Malta bathing season. Monthly weather in Malta - when is the best time to visit this country? Summer is high season

It is considered the best for a person. It is impossible to argue with this. Malta is one of those countries where you can survive at any time of the year without the use of any modern technological devices.

The phrase "Seasons in Malta" seems ridiculous to those who have not lived on the island at least one all year round. On the southern island, everything is in miniature, and the seasons too, and therefore their change is not so noticeable. However, each month brings its own colors to the rather poor nature of Malta.

How many times have I met spring in, but I felt real delight from the end of winter in Malta. In Russia, we live in greenhouse conditions maintained in apartments central heating and double or even triple glazing. It can be arbitrarily cold outside, but at home the temperature is by no means less than +20 and even too dry air is always provided.

In Malta, in the full sense of the word, you find yourself in unity with nature. Winter means cold. Summer is synonymous with heat, there is no other way. In fact, there are only 2 comfortable, pleasantly warm months - April and October. In May it gets hot, and in November it is already quite cool. The coldest months are January and February. also happens, but once every 30 years.

When you put away the blanket that you constantly wrap yourself in at home during the endlessly long winter months, you just want to sing with happiness that this dampness has finally ended and the bed will become warm and dry again.

The Maltese generally dislike summer, get tired of the heat. It is visiting tourists who can afford to do nothing, while everyone else has to go to work. locals they hardly swim in the sea. Teenagers and young people sometimes splash around, but more often they just have fun parties on the beach in the summer.

The Maltese do not like the rains, which force them to rub again and again to a shine. A big rarity is a Maltese walking under an umbrella. Here everyone drives a car and, if necessary, gives each other a lift.

IN autumn months sometimes there are hurricanes. In Malta, lightning can be seen across the sky with zigzags zigzagging across the sea. Sometimes there are even short floods after heavy rains.

Many in Malta say they prefer winter, although electricity bills rise during this period and a wave of colds is sure to sweep. Alas, such conditions are not conducive to maintaining health. Arthritis in Malta is considered simply a national disease. This is not surprising with humidity up to 96% outside and inside in winter.

It is probably more correct to call the change of seasons in Malta the fluctuation of the seasons. The range of possible temperatures on the island is within +10 - +40, and extreme values ​​\u200b\u200bare quite rare.

Palm trees do not shed their leaves, but the lower branches constantly dry up and are cut off, or rather cut down at the end of winter. Oleanders react to changes with a period of very poor flowering, after which they actively pick up buds and simply explode in flowering in May-June, after which everything gradually fades. Some plants bloom for a short time and only during a certain period, thus marking the dates in the calendar of nature.

Spring in Malta is the perfect time for a sightseeing tour: the cities of this archipelago are similar to Rome in terms of “concentration” of sights. In March, daytime temperatures are kept at +17 degrees. This month, on the 19th, is the celebration of Freedom Day, when the British troops left the republic.

In April, on the day of St. George, officially begins beach season. The sea this month warms up only to +16, but every Maltese, according to tradition, should swim on this day. In May, the temperature rarely drops below +19 degrees, it is still cold for swimming, but there are more sunbathers on the beaches. May-April are the holidays of Catholic Easter.

Summer

With the beginning of summer, more than 30% more expensive rooms in hotels, in some taverns average check may be twice as large. This is due to the beginning of the high season, when Malta arrives maximum amount vacationers. Peak months are July and August. At this time, you can catch the Jazz Festival, the open-air Isla of MTV, similar in color to Oktoberfest, the beer festival in the village of Ta Ali and the famous Delicata wine festival. The maximum water warms up in August in Gozo - up to +27 degrees.

Autumn

September-October - velvet season: keeps during the day warm weather+ 24-28 degrees, and the sea temperature in all resorts does not fall below +23. In the middle of autumn it gets bigger cloudy days, more often there are short rains. Starting from September football matches at the Ta Qali stadium. In October, the day of the Madonna of Victors is celebrated. In November, Malta hosts the Mdina International Organ Music Festival and Art Biennale.

Winter

IN winter months there are relatively few visitors to Malta, mainly tourists who came to the islands as part of combined excursion tours across Europe and the Mediterranean. The cruise season stops even though the liners international level sail to the port of Valletta throughout the year. In addition, the period from December to February is considered ideal for wellness trips - the three largest spa complexes in Malta are open without holidays. Despite the decline in tourist flow, many events are held in winter. Republic Day is celebrated on December 13, and Christmas celebrations begin on December 24. The main event of February is the Maltese Carnival, which has been held for over 500 years.

