5 Best Swimming Spots in Malta & Gozo

Malta enjoys hours of year-round sunshine and the highest sea temperatures in Europe.  The dreamy climate and abundance of rocky outcrops make Malta a perfect island for swimming.

But some Malta swimming spots can be a little hard to find.  I’ve selected five of the best places to go for a swim in Malta with tips on how to reach them without a car.  So jump right in and be inspired for your next dip.

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Best Malta swimming spots

Much of Malta has rocky beaches, so you might want to get yourself a pair of water shoes. Go for a pair with a good sole so you can enjoy splashing about in all that gorgeous blue water without having to worry about catching your feet on anything spikey.

St. Peter’s Pool

Situated close enough to the village of Marsaxlokk to walk from there, St. Peter’s Pool is one of the popular places to go swimming in Malta for locals and tourists alike.

Marsaxlokk has a lovely old-fashioned feel to it, with traditional Maltese painted boats, Dgħajsa, floating in the harbour and faded pastel-toned buildings providing a backdrop to the waterfront. 

There are several cafes and restaurants if you want to eat before or after your swim.  Although if you prefer to take your own picnic you can pick up supplies from the supermarket at the top of Triq Iz-Zejtun (5 minutes from the harbour).

How to get to Marsaxlokk

Take bus #81 from St Anne Street, Valletta, bus stop ‘Floriani A’, to Marsaxlokk. Get off at bus stop ‘Marsaxlokk’. Journey time approx. 35 minutes.

Or you can take bus #91 and change at Moro to bus #210.

How to get to st. Peter’s Pool (30 minutes walk)

• Follow Marsaxlokk harbour east, walk round past Tourist Information, on Triq il Wilga.
• At the T-junction with Power House, turn right and continue for about five minutes until you see a sign for St. Peter’s Pool on the left. 
• This will take you up a dirt track, which looks like it comes to a dead end on Google maps but it actually bends left then right and joins a tarmac road, Triq Delimara.  When it joins the road, turn right.
• Continue straight for about five minutes then turn left at the sign for St. Peter’s Pool.  Follow this track for about five minutes, as it snakes right and left towards the coast, and you’ll arrive at one of the best swimming spots in Malta, St. Peter’s Pool.

Stretch out on the rocks. Depending on the time of day, you might be able to get some shade against the rocks at the back.  You’re likely to see people running at speed off the top of the cliffs and diving into the blue pool below. 

Mr Flip Flops Included had a go and got an ear infection to go with it, whilst I admired from a safe distance.  There aren’t any facilities here so remember to bring water and anything else you need.  Although this natural pool area is one of the most beautiful places to go for a swim in Malta, it can get crowded.

Top tip, to avoid the crowds, follow the rocks around the cliffs to the left.  These rocky salt pans stretch out for what seems like forever.  It really does feel like you’re on another planet.  Keep exploring until you find a swimming spot you like and launch yourself into the water from there (safely of course). 

If you’ve rented a car in Malta, combine a trip to St Peter’s Pool with other wonderful places in Malta for your own road trip.

Gozo

Along with fabulous swimming spots, Malta and Gozo are full of opportunities for outdoor adventures.

There are some great places on Gozo for your social media. If you’ve captured the moment, save yourself the effort of having to come up with catchy captions for your posts with my helpful list of one word travel captions.

Get Your Guide has some memorable experiences available to book on the islands – check them out to discover activities to make your trip to Malta extra special.

If the main island of Malta feels a little busy, go over to its sister island, Gozo, to take in a slower pace of life and find more great coastal places to swim.  Gozo is 14km wide and easy to explore by foot or bike. 

It makes for a great day trip to add to your Malta itinerary. Although, if you can, I recommend spending a few days here working up a sweat cycling over the hills then finding a swimming spot at one of the many Gozo beaches to cool off at.

How to get to Gozo

• Get the Gozo Fast Ferry direct from Valletta. Journey time is 45 minutes and tickets cost from €7.50 one way.
• Check out my article for more details about Malta to Gozo ferries.
• Alternatively, if you’re in the north of Malta, take the Gozo Channel ferry from Ċirkewwa to Mġarr, Gozo. 
• The journey takes about half an hour and the huge car ferries depart every 45 minutes.
• Tickets are bought on the return journey only, you don’t need a ticket for the outward leg. 
• The cost is €4.65. 
• It can get busy in summer, so if you have a specific time you want to be in Gozo for, be aware you may have to wait in Ċirkewwa for the next but one ferry.
• To get to the ferry terminal in Ċirkewwa, take bus #41 or #42 direct from Valletta, from stop ‘Valletta B6’ below Triq Girolamo Cassar (to access it, walk past the ‘A’ bus stops on Vjal Nelson, alongside the tall walls of the St. James bastion, turn the left corner at the end and you’ll see another set of bus stops, where ‘B6’ is located).
• Journey time is approx. an hour and ten minutes and buses run regularly throughout the day.

Wied-Il-Ghasri (North Gozo)

A great remote spot to take a dip in is Wied-il-Ghasri, a narrow canyon in the cliffs. This slice of turquoise loveliness can be quite popular so plan the time of your visit accordingly.  The sea can get choppy and the entrance is rocky, so water shoes are useful here.

