Malta International Airport: where to stay, areas and recommended…

Malta's airport is located in Luqa, just 5 km from Valletta: the X4 express bus covers the route in about 25 minutes for 2 euros, a taxi in 20 minutes for about 10 euros. With such short distances on an island as small as Malta, the choice isn't between the airport and the city but between the historic capital and the island's other tourist bases (Sliema, St Julian's, Mellieħa), still just a few minutes away by the same buses. Those wanting to sleep within Valletta's baroque walls, a UNESCO World Heritage site, will find seventeenth-century palaces turned into boutique hotels just steps from the bastions and the Upper Barrakka Gardens.

Valletta

City centre · About 5 km from the airport; X4 express bus in 25 minutes (2 euros), taxi in 20 minutes (about 10 euros).

Best for: Those wanting to sleep within the baroque walls of the capital, among historic palaces, bastions and the Grand Harbour.

Pros

Upper Barrakka Gardens, St John's Co-Cathedral and the Grand Harbour within walking distance of almost every hotel in the city
Airport transfer among the shortest and cheapest on this list

Cons

The streets of the historic centre are pedestrian or very narrow: luggage has to be carried on foot for a stretch
Few parking spaces for those arriving with a rental car

Recommended hotels in this area

AX The Saint John: 176 Merchant Street, in the heart of Valletta less than 450 metres from the Grand Master's Palace and St John's Co-Cathedral; part of the AX Hotels brand, a Maltese chain with several properties on the island.
1926 Le Parisot Boutique Suites: Restored palazzo on Saint Paul Street, a minute's walk from the Upper Barrakka Gardens; panoramic terrace and shared hot tub, selected by the Michelin Guide 2025.
Barrakka Suites: Six apartments across 4 floors on Battery Street, a minute's walk from the Upper Barrakka Gardens; some units with garden views.

See more hotels in this area →