Malta Sightseeing Bus Tour: Explore Malta’s History with Optional Harbour Cruise

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Discover Malta’s rich history and iconic sights on a hop-on hop-off bus tour. Optional harbour cruise offers stunning views of Valletta’s fortifications.

Duration: 6 hours, 30 minutes

Cancellation: 1 day learn more

Highlights

North Route (Route)

Operating Schedule: Departures from Stop N1 at 8am, 9am, 10am, 11am, 11:30am, 12:30pm, 1:30pm and 2:30pm. Operates every day

1. Topaz Hotel
Bugibba (Topaz Hotel/ Pebbles Hotel)

2. Bugibba
Pebbles Hotel

3. Bugibba
Seastrips Outlet

4. Bugibba
Bugibba Centre (Opposite HSBC)

5. Bugibba
Bugibba (Santana Hotel)

6. Malta National Aquarium
Malta National Aquarium

7. QAWRA Palace Resort & SPA
Qawra Palace Hotel (Bus Stop opposite Hotel)

8. Qawra Point Beach
Qawra Seafront (Opposite CitySightseeing Outlet)

9. Bella Vista Hotel Malta
Bellavista Hotel

10. Car Rental Office
ITS Roundabout (Radisson & Corinthia Hotels Roundabout)

11. Ninou’s Grill & Cocktails
St. George’s Bay (CitySightseeing Route Stage)

12. The Westin Dragonara Resort, Malta
Westin Dragonara

13. 31 Vjal Portomaso
Hilton Roundabout

14. 6 St George’s Road
Spinola Bay

15. Antik
Balluta Bay (opposite Balluta Church)

16. Chalet
Sliema Seafront (Opposite Prelune Hotel)

17. VFS Sliema
Sliema Ferries

18. 1 Triq Sir Frederick C. Ponsonby
Opposite Bayview Hotel (City Sightseeing Outlet)

19. Publiju
Valletta City Centre

20. 31 Xatt Lascaris
Valletta Waterfront Terminus (Change for South Route)

21. Strickland
San Anton Gardens

22. VCR9+868
Ta’ Qali Crafts Village

23. Malta Aviation Museum
Ta’ Qali Aviation Museum

24. 291a Triq Il-Kbira
Mosta Church

25. Mdina Gate
Mdina Main Gate

26. W8PW+4HQ
Golden Bay

Points of Interest

Blue Grotto (Il-Hnejja)
Mosta Rotunda
Tarxien Temples
Mdina Old City
Marsaxlokk Bay
Mdina Glass
City Sightseeing Malta
The Malta Experience
Malta National Aquarium
Malta Falconry Centre
Malta Classic Car Collection Museum
Ta’ Qali
Valletta Waterfront
Mediterraneo Marine Park
Mdina
Sliema

What's Included

Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour covering 2 routes
On-board audio commentary available in several languages + free headphones
Discount booklet with offers on dining, shopping, and attractions
Optional Hop On Hop Off Harbour Cruise

What's Not Included

Gratuities
Food and drinks, unless specified. Lunch is not included.
Hotel pick-up and drop-off

Additional Information

Experience Malta aboard this City Sightseeing bus & harbour cruise tour! Malta boasts more than 7,000 years of history & is brimming with places of interest. This Hop-on Hop-off tour covers some of the most iconic and stunning sights. Starting your tour at one of the many pick up points in the North or South of the island, explore the Malta at your own leisure. To make your Malta experience perfect, we’ve included a Harbour Cruise, taking you around the harbour in Valletta with its spectacular military fortifications, hopping off to visit the Esplora Interactive Science Museum (admission not included). Please note this is only applicable for the bus & harbour cruise ticket.

