A travel blogger has shared her top tips for what she described as the “most underrated country in the world”, where you can get flights and five nights in a hotel for less than £500
Streets in Birgu, in the south east of Malta(Image: Birmingham Mail)
A holidaymaker is encouraging travel fans to explore what she describes as the “most underrated country in the world” – offering plenty to do for less than £500 per person. Hannah, a young globe-trotter who frequently posts travel advice on her TikTok account @hannahshols, has high praise for a number of destinations – but reserves particular affection for Malta.
Situated beneath Italy and north of Tunisia, this jewel of a spot takes just three hours to fly to from the UK. During a visit to the small island nation with friends, Hannah discovered that they each paid slightly more than £400 for flights, a five-night hotel stay with rooftop pool access and breakfast included, plus baggage and transfers.
Her TikTok video documenting the trip racked up more than one million likes. She gushed: “Malta is by far the most underrated country I think I’ve ever visited.”
She added: “Even though Malta is the 10th smallest country in the world, it is definitely giving big country energy.” The clip showcases the destination’s stunning sea vistas, plentiful shops and eateries, historic sites, and beautiful gardens, reports the Mirror.
Looking back on her trip in 2024, Hannah revealed why the experience stood out. “One thing I loved about Malta was that it was like nowhere I’d ever been before,” she said. “It’s got such strong Arabic and Roman influences.”
She concluded with sincere praise: “It was just absolutely beautiful and everyone we met just seemed so proud to be Maltese.”
The travel influencer suggests a visit to the capital city of Valletta for anyone heading to Malta. Hannah and her group mainly explored the city by foot or took advantage of the bus network, which she described as “super convenient and cheap”.
She recommended: “Just spend a day in Valletta, roaming around, street dining, going to the boutique shops, wandering in and out of the gardens, seeing the cannons being fired at the saluting battery, and checking out the harbour front.”
Hannah also gave her seal of approval to the Gozo, Comino and Blue Lagoon cruise. This full-day boat trip sets off from Sliema and provides the opportunity to experience both islands in one day, alongside numerous landmarks.
According to Hannah, the price for her and her companions was “around £29 each”. Her video garnered more than 1,000 comments, with many sharing her views about the country. A local resident wrote: “I am from Malta and I am so happy that you loved our little island.”
Another user declared: “Malta is stunning, I would go back in a heartbeat,” while someone else commented: “Genuinely one of my favourite European destinations ever – never gets boring.”
“Omg I live in Malta, it’s so underrated,” another person posted.
How to get to Malta
A number of airlines, including Air Malta, Easyjet, British Airways, Ryanair, and Jet2, run direct flights from the UK to Malta. The busiest route is from London Heathrow to Malta International Airport, which sits in the island’s capital city of Valletta.
Flights are also available from Bournemouth, Liverpool, Norwich, Belfast, Manchester, Bristol, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Leeds, Nottingham, and Glasgow.