Malta Itineraries: Day Charters and Multi-Day Routes

The Maltese islands are compact enough to circumnavigate in a single day, yet varied enough to fill a full week without repeating an anchorage. The itineraries below are designed to be combined: the 3-day and 4-day routes cover different ground, and guests looking for a longer voyage can stitch them together into a 7-day circuit that visits every highlight of Malta, Gozo and Comino. Every itinerary is fully customisable – your Boatcrowd charter specialist and onboard captain will tailor stops, pacing and activities to your group’s interests and the conditions on the day.

Day Charter Routes from Malta

Blue Lagoon and Comino

Depart Grand Harbour Marina mid-morning and cruise north along Malta’s eastern coast, past the resort bays of St Julian’s and Mellieha, to Comino – roughly 20 nautical miles, under 90 minutes at cruising speed. Anchor on the western edge of the Blue Lagoon before the day-trip boats arrive and slip into the neon-turquoise shallows. The water here is barely two metres deep over white sand, and the clarity is almost surreal. Your chef lays out lunch on the aft deck while the crew sets up paddleboards and snorkelling gear. After lunch, cruise around Comino’s northern shore for a swim in the quieter Santa Marija Bay, then return to Valletta in the golden late-afternoon light. Total distance: roughly 40 nautical miles.

Blue Grotto and Marsaxlokk

A shorter outing covering roughly 20 nautical miles. Cruise south from Grand Harbour along Malta’s eastern coast, rounding the southern tip to reach the Blue Grotto caves near Zurrieq – roughly 10 nautical miles. Take the tender into the cave network in the morning light, when sunlight refracts through the water to create an electric blue glow inside the largest cavern. Continue east to Marsaxlokk, Malta’s most photogenic fishing village, for a late-morning anchor. Tender ashore past the fleet of colourful luzzu boats, browse the waterfront fish stalls, and sit down to a harbourside table for grilled lampuki or octopus. Return to Grand Harbour via the Three Cities, pausing off Senglea’s fortified point for a final swim.

Grand Harbour and the Three Cities

A half-day immersion in Malta’s maritime history, covering barely eight nautical miles but packing in more history per nautical mile than almost any other route in the Mediterranean. Cruise slowly through Grand Harbour between Fort St Elmo and Fort Ricasoli, taking in the full spectacle of Valletta’s bastions on one side and the Three Cities on the other. Anchor off Vittoriosa (Birgu) and tender ashore to explore the Knights’ first home in Malta (from 1530), the waterfront Malta Maritime Museum and the narrow limestone streets. Cross to Senglea for the panoramic view from Safe Haven Gardens, then return to the yacht for lunch on the aft deck with the fortified harbour as your dining room.

3-Day Malta Yacht Charter Itinerary: Malta’s Coast and Comino

Day 1: Grand Harbour, the Three Cities and Malta’s Southern Coast

Board your yacht at Grand Harbour Marina by mid-morning. After a welcome briefing and champagne on the flybridge, cruise slowly through Grand Harbour for the full panoramic view of Valletta’s bastions and the Three Cities opposite. Continue south along Malta’s eastern coast to the Blue Grotto – roughly 10 nautical miles. Your crew takes you into the sea caves by tender in the late-morning light, when the blue phosphorescence is at its most vivid. After a swim at the cave entrance, cruise east to Marsaxlokk for a late lunch at one of the harbourside fish restaurants. Return north along the coast, pausing at St Thomas Bay for an afternoon swim in sheltered, clear water. Overnight at Grand Harbour Marina or anchor off the Three Cities.

Day 2: Blue Lagoon and Comino

Depart early and cruise north to Comino – 20 nautical miles, arriving at the Blue Lagoon before the crowds. Spend the morning swimming, snorkelling and paddleboarding in the turquoise shallows. Your chef prepares lunch on the aft deck as the day-trip boats arrive and the lagoon fills with colour. After lunch, cruise around Comino’s wild northern coast to Santa Marija Bay for a quieter afternoon swim, then anchor in the channel between Comino and Gozo for the night. Watch the sunset from the flybridge with the lights of Gozo’s Mgarr Harbour glimmering across the water.

