Open-air markets, also known as flea markets, are part and parcel of Malta’s culture. To this day they’ve remained a national favourite, and a first stop for many tourists. 

So if you want to make the best of the country’s beautiful climate and great bargains, get your haggle on and head on down to one of these amazing open-air markets:

1. Rabat

If you’re heading up to Mdina for a Sunday morning of sight-seeing, drop by Rabat’s market first for a local taste of the beautiful Northwest. Bonus points for being a perfect excuse to drop by Serkin for the best pastizzi in Malta while you’re at it.

2. Birkirkara

Wednesday and Friday are the days when you head down to one of the biggest towns in Malta, bang in the centre of the island, for some epic bargains. 

3. Qormi

This awesome open-air market takes place every Saturday in Qormi’s centre – which is located in the south-central part of Malta. It’s perfectly placed for swinging by and picking up fresh veggies if you’re planning a Saturday night feast for you and your friends.

4. Marsaxlokk

This Sunday market is the place to be to get your hands on great fresh fish, and other useless paraphernalia. It’s one of the main reasons that Marsaxlokk is known as the fishing village, this open-air market has now extended to bread, other traditional food, and a random souvenir or two.

5. Birgu

Being held on a Tuesday in a country where markets are usually on Sundays is not the only novel thing about Birgu’s market. Offering tourists a unique opportunity to mingle with the locals, this open-air market is home to some great bargains on beautifully odd and vintage items. 

6. It-Tokk, Gozo

Gozo’s capital Victoria has a super cool market, and the best thing is that it’s on every single day in the morning until early afternoon. This open-air market also has a couple of stands selling antiques – so it’s not all cheap towels with MALTA scrawled all over them.

7. Ta’ Qali

Every Tuesday afternoon and on Saturdays, Ta’ Qali hosts an open-air market solely dedicated to locally farmed products in Malta. If you’re looking for some of the best bigilla, Maltese honey, fresh bread, fruit and vegetables, Ta’ Qali’s Farmers Market is the place to be. 

8. Il-Monti, Valletta

Having been the focus of much controversy in the past few years over it’s ever-changing location and stall re-design, people have almost forgotten the true meaning of il-Monti: it’s home to all the cheap shit you didn’t even think you needed. 

Tag a friend who loves a bargain!

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David Grech Urpani

Lovin Malta's Head of Content, Dave has been in journalism for the better half of the last decade. Prefers Instagram, but has been known to doomscroll on TikTok. Loves chicken, women's clothes and Kanye West (most of the time).