25 Most Beautiful Places in Malta for Photography & How to Capture Them
If you love photography, then get ready, because Malta has some incredible places to capture. Between the turquoise water, dramatic cliffs, hidden sea caves, and historic towns, there is so much variety across Malta, Gozo, and Comino. Whether you’re looking for beach shots, unique rock formations, or charming streets, you’ll find plenty of beautiful places in Malta to add to your camera roll.
While we’ll be sharing some iconic spots that many people know of, there are plenty of other spots that are just as good (perhaps even better!) than those spots. From the incredible natural landscapes of Gozo and the clear waters of Comino to the lesser known swimming spots on the main island, we want you to see the beauty all across the three different Maltese islands.
In this guide, we’re sharing our favorite photography spots in Malta, along with tips to help you capture each one. Whether you’re traveling with a camera or just your phone, these are the places we’d recommend adding to your itinerary, and how to get the best pictures of them.
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The Basics of Photographing the Most Beautiful Places in Malta
Here’s a quick overview of what to expect before you start exploring Malta’s most photogenic destinations.
📸 What Photography in Malta Looks Like
Malta is a great destination for coastal photography. The islands have some seriously beautiful water, but what makes them especially fun to photograph is the variety of scenery. You’ll find cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean, caves carved into the limestone, natural rock windows, salt pans, and tiny bays tucked away from the more crowded beaches.
There are also plenty of opportunities to capture something other than landscapes. There are towns that have beautiful historic streets, colorful fishing villages, and stunning churches. Gozo is particularly great if you enjoy photographing rugged coastlines and natural formations, while Comino is all about that bright turquoise water.
❣️ What Is the Most Beautiful Part of Malta?
Honestly, I think all three Maltese islands are gorgeous in their own way, and there is variety all along each one.
If you’re after turquoise water, the Blue Lagoon in Comino is an absolute must. Gozo has some of the most unique coastal photo spots with impressive caves, rock formations, and swimming coves. Meanwhile, Malta’s main island has a great mix of historic towns, colorful harbors, and dramatic coastal viewpoints like Dingli Cliffs and the Blue Grotto.
We’d recommend visiting all three islands if you have the time. They each have their special spots, and combining them gives you a much bigger variety of photos.
🚁 Drones in Malta
The Maltese islands are a stunning destination for drone photography. Many of the most beautiful places in Malta are in rocky pools, cliffs, or other coastal areas that can be appreciated even more from a distance.
Drones are legal in most places, but certain protected areas and zones near airports or military bases are typically restricted. We recommend double checking in each place, avoiding flights over crowded beaches during peak season, and being respectful of wildlife and other visitors.
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The Most Beautiful Places in Malta to Photograph
There are so many incredible photo spots across Malta! We spent 5 days exploring this island country, and these were our favorite spots we visited, along with a few special recommendations from locals.
1. The Blue Lagoon
The Blue Lagoon is one of the most famous places in Malta, and it’s easy to see why. The water here has that bright turquoise color that almost doesn’t feel real when you’re there, making it one of the best spots for capturing Malta’s beautiful waters.
For the best photos, we recommend arriving early in the morning before the crowds take over. When we visited last time, we took one of the first ferries, and it made a huge difference. By late morning, the area was packed with people, which made it much harder to get those clear shots of the water and surrounding rocks.
You can get beautiful photos from the rocky shoreline, the viewpoints above the lagoon, and from a boat out on the water. If you want to capture the full range of blue shades, try shooting from a higher viewpoint rather than staying at water level. And if you’re seeking more unique photo opportunities, give yourself time to walk to the other areas of the island of Comino.
💡 If you have a drone, this is one of the best places in Malta to fly, as the contrast between the vibrant blue water and rocky formations creates some incredible aerial shots.
Suggested Read: Exploring the Bluest Waters in Europe: Here’s Everything You Need to Know About the Island of Comino
2. Mixta Cave (Gozo)
Mixta Cave is one of the most unique places to photograph in Gozo. The cave opens up toward Ramla Bay, framing the beach and its reddish sand with the beautiful cave outline. It’s a great spot if you want a photo that captures both Gozo’s bright turquoise waters and rocky landscapes along them.
The best part about photographing Mixta Cave is the natural frame created by the opening. You can include the cave walls in the foreground and the bay in the background, which gives the photo a lot more depth than a standard beach shot. You can also experiment with taking photos from inside the cave looking out, rather than only photographing the view itself.
Keep in mind that this is a natural cave, so watch your step and be careful around the edges. If you want an open shot like we got, then we’d recommend going early in the morning. We went before sunrise, and the lighting was perfect.
