Rent a Car in Malta

Malta is small enough to cross in under an hour, yet packed tightly enough that you'd spend half a holiday waiting for buses if you didn't have your own transport. The island has no rail network and the bus routes, while extensive, run slowly through village centres and can add hours to simple journeys — particularly if you're heading to the quieter west coast beaches, the prehistoric Ħaġar Qim temples or the ferry port for Gozo.

With a hire car you can park up at Valletta in the morning, reach the Blue Grotto before the coach parties arrive and still make it to Mellieħa for sunset. The island is also flat enough that even a small city car handles everything comfortably. If you're planning to cross to Gozo, the car ferry from Ċirkewwa means you can explore both islands without doubling up on costs.