Portugal or Malta?

fairy_lights

I want to go away for a 5 days/a week at the end of August with my partner, we'd like to go somewhere warm and sunny, with nice beaches and a few nice bars and tourist attractions but don't have anywhere in particular we want to go, so have been looking at where we can fly cheaply from our nearest airport and have narrowed our options down to Faro in Portugal and Malta.
I know accommodation is going to be expensive because it's the middle of the school holidays but I'm not to fussed about that.
Has anyone been to either of these places who can recommend one over the other or have any suggestions?

Dollyrockerz

I haven;t been to Portugal but I LOVED Malta, it's such an interesting place, full of history and beautiful scenery.

If you want to lie on the beach however, be careful where you pick in Malta, we stayed in Slima which just had bathing 'platforms' which are slabs of rock that you can lie on, there were a couple of open air pools though on the seafront and other areas have beaches

mickey54

Portugal I would recommend...some beautiful beaches. Good bars and restaurants..

fairy_lights

Which area in Malta would you recommend staying in for nice beaches, Dollyrockerz?

leveller2911

We went to Malta years ago and stayed in Mellieha Bay.

Its one of the few beaches on Malta.........

Cardew

fairy_lights wrote: »

Which area in Malta would you recommend staying in for nice beaches, Dollyrockerz?

For all its charms, Malta is not the place to go for a beach holiday.

Chyna-s

Love Malta but you would probably prefer Portugal (which is equally lovely but better for beaches).

fairy_lights

Ahh ok, Malta might be one to cross off the list this time then
If we flew in to Faro, is it a good place to stay or would we be better off staying somewhere else on the Algarve?

richardw

Some say that the further west you go from Faro, the nicer it gets.

lady1964

We've been to both Malta & Portugal, specifically Lagos which is west of Faro.

If you want beaches then Portugal is better, I can't speak for anywhere else in The Algarve but Lagos does have beautiful beaches, good bars, restaurants & isn't tacky. We've been twice & going back at the end of August for a week.
We do like Malta, we've stayed at St.Julians 3 times but have pool bathed. St Julians has a man made beach that gets packed and frankly, I don't like it. Can't comment on anywhere else in Malta, sorry.

Rambosmum

Malta is beautiful and definitely worth a visit, the sea is lovely and clear. But it's a rock, in the sea. No sand.