Public Holidays in Malta
Statutory public holidays in Malta, with the dates that give people the day off, how the calendar is set, and what it means for travel, cities and culture.
Malta at a glance
Malta has one of the densest public holiday calendars in Europe, with national dates and a full round of Catholic feast days. Many towns also close for their own patron-saint festa.
Sette Giugno, Independence Day and Republic Day mark the national story, while village festas fill the summer with fireworks.
Malta public holidays 2026
Malta has 14 public holidays in 2026 – the statutory days off. The table below lists those public holidays; observances and other non-statutory dates are not part of the total.
| Holiday | Date | Type |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Jan 1Thu | National |
| Feast of Saint Paul's Shipwreck | Feb 10Tue | National |
| Feast of Saint Joseph | Mar 19Thu | National |
| Freedom Day | Mar 31Tue | National |
| Good Friday | Apr 3Fri | National |
| Worker's Day | May 1Fri | National |
| Sette Giugno | Jun 7Sun | National |
| Feast of Saint Peter and Saint Paul | Jun 29Mon | National |
| Feast of the Assumption | Aug 15Sat | National |
| Feast of Our Lady of Victories | Sep 8Tue | National |
| Independence Day | Sep 21Mon | National |
| Feast of the Immaculate Conception | Dec 8Tue | National |
Showing 12 of 14 public holidays for 2026.
Major cities in Malta
The urban centres that anchor most trips to Malta.
Valletta
A walled baroque capital of limestone palaces on a peninsula of harbours.
Birkirkara
The largest town, with a dense core of churches and a busy market.
Sliema
A seafront town of promenades, shops and ferry links across Marsamxett.
Mdina
A walled medieval hilltop city of quiet lanes and noble palazzi.
Victoria
The citadel town at the centre of Gozo, ringed by farmland and cliffs.
Top attractions in Malta
The places that draw most visitors to Malta.
Megalithic Temples
Stone temples older than Stonehenge, including Ggantija and Hagar Qim.
Valletta
An entire walled baroque city with co-cathedral, auberges and harbour gardens.
Hypogeum of Hal Saflieni
A subterranean prehistoric burial complex carved into limestone.
Blue Grotto
A sea cave whose water glows intense blue in the morning light.
Gozo & Comino
Rural Gozo, with the Blue Lagoon and the Azure Window site of Dwejra.
Marsaxlokk
A harbour of brightly painted luzzu boats and a Sunday fish market.
Festivals, food and getting around Malta
What the calendar looks like on the ground, and how to move through the country around it.
Festivals behind the holidays
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🎉
New Year's Day
Falls on Jan 1
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🎉
Feast of Saint Paul's Shipwreck
Falls on Feb 10
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🎉
Feast of Saint Joseph
Falls on Mar 19
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🎉
Freedom Day
Falls on Mar 31
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🎉
Good Friday
Falls on Apr 3
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🎉
Easter Sunday
Falls on Apr 5
Food & drink
Getting around
Buses cover the islands cheaply, and ferries link Malta, Gozo and Comino; traffic in Valletta is heavily restricted.
Travelling around Malta’s holidays
What the dates mean once you are there.
Book around the peaks
Transport and hotels in Malta tighten around major holidays; reserve early for the busiest weeks.
Check opening hours
Museums, banks and government offices usually close on statutory holidays, and often on the nearest Monday.
Carry local currency
Small vendors and rural businesses frequently take cash only, especially on holidays when banks are shut.
Expect crowded transport
Long weekends produce the year's heaviest road, rail and air traffic. Build in extra travel time.
Confirm the official list
Malta's holiday dates are confirmed by government announcement; check the year page for the final arrangement.
Plan the long weekends
Pairing a holiday with adjacent weekends gives the longest breaks of the year — and the busiest.
Malta public holidays: common questions
How many public holidays does Malta have?
Malta has 14 public holidays in 2026, counting every date typed National, Substitute or Bank in our calendar. Observances, religious dates and regional holidays are listed separately and left out of the total, because they are not days off across the whole country.
Where can I find the full 2026 list?
The complete 2026 calendar for Malta is on the year page, with every recorded date in order.
Are Malta's public holidays paid?
Statutory national holidays are generally paid leave for employees. Observances and commemorative days are usually not.
Do holidays move if they fall on a weekend?
Where a holiday falls on a weekend, Malta typically observes it on the nearest weekday. Check the year page for the confirmed arrangement.
Are there regional holidays in Malta?
Some holidays are observed only in certain regions or by certain communities. The year page lists what applies nationally.
Which years are covered for Malta?
Calendars are published for 2026, 2025.
School holidays in Malta
School term dates in Malta
School calendar data last updated 10 Sep 2026. Dates come from education ministries and local education authorities; always re-check with the school before booking travel.