Water Taxi Harbour Cruise Malta: 75 Minutes Around Two Harbours From Sliema

Water Taxi Limited

Panoramic Cruise around Malta's Harbours and Creeks

★ 4.6 (321) · from $22

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Prices and timetables checked 2026-10-17. I earn a commission on bookings made through the links on this page.

The Water Taxi harbour cruise is a 75-minute sightseeing loop from the Sliema Ferries waterfront through Marsamxett Harbour, past Valletta and into the Grand Harbour creeks of the Three Cities. A ticket costs from $22 per person, about €20, and the commentary is in English only.

The detail that changes the decision is timing. The listing shows start times only after you pick a date, but passengers mention 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm sailings, and on 15 October sunset in Malta is 6:28 PM, so the 6:00 pm boat finishes after dark.

I would book the Water Taxi harbour cruise on your first day, before you walk Valletta, because it explains the layout of the two harbours. If you want a longer day on the water, compare it with my guide to boat tours in Malta and the full Harbour Advisor boat tour index.

What is the Water Taxi harbour cruise from Sliema and what do you see?

You sail a single loop that crosses two natural harbours separated by the Valletta peninsula, so the capital's bastions pass on one side and then the other. Marsamxett Harbour lies north of the Grand Harbour, and the Sciberras peninsula splits them, according to Wikipedia's Grand Harbour entry.

• Fort Manoel on Manoel Island, built between 1723 and 1733 and heavily damaged in the Second World War.
• Valletta's waterfront, with the Barrakka Gardens, the Mediterranean Conference Centre and the cruise port above the quays.
• The Three Cities - Senglea, Cospicua and Birgu - along Dockyard Creek and French Creek, with the Palumbo shipyard and the Grand Harbour marina.
• Fort St Angelo, Fort St Elmo and Fort Ricasoli, the main harbour forts, seen from water level rather than from the ramparts.

The Grand Harbour itself is about 3.63 km long and 1.33 km wide, with an average depth of 7.7 m (Wikipedia), so the boat covers most of it in a few minutes and spends the rest of the 75 minutes in the creeks.

Where does the Water Taxi harbour cruise leave from?

It leaves from the Ferries 4 landing on the Sliema waterfront, and the listing asks you to arrive at least 15 minutes before departure. Look for a Luzzu Cruises boat; the listing names three, Antonia, Helena G and Sansone. The operator's own site says its excursions leave from Sliema Strand (Luzzu Cruises).

1. Walk to the Ferries pier on the Sliema promenade and open the pin: Sliema Ferries departure point on Google Maps.
2. Show the voucher to the crew 15 minutes before sailing.
3. Choose the upper deck if you want the clearest view of the bastions; one April passenger advises this.
4. Keep your seat during the commentary; a July passenger complained that a standing filmer blocked others.

What is the route, stop by stop?

The route has three legs: Marsamxett Harbour first, the Valletta peninsula second, and the Grand Harbour creeks last. The listing names 28 landmarks in this order, and I have grouped them below.

The listing does not say whether the boat enters every creek on every sailing, and one passenger notes that the crew may change the plan with the swell. Treat the list as the usual route, not a guarantee.

How long is the cruise and when does it sail?

The cruise lasts 75 minutes and the start times show only after you choose a date, so I cannot give a fixed timetable. Reviews mention a 4:00 pm departure in April and a 6:00 pm evening sailing, so there is more than one slot a day in spring.

Sunset decides how the evening boat feels. A 6:00 pm boat returns at about 7:15 pm, which is before sunset from April to September and after it from October.

What is on board and what is included?

The ticket covers the cruise, a toilet on board and English commentary on a PA system; it does not cover food, drinks or a hotel transfer. The listing's included list mixes these in, so I treat "food and drinks" and "hotel transfers" as not included unless the operator tells you otherwise.

How does the Water Taxi harbour cruise compare with other Malta harbour boats?

The closest rival is the Sliema two-harbour cruise, which sells the same two-harbour loop for the same $22 and a stated 1.5 hours. The other boats on this site are longer day trips.

My rule: pick this cruise or its rival for the harbours alone, and pick the Comino and Blue Lagoon day cruise when you want swimming. The Three Fortified Cities tour adds the land stops this cruise only passes. Per hour, the 7-hour day trips at $34 are far cheaper than this $22 loop.

Is the Water Taxi harbour cruise worth it versus walking Valletta's bastions?

It is worth it if you want the harbour forts as one connected picture, because from the shore you see only fragments. Walking Valletta's ramparts costs nothing, but it never shows Fort Ricasoli, the Three Cities creeks or the shipyards.

• Choose the cruise if it is your first day, your knees dislike Valletta's steps, or you want commentary on the Great Siege history.
• Skip the cruise if you already know the harbour or only want swimming; the route never stops for a swim.
• Price check: $22 for 75 minutes is $17.6 per hour for one adult.

The harbour holds history that the commentary can only sketch: the Order of Saint John was based there from 1530 to 1798, and the Great Siege of 1565 was fought around these forts (Wikipedia).

4,022,310 tourists arrived in Malta in 2025, 12.9% more than in 2024, so summer boats sell out.

When is the best time to take the harbour cruise?

The cruise suits any month, because it is a sheltered harbour loop, but October to May is the most comfortable on deck and June to August is the hottest. The sea off Malta is 24.5°C today, which matters less here because nobody swims.

Upcoming public holidays in Malta, from the Nager.Date API: 8 Dec (Feast of the Immaculate Conception), 13 Dec (Republic Day), 25 Dec (Christmas Day). Public holidays are busy in Valletta, so book the day before if you plan the cruise on one.

• Summer afternoons: sit under cover; July air reaches 32°C (2025 average high).
• Winter: January has about 8 rain days, and the creeks are calmer than the open sea.
• Swell: a larger boat replaced the scheduled one for an April passenger, so a swell does not cancel it.

What do passengers say about the Water Taxi harbour cruise?

The 321+ GetYourGuide reviews average 4.6/5, and the ten I could read are all five-star, so that sample is positive-only. Four themes repeat.

• Commentary - clear and informative, mentioned by about half the readable reviews.
• Value - one passenger calls it good value, and the value sub-score is 4.6.
• Sightlines - GetYourGuide's summary says standing passengers can block the view.
• Language - one reviewer notes announcements are English only.

Who should skip the Water Taxi harbour cruise?

Skip it if you need commentary in another language, want a swim, or dislike a short fixed loop. For swimming, my snorkelling tours in Malta page lists the better boats, and the main Malta boat tours hub covers the rest.

• Non-English speakers: commentary is English only.
• Food seekers: no meal is included.
• Mobility needs: the listing does not state accessibility; ask the operator about boarding.

How do you book the Water Taxi harbour cruise?

1. Choose a date and read the available start times.
2. Add travellers; the price is per person.
3. Arrive 15 minutes early at the Ferries 4 pier.
4. Cancel by 24 hours before for a full refund.

Frequently asked questions

Sources: GetYourGuide listing 585110 (price, includes, meeting point, reviews, checked 2026-10-17); NSO Malta, inbound tourism 2025; Malta Tourism Authority; Transport Malta; Open-Meteo climate and marine data; Nager.Date holidays; Frankfurter exchange rate; sunrise-sunset.org.