Day 3: Western Malta and Return to Grand Harbour

Cruise south from Comino along Malta’s western coast – a dramatic stretch of sheer golden cliffs, sea caves and hidden inlets. Anchor off Gnejna Bay for a morning swim in sheltered, sandy-bottomed water, then continue south to Dingli Cliffs – Malta’s highest point, with 250-metre limestone walls dropping to the sea. Your crew serves a farewell gourmet lunch on the aft deck as the yacht rounds the southern tip and heads east back to Grand Harbour – arriving by late afternoon, sun-kissed and thoroughly spoilt.

4-Day Malta Yacht Charter Itinerary: Gozo, Comino and Eastern Malta

Day 1: Malta to Gozo via St Paul’s Islands

Board at Grand Harbour Marina and cruise north along Malta’s eastern coast. Pause at St Paul’s Islands off Mellieha – the legendary site of the Apostle Paul’s shipwreck in 60 AD, marked by a statue visible from the water. Snorkel in the clear, shallow channel between the islands, then continue north to Gozo’s Mgarr Harbour – roughly 25 nautical miles from Valletta. Berth at the marina (240 berths, accommodating yachts up to 85 metres) and take a late-afternoon drive to the Citadella, Gozo’s medieval fortified hilltop town, for panoramic views across both islands. Dinner at a waterfront restaurant in Mgarr or aboard the yacht.

Day 2: Gozo’s Coast – Dwejra, Ramla Bay and the Blue Hole

Cruise west along Gozo’s northern coast to Dwejra, the island’s most dramatic stretch of coastline. The Azure Window collapsed in 2017, but the site is now one of Malta’s most extraordinary dive spots – the archway’s remains lie in clear water at 15–20 metres. Non-divers can snorkel the Inland Sea, a shallow lagoon connected to open water through a 60-metre cave, or swim by the Fungus Rock (a 60-metre limestone stack once guarded by the Knights for a rare medicinal plant). Continue to Ramla Bay on Gozo’s northern coast – the island’s finest sandy beach, terracotta-red sand backed by green hills. Your chef prepares lunch at anchor. In the afternoon, cruise back to the Blue Hole on Dwejra’s western tip for a late dive or snorkel as the light angles through the chimney. Overnight at Mgarr Harbour or anchor in one of Gozo’s sheltered bays.

Day 3: Comino and Malta’s Northern Coast

A short cruise south from Gozo brings you back to Comino and the Blue Lagoon for an early-morning swim before anyone else arrives. Spend the morning in the turquoise shallows, then cruise south along Malta’s northern coast. Pause at Mellieha Bay – Malta’s longest sandy beach, with shallow, warm water ideal for families. Your chef serves lunch at anchor. Continue south to Anchor Bay (where the Popeye film set still stands as a colourful waterside attraction), then round the north-eastern headland to Sliema for an overnight berth or anchorage off the Portomaso waterfront.

Day 4: Valletta, Mdina and Return to Grand Harbour

Cruise into Grand Harbour for the most dramatic approach in the Mediterranean – between Fort St Elmo and Fort Ricasoli, with Valletta rising above you in honey-coloured limestone. Berth at Grand Harbour Marina and spend the morning ashore: St John’s Co-Cathedral (two Caravaggio paintings, a Baroque interior of extraordinary richness), the Upper Barrakka Gardens for the panoramic harbour view, and a stroll through Valletta’s grid of narrow streets. A short drive takes you to Mdina, the ancient walled capital perched on a hill in the island’s centre – known as the ‘Silent City’ for its car-free medieval lanes and rooftop views. Return to the yacht for a farewell supper on the aft deck with the illuminated bastions of Valletta reflected in the harbour.

Guests looking for a longer voyage can combine the 3-day Maltese coast route with the 4-day Gozo and eastern Malta itinerary for a full 7-day charter covering every highlight of the archipelago – from the Blue Grotto to Dwejra, the Blue Lagoon to Grand Harbour – without repeating a single anchorage.