How to get to Wied-Il-Ghasri

• Head to the nearby salt pans, Salinas de Qolla I-Bajda, on the northern Gozo coast.
• Stop to take a look at the fascinating forms of these traditional coastal features.
• Cycle west along the coast for 15 minutes until the road, Triq Is-Saghtrija, heads inland.
• Take a right turn down a track just before Triq Is-Saghtrija joins the road Wied il-Ghasri.
• Lock your bike up at the top and head down the (many) steps to this pretty inlet. 

Xlendi (South Gozo)

Xlendi beach is a popular part of Gozo for its calm bay, bars, restaurants and hotels.  The main bay is nice enough to swim in. However, rather than heading straight to the bay, I recommend you combine a swim with a hike/bike ride along the coast, from the Sanap cliffs and end up at the natural inlet around the corner from the bay, at Xlendi grotto (in front of Da Manuel restaurant on Google maps). 

Floating on your back here, looking up at the gorgeous sunny sky, as the water cools your aching muscles, is proper relaxation and rejuvenation.  Truly one of my favourite places to go swimming whilst in Malta. At the time of our visit, there were only two or three other people at Xlendi grotto.  When you get hungry, head around the corner to Xlendi bay and fill up at one of the bars.

How to get to Xlendi

• We started at Xaghra and cycled 5km to Munxar parish church. 
• From here, with the church on your right, carry straight on along Dun Spir Gauci and follow the signs to Sanap cliffs, up Triq Ras il Bajjada, again, follow the road sign for Sanap cliffs.  
• Follow this road for about 800m then turn left at the (wooden) sign for Sanap cliffs and head straight to the coast. 
• The cliffs are an awesome sight, take care as there are sections to the left where you can walk along the edge with no barrier.  Follow the path to the right all along the coast, this turns into a paved route for a bit but then reverts back to a dirt track.
• If you’re on a bike you’ll need to get off and push/carry it for some parts of this route but it will be worth it, the views are spectacular. 
• Take a look at Xlendi tower before going back on yourself and descending to cross Xlendi Bridge.  The stone steps and thin walkway are a little bit tricky with a bike. 
• Once over the bridge, pick a safe spot on the rocks and jump into the refreshing water (I struggled to get back out again, water shoes are helpful here).  If you’ve done this route with a bike you’ll really have earned your swim at the end of it. 

Blue Window/Blue Hole (West Gozo)

Located at Dwejra, the former site of the Blue Window (a natural arch that famously collapsed into the sea in 2017) offers a couple of fun swimming spots. 

Head towards the Inland Sea dive site for a paddle, or you could take one of the boat trips on offer. 

You can also swim in the blue hole, which is often also used by divers.  It’s a strange, natural deep pool right on the coast (head over the rocks from the car park and look for other swimmers or divers splashing about). 

How to get to the Blue Window/Blue Hole

• From Victoria, the capital city of Gozo, it’s an easy to follow route west on Triq Sant’ Orsola.
• Keep following this as it turns into Triq L-Gharb.
• When you reach a junction with Ta’ Pinu Pharmacy on a road to your left, take that road to go past the pharmacy (which will now be on your right as you pass it) and follow Triq San Lawrenz until you arrive at San Lawrenz.
• Here, turn left down Triq id-Duluri, head straight over at the crossroads, on to Triq-il-Gebla tal-General, and descend all the way to the coast.
• If you’re on a bike, it’s a steep downhill and the return journey back up is a killer.  I’m not quite sure why we decided not to take a bus, but whilst we were at the bottom we seriously contemplated asking a local truck driver to chuck our bikes in the back and take us up the hill.  We persevered though and, despite the funny looks on the way, made it back under our own pedal power. I still think we should have got the bus though.

Comino

If you’ve swum in the waters of Malta and Gozo then you’ve already covered some of the best places to go for a swim. But don’t miss out on a dip on the practically uninhabited island of Comino as part of any trip itinerary for Malta. 

The water at the Blue Lagoon here is an incredible shade of turquoise. It’s the colour you see on countless filtered photos of the sea, except that it’s real.  But there is a catch.  It gets very busy.  You’ll be sharing your swimming spot with boatloads of other holidaymakers in Malta and their lilos. 

The crystal clear sea is totally gorgeous though. So grab a little bit of space, relax and enjoy the party atmosphere at one of the very best places to visit in Malta.  From here you can walk all the way through the water to the even smaller island of Cominotto. 

Once you’ve got your photos or had enough of the crowds at the Blue Lagoon, head over to Santa Marija Bay or Crystal Lagoon for a much more laid-back atmosphere and space to spread out.  The water here is equally delightful for swimming and it has a much lower quota of inflatable flamingos. 

How to get to the Blue Lagoon

There are several companies that run ferries to the Blue Lagoon, Comino, or you can make a day of it and book a relaxing boat trip.

Check out my article on the Blue Lagoon Malta for more details.

When to go

Spring & Autumn: May – June, September – October

• May average sea temperature 19°C
• October average sea temperature 24°C
• Warm with low rainfall
• Average temperatures of 20 – 25°C

Summer: June – September

• Average sea temperature 25°C
• Hot and dry, with 12 hours of sun daily
• Average temperatures of 28 – 32°C

What great places have you found to visit in Malta? Let me know some of your favourite Malta swimming spots in the comments below.

• Discover the best places to stay in Malta without a car.
• If you’re looking for more details on how to travel around Malta by public transport, check out my articles Getting Around Malta By Public Transport and using Uber in Malta.
• It’s possible to hire a car on Malta. Alternatively, you can rent a scooter to travel around Malta.
• For more gorgeous European beaches, Paleochora on the Greek island of Crete offers lots of great swimming spots within easy reach.