June... The sea is velvety, warm, although for the local population it still seems cool. The average water temperature is 22 degrees. Very bright sun, daytime temperatures up to 29 degrees, and until mid-June it still continues " low season”, which means prices are still low. From mid-June, the sea warms up well, the water becomes warm as fresh milk, the beaches fill with tourists, and prices in hotels and English schools soar. It started" high season».

July hot month. The temperature during the day is 32-33 degrees, at night 22-23, and the water temperature is 25 degrees Celsius. After dinner, it becomes hard from the heat and you want to hide in the shade. It's good that there are narrow medieval streets in Malta. They save from the heat. After lunch, the siesta begins. For several hours, on average from 12 or 13-00 to 16-00, many establishments are closed, including pharmacies and some shops. From 16-00 they re-open and work until 20-00. It is better to go to the beach in the morning, or after 16-00, when solar activity decreases.

August. It is considered the hottest month, the temperature during the day is 35 degrees, at night 25, and the water warms up to 27. Most tourists come at this time. Prices in August are incredibly high, this is the “high season”, and finding a hotel room or renting an apartment becomes problematic. Even huge Maltese cats, usually lounging in the sun, hide at this time in the shade.

Autumn

September is the velvet season. Gradually, the heat subsides and the temperature becomes 29-30 degrees during the day, dropping to 21 at night. The water is still warm and infinitely pleasant, the water temperature in August is 25-27 degrees. There are fewer schoolchildren, many English people are coming, but the “high season” remains until mid-September. And only in the second half of September, prices drop and the "low season" begins.

October. You can still sunbathe and swim, the air temperature during the day is 25-26 degrees, at night 19-20, and the water is 23-24 degrees. The beaches are free, there are not many tourists on them, but there are many Maltese, the prices for hotels and apartments are very reasonable. Amazing time to visit Malta. You can spend the whole day outdoors, alternating the beach with visiting historical sites.

November is sometimes rainy. The temperature is 21 degrees during the day and 15 at night, and the water is still warm 21 degrees. There are not so many people on the embankment, everyone sits in numerous cafes and restaurants. The English leave and gradually everyone begins to prepare for Christmas.

And winter again..

December. This, of course, is a wet month, the rain is still drizzling, and the temperature is only 17 degrees during the day, 12 at night, you can no longer swim in the sea, the wind, and cool, is 18 degrees. But in December, Malta is incomparably beautiful. Everyone is preparing for Christmas, all buildings, including ancient churches, are decorated with garlands, everything is shining and rejoicing. On the occasion of Christmas, festivals (religious holidays with fireworks) are held everywhere. This time in Malta is not to be missed.

Whatever season you choose to travel to Malta, you will always find something interesting there, because Malta is an extraordinary mixture of hot sun, warm sea and rich historical past.

Compact and graceful Malta has chosen the very "heart" of the Mediterranean, located on three rocky islands. This small country offers a whole kaleidoscope of opportunities for an unforgettable holiday, which largely influenced the fact that the tourist season here has a year-round cycle. In Malta, any traveler will certainly find something that meets exactly his needs. ancient history, rich entertainment spectrum, amazing dive sites, prestigious language schools Europe and the cleanest beaches- all this awaits a tourist in Malta.

High season

Travelers visit Malta especially actively in the summer, during school holidays and vacations. At the same time, the country attracts a large number of divers, exemplary couples, as well as fans of a rich excursion program. IN summer months there are a lot of children and teenagers in Malta who are sent to the country to study in special language camps. It is also worth noting that in summer Malta is covered by a festival “wave”, which is a good “bait” for lovers of carnivals and luxurious festivities. Of course, the increased demand for tours provokes a rapid increase in prices, which increase by about 50% during the high season. However, the option early booking can help out budget travelers. Most companies make it available as early as February.

low season

The low season in Malta covers the period from November to April. However, due to the mild climate of the Mediterranean, the weather in winter period quite warm, conducive to an active pastime. If you want to feel the true spirit of the Maltese exotic, then you should go to the country in the low season, when there are not as many vacationers as in summer. In addition, during the winter months, education in special schools is much cheaper. At this time, learn English language Malta is visited mainly by the age audience. The price of accommodation in hotels is also becoming democratic. Thus, a holiday in Malta in the low season will be the most beneficial in all respects.

beach season

The swimming season in Malta begins on St. George's Day, which is usually celebrated on the first Wednesday after Easter. In most cases, this date falls in the middle or end of April. In general, at this time the temperature sea ​​water only “extreme-seekers” will like it, since it is +17 ° С. In May, the sea is only two degrees warmer, so many holidaymakers prefer to reduce their holidays on the Maltese beaches exclusively to taking air baths. When it comes to sunbathing, sunscreen is a must-have this month.