3. Wied il-Ghasri (Gozo)
Wied il-Ghasri is one of my personal favorite coastal spots in Gozo, with a narrow inlet tucked between tall limestone cliffs. The water winds between the rocks before opening out toward the sea, creating a dramatic contrast between the blue water and pale stone.
This is a particularly good spot for drone photography because you can catch it from a variety of angles. Try taking photos from above to capture the shape of the inlet, or head closer to the water for a different perspective. On a sunny day, the colors can be especially beautiful, but we also think for less shadows coming earluy in the morning or late in. theafternoon can also be ideal.
If you’re bringing a wide-angle lens, this is a great place to use it because the cliffs can be difficult to fit into the frame otherwise. Just remember that Wied il-Ghasri is a swimming spot rather than a walking trail, so be mindful of the terrain and sea conditions if you decide to head down toward the water.
💡 Please make sure to clean up your trash and pick up any if you seem any on the beach or in the water.
4. Wied il-Mielah (Gozo)
Wied il-Mielah is home to one of Gozo’s most impressive natural rock formations. The large limestone arch rises above the sea and creates a dramatic frame for the bright blue waters below. It’s a great alternative to some of the island’s better-known viewpoints, especially if you enjoy photographing unusual geological formations.
The arch is the main attraction for photography, but don’t forget to capture the surrounding cliffs, the steps, and the sea as well. Try different compositions to show the scale of the formation, and look for angles that include the water through the opening.
The landscape can look very different depending on the light and sea conditions, but we’d recommend aiming for even lighting.The walk to get there is along stairs, and takes just around 5 minutes.
5. Xwenji Sal Pans (Gozo)
The Xwenji Salt Pans are one of Gozo’s most unique coastal landscapes, and are super fun to photograph if you have a drone. These traditional salt pans are carved into the flat limestone along the shore, creating a geometric pattern that looks especially cool from above or from an elevated angle.
This is one of the best places in Malta to get pictures, as it’s completely different than the rest of the coastal landscapes you’ll find. Instead of focusing on turquoise water or dramatic rock formations, you can capture the patterns of the salt pans, the textures of the limestone, and the sea stretching out behind them.
For the best results, look for angles that emphasize the repeating shapes along the coastline. It’s important to note that not all of the salt pans are able to be accessed as they’re still being used for production. There are some that aren’t being used though, and those are the ones you can walk around or even take a dip in!
💡 Make sure to look out for signs to see which areas are open to explore on your own or not.
6. The Blue Hole (Gozo)
The Blue Hole is another one of the most beautiful places in Malta to photograph, and one of the top highlights of Gozo. Located near Dwejra on the island’s western coast, this natural rock formation is known for its deep blue water and the limestone surrounding it, making it especially popular for snorkelers and divers.
From above, you can capture the shape of the Blue Hole and the contrast between the water and the pale rock. The surrounding coastline is also worth exploring, with its rugged textures and views out toward the Mediterranean. Not only is a drone a great addition to your photography here, but so is a GoPro or Insta 360.
We visited in the afternoon and the place was packed. If you want to get some really nice pictures of the Blue Hole, then we’d recommend going first thing in the morning, and early enough that the sun won’t create harsh contrasts.
💡 You’ll want to bring a waterproof camera or a dry bag, as well as water shoes if you plan on capturing photos from the water.
7. Grand Harbour, Valletta
Grand Harbour is one of the most beautiful places to photograph in Malta if you want to capture the island’s historic architecture alongside its coastline. The harbor is surrounded by forts, old buildings, and the Three Cities across the water, creating a completely different look from the natural landscapes around Gozo and Comino.
One of our favorite ways to photograph this area is from an elevated viewpoint, where you can capture the harbor, boats, and historic waterfront all in one frame. The Upper Barrakka Gardens are a great place to start, but you can also get beautiful views from different spots around Valletta’s waterfront and forts.
Try visiting around golden hour when the warm light hits the limestone buildings. If you stay into the evening, you can also capture the harbor as the city lights begin to come on.
8. Gozo Harbour
While the Valletta Harbour is the most iconic, we personally loved the views of Gozo’s harbour. It can be captured best while sailing into the island of Gozo, or with a drone that can fly far out.
9. Mdina
Mdina is one of the most photogenic historic towns in Malta. Known as the Silent City, it has narrow streets, honey-colored limestone buildings, ornate doorways, and beautiful architectural details that make it easy to spend hours taking photos.
We recommend exploring beyond the main streets and looking for smaller alleyways, archways, and traditional balconies. These details can make for some really beautiful photos, especially if you enjoy architectural photography.
Mdina is popular with visitors, so arriving early is your best bet if you want photos without crowds. The warm limestone also looks particularly beautiful in the softer morning or late-afternoon light.
