Malta in December: A Guide for 2026

December in Malta is a quietly lovely month. It's not beach weather, but the days are mild, the light is clear, Valletta dresses itself up for Christmas, and the island's own traditions come out: cribs in every parish, a living nativity village on Gozo, midnight mass with a child in the pulpit, and a public celebration on New Year's Eve. It's a far gentler winter than anything in northern Europe.

In short: expect daytime highs of around 17°C, nights of about 11°C, roughly five hours of sunshine a day and a sea near 18°C. December is Malta's wettest month, with rain on around thirteen days, but it usually comes as heavy showers between bright spells. The public holidays are the Immaculate Conception on 8 December, Republic Day on 13 December and Christmas Day on 25 December. Christmas in the Capital runs in Valletta until 31 December, which ends with New Year's Eve celebrations in St George's Square.

Malta weather in December

The averages are around 17°C by day and 11°C at night, with roughly five hours of sun, ten hours of daylight and about 100mm of rain across thirteen days (figures from Weather2Travel's Malta climate data). In practice, a typical December week has several bright, still days when lunch outdoors in the sun is entirely comfortable, and a day or two of wind and rain.

It feels colder indoors than the numbers suggest, because Maltese buildings are designed to stay cool and there is no tradition of central heating. Reverse-cycle air conditioning, which heats as well as cools, is the norm, so check that your accommodation has it in every room rather than a single heater in the living area.

Is Malta warm in December?

By northern European standards, yes. Seventeen degrees and sunshine is spring weather in London, Amsterdam or Toronto, and Malta sits among the warmest places in Europe in December, alongside Cyprus, the far south of Spain and the Canary Islands. It is warm enough to sit outside, walk all day and occasionally swim, but not to sunbathe. Hardy locals do keep swimming: the sea is around 18°C and the Christmas Day swim is a tradition for some.

What's on in Malta in December 2026

Christmas in the Capital runs from 25 November to 31 December, with Valletta's Christmas tree, a nativity crib, street decorations and live performances across the city. Valletta is at its most atmospheric in the early evening, when the lights come on along Republic Street and Merchants Street.

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception on Tuesday 8 December is a public holiday and the titular feast of Cospicua, one of the Three Cities, which celebrates with a procession. Republic Day on Sunday 13 December marks Malta becoming a republic in 1974.

On Gozo, Bethlehem f'Għajnsielem turns a valley into a living nativity village with hundreds of volunteers, open on set days through December into January. The 2026 dates are published by the local council closer to the time.

The English-language Christmas pantomime is a Maltese institution. This season, Peter Pan plays at Teatru Manoel in Valletta from 22 December to 5 January and Hercules at the Salesian Theatre in Sliema from 23 December to 4 January.

Christmas Eve brings midnight mass across the island and, in many parishes, the priedka tat-tifel, a sermon delivered by a child. Christmas Day on Friday 25 December is a public holiday; 26 December is not. On 31 December, Valletta's national New Year's Eve celebrations take place in St George's Square.

What locals actually do in December

Visit cribs. Presepju (nativity scene) exhibitions open in parishes and homes across the island, some of them astonishingly elaborate. Walk Valletta after dark. Eat qagħaq tal-għasel, the treacle rings, and buy imbuljuta, the hot chestnut and cocoa drink, after midnight mass. And on a bright winter Sunday, head out to the countryside or the coast, which is green again and nearly empty.

What to pack for Malta in December

Think of a mild spring: a warm jacket, layers you can take off in the midday sun, a waterproof, and shoes with grip for wet limestone. Swimwear if you're brave. Something smart for New Year's Eve if you are booking a dinner.

Where to stay in Malta in December

Stay close to Valletta. In December, the life of the island is around the harbour, and you want to be able to walk home from a Christmas concert or take the ferry back across the water rather than wait for a late bus. Valletta, Sliema and Gzira are the best bases; our guide to where to stay in Malta compares them. Book Christmas and New Year early, as those dates fill up even when the rest of the month is quiet.

December is also a good month to start a longer winter stay. For what January to March is like, see a winter quarter in Gzira, month by month, and for the wider case, why remote workers are choosing Malta from October to April.

Frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in Malta in December?

Mild and changeable: daytime highs of around 17°C, nights of about 11°C, roughly five hours of sunshine and rain on around thirteen days, usually as short heavy showers between bright spells. The sea is about 18°C.

Is Malta worth visiting in December?

Yes, if you want mild weather, Christmas atmosphere and quiet sightseeing rather than a beach holiday. Valletta's Christmas in the Capital, Gozo's living nativity village and New Year's Eve in St George's Square are highlights, and outside Christmas week it is one of the quietest months of the year.

Can you swim in Malta in December?

You can: the sea is around 18°C, which some locals swim in all winter, and a Christmas Day swim is a tradition for a few. Most visitors find it bracing rather than pleasant, so treat it as a quick dip on a calm, sunny day.

Spending Christmas or the New Year in Malta? Morrison Court is five self-contained apartments in a reimagined 1920s townhouse in Gzira, ten minutes from Valletta by ferry, with heating in every room and the kind of space that makes a winter stay feel like home.