Seaside resorts on the Maltese Islands are plentiful. Many of them were developed in the early 1970s to cater for the ever growing tourist industry. Most of the seaside resorts in Malta and Gozo offer what is typical of a resort, i.e. various accommodation options, restaurants and bars, entertainment venues and of course lovely beaches.
It can safely be said that seaside resorts on the Maltese islands do not have many historical attractions. In fact, the major historical sights on the islands are not found anywhere near these resorts. However, seeing that the islands are so tiny, you're never far off from all the major attractions anyway.
So if you stay in a resort town, you will practically have the best of both worlds in the sense that you can do all the sightseeing that you want and in the evenings, when you return to your hotel or self-catering apartment, you can enjoy a fantastic nightlife without having to travel at all.
If you're visiting in the summer and you'd like to have some peace and quiet, then it's best to avoid staying in a seaside resort because they are all jam-packed with tourists.
The most popular resort towns in Malta are Sliema, St. Julians, Mellieha, Bugibba, Qawra and St. Paul's Bay. While in Gozo, the most popular ones are Xlendi and Marsalforn.
Sliema is an upmarket resort town and is a very popular spot with the locals as well. Some of the best shopping on the islands can be had at Sliema.
Bugibba and Qawra are usual seaside resort towns and apart from the things mentioned previously, offer little else to the visitor.
Mellieha on the other hand, has successfully retained its local charm and traditional feel and is quite different than other resorts.
The ones in Gozo are quite charming as well, despite the fact that they're also very busy during the summer. Marsalforn is the favorite place to hang out at for Gozitans as well. Xlendi offers some excellent dining venues and is also home to the best nightclub in Gozo.