For many people Christmas vibes recall snowy landscapes, the smell of mulled wine and roasted chestnut, shopping fever and endless cooking. But Christmas does not look the same everywhere. Spending the festive season or even only a short period before Christmas in a foreign country can be a different and hopefully a pleasant experience.
Christmas vibes
With its mild winter weather, special festive atmosphere and plenty of events and attractions going on, Malta can indeed be a perfect destination for a festive getaway. The Christmas habits are interestingly combined as the event turns out to be as social and familiar as religious. You will feel the Holiday spirit all over both Malta and Gozo. Lavishly decorated houses, dazzling Christmas lights along the streets. Shopping centers playing Christmas carols all day long. And nights are about party time: streets come alive with music and celebrating people.
Traditional Nativity scenes or displays of cribs are extremely popular and form an essential part of the festive Malta. These creative, homemade pieces are prepared by locals using different techniques and figures and can vary in size. You can admire them everywhere on the island. From private houses to small chapels or churches placed on the street in front of the buildings. In some villages you might even come across a live crib with real animals and people dressed in costumes. Gozo is definitely the place offering the greatest attraction with its huge ’Christmas village’ where the whole Christmas story comes to life by real actors.
Programs and fairs
There are an abundant choice of programs that Malta offers for visitors before and during the festive. Christmas fairs are certainly one of the highlights. The most popular is probably the one in Rabat extending over several cobbled streets, where the historic scenery gives a truly special Christmas vibes to the event. Enjoy a cup of hot mulled wine with a portion of warmed chestnuts while hunting for unique Christmas gift or souvenirs. The Artisian Market held during a December weekend at the Palazzo Parisio in Naxxar is another authentic Christmas event that worth a visit. Sliema also offers a weekend entertainment with stalls selling great variety of local products including seasonal food, organic wines and many sorts of gifts.
The island awaits music- or art lovers with marvelous concerts and performances. The Malta International Christmas Choir Festival every year brings local and foreign choirs in various churches around Malta. You can join the congregation of any Baroque parish churches for a spiritual evening. Enjoy a candlelit carol singing program. The various pantomime performances looks an evergreen specialities.
For those who travel with children the Popeye’s Village should be at first place to visit. During Christmas time it turns into a Santa’s Village reflecting a unique Christmas spirit among its cartoon-look buildings. Valletta Waterfront also organizes a Christmas Village in December. They provide exciting programs such a face-painting, balloon modelling, bouncy castles, puppet shows, choirs and of course, a Christmas tree, Santa and his helpers.
If you are ready for trying out the thrilling experience, Malta is waiting for you! Check out and cherry-pick from the scale of programs and attraction available. Immerse yourself into the joy of the festive feeling!
We wish you a Merry Christmas – or as the Maltese are more likely to say “Il-Milied it-Tajjeb”.