week you probably won't have time.

We have family in Gozo. Gozo is great for beaches. Loads of history. Mdina very impressive. I love history so I got a lot out of Valleta. There are some very impressive archeology sites like Ggigantia. If you like diving it's apparently very good and swimming in the sea next to the little middle island was a lot of fun.

Loved it. Went for 10 days and explored everywhere. The buses made it so easy to get everywhere. Loads of prehistoric sites and great museums. Mdina was fascinating and beautiful. Loads of forts, lovely places to wander round. Good food. And that bitter orange fizzy drink, Kinnie! DH hated it, I drank two cans daily and became obsessed.

I don't know where people where who are saying it was grim. We loved it.

They trap songbirds.

Sad to read all this. I went in the 90s and loved it.

What nobody ever tells you about Malta, is how steep everywhere is!
You need to have Mounrain goat dna. We went a year ago.
Mdina was our favourite place, beautiful and peaceful.
Wouldn’t stay in Sliema again, it was ‘ok’ although our hotel was lovely.

Valetta is nice, full of history, great museums but it’s so steep if you go off the main drag, why so many elderly Brits visit is beyond me, I struggled , I was getting over covid. Public toilets are hard to come by, the portaloo at the bus station/ city gate, is appalling.
Did I mention how steep and uneven the streets are? I wouldn’t fancy pushing a pram around, dog crap everywhere too.

Was nice enough when I went but that was about 30 years ago. Valetta's nice, the ancient sites are nice. Our hotel was a dump but that's what we get for going with a cheap travel company.

The Maltese language is interesting from a European perspective, but 90% of people in Malta speak English anyway.

And yes, total ban on abortion, to the point that doctors are unwilling to perform medical treatments to save the mother's life.

St Julians from Spinola Bay to Balluta Bay is fine. The area called Paceville is indeed grotty. Far too much traffic and over-development, extremely hot and humid in summer. Avoid Comino and most boat trips, apart from Blue Grotto (Which is not the same as Blue Lagoon). However, loads of great places to visit, particularly if you are interested in history. Eating and drinking is reasonably priced. Maltese are very friendly and helpful and all speak some English.

It was OK but I wouldn't go back. Holiday-wise, it's neither one thing nor the other. Valletta's nice for maybe a day's exploring but there's not enough going on for a full city break. And Malta's not really a good place for a beach holiday, the coastline is very rocky.
I liked the walled town of Mdina but again it only really takes a morning to wander round.

Valletta and Sliema are nice, but I agree with the comments on St Julian’s. If you hire a car, be very confident - road rules are minimal! We went in 2021 and had a really nice, relaxing holiday.

Malta is beautiful. Lovely coastline, drive on the left like us. Marks and Spencer deberhams brands you will recognise. McDonald's burger king everywhere in the big resorts. Go to Gozo if you want traditional Malta or to the interior. The resorts are like Benidorm or Blackpool.

It's very marmite. I never hear of anyone finding it fine- people either love or hate it. I hated it. Valletta was lovely, the rest was grim

Take a carrier for baby as pushchair not great on cobbled streets. Gozo is worth a visit.

Horrible place. Valletta is ok, the rest is pretty horrible

We loved it, spent time in Valetta and on Gozo.

Hypogeum, War Museum and Mdina all worth a visit.

Relaxed vibe everywhere, fabulous food, friendly people. Enjoy!

My parents went years ago and loved it.

Word of caution- only go of you're 150 percent sure you're not pregnant again. There was a near-Savita situation just last year with a miscarrying visitor being refused appropriate medical treatment. Sheer luck her status improved sufficiently to allow for emergency medical evacuation out of the country.