North Route: Operates every day
North Route: Departures from Stop N1 at 8am, 9am, 10am, 11am, 11:30am, 12:30pm, 1:30pm and 2:30pm
Tour duration - 210 minutes
South Route: Operates every day
South Route: Departures from Stop S10 at 9:05am, 10:05am, 11:05am, 12:05pm, 1:05pm and 2:05pm
Tour duration - 180 minutes
1-Day Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour + Harbour Cruise: Bus ticket is valid for 1 calendar day. Harbour Cruise can be used within 3 days of voucher activation
2-Day Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour + Harbour Cruise: Bus ticket is valid for 2 calendar days but they don’t need to be used on consecutive days. Can be used within 5 days of first activation. Harbour Cruise can be used within 5 days of voucher activation
Mobile vouchers must be redeemed at Sliema Ferries (Stop 17) or Valletta Waterfront Terminus (Stop 20). Paper vouchers can be redeemed at any of the bus stops
Harbour Cruise:- Main embarkation point: Sliema Ferries. Departure times from Sliema Ferries: 10:30, 12:30 and 14:45. Stops include: Esplora (Kalkara) and Sliema Ferries. Customers may hop on and off the cruise at any of the stopping points however, timetables change regularly so they will need to check locally for the latest timetable and stop off times.
Note: Please be aware that boarding on the cruises is on a first come first served basis so we recommend arriving apx. 15 minutes before departure time to have the best chance of securing a place on the cruise.
Vouchers are valid for 12 months giving great flexibility should you need to change your date of travel.
Please review us! Your feedback is hugely valuable to fellow travellers and helps us to offer a better service
Please note times and frequencies are subject to change at any time so please check locally for the latest information

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings

2.2

(514 Ratings)

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Trail822322

Jul 15, 2024

We would recommend the North and south routes, the harbour cruise was particularly good - My husband and I did both routes and the harbour cruise. We found it good value for money. The buses were nearly all on time and the drivers friendly. We picked out two or three places to stop on each route and thoroughly enjoyed it. The only negative, we found was the sun strong on the top deck and very hot downstairs too. But it is July!!!

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Marine0306v

Jul 11, 2024

Mixed - Cons: First unbearable bus day. We managed to take the bus only once in a day because we never saw it pass at our stop at the Malta Aviation Museum. And yet, there is only one road. 😂 We had to wait for the local buses that are them, more on time, so we could continue our excursion in Malta. On top of that, is the crew ever aware of the Malta Pass 3 card in which we had? Which makes us have to justify ourselves as if we were thieves when we paid for this bus service in the Malta Pass. Pros (but these should be normal): Some drivers are on time, within 10 minutes but it is already positive. Controllers know that Malta passes includes 1 day City Sightseeing bus (unlike drivers). In short, this company is many in other countries and capitals that we have done so far than Malta. To visit Malta, it is better to favor BOLT which can be expensive and a value on in schedules.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Inspire37819807874

Jul 13, 2024

More standing at the stops than driving. Just a waste of time! - At almost every stop, the bus has stood for 15-20 minutes to get customers into overpriced business. Therefore, a route took much longer than planned. It is therefore difficult to complete all 3 routes in one day. It's a shame. These long breaks at each stop were very unnecessary. When we did the tour, it was over 30 degrees. Due to the long breaks, the tour was very strenuous in this weather. We would no longer choose this provider and would definitely not recommend it. Seen throughout the day, we spent half the time only at the stops. Just a waste of time!

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Olenam290

Jun 7, 2024

Worst CitySightseeing tour ever - I used City Sightseeing buses in many counyries/cities, and Malta was definitely a worst experience. I wish I knew there are other hop on/hop off companies in Malta, before I purchased tickets on the site in advance. I purchased 2 days tickets, and the only tbing that worked normally was boat cruise, but even there departure schedule was quite weird and uncomfortable. Buses never arrived in time on both North and South lines, there wasn't any staff that can provide you with timetable info ( other bus companies had a lot of employees). It's so idiotic that bus ftequency is 1 hour ( plus delay of 30 minutes usually) and the last bus is on 15.00 In all countries such buses work until much later time! It was impossible to hop off the bus, because we were afraid to miss the next bus. Buses are overcrluded, audio is terrible, many audio slots are out of work. It was a huge disappointment and waste of time and nerves. I thought better about CitySightseeng company.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Ninjadancer