June is the most auspicious time For beach holiday in Malta. There is no rain and sizzling heat, and the water is warmed up to +23 °C. In the rest of the summer months, Malta has the most powerful influx of tourists, and the thermometer confidently rises to +33 °C.

The Velvet season

In the second half of September, the heat in Malta gradually subsides, and the first autumn showers begin, which you should not be afraid of at all. First, the September rains are short-lived. Secondly, they are warm and pleasantly refreshing. The Velvet season ideal for a relaxing holiday on the Maltese shores. Water mediterranean sea warmed up to +24 °C, which is quite suitable for both swimming and snorkeling. Public transport, delivering tourists to the beaches, in September is no longer as crowded as in previous months, so it will be possible to comfortably travel to more remote areas.

It's time for excursions

If the main purpose of traveling to Malta is to get to know cultural heritage country, you should go there in late spring or early autumn. During these periods, inquisitive tourists are guaranteed a lot of exciting adventures. The secrets of the Order of Malta will not allow fans of the “gray-haired” history to sleep peacefully, and those who are not indifferent to archaeological artifacts will be delighted at the sight of ancient buildings. In May and September, most arrivals in Malta also go on a cruise to the neighboring islands of Comino and Gozo.

I am often asked: “When is the best time to go to Malta? When is the season in Malta? Usually this means the question “When is the best time to go to Malta for swimming?” For me, this is a little strange. In my opinion, going to Malta for a purely beach holiday is not worth it. That is, swimming in Malta is certainly where, enough. But if you are only interested in the sea, then you can find options that are more comfortable and probably cheaper than Malta.

Firstly, there are no Turkish or Egyptian type hotels in Malta with a full package: own beach, animation, all inclusive food and other goodies that beckon you to spend the whole vacation without leaving the hotel territory. And secondly and most importantly, it would not be rational to come to an island with a history of many thousands of years - the megalithic temples in Malta are older Egyptian pyramids- and limit yourself to lying on the beach. And for excursions, the beach season is just not best time. Therefore, I will talk about all the seasons, and you decide which one suits you best.

Summer is high season

High above all for prices. Optimistically, the boundaries of the swimming season in Malta can be held as May - October. That's what guidebooks say. I would say that it is more realistic - from June to September, early October. I'll tell you why.

In my opinion, in May the water is still cold, at best +19 ° C, so swimming looks like hardening, but the sun is already baking with might and main, although not as cruel as in the middle of summer. Rain is rare, if ever.

The Maltese begin to bathe en masse from June 29: on this day, Imnarja is celebrated in Malta, which is also the day of saints and Paul. As my Maltese friends explained to me, even those who do not enter the sea at all the rest of the time bathe on this day. In July and August, the most comfortable water in the sea is + 25–27 ° C, with a minimum of windy days. During these months, the island has the most tourists. In the summer, there are more “motions”: all sorts of music festivals, ISLE of MTV, Malta Jazz and Rock Festival, local beer festival Farsons, numerous boat parties - parties on a yacht.

Personally, I am not a fan of noisy events, and for me this is rather a minus, but if you love them, then perhaps it is better for you to come to Malta in the summer.

High season pros and cons

Of the minuses in May and at least in the first half of June, I would single out this: at this time it is still often windy. The same can be said about the end of the season, October. But for the same reason, May, early June and October, compared to other months, are good for surfers, although in general surfing in Malta is not very common.
By mid-June, the water is already warming up, by this time ladders are installed on all rocky beaches to enter the water - they are removed for the winter, otherwise they will be broken by winter storms.

Other disadvantages of the high season are the high prices for hotels and flights and, of course, the heat. After all, Malta is very close to Africa, less than 300 km away. In addition, the humidity is very high, so the heat is hard to bear.

Accordingly, for excursions and independent trips around the island summer time not the best. Landscapes are also not encouraging, because the greenery burns out in May.

Things to do in high season

Do you want to see the island? In the hot season, it makes sense to buy organized excursions, which will take you and take you away in an air-conditioned bus, and you will not have to wait for a regular bus in the heat. I try to time my trips to museums and exhibitions exactly to the hot time: there are air conditioners and it's cool. Of course, you can’t go to museums just for the sake of coolness, expensive pleasure it turns out that the entrance to the Palace of the Grand Master costs 8 EUR, to the Archaeological Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts - 5 EUR each, but if I want to go there, I will go on a weekday at two o'clock.