10. Marsaxlokk
Marsaxlokk is a traditional fishing village in southeastern Malta, best known for its colorful luzzu fishing boats. The boats, with their bright paint and distinctive eyes on the bows, make this one of the most colorful places in Malta for photography.
The harbor is the obvious place to start, but you can get plenty of different shots by walking along the waterfront and photographing the boats from different angles. Try capturing the reflections in the water, the colorful boats lined up along the harbor, and the village buildings in the background.
If you want the harbor to feel more lively in your photos, visit when the fishing village and its market are active. For cleaner compositions with fewer people, an earlier visit would work better. The light reflecting off the water also makes this a nice spot for experimenting with reflections.
11. St Peter’s Pool
St Peter’s Pool is a natural swimming spot near Marsaxlokk, known for its flat limestone rocks and crystal clear blue water. The surrounding rock formations make it more unique than Malta’s sandy beaches, making it a great place for coastal photography.
For the best views, photograph the pool from above so you can capture the shape of the rocky inlet and the different shades of blue in the water. The contrast between the pale limestone and the sea is particularly beautiful on a sunny day. You can also experiment with shots inside the cove with a waterproof action camera.
💡 Be careful on the rocks as parts of them can sharp!
12. Dhingli Cliffs
Dingli Cliffs are among the best places in Malta for stunning coastal landscape photography. The cliffs rise above the Mediterranean, with wide-open views of the sea and a rugged coastline that looks especially dramatic when the waves are strong.
This is a great location for wide landscape shots, particularly if you want to capture the scale of Malta’s coastline. You can also experiment with compositions that include the rocky cliff edge and the sea stretching into the distance, or with a drone if you want to really capture the scale. The area around the cliffs has several viewpoints, so you don’t need to stick to just one spot.
We recommend visiting around sunset for softer light and beautiful colors across the horizon. Just keep a safe distance from the cliff edges, especially on windy days, as the ground can be uneven.
13. Fomm ir-Riħ Bay
Fomm ir-Riħ Bay is a more secluded coastal spot on Malta’s western side, surrounded by steep cliffs and rugged terrain. This area is so beautiful, that we even saw a proposal here! (We went at sunset).
While you can go below, we personally loved the views from up high on the cliffs that gave wide panoramas of the rocky landscapes against the turquoise waters.
💡 Bring a bottle of wine or a picnic for the full romantic experience!
14. Golden Bay
Another one of our favorite sunset spots was at Golden Bay, located on the north west coast of the island. You can go down to the beach, but we personally loved the panoramas from up at the top nearby the parking area, which leaves you looking over the bay on the right, and another one on the left.
15. Blue Grotto
The Blue Grotto is one of Malta’s most famous natural attractions, known for its sea caves and the bright blue water that reflects sunlight inside them. The coastline here has several caves and rock formations, making it a great spot for photographing the island’s dramatic limestone landscape.
For an easy overview of the area, head to the Blue Grotto viewpoint above the sea (what you’ll see in our photo). From here, you can capture the rock arch, cliffs, and boats moving along the coast, and it’s an easy addition to your drive around Malta.
Another option is to take a boat trip into the caves, where you’ll have the opportunity to photograph the water from a completely different angle, with the sunlight creating different shades of blue inside the rock formations. We’d recommend bringing a wide lens for that one.
16. Ta’ Marija Cave
Ta’ Marija Cave is one of the lesser-known locations on this list, making it fun option if you’re looking for something not all photographers will make it to. This ones for the adventure travelers, and requires a 20-30 minute kayak ride to get there.
You’ll want to give yourself a sufficient amount of time – we rented the kayak for one hour, but truthfully we were rushing like crazy, so we’d recommend opting for a longer time slot.
Make sure to bring a wide lens, GoPro, or Insta 360 for capturing the entirety of the cave. It’s also crucial you protect your equipment since you’ll most likely get water inside the kayak. Be extra careful, and make sure you wear your life jacket!
17. Popeye Village
Popeye Village is one of Malta’s most unique sights, with its colorful wooden buildings tucked into Anchor Bay. The village was originally built as a film set, and its bright colors against the turquoise water make it a fun location for photography.
For the classic shot you’ll see in our photo, head to the viewpoint overlooking the bay rather than relying only on photos taken inside the attraction. From above, you can capture the full village, the surrounding cliffs, and the water all together.
The colors tend to stand out most on a clear day, when the water is bright and the buildings are well lit. Keep in mind that the attraction itself is ticketed, so you’ll have to buy tickets and visit during opening hours. We’d recommend going once they open or towards the end of the day if you want shots that are cleaner.
