Most people spend less than three hours on Comino. They arrive on the tour boat, jump into the Blue Lagoon for a photo, sip a drink from a plastic cup, and are gone by the afternoon, and that might be the biggest mistake you can make in Malta. Comino, the smallest inhabited island of the Maltese archipelago, is far more than its famous lagoon. Stay a little longer and you will find quiet bays without a soul in sight, centuries-old watchtowers, and wildlife you will struggle to spot anywhere else in the Mediterranean. This guide takes you across the whole island, not just the one postcard view.
Comino, Malta: More Than the Blue Lagoon
Comino at a glance
| Where | Between Malta and Gozo, in the middle of the archipelago |
| Size | About 3.5 square kilometres, with no cars |
| Famous for | The Blue Lagoon |
| Also worth seeing | Santa Marija Tower, Santa Marija Bay, the Crystal Lagoon, the wildlife |
| Getting there | A short ferry or excursion boat from Malta or Gozo |
Where is Comino?
Comino sits right in the middle of the archipelago, tucked between the main island of Malta and its quieter sister, Gozo. The whole place measures just 3.5 square kilometres, with no cars and no towering resort hotels crowding the horizon. Small ferries and excursion boats carry you across in a matter of minutes, so the real question is not how to get to Comino, but how long you will stay.
Visit Malta, learn English
The Blue Lagoon: the famous opening act
Let's start where everyone starts: the Blue Lagoon. And yes, it lives up to the photos. This sheltered bay between Comino and the tiny islet of Cominotto looks like a pool that nature designed on purpose. The water shimmers in every shade of blue and turquoise, lit from below by a bright, sandy floor.
To go snorkelling in the Blue Lagoon, you need little more than a mask. Dip your head under and a whole underwater world opens up, full of fish, rock, and dancing light. No wonder it's one of the most photographed spots in all of Malta.
But here's the catch. The boats arrive mid-morning, and the lagoon fills up fast. Come early and the paradise is almost yours alone. And when the crowds roll in, you simply move on. Because the real Comino begins exactly where the day-trippers turn around.
The watchtowers almost no one climbs
Few visitors go further than the beach, which is a shame, because one of the most rewarding things to do on Comino is its old defensive tower. The Santa Marija Tower, often called St Mary's Tower or simply the Comino Tower, has stood over the coast since the 17th century, built by the Knights of St John to guard the islands against pirates. The short climb pays off: the deep blue Mediterranean stretches out in front of you, with the silhouettes of Malta and Gozo behind. Up here, with the whole island at your feet, you understand Comino properly for the first time. It is not a photo stop; it is a place with a story.
The quiet beaches that never make the postcards
Everyone knows the Blue Lagoon. Hardly anyone knows Comino's second face. Walk a little further and you reach Santa Marija Bay, a calm cove where Mediterranean pines almost reach the water. Soft sand, clear sea, barely another person. Here you'll find what has become rare elsewhere in high summer: space and silence.
Nearby, the Crystal Lagoon is a dream for anyone chasing a little adventure. Its rock formations and deep blue water invite you to dive and to take a boat into shaded grottoes and hidden corners. You start to see the pattern. Comino rewards everyone willing to step just off the beaten track.
An island that belongs to the wildlife
And there's one more layer, one you only discover when you slow down. Because so few people live here, Comino belongs above all to its wildlife.
Eleonora's falcons circle the cliffs, shearwaters nest in the rock caves, and with a little luck you might even spot the rare Mediterranean monk seal offshore.
Much of the island is a protected nature reserve, and you sense it with every step you take.
Comino isn't a box to tick on a holiday checklist. It's a place to experience slowly, but only if you give it the time it quietly asks for.
How to really experience Comino
You can probably guess it by now: Comino reveals itself only to those who stay. You won't see the best of this island in two hours between the boat and a cocktail. You'll see it early in the morning in an empty lagoon, up on the tower, alone on Santa Marija Bay.
The easiest way to do that is to make Malta your home for a while. Learning English in Malta isn't only about drilling vocabulary. It's about climbing onto a boat at the weekend with new friends from all over the world, snorkelling in the Blue Lagoon, and laughing about your day on the beach in a happy jumble of languages. That's what SPRACHCAFFE is all about: on a language trip to Malta, you learn a language, you meet people, and you collect experiences that stay with you.
So don't be the guest who climbs back onto the boat after two hours. Stay a little longer. Comino saves its best stories for those who are willing to listen.
Summary
Comino is far more than the Blue Lagoon. Come early to enjoy the lagoon before the crowds, then explore what most visitors miss: the 17th-century Santa Marija Tower, the quiet sands of Santa Marija Bay, the Crystal Lagoon, and a protected landscape alive with falcons and seabirds. Give the island a full day rather than a quick stop, and it rewards you, all the more if you make Malta your base on an English course with SPRACHCAFFE.
FAQ
Comino is the smallest inhabited island of the Maltese archipelago, lying between Malta and Gozo. It is best known for the Blue Lagoon but has much more to explore.
Yes. Most visitors leave within a few hours, but staying longer reveals quiet bays, the historic Santa Marija watchtower and wildlife rarely seen elsewhere in the Mediterranean.
By boat from Malta or Gozo. Regular ferries and tour boats run to the Blue Lagoon, especially in summer, and it is easy to combine with a trip to Gozo.
Late spring and early autumn are ideal, with warm water and far fewer crowds than the summer peak, when the Blue Lagoon can become very busy.
A language stay in Malta puts Comino and Gozo within easy reach on free days.
Related news
Get the latest on travel, languages and culture