Once, on my very first visit to Malta, I unknowingly spent half a day on the beach without an umbrella - I wanted to get a tan quickly. As a result, she got burned so that the next day she was generally afraid to go out into the sun. But do not sit all day in a hotel room. I was advised to go to Mdina - in this ancient city with narrow streets there is a lot of shade, besides it stands on a hill, so it is almost always blown through. I did just that, and since then it has been my signature way to spend hot days. Fortunately, it is so good that you can go there many times and it does not bother you.

And, of course, if you did come to Malta in the summer, then it’s a sin not to lie on the beach for at least some time. If you are staying at a hotel very close to the sea, then everything is clear. If not, or if you want to go to some distant beach, I advise you to set aside at least half a day for this, if not the whole. In such cases, we usually take an umbrella, bedding, water, something to eat with us and spend most of the day near the water, since we have already spent time on the road. If you rent an umbrella, it is all the more wise to use it to its fullest. Whether you lie under it for two hours or six hours, you still pay the same 5 or 10 EUR.

Autumn in Malta

September and October in Malta are very warm, the sea has not yet cooled down. Once I went swimming in early October, and the air temperature was +26 °C, and the water +27 °C. But this rare case rather, you should count on water in the region of + 24–25 ° C. As for the air temperature, it is very dependent on the direction of the wind. This year, in the second half of September, the north wind blew, the air warmed up to +23 ° C, but it felt cold. Coming out of the water, I had to run to the towel, dress urgently, chattering my teeth, and then wrap myself in a windbreaker.

One evening, I was walking from the sea in shorts, casually waving wet coral slippers, and I came across a crowd of Italian tourists who were wrapped in down jackets with hoods. But in October it became hot again, at +30 °C. However, usually in September the wind blows mainly from the south or southeast, from the Sahara, and from it there is such stuffiness that is not even in summer, this is my least favorite month in Malta, October is more pleasant.

Around mid-September, it starts to rain in Malta. But I would not call it the rainy season, in September there can be 1-2 showers and a few drizzling rains per month, although compared to a hot summer without a drop of moisture from the sky, this is a lot. Even if the downpour is very heavy, it usually does not last long and does not overshadow life much. Of course, immediately after a rainstorm you will not climb into the sea: the water will be dirty, but the next morning you can usually swim as if nothing had happened.

What I categorically do not advise you to do during heavy rain and right after it, so it's somewhere to go. Some areas of Malta are regularly flooded with every heavy rain, which can cause especially large traffic jams and all sorts of other troubles.

The storm water drainage system is being modernized on the island, but so far the problem has not been finally resolved. Therefore, it is better to sit in the nearest cafe with a cup of cappuccino and look at the rain from the window.

The conclusion from this is that when going to Malta in September-October, it is worth taking a raincoat. An umbrella, as I have seen from my own experience, is useless: showers in Malta are usually accompanied by strong winds, so opening an umbrella is literally throwing money into the wind, which will immediately break it. In general, the wind is another sign that summer is over and winter is coming.

At the end of September, stairs to enter the water on rocky beaches begin to be removed for the winter.
November is not the most comfortable month in Malta. It is already cold for swimming, it rains more often, there are fogs. Although compared to November in middle lane Russia's Maltese November, of course, is much more pleasant. The temperature stays around +20 °C or slightly higher, by this time the sea cools down to +20–21 °C. By the way, in November in Malta, I met English pensioners everywhere in in large numbers- as they themselves explain, hotel prices are lower than in summer, and the weather is incomparably better than in England at this time.

At this time, it is comfortable to travel around the island and walk without fear of overheating or getting burned, and there are no cold, truly winter winds yet. In autumn, I especially like to walk in the south, in the Dingli cliffs area.

Winter in Malta

I am not a walrus, so I don’t swim in winter and I don’t advise you. There remains a cultural program - excursions, architecture, independent forays into nature.

Christmas in Malta

I love walking around Valletta at this time. Since the beginning of December, the city has been decorated for Christmas, and the atmosphere of the holiday is felt everywhere.

And decorate not only Valletta. In village squares, in shop windows, even at crossroads with roundabout put compositions depicting the Holy Family. This is the picture I saw in Zurri (Zurrieq).

This is the cheese section of the supermarket.

