Geographical location
According to COUNTRYAAH, the southern European island state of Malta is located in the Mediterranean south of the Italian island of Sicily and east of the North African mainland.
Due to its area of just 316 square kilometers, Malta is also known as a dwarf state and in fact its state area is smaller than the area of the city of Bremen.
Around 425,000 inhabitants are spread across the inhabited islands of Malta, Gozo and Comino. The capital of Malta is the city of Valletta, which despite its compactness offers a wealth of exciting sights and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Malta has an international airport and a popular cruise port. The islands are popular holiday destinations and offer a wide range of options, from party vacations to relaxing family vacations.
From Frankfurt, for example, you can reach Malta in around 2 ½ hours by plane.
- Abbreviation Finder: Check to see national geography, brief history, society description, domestic politics, economy overview, and a list of widely used acronyms about Malta.
Climate in Malta
Malta is geographically more southern than some parts of Tunisia or Morocco. For this reason, the islands have a subtropical to Mediterranean climate.
This is characterized by hot and dry summers with temperatures of up to 32 ° C. The months June to August are very warm and there is almost no rain during this travel time.
The winter months in Malta are mild but quite humid. In December, the amount of precipitation can increase up to 114 millimeters. Temperatures generally do not drop below 10 ° C, even at night.
Different winds provide welcome cooling in Malta in summer, and in the winter months they bring occasional rain showers with them.
When to go to Malta
The season on Malta, Gozo and Comino is analogous to the travel weather, the islands fill up very quickly with rising temperatures after Easter at the latest. The best time to travel to Malta is from mid- May to mid- October. During this time there is real summer weather, the water temperatures crack the 20 degrees mark around the end of May and peak in July and August at around 32 degrees.
With up to 12 hours of sunshine, the summer months in Malta are not only friendly, but also very long. The conditions are ideal for a beach holiday and the warm nights are also ideal for evenings on the open terraces of the many bars and restaurants. Also the autumn months of September and October (25 to 29 degrees) are ideal travel times.
Malta is also popular for cruises and individual sailing tours. In the classic winter months of December, January and February you should think twice about a trip to Malta. The regular rainfall could present the dream islands in the Mediterranean in a wrong light. From March the weather becomes noticeably more pleasant and is suitable for cultural visits, active holidays and walks.
Temperatures, precipitation, sunshine
| Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Daytime temperature | 16 ° C | 16 ° C | 18 ° C | 20 ° C | 24 ° C | 29 ° C | 31 ° C | 32 ° C | 28 ° C | 25 ° C | 21 ° C | 17 ° C |
| Night temperature | 10 ° C | 9 ° C | 10 ° C | 12 ° C | 15 ° C | 19 ° C | 22 ° C | 23 ° C | 21 ° C | 18 ° C | 14 ° C | 11 ° C |
| Water temperature | 17 ° C | 15 ° C | 15 ° C | 16 ° C | 19 ° C | 22 ° C | 23 ° C | 23 ° C | 23 ° C | 22 ° C | 22 ° C | 19 ° C |
| Precipitation in mm | 93 | 63 | 43 | 24 | 21st | 7 | 0 | 19 | 64 | 77 | 95 | 114 |
| Rainy days | 18 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 15 | 17 | 21st |
| Hours of sunshine | 4 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Sunrise | 7:10 | 6:50 | 6:15 | 6:30 | 5:55 | 5:45 | 5:55 | 6:20 | 6:45 | 7:10 | 6:40 | 7:05 |
| Sunset | 17:10 | 17:45 | 18:10 | 19:35 | 20:00 | 20:20 | 20:20 | 19:55 | 19:10 | 18:25 | 16:55 | 16:50 |
Temperatures
The annual average temperature is 19.2 ° C. For comparison: Munich reaches an average of 8.6 ° C, in Berlin it is 9.6 ° C. The warmest month is August (27.3 ° C), coldest month of February with averages of 12.4 ° C. The maximum water temperature is 23 ° C. Comfortable bathing is possible at these temperatures. All but January, February, March and April have a water temperature of at least 17 ° C. Bathing is then possible to a limited extent. The months of June, July, August, September, October and November have a water temperature of at least 21 ° C and are therefore suitable for a beach holiday.
Precipitation
The annual precipitation is 620 mm on 136 days with precipitation. For comparison: In Munich, 967 mm, in Berlin 570 mm, precipitation is measured annually. There is no rainy season, i.e. months with more than 175 mm of precipitation. Snowfall is generally not expected in any month.
Sunshine
As our climate table shows, July is the sunniest month with an average of 12 hours of sunshine per day. The average annual sun shines 7.6 hours per day. For comparison: In Munich and Berlin, the sun shines an average of 4.7 hours per day throughout the year.
Highlights and attractions
The capital Valletta has a unique old town with attractions such as St. John’s Co-Cathedral, Casa Roccoa Piccola and the waterfront. A popular excursion destination in Valletta are the picturesque Upper Barrakka Gardens above the large harbor area, where the Salutting Battery is shot down every day at 12 and 4 p.m.
Valletta is often underestimated and has rightly received its status as a World Heritage Site due to its special flair, narrow cobblestone streets and charming architecture. Malta has an exciting underwater world and several diving centers. Popular sights include the fishing village of Marsaxlokk, the historic town of Mdina, the film set town of Popeye Village and a boat trip into the Blue Lagoon between the main island and Comino.
The well-known and often photographed rock formation Azure Window on Gozo was created several million years ago, but it collapsed completely in March 2017 after a storm. A trip on a traditional barlori boat through Malta’s impressive Grand Harbor is also recommended.
