Malta🇲🇹 | townsMellieħaGħadira sands, air raid shelter, cave sanctuary, Red Tower | things to do and best time to go

The public bus is the easiest way to get around Mellieħa, because the town sits on a ridge with steep streets and almost every route you need starts at the stop by the main square. Mellieħa itself is walkable in the center, but the beaches, the ferry terminal and the bay sit well below or beyond it, and summer traffic crawls along the coast road. Buses run all day, though they fill up on hot weekends.

• Public bus: Fares are €2.50 per journey in summer (14 June to 18 October) and €2 in winter, and the 12-journey card at €19 or the 7-day Explore card at €25 pays off fast if you ride daily. Routes link Mellieħa with Valletta, Bugibba, Cirkewwa and Ghadira Bay, and the ride to Valletta takes roughly 1 hour 15 minutes. Get on at the first stop of a line if you can, since later stops see standing

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The public bus is the easiest way to get around Mellieħa, because the town sits on a ridge with steep streets and almost every route you need starts at the stop by the main square. Mellieħa itself is walkable in the center, but the beaches, the ferry terminal and the bay sit well below or beyond it, and summer traffic crawls along the coast road. Buses run all day, though they fill up on hot weekends.

• Public bus: Fares are €2.50 per journey in summer (14 June to 18 October) and €2 in winter, and the 12-journey card at €19 or the 7-day Explore card at €25 pays off fast if you ride daily. Routes link Mellieħa with Valletta, Bugibba, Cirkewwa and Ghadira Bay, and the ride to Valletta takes roughly 1 hour 15 minutes. Get on at the first stop of a line if you can, since later stops see standing room only in July and August.
• Walking: Free, and the best choice for the old center, the parish church area and the downhill stroll to Ghadira Bay, which takes about 20 to 25 minutes. Coming back is a hard climb, so I would ride up in the heat and save the walk for the morning.
• Ride-hailing and taxis: Apps such as Bolt and eCabs usually cost about €8 to 15 for a hop to Mellieħa Bay or Ghadira and around €25 to 35 to the Cirkewwa ferry. They make sense for four people splitting a fare, or for a late night when buses thin out.
• Bicycle or scooter rental: Roughly €15 to 30 a day. The coast road is fine for confident riders, but the hills are punishing in summer and traffic is fast, so I would skip it unless you are used to riding in cars’ company.
• Ferry from Cirkewwa: The Gozo ferry runs from the northern tip, a short bus ride away, and it is worth using for Gozo days. Foot passengers pay only on the return leg, so keep a few euros for that.

Mellieħa suits day trips well, since the northern tip of Malta has the Gozo ferry terminal on its doorstep and buses reach the rest of the island without a change in most cases.Gozo: The ferry from Cirkewwa takes about 25 minutes and runs roughly every 45 minutes during the day. Reckon on €5 to 6 for the return crossing plus €2 to 2.50 per bus fare to the terminal, and add €10 to 15 for local buses on Gozo. Victoria’s Citadel and Dwejra’s cliffs are the pick for a full day. The classic mistake is trying to fit the whole island in, so choose two spots and take your time. Late spring and early autumn are the most comfortable.👉 Explore GozoComino and the Blue Lagoon: Small boats leave from Cirkewwa and take around 20 minutes, with return tickets costing roughly €12 to 20. The water is clear and … read more 👉

Mellieħa suits day trips well, since the northern tip of Malta has the Gozo ferry terminal on its doorstep and buses reach the rest of the island without a change in most cases.Gozo: The ferry from Cirkewwa takes about 25 minutes and runs roughly every 45 minutes during the day. Reckon on €5 to 6 for the return crossing plus €2 to 2.50 per bus fare to the terminal, and add €10 to 15 for local buses on Gozo. Victoria’s Citadel and Dwejra’s cliffs are the pick for a full day. The classic mistake is trying to fit the whole island in, so choose two spots and take your time. Late spring and early autumn are the most comfortable.👉 Explore GozoComino and the Blue Lagoon: Small boats leave from Cirkewwa and take around 20 minutes, with return tickets costing roughly €12 to 20. The water is clear and shallow, but by 11 a.m. in July the sand is packed. Take the first boat, walk to the quieter rocky coves, and bring your own food because kiosk prices are high. June and September are the calmer months.

Mdina and Rabat: A bus from Mellieħa takes about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, usually with one change near Bugibba or Valletta, and costs €5 return in summer. The walled hilltop town is a quiet set of sandstone lanes, and the catacombs in Rabat are a cheap add-on. Go in the morning, since tour groups arrive after lunch. Winter and spring days are best for walking.👉 Explore MdinaValletta: Buses take roughly 1 hour 15 minutes each way. Expect to spend €5 for transport and €10 to 15 for a modest lunch. St John’s Co-Cathedral and the Upper Barrakka Gardens are the highlights. First-timers often try to see too much in the afternoon heat, so start early and retreat to a shady square.👉 Explore Valletta