Things to Do in Valletta in December
December weather, activities, events & insider tips
December Weather in Valletta
Is December Right for You?
Advantages
- Genuinely mild weather for exploring on foot - December sits in that sweet spot where you can walk Valletta's steep streets without overheating, though you'll still work up a bit of warmth climbing from the Grand Harbour waterfront to Upper Barrakka Gardens. The 16-17°C (62°F) highs mean layering works perfectly.
- Festive atmosphere without the summer crush - Valletta transforms for Christmas with Republic Street lit up and seasonal markets, but you're visiting before the actual holiday week chaos. Early to mid-December gives you the decorations and energy with maybe half the crowds you'd face in July or August.
- Cultural calendar actually picks up - December brings proper events rather than the quiet shoulder season lull. The Christmas concert season starts at St. John's Co-Cathedral, and you'll catch the tail end of olive harvest season in the Maltese countryside if you venture beyond the city walls.
- Accommodation pricing drops significantly after the first week - Once you're past the early December weekend breaks, hotel rates in Valletta typically fall 30-40% compared to summer peaks. A boutique guesthouse in the Three Cities that runs 180 EUR in August might drop to 110-120 EUR mid-December, and you'll have actual room selection rather than taking whatever's left.
Considerations
- Weather genuinely unpredictable - those 10 rainy days don't follow a pattern. You might get three consecutive sunny days then two washouts, or scattered showers that mess with outdoor plans. The variability means you can't reliably plan boat trips to Comino or Gozo days in advance like you could in summer.
- Shorter daylight hours compress your sightseeing - Sunset hits around 4:45 PM in December, which sounds fine until you realize how much it actually limits your day. Upper Barrakka Gardens loses its magic by 5 PM, and photographing the Mdina bastions in decent light means finishing by 4 PM. You're essentially working with 9 hours of proper daylight.
- Wind off the Mediterranean cuts through everything - The humidity combined with 20-25 km/h (12-16 mph) winds from the northeast creates that damp cold that gets into your bones. Standing on the bastions watching the sunset sounds romantic until you're there for 15 minutes and genuinely chilled despite the temperature reading 14°C (57°F). Locals call it 'xita' season for a reason.
Best Activities in December
Valletta walking tours through Baroque streets
December weather is actually ideal for covering Valletta's compact 0.8 km (0.5 mile) length on foot without the summer heat exhaustion. The cooler temperatures mean you can comfortably tackle the steep inclines from Strait Street up to the fortification walls, and the variable weather creates dramatic lighting for the limestone architecture - those honey-colored facades look completely different under December's cloud-filtered sun versus harsh August glare. Morning tours work best before any afternoon rain rolls in, typically starting 9-10 AM and finishing by 1 PM.
Grand Harbour boat tours
The harbour tours run year-round, but December offers something summer doesn't - dramatic weather conditions that make the fortifications look properly imposing. That said, you're gambling on conditions. Operators cancel maybe 20-25% of December sailings due to wind or rain, compared to almost never in July. When conditions cooperate, you get the harbour practically to yourself, and the lower sun angle in December creates better photography lighting than the overhead summer sun. The traditional dgħajsa water taxis still operate in all but the roughest weather.
Mdina and Rabat half-day exploration
The old capital works beautifully in December's softer light and cooler temperatures. Mdina's car-free streets and medieval architecture photograph better under overcast skies than harsh sun, and the 20-minute bus ride from Valletta means you can easily bail back to the city if weather deteriorates. December also means the Mdina Cathedral choir performs Advent and Christmas repertoire, adding an actual cultural dimension beyond just wandering the bastions. The catacombs in adjacent Rabat stay at a constant 16°C (61°F) year-round, making them a perfect rainy-day backup.
Malta food market and cooking experiences
December brings winter produce to Maltese markets - look for seasonal vegetables like qara bagħli (Maltese beans), artichokes, and fennel that you won't see in summer. The cooler weather also means traditional hearty dishes like rabbit stew and timpana feature more prominently on menus. Indoor cooking classes solve the weather unpredictability problem while giving you something tangible to take home. The Marsaxlokk fishing village market runs every Sunday regardless of weather, and December means fewer tour groups crowding the fish stalls.
Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra prehistoric temple visits
These UNESCO temples on the southern coast work surprisingly well in December despite the exposure to weather. The lower tourist numbers mean you might have the 5,000-year-old structures nearly to yourself, and the dramatic coastal setting actually benefits from December's moodier skies. The modern protective canopy over the temples keeps you dry during brief showers. Winter wildflowers start appearing on the surrounding cliffs by late December, adding color that summer's scorched landscape lacks.
Three Cities walking exploration
Vittoriosa, Senglea, and Cospicua across the harbour from Valletta see maybe one-tenth the tourist traffic of the capital, and in December you'll have the narrow medieval streets almost entirely to yourself. The cooler weather makes the walk along the Vittoriosa waterfront and up through the fortifications genuinely pleasant rather than sweaty. The Malta Maritime Museum in Vittoriosa provides excellent indoor backup if weather turns, and the views back toward Valletta work better in December's angled light than summer's overhead sun.
December Events & Festivals
Valletta Christmas Markets and Decorations
Republic Street and St. George's Square get decorated with lights and temporary market stalls selling local crafts, seasonal foods, and Christmas goods. The scale is modest compared to major European Christmas markets - think 15-20 stalls rather than hundreds - but the setting inside Valletta's Baroque architecture creates genuine atmosphere. Local vendors sell traditional Maltese Christmas foods like qaghaq tal-ghasel (honey rings) and imbuljuta (spiced hot chocolate). The decorations typically stay up through early January.
Christmas Concert Series at St. John's Co-Cathedral
The cathedral hosts several concerts throughout December featuring baroque and classical Christmas repertoire. The acoustics inside the cathedral are exceptional, and you're listening to music in the same space where the Knights of Malta worshipped. The Caravaggio paintings provide a rather extraordinary backdrop. Concerts typically run 60-90 minutes and attract more locals than tourists. Tickets usually sell through the cathedral website or at the door, ranging 15-25 EUR depending on the performers.
Bethlehem f'Għajnsielem Nativity Village
While technically in Gozo rather than Valletta itself, this is Malta's largest live nativity scene and worth the ferry trip if you're around in late December. The village recreates biblical Bethlehem with over 200 volunteers in period costume, traditional crafts demonstrations, and animals. It's genuinely impressive in scale and draws huge local crowds. The Gozo ferry from Cirkewwa takes 25 minutes and runs frequently, though you'll need to bus to Cirkewwa first (about 90 minutes total from Valletta) or rent a car.