Renting a car in Malta: driving on the left, Gozo and compact island driving

Renting a car in Malta feels like a paradox. It is one of the smallest countries in Europe, an archipelago you could almost overlook on the map, and yet it is packed with things worth seeing: 7,000 years of history, cliffs that drop straight into the Mediterranean, walled cities, sleepy fishing villages and the quieter sister island of Gozo. The question is not whether there is enough to experience, but how you can best get around.

Because Malta is compact, and that changes the equation. Where you would almost certainly need a car in Sicily or Spain, on Malta it is less black and white. The main island is barely 27 kilometres long. There is an extensive bus network, ride-hailing is cheap, and the busy core around Valletta, Sliema and St. Julian’s is more a place where a car gets in your way than helps you along. At the same time, a rental car opens doors: the remote bays in the north, an early start to Gozo, the southern cliffs without waiting for a bus.

In this guide we explain honestly when a rental car in Malta is worth it and when it is not, how driving on the left works in practice, how to take the ferry to Gozo with your car, and how to survive the infamous Maltese traffic. Plus two concrete day routes to get you going. No sales pitch, just what works.

Do you really need a car in Malta?

This is the first real decision, and the answer depends heavily on where you are staying and what you want to do.

If you are staying in the central zone, meaning Valletta, Sliema, St. Julian’s or Gzira, and your main plan is to visit cities and beaches that are easy to reach by bus, then you probably do not need a car. The bus network (Malta Public Transport) covers nearly the whole island, fares are cheap, and during rush hour you often end up stuck in the same traffic jam as the bus anyway, but with the added stress of driving and parking yourself. Ride-hailing via Bolt is widespread in Malta and relatively affordable for short distances.

A rental car becomes attractive the moment you want more independence. The advantages at a glance:

A commonly heard middle ground: do not rent a car for your entire stay, but only for the two or three days when you really want to explore the island. For the city days you leave it parked, or you simply do not rent anything. That saves both parking stress and costs.

Driving on the left: the British legacy

Malta was a British colony until 1964, and that period left behind more than red phone boxes and English as a second official language. In Malta you drive on the left, with the steering wheel on the right of the car. For anyone who has always driven on the right, that is the biggest mental adjustment of the whole trip.

In practice the driving itself is often fine once you are on a through road. The tricky moments are the transitions: pulling out of a parking spot, entering a junction, and above all the roundabouts. On Malta you go around a roundabout clockwise, and you give way to traffic coming from the right. It sounds logical on paper, but under pressure your old reflex kicks back in. So take roundabouts calmly and deliberately look the right way.

Our strong recommendation: rent an automatic. Changing gears with your left hand while also getting used to driving on the left, narrow streets and assertive traffic is one burden too many. An automatic removes at least one layer of complexity, so you can focus on the road. If you are torn between the two, read our comparison of automatic versus manual rentals before you book. Automatics are common in Malta but do sell out faster, so reserve in good time.

Driving style and roads: defensive is the key word

Be honestly prepared: Maltese traffic has a reputation, and it is not undeserved. The driving is assertive to downright chaotic by northern European standards. Right of way is sometimes taken rather than given, indicators are not always a habit, and at junctions the rule of nerve often applies. Add narrow, busy streets to that and you understand why defensive driving here is not advice but a necessity.

Road quality varies sharply. The main arteries are generally fine, but in villages and on secondary roads you come across narrow lanes where two cars can barely pass each other, plus the occasional pothole or unexpected narrowing. Keep your distance, anticipate sudden braking, and do not let yourself be rushed by someone sitting right on your bumper. During rush hour, roughly early morning and late afternoon, the central zone around Valletta and Sliema grinds to a halt. Plan your journeys around it as much as possible.

Speeds are low because of the short distances and the congestion; you rarely cover long stretches in one go. That is also a reassurance: you never really get far from home.

The airport and where best to rent

Malta International Airport (MLA) is near Luqa, in the central-south of the main island and a short drive from almost everywhere. It is by far the most popular pick-up point: all the major rental companies and local players are present, and you drive off straight away with your car. The alternative is a city office (for example in Sliema or St. Julian’s), which is handy if you do not want a car for the first few days after all and pick it up later.

Where you rent can also tie in with the region you are staying in. A rough guide:

Valletta: leave the car outside

Valletta is a World Heritage site within fortress walls, and the city was simply not built to drive around in by car. Vehicle access to the peninsula is regulated with a paid system and cameras that register how long you stay in the zone. For a tourist this is an unnecessary source of cost and hassle.

