Best Private Option
Private Highlights: Valletta & Mdina
Malta's two capitals, on your schedule — a private guide and vehicle for just your party.
Why we recommend it
It's the private equivalent of our Editor's Choice, giving families and small groups the same two-capitals route without the pacing compromises of a standard group tour.
Private Highlights: Valletta & Mdina takes the same two-capitals concept as our Editor's Choice and removes the group-tour compromises — a dedicated guide and vehicle for just your party, with the flexibility to spend more time wherever interests you most and less where they don't.
The route covers the same essential ground as Snapshot of Malta — Mdina's walled old town and Valletta's fortress streets — but as a private excursion rather than a standard-sized group departure. That means no waiting on slower members of a larger group, no fixed photo-stop timings, and the ability to linger at Upper Barrakka Gardens or inside a church that's caught your interest.
With an extra half-hour built into the schedule compared with the group version, there's a little more room to adjust pacing on the day — useful for families with children, older travellers who prefer a gentler rhythm, or anyone who simply dislikes being rushed between stops.
A private guide can also tailor commentary to your specific interests, whether that's architecture, the Knights' military history, or simply local life in two very different Maltese towns, in a way that's harder to do for a mixed group of strangers.
This is priced and structured as a private product, so expect a different cost basis than the group excursions in this collection — check the current price and confirm the vehicle size against your party before booking.
Cruise-day suitability
- Works well for a standard port day
Highlights
- Private guide and vehicle for just your party
- Mdina's walled old town at your own pace
- Valletta's fortress streets and Upper Barrakka Gardens
- Flexible timing not tied to a larger group
What a good tour includes
- Private licensed guide
- Private vehicle for your party
- Guided time in Mdina and Valletta
Getting there from the cruise port
Meeting points are published on the supplier confirmation. Cruise ships normally dock beside Valletta; exact berth and walk times can vary. Allow sufficient return time to your ship.
Tips for cruise passengers
- Tell your guide your priorities in advance — architecture, history, photography or a gentler family pace — to get the most from the private format
- Confirm the vehicle size matches your party before booking
- Check current price on the supplier listing; private tours are priced differently from standard group departures
Ready to book?
Prices and availability are set and confirmed by the supplier — check the current price before booking.
Check current price and availability on the supplier's site.
Related excursions
Snapshot of Malta
Two capitals, one guided day — the walled silence of Mdina and the fortress streets of Valletta, back to back.
Medieval Mdina
Malta's Silent City, given the time it deserves — walled lanes, private cars barred, history at every turn.
Private Guide & Vehicle — Half Day
A blank half-day, filled with your priorities — private guide and vehicle, route built around you.
Private Highlights: Valletta & Mdina — FAQs
How does this differ from Snapshot of Malta?▼
It covers similar ground — Mdina and Valletta — but as a private tour with a dedicated guide and vehicle rather than a standard group departure, with a somewhat longer published duration.
Is this a good option for families?▼
Yes — the ability to adjust pace and skip or extend stops on the day makes private touring generally easier with children or mixed-mobility groups than a fixed-schedule group tour.
Is it more expensive than the group version?▼
Private tours are typically priced per vehicle rather than per person, so cost comparisons depend on your group size — check current pricing on the supplier listing.
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