Known officially as the Republic of Malta, Malta is an island nation in Southern Europe, located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Italy and North Africa. Despite its size, it has a remarkably rich history shaped by Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs, the Knights of St. John, the French and the British, which is shown across Malta's three inhabited islands: Malta, Gozo and Comino — from fortified cities and baroque churches to the Maltese language itself, which blends Semitic roots with Romance and English influences. The country is famous for its dramatic limestone coastlines and clear blue waters, warm Mediterranean climate, ancient temples dating back further than the pyramids, and a lively culture influenced by both Europe and North Africa.
Its capital, Valletta, is one of the smallest capitals in Europe, yet it’s packed with history. Founded in 1566 by the Knights of St. John, the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, famous for the St. John’s Co-Cathedral (home to Caravaggio masterpieces), massive stone fortifications and narrow grid-like streets, stunning views of the Grand Harbour, and a compact, walkable environment full of cafés, museums and cultural life.
Flooding, droughts and heatwaves.
For traffic/driving offences, Malta uses a penalty-points system similar to the UK. If a driver accumulates 12 penalty points within 12 months, they'll face licence suspension or revocation. The most common driving violations include:
Parking tickets are often left on the windshield or sent to the rental company, which may add an admin fee before charging you.
For other offences;
As of early 2026, the Maltese Home Affairs Ministry is proposing to introduce mandatory on-the-spot fines for tourists and non-residents to tackle antisocial behaviour. While already in place for some minor infractions, these proposed fines target offences such as littering, excessive noise and public drinking to prevent tourists from leaving the country without paying penalties for contraventions.
The official languages of Malta are Maltese and English, but Italian is also spoken.
Vehicles drive on the left in Malta, and follow many UK-style road rules — mainly due to it being a former British colony. The minimum age to drive is 18, but to rent a car is usually 21, with most rental companies requiring drivers to have held a valid licence for at least 1 - 2 years, along with a maximum renting age of 70 - 75. Some companies may restrict certain vehicle types from drivers under 25, and would apply a young driver surcharge (young driver surcharge) to the same age group. UK drivers don't need an International Driving Permit (IDP) to drive in Malta for visits up to 12 months, unless they hold an older paper licence. Older paper licence holders can use their passport as extra ID instead of an IDP.
Streets in Malta, especially Valletta, Mdina, and older towns, can be very narrow, hence why cars, including rentals, are predominantly smaller than normal. Traffic can be busy around Valletta and Sliema, many locals drive fast and assertively, so stay alert, and roads can be slippery when dusty or after rain, so ride carefully. Additionally, parking can be tricky in Malta, and are colour-coded; white boxes are for public parking, while blue/green are for residents/time-restricted zones.
The most common fuel types are unleaded 95 (standard petrol), unleaded 98 (premium petrol) and diesel. Some stations offer LPG, and EV charging is becoming more common across the country. However, rental companies mainly rent out cars that run on petrol or diesel — usually never ones that on electric or LPG.
Many fuel stations in Malta operate pre-payment self-service pumps, while others have attendants that will top-up for you, which you pay after. Not every station is opened 24/7, where the typical hours are 6/7am to 7/8pm. However, automatic pumps usually work 24/7. Most rental agreements use a 'same-to-same' policy: return the rental with the same fuel level as when you received it. So, it is best to take a photo of the fuel gauge when you pick up the car, and keep all fuel receipts.
BAC limit: 0.08%
Mandatory for all passengers.
All children under 150cm tall or 36kg must use a suitable child car seat, booster seat or restraint, regardless of age. Children under 15 months must use a rear-facing seat, and children under 3 cannot travel in a car without a restraint, but in taxis, they may sit on an adult's lap.