Best time to visit Malta

Best time to visit Malta

Malta follows a typical Mediterranean climate - with an enticing 300 days of sunshine per year.

With an average temperature of 15°C, Malta in midwinter is not to be sniffed at – however, many of the island’s tourist facilities, including dive resorts on Gozo, will close for the season. Things kick off for the week-long Carnival in February with accommodation at a premium as local festive crowds flock to Valletta, Floriana and the village of Hal Ghaxaq. After traditional Easter celebrations it’s blue skies all the way from March through to October with springtime and autumn the best time to visit Malta outside of the hotter, more crowded, summer months.

Call us for the best time to go on a Malta Vacation

Malta Weather Chart

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Things to do in Malta

Things to do in Malta...

The untouched nature of Gozo makes for a super interesting location for divers and snorkelers with shipwrecks and vibrant marine life adding to the allure of see through waters. Xlendi Bay makes for an excellent first port of call for those wishing to learn or dive right in, and as the harbour dive schools are responsibly controlled you can rest assured that Gozo's environment and traditional livelihoods won’t suffer as a result. As Malta boasts 300 sunny days a year it would be rude not to get outdoors and if you're a fan of sea kayaking, mountain biking or just exploring sandy coves and rocky outcrops, Gozo provides the perfect platform for a multi activity vacation. What better way to get active than climbing and abseiling in the morning followed by snorkelling or diving in the afternoon; with Ramla Bay offering a gorgeous location from where to soak up some rays. Clear blue skies juxtaposed against fortified citadels and Mediterranean waves crashing against ancient harbour walls; photographers will want to set their polarising filters to stun as Malta conjures up a sublime canvas with infinite possibilities. Valletta and Mdina on Malta are a dream of markets, piazzas, gardens and cathedrals whereas Gozo's iconic rock formations, such as the Azure Window at Dwejra Bay, provide a visual treat just aching to be captured on film.

Things not to do in Malta...

The island of Malta has very little in terms of rivers and forests and as such there's not much action on the bird watching front - you’ll be better off heading to Comino to catch a glimpse of the local shearwaters. Of course, Malta's annual Spring Hunt doesn't help much either as it results in the killing of tens of thousands of migratory birds. This sort of 'sport' has nothing to do with culture or tradition.

Forget the past. Malta’s roots can be traced through everything from megalithic temples and subterranean sanctuaries (Hypogeum of Hal-Saflieni), to medieval gates and ancient cart ruts. However, Malta's modern day history is just as interesting and if you're wondering how one tiny Mediterranean island was awarded the George Cross then pay heed to the Maltese saying: Bniedem avzat nofsu armat – ‘a well informed person is half way ahead.’

Gamble away your vacation funds. Malta has several casinos that open until dawn and if you happen to find yourself twiddling your thumbs whilst visiting Saint Julian's then popping into try your luck might seem like a good idea at the time. As with all gambling, best advice is only to bet what you can afford to lose and don't even think about channelling your inner Raymond Babbitt if you're in the slightest way tipsy.

Travel Team

If you'd like to chat about Malta or need help finding a vacation to suit you we're very happy to help.

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Call toll free

Calling from outside the USA

rosy@responsibletravel.com

Malta travel advice

When to go

Frank Tabone, from our supplier Mediterranea Gozo Eco-Home:

Easter is an excellent time to visit Malta as every local community holds its own Good Friday procession where each Bible character is represented and church bells are rung across the island on Easter Sunday.”

Malta vs. Gozo

Barry Nolan, from our supplier Activities Abroad, shares his advice and experiences related to visiting Malta:

“Malta and Gozo have very different characteristics and this is reflected in the culture and the cuisine. Both pride themselves on their differences and although they're small in size and close in proximity they are proud of their own distinctive cultures – Maltese and Gozitan."

Malta vs. Gozo

"As Gozo is trickier to get to, even though it's only 20 minutes on the ferry from Malta, it's remained relatively protected from mass tourism. It’s a much more intimate vacation location and certainly closer to the Responsible Travel ethos. If you're coming to Malta on vacation then a good idea is to stay for a couple of days around Valetta before spending the rest of your time on Gozo. Alternatively, stay on Gozo the whole time and take a day trip to Malta and have lunch in Valetta.”

Seeking out
the stories

Seeking out the stories

Frank Tabone, our supplier and owner of Mediterranea Gozo Eco-Home, shares his Malta travel advice and recommendations:

“90 percent of people on Malta speak English or Italian and if you can get chatting you'll find some beautiful stories to help you discover the historic links with the UK as well as where to find everything from the nearest bee keeper to the best beach. The luckiest traveler is definitely the one who meets the right local people because this makes all the difference and turns a stay into an experience, a vacation into a life story.”

Seeking out
the stories

Tips for cyclists

Barry Nolan, from our supplier Activities Abroad:

“Anyone considering cycling around Malta should be fit enough to cope with the undulating landscapes and definitely road savvy. There's not much in the way of off road tracks and traffic can get very congested, particularly around the larger towns.”

Tips from our travelers

At Responsible Travel, we think the best people to advise our travelers are often... other travelers. They always return from our tours with packing tips, weather reports, ideas about what to do - and opinions about what not to.

We have selected some of the most useful Malta vacation advice that our guests have provided over the years to help you make the very most of your vacation - and the space inside your camera bag.

Have a good walking map of Gozo - even though a small island, no footpath signs! And so many treasures round the coastline.

- Jennifer Blayney, walking on Gozo

“Make sure you bring good shoes for walking because you will want to walk a lot on this beautiful island and it is hilly! Also by a buscard/ticket up at the bus station in Victoria and try all the bus lines all over the beautiful island.” – Lena Lidberg, on vacation in Gozo

“Do your dive training before you go. The scenery is too good to spend it studying or watching training videos. You learn loads just through practice so get the study out of the way first and enjoy the diving.” – Austin Flather, diving vacation on Gozo

“Do hire a car as Gozo has so many lovely places to visit (though the bus service is very good). Don't plan to be out every night as the farmhouse has amazing views from the roof terrace, and you'll want to see at least one sunset from there. We were self catering so bought all our food from local supermarkets, with as much locally sourced veg as possible. We also drank wine from Gozo and Malta, where possible (some good, some not-so-good). We were there in June, which seemed a perfect time as the temperature was still below 30 degrees and it wasn't too crowded.” – Sarah Shrubb, Ghammar self catering accommodation in Gozo

Our top advice would be to go in April the spring flowers are fabulous and the weather was perfect for walking. Use the local buses, they are brilliant and only €6.50 for a weekly pass.

- Phillip Briggs, on vacation in Gozo

Best time to visit Malta