Residents in the windows of their houses put up a doll in a basket, it symbolizes the baby Jesus, and even entire compositions of several figures of a Christmas manger, Presepju.

For the lazy, ready-made compositions of various sizes are sold with different amount figures. My spinner looked like this.

Every year Valletta hosts exhibitions of nativity scenes made by amateurs, not only from Malta, but also from other countries.

It hardly makes sense to go to Malta in December specifically for these decorations, but if you find yourself on the island at this time, then they are definitely worth a look.

On the streets of Valletta and Sliema, I often saw groups of children singing Christmas carols. In Sliema on the square next to shopping mall The Point and in Valletta on La Square they organize Christmas markets, the Maltese like it, but, to be honest, they didn’t impress me: compared to continental Europe or Moscow, they are very modest, literally two or three stalls with sweets and the same number of Maltese souvenirs.

Once in Malta in December, it is worth seeing the Christmas village on, in Ghainsielem. In addition to the Holy Family, in a real manger with animals, they build workshops of traditional crafts where you can touch everything with your hands and even try to do something yourself. Theoretically it's for kids, but I liked it too. Probably because New Year and Christmas bring us back to childhood.

Christmas itself is a home holiday. On the night of December 24-25, the Maltese go to church for a festive mass, and December 25 is the day for family lunches or dinners.

IN tourist places you can buy an inexpensive tour for a festive mass in one of big churches, for example, to the Church of the Assumption of Our Lady in Most. You will be picked up from the hotel, brought to the church and taken back at the agreed time. Such tours cost 5–10 EUR, in fact it is more like a transfer than a tour, the accompaniment is minimal and only in English. I think it's worth going. The Christmas mass in Malta is not only the service itself, but also a concert before it. Depending on the church, this can be either a children's amateur performance or a magnificent performance with a choir, several orchestras, a procession of children dressed as gospel characters. I was at such a "concert" before mass in the church in Most, impressive.

New Year in Malta

New Year in Malta is not celebrated as actively as in Russia. Decorations that we used to think of as New Year's decorations are Christmas decorations in Malta, and already on December 26 they begin to be dismantled. However recent years 3 in new year's eve began to hold an open-air concert in Valletta on the square in front of the Grand Master's palace. The concert, in my opinion, is not very good, comedians in the Maltese language, musicians ... let's say, not world-class stars, and a dense crowd of spectators. I watched this action only on TV, the desire to join never arose. But if we consider that 3 years ago there were no celebrations at all on New Year's Eve, then this is progress, perhaps the program will become more interesting in the future.

What to do in Malta in winter

There is also a bright event in the winter months: at the end of winter, in late February - early March, a traditional carnival takes place in Valletta and Nadur in Gozo. The dates of the carnival change every year, as they are tied to the Catholic Easter, the time of the carnival is approximately from Friday to Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, from which catholic church starts Great Lent. In 2017, the carnival will take place from 24 to 28 February.

In the Maltese version, the carnival is a parade of bright multi-colored floats with giant puppets, children and adults in carnival costumes, performances by amateur artists. I confess that I am not a carnival fan, Valletta is crowded these days, the streets are narrow, the platforms are wide, but the action is popular with local carnival enthusiasts and tourists, maybe you will like it. It’s definitely not worth going to Malta just for the sake of the carnival, this is not Rio, but if you find yourself on the island at this time, you can see it.

Spring in Malta

In my opinion, this is the most beautiful time in Malta. The island is covered with flowers, the air smells of honey, the sun is already gentle, but not yet evil, the winds are less frequent and weaker than in winter, the rains are also not frequent. It gets warmer, on fine days it can be 20 degrees.

And it's mine favorite time for walks in nature. Benefit after the reform transport system you can get to almost anywhere in Malta. In the spring, I like to walk in the north of Malta more, in my opinion, at this time there are more flowers. This is how the north of Malta looked in early April.

And after walking up north, I like to taxi to the beach in Mellieha and dip my weary feet in the sea. It is very shallow in Mellieha, and the water warms up better than in other places, although in general the sea around Malta is cold in April - May, +15 ° C.

From the spring "cultural program" I want to mention Easter. These days almost every locality Malta and Gozo arrange Easter processions. People in the costumes of Pontius Pilate, guards and other characters walk through the streets, carrying sculptural compositions depicting scenes of the passion of Christ, the crucifixion, removal from the cross, statues of Christ and the Virgin Mary.

As you can see, in Malta you can find something to do at any time of the year. Although swimming is still most suitable for summer.