il-lokal

il-lokal is a shop built around Malta's creative community. What began as an Instagram account has grown into a home for artists, designers, makers and curators based on the islands, and it offers a snapshot of the current creative scene. For visitors it works as a gift shop with a difference: things you buy here were made by people who live in Malta.

On VisitMalta.co.uk it is listed in our directory of gift shops in Malta. The shop sits in the old walled city, so our Mdina guide is a useful companion for planning your visit.

What you can find

The range covers prints and limited editions, greeting cards, notebooks and recipe books, books by Maltese authors and small publishers, clothing and accessories such as socks and T-shirts, home decor, hand-poured soy candles, beauty and home spa products and artisanal food. There are works from dozens of local designers and brands, so the stock is varied rather than uniform.

Prices are modest for much of it. Enamel pins from the Pinbox range cost €7, mini notebooks start at a little under €8, and the larger A5 notebooks are around €15. Fine art prints by illustrator Moira Zahra, whose work draws on people, place and culture, cost from €56 to €81. Books range from small paperbacks to large photographic volumes. A gift card is available for anyone who cannot choose.

Beauty and home spa items include soaps, lotion bars, lip balms, roll-on perfumes and bamboo toothbrushes, mostly priced under €15, and the food shelves carry Maltese honey, chilli products, chocolate and olive oil. Anyone planning a longer stay can pair a visit with our Malta holidays overview to see where else to go.

Beyond souvenirs

The pitch is that il-lokal is a place to showcase, discuss, create and explore. Artists can use it as a shop window and a gateway into their world, visitors can use it for inspiration, and travellers can use it to see what Malta's artistic scene is capable of. Interviews with makers are published online, and designers who want to sell their own products can apply through a seller scheme.

The designer list is long and varied: illustrators and print studios, candle makers, stationery brands, publishers, a honey producer, a chilli sauce company, a chocolate maker, an olive oil brand and charities such as Friends of the Earth and Aditus Foundation, whose books and products are also sold. For art on the walls rather than in a bag, see the 2B Gallery, which is another stop for art lovers.

Buying a few small things here is an easy way to take home a Maltese present: a pin, a notebook decorated with local flora, a jar of something edible or a book about the islands, all lighter in the suitcase than a ceramic.

Visiting Mdina

The shop occupies part of il-Mahzen on Magazine Street, inside Mdina's honey-coloured walls. Mdina is quiet, pedestrian-friendly and best explored on foot, with narrow lanes, palazzi and bastion views. If you want to stay overnight in the old town, our guide to hotels in Mdina and Rabat is a good starting point. The Malta weather guide helps you choose the best season for walking its lanes.

Add it to a wider trip with the things to do in Malta page and the Valletta guide, because the business also keeps an office in the capital. For a classic stop in the capital, see St John's Co-Cathedral, and for sunsets and the harbour, Upper Barrakka Gardens.

Asking about a product

If you are looking for a particular type of gift, a specific designer or want to know whether something is in stock, use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message to il-lokal.