Every summer, millions of travelers flock to coastal Italy, Greece, and France for a little soleil. Yet just south of Sicily, the archipelago nation of Malta is emerging as the Mediterranean’s sunniest secret, an off-the-radar riviera hiding in plain sight.
Malta offers an alternative Mediterranean escape—an island brushed by history, blessed with sun-scorched coasts and yacht-speckled coves. Restored palazzos, a burgeoning fine-dining scene, and design-forward hospitality is reshaping Malta’s luxury identity, positioning it as a more nuanced and perennial Mediterranean alternative to Ibiza or Santorini.
Positioned between Sicily and Tunisia, Malta bears the imprints of Italians, Arabs, the British, and the Knights of St. John. Six decades into its independence, Malta is reshaping its national identity. With more than 340 days of sunshine annually, a new wave of boutique hotels, new direct flights from New York on Delta, and a buzzy contemporary art scene, Malta is fortifying its reputation as a year-round getaway for sun-seeking design lovers.
Where to See Art
While Malta is renowned for its baroque grandeur, its contemporary art scene is rapidly gaining attention. “Whenever I am in international arts fairs, I meet people who tell me I’m the first contemporary artist they know from Malta,” says artist Matthew Attard, who represented Malta at the 2024 Venice Biennale. “I never particularly like that because I am coming from a place where there is so much contemporary stuff happening,”
Both Attard and interior designer and gallerist Francis Sultana recommend the Malta International Contemporary Art Space (MICAS). “The museum should be on everybody’s list to go and visit. Next year, it is planning an outdoor sculpture garden as part of the campus, then will launch a design and architecture annex,” Sultana says. The cavernous art museum is superimposed onto a 17th-century fortified wall, a fitting metaphor for the island’s dialogue between past and present. The museum recently opened an impressive exhibition of large-scale paintings by American artist Reggie Burrows Hodges.
Other notable contemporary art spaces include Valletta Contemporary, Axis Gallery, and Spazju Kreattiv. The Malta Biennale, now in its second edition, surveys the current pulse of Maltese and international contemporary art.
Where to Shop
When it comes to fashion, Charles & Ron remains Malta’s most internationally recognized house. With several boutiques on the island and fashion shows at London Fashion Week, the label has cultivated a reputation for bold Mediterranean glamour.
“Malta’s creative scene has evolved greatly,” says Ron van Maarschalkerweerd, co-founder of Charles & Ron. “I remember in our early days, we were one of the first to operate as a design brand. There weren't many before us, and we were also one of the first to take inspiration from the island. Now there’s a great sense of pride, and people are happy to invest in local products and local design.”
Up-and-coming fashion designer Luke Azzopardi is another standout designer. His atelier specializes in theatrical, opulent couture, crafted from ethically sourced, high-quality fabrics. Azzopardi will be showing in Paris for the first time this year during Haute Couture Week.
For design objets, the discerning eye can turn to Seffarrugia in Rabat for elegant silk accessories, Villa Bologna Pottery in Attard for timeless ceramics, and Camilleri Paris Mode in Rabat for home goods with panache. A newcomer to the design scene recommended by both van Maarschalkerweerd and Sultana is Hollywood, a Valletta boutique that curates locally made crafts, jewelry, artwork, and provisions.
Where to Eat
Maltese cuisine reflects its Mediterranean-North African geography and heritage. Signature dishes include a rustic rabbit stew called stuffat tal-fenek, flaky pastizzi, and date-filled imqaret. More recently, the dining landscape has evolved from humble village trattorias to Dubai-esque rooftop restaurants and Michelin-star fine dining.
“Fine dining is actually having its heyday here. It’s really picking up,” says Keith Abela, a Maltese chef and head of sustainability at two-Michelin-starred restaurant ION Harbour. “Local ingredients are also having their heyday at the moment, which is nice to see because we as a country were controlled by so many people. I think we never liked our own stuff. Now Maltese food is getting recognized.”
For traditional Maltese cuisine, visit Legligin in Valletta or Tal-Petut in Birgu, both serving Maltese wines and locally sourced, farm-fresh ingredients like sheep cheese and rabbit. In Gozo, Maldonado is another popular option recommended by Sultana and Azzopardi.