The smart approach: park outside the city and come in on foot or by ferry. On the edge there is, among other things, a large underground car park near the city gate, and from Sliema a short, scenic ferry sails directly to Valletta. That crossing is an experience in itself, with views over the Grand Harbour. Valletta itself is best explored on foot anyway; the city is small, and the hilly streets and steps are not made for wheels.

Gozo by ferry

For many travellers Gozo is the highlight of Malta: greener, slower, more rural. The crossing is made on the Gozo Channel car ferry from Cirkewwa, right at the north-western tip of the main island, to Mġarr on Gozo. The crossing itself takes about half an hour and the boats run frequently, in both directions throughout the day and evening.

The handy system: you usually pay for the crossing only on the way back, when you leave Gozo. On the way over you simply drive or walk on board. In high season and at weekends, do expect queues at the terminal, so on busy days arrive earlier.

Then the big choice: do you take your rental car on the ferry, or do you rent a separate car on Gozo itself?

For a day trip, bringing your own car is usually the simplest. If you are staying a few nights on Gozo, crossing as a pedestrian and renting locally there can work out cheaper. In any case, check whether your rental company allows you to take the car on the ferry; most do, but get it confirmed.

Parking: tight, busy and a little creative

Parking is a challenge in Malta, especially in the central zone. Streets are narrow, spaces are scarce, and in the tourist hotspots it is often full by midday. A few practical pointers to make it easier on yourself:

• Choose accommodation with parking, or ask in advance where guests park.
• Avoid the centre of Valletta by car entirely; use edge car parks.
• In the countryside and at beaches, parking is generally easier, except at peak times in summer.
• Watch for colour markings and signage for reserved or paid zones, and do not give extra money to informal parking attendants you do not trust.
• Fold in your mirrors on very narrow streets; it saves both damage and nerves.

Give yourself some leeway in time to find a spot, especially if you are going out to eat in a popular seaside town in the evening.

Two day routes by car

Below are two worked-out day trips that really make the rental car pay off. The time indications are a guide; allow for overruns from traffic, photo stops and long lunches.

Route 1: a full day on Gozo

Leave early, certainly in high season, and drive to Cirkewwa for the ferry. The earlier you leave, the quieter both the ferry and the island roads are. Once you arrive on Gozo at Mġarr, head towards Victoria (Rabat), the central town with its imposing Citadel. Climbing the fortress for the panorama over the whole island is a guaranteed highlight.

From there you head to the west coast and the natural inland bay of Dwejra, the area where the famous Azure Window once stood (that rock arch collapsed in 2017, but the spot with the Inland Sea and the cliffs remains impressive). At midday you can head towards the bay of Ramla l-Ħamra, known for its strikingly red-brown sand, or the salt pans along the north coast near Marsalforn. Round off at a village restaurant before driving back to the ferry towards evening.

Allow a full day here, from morning to evening. Do not try to see everything on Gozo in one day; pick two or three anchor points and leave room to wander. That is exactly what makes the island so pleasant.

Route 2: the south, from fishing village to cliffs

This route bundles some of the finest spots in the south, which are awkward to combine by bus but follow on smoothly from one another by car.

Start in Marsaxlokk, the colourful fishing village with the typical luzzu boats in red, yellow and blue in the harbour. On Sundays there is a large market, but even on weekdays the quay has atmosphere in the morning. Then drive to the south coast for the Blue Grotto, a series of sea caves where, in calm water, you sail under the rock arch in a small boat and see the bright blue water. The viewpoint along the road is worth the stop in itself.

Nearby lie the prehistoric temples of Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra, megalithic structures thousands of years old, beautifully set above the sea. A walk across the site takes you back to a time long before the pyramids. End the day with a late waterside dinner in Marsaxlokk or back towards your base.

For all of this, allow roughly half a day to a full day, depending on how long you linger at the temples and the caves. The lovely thing about this region is that the distances are small; you lose little time to driving and a lot of time to looking.

Insurance, deposit and the scratch risk

Malta’s narrow streets call for an honest conversation about insurance. The chance of a scratch, a knock against a low wall or a folded-in mirror is objectively higher here than on broad mainland roads. By default a rental car comes with insurance that has an excess built in, sometimes a hefty amount, which the rental company blocks on your credit card as a deposit when you pick up the car.

You have roughly two ways to cover that excess: the expensive package the rental company offers at the counter, or a separate excess insurance that you take out in advance and usually much more cheaply with an independent provider. Before you decide, read our explanation of excess and deposit, so you do not make a rushed choice under pressure at the counter.

