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

💡 MONIKA'S TIP: December and January are my favourite months for Malta. The Hypogeum without queuing, the cathedral without crowds, Blue Lagoon almost alone. I know it sounds like a secret — but it's true. Just don't tell everyone, or it'll be crowded again by next year.