Jun 4, 2024

Disappointing - I took this tour 3 years ago and thought it was great but this year it was terrible. Firstly there was no commentary coming through so many of us upstairs didn't know where we were or what we were looking at. Then the bus was parked in the morning hot sun whilst a man came on board to check tickets and collect monies. There was never any information provided about what was going on. The man was unfriendly and business only. I felt it was disrespectful of all the passengers to be treated so rudely. No hello no please no thankyou. The tour route must have changed as we were driven on the motorways and through ugly industrial areas to get to each stop. The drivers on these buses drive too fast to be able to take in the scenery. On the return journey we ended up having to stand as they seem to have oversold tickets and there was no other bus provided for these extra standing passengers. Might as well have been on the public transport....They must know how many tickets they sell and therefore should provide another bus with a seat for each paying passenger return ...I felt this trip is a rip off at 25€ per person.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Karen_m

Jul 24, 2024

Did not sign up for Mr Toads wild ride! - I am normally a fan of Hop On Hop Off buses. Have taken over 13 in different cities. But this was by far the worst experience. Where to start! No signage on route for pick up. No online schedule. No way to understand when or where the buses will drop off or pick up. Stops were made and skipped based on the printed schedule they give you on the bus. Handed out schedules showed stops and times but they did not stop at the hotel, and after waiting 60 minutes in day 2 for the pick up, we gave up and did our own thing. Second they could not handle apps. They need a printed ticket and I could not download until the morning of but not way to print. You could not board any bus with the app. You had to go to one of two locations to redeem the deem tickets. Third- sound was poor. Had to change seats four times to find one that worked and there were huge gaps of nothing. There were times we travel between two stops where there was nothing. Music or general history is good. Malta has rich history and they lost the chance to tell it. Fourth- the buses! Oh my they were old and in poor shape. No AC, no WiFi and so loud with bus noises it made it hard to hear. So sound was hit or miss but worsened by the noise of the bus. Driver had to shout stops - for those upstairs we could not hear, and as stated no clear signage or map on stops. The buses are so old you felt every bump. My joints felt it. The driver drove very fast and had to slammed on the breaks a lot- sending us flying. Most of the buses will add some covering upstairs - at least first five rows under a cover. Nope! We baked in the heat wave Malta was experience. Really disappointed as these give us a layout of the area, give us idea of what to see next. We just was wanted it to end

Review provided by Viator

Prpn

Jun 28, 2024

Don’t recommend - Crowded buses, no one supervising people pushing on or queue jumping. Commentary practically nonexistent or at best trivial and with no real information given - little educative benefit. Earbuds difficult to wear hard plastic. The roots are too long, the north route took nearly 4 hours due to the summer traffic. Sitting on top of a hot bus going nowhere was unpleasant. Some of the Commentary was repeated on both north and South island tours. Boat tour conducted in German and English so a bus tour of people who spoke neither of these languages, continued to have loud discussions throughout our commentary making it impossible to hear the information. The commentary was difficult to understand. Have done many of this companies tours in different cities but this one in Malta did not take any boxes for us.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Jackie-sb-18

Jun 16, 2024

Shocking - Do not use! - If I could rate this 0 I would. What a terrible experience. Buses don’t run on time and when they arrive they are overcrowded - this does not stop them allowing more people to board and stand in a very confined space which could be fatal if there was an accident. Audio does not work - quite dangerous when approaching a low bridge! DO NOT use this service it is shocking - much better (and cheaper) to use public services or even taxis.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

528anneb

Jun 1, 2024

Don’t do it! - We were in Malta in May so not as hot as it could have been but by the end of the day we were absolutely desperate to get off the bus. No aircon, uninformative audio, incomprehensible stop announcements and not really friendly drivers. Seriously, other guided options are more expensive but anything would have to be better.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

W932eisandrad

May 29, 2024

Disappointment - Unfortunately, they sell you that there are several stops, with several lines, it is filled with people standing, the audios cannot be heard, they are thieves and on top of that you act like you are lying. IF YOU CATCH IT, DO NOT GET OFF AT ANY STOP THAT YOU DO NOT REACH THE BOAT!

Review provided by Tripadvisor

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