Malta in December: A Day of Sun from Birmingham for £64

The short version for a December day of sun.

• Weather: high of about 17C, low of about 12C, sunshine most days
• Flight: Ryanair, Birmingham to Malta, Sunday 13 December, £64 return (Google Flights, checked 10 October 2026)
• Out 07:25, land 11:45. Home flight 21:15, land Birmingham 23:45
• Time in Valletta: about 6.3 hours, 12:45 to 19:05
• Whole day: about £127 a person

Malta from Birmingham on Sun 13 Dec: times and today's price

Malta weather in December

Mild and mostly bright. The long-term averages at the airport (1991 to 2020) are a high of 17.2C and a low of 11.8C, with rain on about 10 days of the month and about 161 hours of sunshine. The sea is about 17 to 18C. That's swimmable for the brave, and T-shirt weather at lunchtime on a good day.

Best things to do in Malta in December

Valletta is small, so six hours is plenty. Walk the length of Republic Street and Merchants Street, then out to the Upper Barrakka Gardens for the view over the Grand Harbour. It's free and it's the best view in Malta. Finish on the bastions at Hastings Gardens on the other side for sunset at 16:49.

If you pay for one thing, make it St John's Co-Cathedral, about £13 (€15). Check it's open on the Sunday before you go. Fort St Elmo and the National War Museum are about £9 and the Lascaris War Rooms about £17.

With more time, take the ferry across the harbour from Valletta to Sliema for a walk along the waterfront, or look across the Grand Harbour to the Three Cities, Birgu, Senglea and Cospicua. On one day from Birmingham, we'd keep it to Valletta and do it properly.

Christmas events in Malta

Yes, and it's a big deal. Malta is a very Catholic country, and Valletta's streets are lit up for Christmas with nativity scenes, called presepju, in churches and shop windows. You'll get the Christmas feel without the cold.

By mid-December the Christmas lights are up across Valletta, and Malta does nativity scenes in a big way. Look for them in church doorways, shop windows and the squares. It's a very different Christmas from a German market, with blue sky and palm trees.

Can you swim in Malta in December?

You can, if you're brave. The sea is about 17 to 18C, colder than summer but warmer than the UK in August. Locals will think you're mad. On a day trip, a paddle at the bottom of the Valletta bastions is about as far as we'd go.

What to pack for Malta in December

• A light jacket or jumper. Mornings and evenings drop to around 12C
• Sunglasses and sun cream. December is still bright
• A small umbrella. It rains on about a third of December days, usually in short bursts
• Comfortable shoes. Valletta is built on a hill and full of steps
• Your passport and a bank card that doesn't charge foreign fees. Malta uses the euro

How should you plan your day in Malta?

• 11:45: land, through passport control and onto the bus to Valletta
• About 12:45: in through the City Gate and down Republic Street
• 13:00: lunch. Try pastizzi, the flaky Maltese pastries, from a street stall, or a sit-down plate of rabbit or fresh fish
• 14:30: St John's Co-Cathedral or the Grand Master's Palace
• 15:30: the Upper Barrakka Gardens for the view over the Grand Harbour
• 16:30: round to Hastings Gardens on the bastions for sunset at 16:49
• 17:30: Merchants Street and the Christmas lights, then dinner
• About 19:05: bus back to the airport for the 21:15 flight

What is the December weather like compared with the UK?

About 10C warmer by day than most of the UK, with roughly twice as much sunshine. Rainy days do happen, so it's worth a quick look at the forecast the week before. If it looks wet, Valletta's churches, museums and covered arcades will keep you busy.

Where should you stay if you want more than a day?

For a day trip you don't need to, which is the point. If Malta wins you over, Valletta is the place to stay for history and evenings out, and Sliema across the harbour has the seafront and the hotels. Come back in spring for the beaches and Gozo.

Is Malta worth it for a day in December?

Yes. It's one of the warmest places in Europe in December, the flight from Birmingham is under four hours and Valletta is small enough to see properly in six. Of all the winter sun day trips we've checked, it's the one that feels most like a holiday.

Is everything open in Malta in December?

Most things are, as 13 December is well before Christmas itself. It's a Sunday, though, so some shops and a few sights keep shorter hours. Check the opening times of anything you've set your heart on, especially St John's Co-Cathedral.

What does the day cost?

About £127 a person. That's the £64 flight plus about £63 on the ground: £4 for the bus from the airport both ways, £21 for getting around, £17 for lunch and £21 for dinner. Malta uses the euro and English is an official language, so it's an easy first day trip.

Every day trip from Birmingham

Alicante in December, the other winter sun day trip

Founders pay £19 a year for as long as they stay. See the founders offer

Photo credit. Trajcinema, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.