Is Malta safe? What the FCDO and Spain's Foreign Ministry say

The short answer is yes, and I’m not just saying that to be nice. The two official sources that count here, the travel advice from the FCDO and the recommendations of Spain’s Foreign Ministry, agree that Malta has little crime and that the problems are concentrated in one place at particular hours. Here’s where and when, what to do if something goes wrong, and a couple of risks that have nothing to do with crime and that, for me, matter more.

What the official advice says

GOV.UK says crime against tourists is rare, though there have been robberies, handbag snatches, pickpocketing and theft from parked cars. On terrorism, it points out that Malta has no recent history of attacks, while pointing out they can’t be ruled out, as anywhere. Spain’s Foreign Ministry, for its part, describes a relatively low crime rate.

The one area both flag is Paceville, the nightlife district of St Julian’s. According to the FCDO, some bars and gentlemen’s clubs there have seen criminals drug people, to make them spend large sums or to assault them, and the Spanish advice speaks of assaults, theft and drink spiking. How to protect yourself is in scams in Malta, and the district itself in Paceville.

Buses and parked cars

The second thing to know concerns transport. On the buses between Valletta and St Julian’s, GOV.UK reports pickpocketing, and it warns that in summer thieves go for the crowded ones. I’d wear a rucksack on my front and keep my phone in a zipped pocket, nothing more dramatic than that. If you hire a car, leave nothing on show, since theft from parked cars is another of the cases it mentions. Routes and fares are in buses in Malta.

What’s actually the biggest risk in Malta?

If you ask me, the sea and the roads, well ahead of crime. GOV.UK reminds visitors that drownings happen in Malta every year, at sea as well as in swimming pools, that some beaches have strong undercurrents, and that hidden rocks or shallow water can cause serious injury. It asks you to supervise children at all times. Spain’s Foreign Ministry adds warnings about rockfalls at St Peter’s Pool, Kalanka and Għar Lapsi, and advises against swimming near Magħtab, given the waste plant there. MTA-managed beaches fly flags, and purple means jellyfish. I go through them in the best beaches in Malta.

The roads are the other front. According to GOV.UK, the local standard of driving is poor, and some roads are in poor condition too. The good news for British drivers is that Malta drives on the left, just like home. Read driving in Malta before you hire.

If something goes wrong

The emergency number is 112, for ambulance, fire and police. The main public hospital is Mater Dei in Msida, and Gozo has its own public hospital in Victoria. To get medically necessary state healthcare, GOV.UK says you need a GHIC or an EHIC, and it stresses that neither replaces travel insurance. It also says UK prescriptions aren’t recognised in Malta, but you can ask to see a private GP at most pharmacies. Pharmacies open weekday mornings and afternoons, with a duty rota on Sundays and public holidays.

Local rules worth knowing

If you’re travelling with a same-sex partner, ILGA-Europe’s 2026 Rainbow Map ranks Malta second in Europe, as I explain in gay Malta. Three things may catch a British visitor out. Nudism and topless sunbathing aren’t permitted in Malta, according to Spain’s Foreign Ministry. Using drugs in public isn’t allowed and trafficking can carry up to 30 years, and while cannabis has been legal to grow and use at home since 2021, GOV.UK says smoking it in public is illegal and fined, and possession of up to 7 g is legal for Maltese residents only. Finally, spring and autumn bring the bird-shooting season in the countryside, which I factor in on hiking in Malta. The FCDO also warns of a rise in scams aimed at British nationals, from romance and friendship to fake business and job offers.