Malta in December: Mild Weather & Quiet Sights Guide

December weather: mild days, real rain and wind

Long-term averages put December highs at 18°C (64°F) and night temperatures around 11°C (52°F), with the sea still close to 19°C (66°F). Expect roughly five hours of sunshine a day and low humidity that ranges between about 60% and 90%.

Rain is a genuine planning factor rather than a rarity. The month typically delivers 108 mm across around 16 rainy days, usually in short showers, and wind averages about 17 mph on this exposed, flat island with a high point of only 250 m.

Treat all of these as typical conditions, not a forecast. Build each day around one indoor and one outdoor option so a wet morning does not ruin the plan, and keep a waterproof layer in your day bag for the coastal walks.

Daylight and short days

The real constraint in December is the sunset, which falls around 5pm, leaving roughly ten hours of daylight. Front-load sightseeing into the morning and early afternoon, then shift to museums, churches, coffee or a long lunch once the light goes.

Walks that need wide views, such as Dingli Cliffs or the Victoria Lines, work best started before midday, when the light is still bright and the paths are dry after morning showers.

What the season changes: empty resorts, open sights

Seaside strips such as Bugibba and Qawra go quiet in December: nightlife winds down, some restaurants shut and promenades are deserted after dark. If you value atmosphere over a sea view, base yourself in Valletta, Birgu or the Rabat area instead, where streets are decorated and life continues through the winter.

The headline sights, meanwhile, become far easier to enjoy. Mdina and the megalithic temples are uncrowded in December, and the mild weather makes wandering Valletta's grid of streets and the Three Cities waterfront comfortable rather than exhausting.

Some hotels and restaurants in resort areas run reduced winter programmes, so it pays to choose a traditional town and check evening dining locally instead of counting on summer hours in Qawra or Sliema.

Valletta in December

Valletta is the festive centre of the island. Fairyland, set around Pjazza Tritoni just outside the city gates, has previously brought together fairground rides, food stalls, entertainment and Santa experiences, with entry free and rides ticketed.

Beyond the organised events, the capital is at its best simply walked in the evening: lit shopfronts, decorated streets and historic facades give the city an atmosphere that suits a slow dinner or a drink afterwards. Teatru Manoel, built in 1731, also stages theatre and musical performances through the season, and its Christmas panto has become a fixture.

Programmes and productions change from one December to the next, so venues publish current details closer to the date; check the venue listing when you arrive rather than planning around last year's schedule.

Local Christmas: cribs, Rabat and Gozo

Malta's Christmas is small-scale and church-based rather than a German-style market scene. Rabat hosts Natalis Notabilis, a market filling its historic streets with food and craft stalls over several days, alongside a crib exhibition at Ta' Giezu Church where the figures are often intricate works with moving parts.

Nativity cribs, presepji, appear in churches, public spaces and homes across the islands, and live nativity villages have become part of the season. Bethlehem f'Għajnsielem on Gozo is the best known, restaging scenes with actors, animals and traditional settings.

On the food side, look for qagħaq tal-għasel, treacle rings flavoured with citrus and spice, and imbuljuta tal-qastan, a warm chestnut and cocoa drink traditionally served after Midnight Mass.

If you plan your trip specifically around the festive season, plan around these local traditions rather than expecting large illuminated markets; the guide to Christmas in Malta sets out how the celebrations work.

Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Eve

In 2026 Christmas Day falls on Friday 25 December, with Christmas Eve on Thursday, and New Year's Day 2027 falls on Friday 1 January. Expect Midnight Mass and crib visits to shape Christmas Eve, while Christmas Day itself is quiet and many businesses close.

For New Year's Eve, Valletta traditionally becomes one of the liveliest places on the island for the countdown, with hotels and restaurants across Malta hosting their own dinners and parties.

Specific gatherings and hotel dinners change each year, so if the countdown matters to you, look at the official Valletta programme and hotel listings closer to the date rather than booking on the strength of an old schedule.

Things to do: the best winter walking

December is arguably the best month of the year for hiking here: sunny but not hot, fresh but not cold. Dingli Cliffs, the island's highest point, has a pavement running along the cliff edge and tremendous views out over the Mediterranean.

