- Let's take a look at the map
- How to celebrate the New Year in Malta
- To the to-do list
- Useful details for travelers
The Maltese archipelago is considered the place with the most ideal climate on the planet. And the Mediterranean state is famous for its gorgeous landscapes and schools for learning English. If we add to the list of advantages a real chance to take a course of thalassotherapy in local spas at an inexpensive price and the opportunity to enjoy historical and architectural sights, we can safely recommend that tourists fly to celebrate the New Year in Malta. At this time, a magical atmosphere reigns on the islands and your vacation will be unforgettable!
Let's take a look at the map
Malta is located on several islands, which you can easily find on the map just south of Italian Sicily. The Maltese climate is categorized as "classic Mediterranean" with mild, warm winters:
- In December and January on the island it is rarely colder than + 15 ° С during the day and + 10 ° С at night.
- Humidity in winter is the highest in the year, but you will not see snow here, and rains, if they happen, are short-lived.
Sunny days prevail in the archipelago, and clear weather is guaranteed most of the time during the New Year holidays.
How New Year is celebrated in Malta
Most of the Maltese are Catholics, and therefore their New Year holidays begin with Christmas. The process of preparing for them starts in November, and the inhabitants of Malta literally compete with each other in the ability to decorate houses, shops, restaurants and even office buildings.
The hostesses are planning a Christmas menu, which will certainly include the traditional turkey or goose baked in the oven. Sweet pudding crowns a feast for the whole family. Children come to visit their parents, and in the morning everyone gathers in Catholic churches for a festive service.
During the Christmas week, the island is in a festival mood. Residents organize fancy-dress processions and balls, children are entertained by traveling circus troupes, and brass bands and local pop stars perform in open city areas. Artists, taking advantage of the moment, take part in impromptu exhibitions, and their works become the best souvenirs brought by tourists from Malta.
For small residents of the country and tourists, a magical town is being built in the capital, where guests are met by Santa Claus and his assistants. Elves accept letters from babies asking for gifts and give sweets, and numerous attractions make the Christmas Children's Village the most popular family destination in Valletta.
New Year's celebrations smoothly flow into Christmas ones, and restaurants fill up to capacity on December 31st. New Year in Malta is rarely seen at home. Usually, the inhabitants of the island go to bars and restaurants, and young people spend time with friends in nightclubs. Fireworks light up the sky at midnight, and the festivities do not subside until early morning.
To the to-do list
When you are in Malta in winter, do not limit yourself to festive events. The ancient country can offer a lot of interesting things to lovers of antiquity and fans of architectural attractions.
The megalithic temples of Malta will leave an indelible mark on the soul of every fan of alternative history. Religious structures made of huge boulders date back to the fourth millennium BC and the version that they were built by an extraterrestrial civilization is very popular with local residents.
You can walk around the palace of the Grand Master, erected in the 16th century, in the capital of the country. The huge structure impresses with its size and lush interiors.
You will be able to tickle your nerves in the city of Mdina, where the Museum of Torture is open, and on the island of Gozo, visit the ancient dolmens, about the purpose of which many copies have been broken both by historians and conspiracy theorists.
Malta is also beautiful because ancient culture and modern technologies are closely intertwined in it. The St. Julian's New Year's nightclub program will help you make sure of this. Some of them have been opened in the interiors of ancient palaces.
Ecotourism, so popular in recent years in the Old World, is especially pleasant in Malta in winter. Comfortable weather allows you to appreciate the agro-tourist routes, and walks in the Alira bird sanctuary, and excursions to the Babu Valley and the Blue Grotto. The latter is especially popular with those who believe in omens. If you see yourself reflected in the water of the Blue Grotto on New Year's holidays, be sure that the coming year will bring you good luck and prosperity.
Useful details for travelers
Direct flights to Malta from Russia are operated only by its own airline. Airplanes do not fly every day and it is better to check the schedule details on the official website of Air Malta. With transfers, you will reach Valletta on the wings of several carriers:
Alitalia and Air France offer the cheapest services. Roundtrip tickets cost approximately 280 euros. In the first case, the transfer will be in Rome, and the travel time, excluding the connection, will be 5.5 hours. The French will fly through Paris and will have to spend about 7 hours in the sky. Both carriers fly from Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport
By subscribing to the newsletter on the websites of the airlines of interest, you will be the first to know about discounts and special offers on ticket prices. Your transfer costs will be reduced by at least a third, and subject to early booking. It is optimal to order and buy tickets about six months before the upcoming trip.
After the Christmas and New Year holidays in Malta, the winter sales period begins in shops and shopping centers. Reducing prices by half or even more is a good chance to purchase branded items and simply high-quality goods without much damage to the family budget.
By the way, the cost of procedures in the spa centers of Malta also goes down in winter, and you can carry out a course of pleasant body treatments much cheaper than in the summer "high" season. This rule also works for those who decided to combine business with pleasure and learn some English. Malta language schools have special offers in winter and the cost of express courses looks much nicer than at the height of the beach season.
