Practical, honest guides to driving and getting around Malta and Gozo, from the team behind Nova Drive self-drive car hire.
Valletta is a tiny, walled peninsula with pedestrian streets and controlled vehicle access, so the honest truth is that you do not really park inside it. You park just outside the walls and walk in, or you leave the car at your base and arrive by ferry. This guide walks through the realistic options, from the Floriana car parks and the free park-and-ride shuttle to on-street bays and the harbour ferries, plus a plain explanation of the CVA charge so nothing surprises you on the day.
GuideGozo is Malta's quieter sister island: greener, slower and ringed with cliffs, red-sand bays and centuries-old fishing villages. With your own hire car you can take the ferry across in the morning, loop the whole island in a single day and stop wherever the view asks you to. Here is how to do the Gozo road trip properly, from the Cirkewwa crossing to the salt pans, with realistic timings, parking tips and one important fact that a lot of older guides still get wrong.
GuideMalta International Airport is the island's only airport, so your trip almost certainly begins here. This guide walks you through exactly how collecting a hire car works at Nova Drive: where the meet-and-greet happens, the documents to have ready, why your flight number matters, what an all-in price actually covers, and how late-night and early-morning arrivals are handled. Read it before you fly and the desk visit takes only a few minutes.
GuideIf Malta is your first time driving on the left, the good news is that it is very doable, and the island is small enough that most journeys are short. This guide walks you through the things that actually catch visitors out: roundabouts, narrow village lanes, the colour-coded parking lines, speed limits in kilometres, fuel stations after dark, and the restricted zones in Valletta and Mdina. Read it before you collect your car at Malta International Airport, Park East, and the first hour behind the wheel will feel a lot calmer.
Search live availability and book your self-drive car in minutes, with all-in prices, free cancellation and local support.