For something more testing, the Victoria Lines fortifications run about 12 km across the width of Malta, passing through rural countryside near Bingemma with green fields, hills and the occasional chapel.

In the towns, spend an afternoon in the Three Cities. Walk the waterfront from Birgu to Bormla and over the bridge into Isla, climb to the Gardjola Gardens for panoramic views over the Grand Harbour and Valletta, and allow time for Fort St. Angelo and the Inquisitor's Palace in Birgu.

Rainy afternoons are the moment for Malta's coffee scene: traditional towns such as Mosta and Naxxar have plenty of small independent cafes, and Valletta has its own cluster. Combine one with a museum visit and the day still works in bad weather.

Day trips: Mdina and Gozo

Mdina and Rabat pair naturally for a day out, and in December both are calm enough to walk slowly through. Scheduled buses serve the island reasonably well in winter, though journeys are slow, so allow generous time rather than squeezing two destinations into an afternoon.

Gozo is the other obvious day trip: ferries from Ċirkewwa run year-round, but winter crossings and onward buses follow reduced timetables, so check Gozo Channel's published schedule before you set out.

If December looks too short or too wet for what you want, the neighbouring months change the picture: February stays quiet but colder, and March begins to lengthen the days again.

Swimming and the sea in December

A dip is possible on a mild day, and the sea sits around 19°C (66°F), but locals generally stay out of the water in December and it is tourists who brave it. Treat swimming as an opportunistic extra rather than the point of the trip.

The beaches themselves, including Mellieħa Bay and Golden Bay, are mostly empty in December, which makes them excellent for a picnic or a barefoot walk even if you never get wet.

Crowds, prices and mood

December is low season. The big sights, Valletta's streets and summer resorts are quieter than at any other time, and you will rarely queue for the megalithic temples or Mdina's lanes.

That quiet cuts both ways. Fewer people means calmer sightseeing and easier tables, but it also means reduced evening life along the coast and some seasonal businesses shuttered until spring.

Rather than chase deals in holiday resorts, spend your time where winter works: Valletta, Birgu, Mdina and Rabat, plus a couple of coastal walks on the sunnier days.

Who December suits, and who should pick another month

December suits walkers, photographers, museum-goers and anyone who prefers a quiet Mediterranean island with a modest festive lift to a hot beach holiday. It is also good value for a city break anchored in Valletta.

It suits you less if you want to swim daily, eat late outdoors or rely on resort nightlife. Those travellers should look at the Malta in January and March guides, when days lengthen and the season starts to turn.

Travelling around Malta in December

If you are visiting Malta with a dog, the mild December weather makes moving around the island easier than in summer. Daytime temperatures average around 15 to 17 degrees, dropping to just above 10 degrees at night, so a dog can walk comfortably along the coast without the heat of peak season. The coastline remains one of the island's biggest draws, and places such as Qawra, Sliema and St Julian's are pleasant for long seafront walks, especially when the sun is out.

Plan for changeable days. Rain is not uncommon in December, and you might experience a thunderstorm, though typically bad weather doesn't last longer than 3 days. Expect some windy and cloudy days too. Your dog will need somewhere dry to settle during showers, so it helps to build indoor pauses into the day rather than relying on sunshine every day.

December is quieter and cooler than the summer months, but life certainly does not come to a standstill. The summer crowds have faded and the coastline feels quieter, which makes walks with a dog calmer than in June to August, when peak season runs. In traditional towns rather than seaside resorts, you will find more going on: towns like Mosta and Rabat may feel a little livelier in December, with streets decorated with Christmas lights and possibly small Christmas markets and events.

Pick your base with the dog in mind. Seaside resorts such as Bugibba are deserted in the evening at this time of year, with no nightlife and some restaurants shut, so a traditional town may suit better. Birgu, an old harbour city that is a joy to explore in winter, is a strong option, and the quieter streets of the Three Cities make for easy evening strolls. The same off-season logic applies if you are weighing a Sicily base, as our Taormina winter guide explains.

Plan Your Visit

Book around the weather rather than against it: mornings for cliffs, temples and Mdina, afternoons for Valletta's churches, museums and cafes, evenings for the lit streets and a long dinner.

If you want the full picture of the island across the whole season, from November rain to March warmth, start with the wider guide to Malta in winter before you commit to dates.