Malta

Malta has been getting quietly more interesting for the better part of a decade, and the 2026 Michelin Guide confirming all seven of its starred restaurants says something about how seriously the island now takes its food. It is also still genuinely small, which means the whole thing is navigable in a long weekend.

Stay - Rosselli, Valletta

A converted 16th-century palazzo in the quieter end of Valletta, with thick limestone walls, high ceilings, and rooms that lean into the building's age rather than decorating over it. The hotel's own restaurant, UnderGrain, operates from a vaulted stone basement and is worth a visit in its own right - but the stronger reason to stay here is the location: three minutes from the Grand Harbour on one side and the Upper Barrakka Gardens on the other. Your Smith Extra includes a fruit platter, wine on arrival, and a free glass of Prosecco if you eat at UnderGrain.

From around £200 a night

Eat - ION Harbour by Simon Rogan, Valletta

Simon Rogan's first Mediterranean restaurant sits on the fourth floor of the Iniala Harbour House, and it is the hardest reservation in Malta for a reason. Resident chef Christian Cali works with Maltese farms and fishing boats to build seasonal tasting menus that change with the supply. Order the turbot stuffed with mussels with Qara Hamra squash and smoked bone sauce, and do not skip the suckling pig from Ta' Gianinu Farm. Reserve a table by the terrace windows - the view over the Grand Harbour is the kind of thing that would feel like a gimmick at a worse restaurant.

ionharbour.com

Do - Take the ferry to the Three Cities

The dgħajsa - the traditional Maltese water taxi - crosses from Valletta's Lower Barrakka steps to the Three Cities in about six minutes. Once across, the cruise-ship crowds vanish entirely. Birgu's waterfront, the Inquisitor's Palace, and the Maritime Museum are all worth several hours, but the real reason to go is simply to walk streets where Valletta's history lives at street level rather than behind velvet ropes. A few euros each way, no booking required - just turn up at the Lower Barrakka steps.

Know

At the far southern tip of Valletta, near the St. Barbara Bastion, a set of steps leads down through the city walls to a quiet quay at water level where a handful of boathouses sit against the limestone. Nobody comes here when the cruise ships are in. It is the only spot in Valletta where you can sit close to the water and hear nothing but the harbour - and most people walk straight past the steps without noticing them.

Practical

• Best time to go: April to June, or October to November. The climate is genuinely warm in both windows and the island is running at a normal pace. December and January are mild by British standards and almost entirely tourist-free.

• Getting there: Direct flights from London to Malta International Airport take around three hours and run daily on British Airways, Ryanair, and Air Malta. The airport is 8km from Valletta.