Malta in Winter: Why Off-Season Is One of the Best Decisions You'll Make

In December 2025, Mariusz posted a single photo to a Polish Malta travel group: turquoise water, white rocks, sunshine, zero people. Caption: "Blue Lagoon, 22nd December — swim completed, obviously." 105 reactions. That many people sighed with envy or decided they'd do the same.

What Malta is like in winter — the facts

Malta sits at the same latitude as Algeria and Tunisia. There is no winter here — just a Maltese autumn.

• December–February: 12–18°C during the day, 8–12°C in the evenings. About 15–20 sunny days per month. Rain happens — usually brief showers.
• March–April: 15–22°C. T-shirt weather. Bougainvillea flowering, green fields.
• Water temperature: December–January around 16–18°C. Cool, but absolutely swimmable for the hardy.

For comparison: July–August brings 35–38°C, crowds and prices 2–3× higher. In August Valletta, 300 metres of street can take an hour to walk — everyone queuing for the same sights.

What you gain by going in winter

1. Empty attractions — no queues

St. John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta: summer queue 40+ minutes. Winter: walk straight in. Fort St. Elmo, Mdina, Blue Grotto, the Hypogeum — empty everywhere. Photos without strangers in the background. Time to actually look at the Caravaggio without an elbow in your face.

2. Prices 30–50% lower

• Flights: From the UK to Malta in December–February from £50–80 return. In July: £200–400.
• Hotels: An apartment in Sliema for €60–80/night instead of €120–180 in summer.
• Tours: No peak season surcharges.

3. Blue Lagoon almost to yourself

Summer: 20–30 tourist boats, hundreds of people on the rocks. Winter: you arrive and have the place practically to yourself. Water temperature around 16°C — cool, but just as turquoise.

4. Winter-only Malta events

• Malta Carnival (February) — one of the largest and oldest carnivals in Europe. Valletta and Floriana turn into a sea of colour.
• Fire Festival (March) — fireworks and fire shows over the Grand Harbour.
• Mnajdra at equinox — on 21 March the rising sun shines exactly through the temple entrance. A 5,000-year-old astronomical phenomenon.

What doesn't work in winter

• Some hotels in Gozo closed or operating with reduced service
• Fewer boat trip options (particularly to Comino)
• Some beach restaurants closed until March
• Cool evenings — bring a jumper or light jacket