Two practical points. At pick-up, always take photos and a video of the car, all around, including existing scratches, and have any damage noted on the contract. With those narrow streets, you do not want a later dispute over a dent that was already there. And check whether glass, tyres and the underbody are also covered, because those are exactly the parts that most often get damaged on narrow roads.

For fuel: where possible, choose a full-to-full arrangement, where you leave with a full tank and bring it back full. That is fairer than full-to-empty, where you pay for a full tank and give the remainder away. You can refuel across the whole island; note that some stations have more limited hours or machine payment outside peak times.

As for documents: for travellers from the EU, your national driving licence (card format) is more than enough, since Malta is part of the EU. Bring your ID card or passport, your driving licence and the credit card in the name of the main driver. You do not need an international driving permit.

Season and when to book

Malta is a summer destination par excellence, and you see that reflected in both the crowds and the prices. In July and August it is hot, busy and at its most expensive; rental cars, and automatics especially, sell out faster then. Spring (April to June) and early autumn (September, October) are considered the most pleasant: mild weather, fewer crowds, friendlier rates. Winter is quiet and mild, ideal for walkers and culture lovers.

For booking, a simple rule of thumb applies: the busier the season, the earlier you reserve. In high season you book weeks ahead, especially if you want an automatic or a specific type of car. In low season you have more leeway, but booking early often gets you the better price even then. Always compare the total price including insurance conditions, not just the eye-catching daily rate.

Common mistakes

• Renting a car for your entire stay while you spend half the days in the city and only have to park it.
• Taking a manual to save a few euros, and then getting thoroughly annoyed with changing gears on top of driving on the left.
• Wanting to drive into Valletta by car and running into the regulated, paid access zone.
• Underestimating the switch to driving on the left, especially when pulling out of empty streets and car parks.
• Blindly taking out the cheapest insurance at the counter without arranging excess cover in advance.
• Not taking photos at pick-up, and later being held responsible for existing scratches.
• Booking too late in high season and ending up without an automatic (or without a car).
• Trying to do Gozo in one rushed afternoon instead of setting aside a full day or an overnight stay.

As a reference point for another warm, left-driving or island-style holiday country, you can also read our guide on renting a car in Cyprus, where driving on the left also comes into play. And for the general basic rules that apply everywhere, from fuel policy to pick-up times, our list of 12 tips remains a handy final check before you leave.

Frequently asked questions

Do you drive on the left or right in Malta?

In Malta you drive on the left, a legacy of the British colonial era. The steering wheel is on the right of the car and on roundabouts you go around clockwise. Be especially alert when pulling out of empty streets and car parks, because that is where the old reflex towards the wrong side of the road kicks in fastest.

Do I need a car in Malta?

Not necessarily. For a city break around Valletta, Sliema and St. Julian’s, buses, the ferry and cheap ride-hailing are perfectly enough. A rental car pays off mainly for Gozo, the remote bays in the north and the south with Marsaxlokk and the Blue Grotto. A popular middle ground is to rent a car only for the exploration days.

Can I take my rental car on the ferry to Gozo?

Usually yes. The car ferry from Cirkewwa to Mġarr takes vehicles and you usually pay for the crossing only on the way back. Do check whether your rental company allows you to take the car on the ferry. For a day trip, bringing it is the simplest; if you are staying several nights on Gozo, renting separately and locally can be cheaper.

Is automatic or manual better in Malta?

We recommend an automatic. Driving on the left, narrow busy streets and assertive traffic already demand enough attention; changing gears with your left hand makes it unnecessarily harder. Automatics are available but sell out faster, so reserve in good time. You will find more considerations in our guide on automatic versus manual rentals.

Am I allowed to drive into Valletta by car?

You can, but it is not advisable. Access to the historic core is regulated with a paid system and cameras. It is better to park on the edge, for example in an edge car park, and come in on foot or by the scenic ferry from Sliema. Valletta is best explored on foot anyway.

Which documents do I need as an EU citizen?

Your EU driving licence in card format is enough, since Malta is an EU country; an international driving permit is not needed. In addition, bring your ID card or passport and a credit card in the name of the main driver for the deposit.

What about insurance and deposit?

By default there is insurance with an excess, and the rental company blocks a deposit on your credit card. Because of the narrow streets the scratch risk is higher, so it is best to cover the excess in advance with a separate, cheaper excess insurance rather than the expensive counter package. At pick-up, take photos and a video of existing damage.

When is the best time to rent a car in Malta?

Outside high season, so in spring or early autumn, is the most pleasant in terms of weather, crowds and price. Either way, book early, and certainly in July and August, because that is when cars and automatics in particular sell out quickly. Always compare the total price including insurance conditions, not just the daily rate.