18. The Red Tower
The Red Tower, officially known as St Agatha’s Tower, is a historic watchtower in northern Malta. Its reddish exterior stands out against the surrounding landscape, and its elevated position gives you views across the countryside and coastline.
The tower itself makes a strong subject for architectural photography, particularly with a drone capturing the landscape around it. You can take pictures from a distance with the tower as a backdrop for a different type of shot.
For the best light, try visiting in the late afternoon when the warm tones of the building stand out.
19. Coral Lagoon
Coral Lagoon is a natural sea cave near Armier Bay in northern Malta. The cave has a large circular opening in the limestone, with seawater inside and a view of the sky above. Its unusual shape makes it one of the more unique and fascinating natural formations to photograph around the island.
This is the one photo spot in Malta that we actually didn’t get to visit, but saw content from our favorite Malta creator who is a local, and it’s now added to our bucket list!
20. Munxar Window
Munxar Window is a natural rock formation along Malta’s south eastern coastline, where the eroded limestone creates an opening that frames the sea. We went for sunrise and fell in love with this area.
You can enjoy shots standing over the arch, or you can climb into the hidden cae that framed the rock formations.
21. Il-Kalanka
Il-Kalanka is probably one of our favorite places in Malta! While many tourists flock to St Peter’s Pool, this gem is just around the corner and offers a more peaceful visit for a very similar composition.
The waters are absolutely stunning, and you can capture great shots with a standard camera, or you can get shots right inside the water if you have a waterproof one. We also flew our drone here, and loved the variety of content we were able to collect.
22. Hofriet Window
Looking for more fun stops along the south eastern coast? Hofriet Window is yet another natural coastal formation, where the rocky shoreline creates an opening that can be photographed against the sea. It’s a good addition to a photography itinerary if you’re interested in the island’s less familiar geological features.
While we enjoyed the view from a distance, you can also hire a boat in the nearby fishing village so that you can capture it up close from the water.
23. Ta’ Kalanka Sea Cave
Ta’ Kalanka Sea Cave is another cool natural rock formation, and this particular viewpoint lets you enjoy the views of it in the distance against the different shades of turquoise waters and the different boats in the area.
Alternatively, you could hire a boat to take you closer, which would give you different photography opportunities than the one that we experienced.
24. Kalanka Lighthouse
Kalanka Lighthouse isn’t anything wildly impressive, but it is a fun addition to your photography itinerary if while exploring the Delimara peninsula. The lighthouse is an easy stop, and the surrounding coastline offers a different subject from Malta’s famous sea caves and swimming spots, with open views and rugged terrain that work well for landscape photography.
25. The Red Telephone Booths of Gozo
Did you know that Malta has red telephone booths all over? The majority are scattered through small towns in Gozo, and there’s even one in San Lawrenze that has been converted into a small library!
How to Capture the Most Beautiful Places in Malta
Now that you know all of the most Instagrammable spots in Malta, let’s help you capture the moments with the best gear and photographers you can hire.
📸 Gear for Capturing the Best Photo Spots in Malta (& What We Use)
Want to capture photos similar to ours? Here is the gear we used in the different locations around Malta.
Photographing the Most Beautiful Places in Malta: Final Thoughts & What’s Next
There are so many beautiful places in Malta that you can capture! From charming fishing villages to breathtaking landscapes, this is definitely an underrated country when it comes to photography.
We recommend taking a road trip around Malta, as this will allow you to capture most of these in the early morning before the crowds start and the harsh lights hit.
We also recommend having a bit of flexibility in your schedule, as there are plenty of hidden coves, unique formations, and other surprises you’ll stumble across, especially in coastal locations!
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👀 What’s Next?
Now that you know all of the most beautiful places in Malta to visit, let’s dive a bit deeper! Here are our other Malta travel guides:
🚤 Visiting Comino on a day trip
🚢 How to get to Gozo
🛵 How to get around Gozo
💦 Best things to do in Gozo
📖 Gozo travel guide
✈️ How to get to Malta
🌊 17 Things to do in Malta
So are you ready to experience the most beautiful places in Malta? We know that wherever you choose to go, you’ll fall in love with this stunning country just as much as we did. It truly is a photographer’s dream, and has some stunning coastal landscapes to capture.
Want to learn more about visiting Malta? Don’t miss out on our other Malta travel guides! Also, we have more guides coming every week, so be sure to subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest article updates, as well as exclusive discounts.
Ready to start planning your trip? We’re here to help! Scratch Your Mapa now offers customized travel planning services, so that you can sit back and relax, while we do the work. We can book your flights, find you unique accommodation, and even build you a full customized itinerary. Take a sneak peak at our different travel planning packages, or simply shoot us an email for your free consultation.
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