Private day trip around Malta: Marsaxlokk, Blue Grotto & cliffs

Boat through sea caves, walk a former capital, eat overlooking an island

A private day tour of Malta for groups up to eight with a certified English-speaking guide and pickup from your hotel. The itinerary moves through the Maltese capital, the fishing village of Marsaxlokk, and the Blue Grotto, where weather permitting you board a boat to navigate the sea caves. A lunch stop overlooks Filfla Island. The route also takes in Malta's highest point and a short walk through Ta' Xbiex, a former capital layered with Phoenician, Roman and Knights of St John history. The guide can adjust stops and timing to match your interests in history, food or adventure, and can advise on visits to Gozo or private boat charters.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Marsaxlokk30m
2. Blue Grotto1h 30m
3. Ta’ Xbiex30m

Private day trip around Malta

• Tour Maltese Capital Valletta
• Visit Marsaxlokk fishing village
• Boat trip through Blue Grotto caves
• Lunch overlooking Filfla Island
• View highest point with cliffs
• Walk around the Silent City

The experience

The day starts with a whistle-stop tour of the Maltese capital, then moves to Marsaxlokk, a fishing village where the harbor fills with traditional luzzu boats painted in bright colors. From there the route heads to the Blue Grotto on Malta's southern coast. Weather permitting, you board a boat to pass through the sea caves and see the cliffs that frame them. If conditions don't allow it, you still get the views from above. Lunch happens at a local restaurant with a table overlooking Filfla Island, a small rocky outcrop offshore.

The afternoon takes you to the highest point of Malta, where west-facing cliffs drop sheer to the sea, then to Ta' Xbiex for a short walk through what was once the capital. The site layers four civilizations: Phoenician, Roman, Knights of St John and later Maltese rulers all left their mark. Your certified guide provides context as you move through, and can pause longer at any stop that interests you or suggest alternatives if your group wants to focus on food, history or something else entirely. The whole day runs seven to eight hours from pickup to return.

Transportation is private throughout (your group travels together in one vehicle), and pickup comes from your hotel or any location you name. The guide speaks English and knows the island well enough to answer questions about returning to a site another day, visiting Gozo, or arranging a separate boat charter if that appeals to you.

What’s included

• Private transportation for your group.
• certified English-speaking guide.
• pickup from your hotel or any location you name.
• boat trip through the Blue Grotto caves (weather and sea conditions permitting).
• lunch stop at a local restaurant with views of Filfla Island (meal cost paid separately).
• short walk through Ta' Xbiex, a former capital with Phoenician, Roman and Knights of St John history.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:30

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (15 to 84 years) · Senior (85 and older) · Youth (12 to 14 years) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Infant (under 3)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 4 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Malta Holidays

Is this one for you?Book this if your group wants a guide who adjusts stops and pace based on what captures your interest (linger where you want, skip what doesn't) rather than following a set route for everyone.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 14 years); Child (3 to 11 years); Infant (under 3).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the Blue Grotto and when can you actually go inside it?

The Blue Grotto is a sea cave system on Malta's southern coast, named for the electric blue light the water reflects inside. A boat trip through the caves is included in the itinerary, but only when weather and sea conditions allow safe passage. On rougher days you see the cliffs and the grotto entrance from above instead.

How much does lunch cost and what kind of food do you eat?

Lunch is not included in the tour price and you pay the restaurant directly. Your guide will take the group to a local restaurant overlooking Filfla Island. The menu and cost depend on the restaurant's offerings and your choices.

Can the guide change the stops if our group wants to focus on history instead of the fishing village?

Yes. The itinerary is flexible and your guide will adjust it to match your interests, whether that means spending more time on historical sites like Ta' Xbiex, exploring food and local culture, or adding adventure elements. Tell the guide what matters to your group and the day can be reshaped around that.

Is there an entrance fee to Ta' Xbiex or the other historical sites?

Entrance fees to specific sites are not included in the tour price. Your guide will let you know which sites charge admission and can help you decide which ones to visit based on your interests and time.

What happens if the weather is bad on the day of the tour?

If sea conditions prevent the boat trip through the Blue Grotto, you'll still see the caves and cliffs from the clifftop viewpoint. The rest of the itinerary (the capital, Marsaxlokk, the highest point and Ta' Xbiex) proceeds as planned regardless of weather.

Can the guide recommend a private boat charter or a trip to Gozo?

Yes. Your guide can provide information about visiting Gozo, Malta's sister island, or booking a separate private boat charter. These would be arranged outside the main tour and priced separately.