When it comes to fine dining, Malta has plenty of tasting menus and Michelin-recommended spots. Noni, Le GV, and ION Harbour by Simon Rogan are lauded by Abela for their sustainable food practices. Later this year, Iniala Valletta will debut two new restaurants: Anaalā by Ian Kittichai and SiR by Simon Rogan.
For Mediterranean classics, Casa Bonavita Restaurant is a favorite. Served on elegant Villa Bologna ceramics, the menu caters familiar fare that guests crave on a Mediterranean isle, like fried zucchini chips, panzanella, roasted seabass, and rack of lamb.
For evening cocktails, Azzopardi recommends The Club Bar at the Phoenicia Malta, where he curated a capsule cocktail collection, barmen’s attire, and fashionable wall photography.
Where to Stay
Drawing the creative class to Malta is a wave of new and renovated boutique hotels. Six Senses Comino is expected to attract wellness devotees to the rugged island of Comino. Designer-favorite Iniala Valletta is expanding this year with new cosmopolitan palazzos and suites. Stilla is a new set of design-forward guesthouses within Malta’s Three Cities.
The Phoenicia Malta, the grande dame of Maltese hospitality, is a legendary hotel in the leafy neighborhood of Floriana. A member of The Leading Hotels of the World, the Phoenicia will give you a regal stay that draws from its provenance without feeling staid. The hotel has hosted royals, celebrities, and dignitaries throughout history, including repeat guest Queen Elizabeth II. Having recently completed an extensive refurbishment, guest rooms blend modern designs and local touches like luminous Mdina Glass art. Outside, lush gardens flourish with melliferous fig and citrus trees, grape vines, and lilies, while the dramatic pool commands attention against historic ramparts. The Phoenicia remains a magnet for Malta’s cultural scene, hosting Malta Fashion Week soirées, book launches, and artists-in-residence exhibitions.
Set within a centuries-old mansion in the quiet and elegant town of Attard, Casa Bonavita feels less like a hotel and more like the home of an impossibly chic, well-traveled relative. This 17-key boutique hotel is a costume chest of eccentric design: patterned tiles, frescoed ceilings, de Gournay hand-painted walls, woven rattan chairs, Maltese craft, and playful rococo touches. The environs call for languid summer caftans and rakish dinner parties that stretch long into the night. Its gardens are equally enchanting: guests can play lord of the manor while swimming in the foliage-bordered pools or hiding among frangipanis, bougainvillea, and orange blossom. Casa Bonavita is poised to become a beloved hideaway for insiders.
Another newcomer is Romègas, housed in a meticulously restored 16th-century palazzo. The hotel is a love letter to Malta’s capital city of Valletta, preserving the building’s architectural fabric while infusing equal parts flamboyance and historicity. Artworks by Paul Scerri, Matthew Attard, and Wioletta Kulewska Akyel are showcased throughout the hotel’s interiors, complementing jewel-tone accents in emerald greens, soft blushes, and soothing purples. Many rooms feature Malta’s signature galleria balconies, perfect for observing scenic streets below. A swanky rooftop pool and panoramic views lend Romègas a contemporary edge, and the forthcoming spa and restaurant Caviar & Bull both promise to further elevate. After all, where else can one savor caviar inside a 500-year old palazzo?
When to Visit
The beauty of Malta is that it’s a true year-round, sunny destination. Summer is the busiest season, and new for 2026 are Delta’s direct flights between Malta and New York. High-end cruising is also exceedingly popular, with The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and Four Seasons Yachts embarking on maiden voyages to Malta this year.
Even in Malta’s winter months, Mediterranean climates and warmer ocean temperatures remain enticing. “Malta is a good place to visit year-round if you like the heat. In winter, it’s fantastic to go for a swim, as the sea doesn’t get too cold,” says Abela. Visitors can explore the streets of Valletta, sail to Gozo and Comino, and enjoy celebratory festivals any month. Though what distinguishes Malta is not simply its climate, but its growing community of artists, chefs, designers, and hoteliers shaping a vibrant and distinctly Maltese identity.
