Dates checked in October 2026 against Malta’s published public holiday lists.
Malta has 14 public holidays a year, and 2027 is a good one for people who like a long weekend. Eleven of the 14 fall on a weekday, and a few of them sit right next to a weekend, so one or two days of leave turns them into a proper break. Three fall on a Saturday or Sunday, and Maltese law gives you something back for those.
Here is every public holiday in Malta in 2027, which ones make a long weekend, and how to get the most out of them.
Malta public holidays 2027 at a glance
- Best bridge of the year: Good Friday (Fri 26 March) and Freedom Day (Wed 31 March). Take Monday 29 and Tuesday 30 March off and you get six days in a row for just two days of leave.
- Free three-day weekends, no leave needed: New Year’s Day (Fri 1 Jan), St Joseph (Fri 19 Mar), Good Friday (Fri 26 Mar), Sette Giugno (Mon 7 Jun) and Republic Day (Mon 13 Dec).
- Falling on a weekend: Workers’ Day (Sat 1 May), the Assumption (Sun 15 Aug) and Christmas Day (Sat 25 Dec).
All 14 public holidays in Malta in 2027
| Date | Holiday | Long weekend |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 1 Jan | New Year’s Day | 3 daysFri 1 to Sun 3 Jan, no leave needed |
| Wed 10 Feb | Feast of St Paul’s Shipwreck | 5 daysSat 6 to Wed 10 Feb, take 2 days off |
| Fri 19 Mar | Feast of St Joseph | 3 daysFri 19 to Sun 21 Mar, no leave needed |
| Fri 26 Mar | Good Friday | 3 daysor 6 days together with Freedom Day |
| Wed 31 Mar | Freedom Day | 6 daysFri 26 to Wed 31 Mar, take 2 days off |
| Sat 1 May | Workers’ Day | WeekendFalls on a Saturday, so you get an extra day of leave |
| Mon 7 Jun | Sette Giugno | 3 daysSat 5 to Mon 7 Jun, no leave needed |
| Tue 29 Jun | Feast of St Peter and St Paul (Mnarja) | 4 daysSat 26 to Tue 29 Jun, take 1 day off |
| Sun 15 Aug | Feast of the Assumption (Santa Marija) | WeekendFalls on a Sunday, so you get an extra day of leave |
| Wed 8 Sep | Our Lady of Victories (Victory Day) | 5 daysSat 4 to Wed 8 Sep, take 2 days off |
| Tue 21 Sep | Independence Day | 4 daysSat 18 to Tue 21 Sep, take 1 day off |
| Wed 8 Dec | Feast of the Immaculate Conception | 5 daysSat 4 to Wed 8 Dec, take 2 days off |
| Mon 13 Dec | Republic Day | 3 daysSat 11 to Mon 13 Dec, no leave needed |
| Sat 25 Dec | Christmas Day | WeekendFalls on a Saturday, so you get an extra day of leave |
Five of these are officially “national holidays”: Freedom Day, Sette Giugno, Victory Day, Independence Day and Republic Day. The rest are public holidays, mostly religious feasts. Easter Monday is not a public holiday in Malta, which surprises many visitors.
The best long weekends of 2027, ranked
1. Easter and Freedom Day: 26 to 31 March (6 days, 2 days leave)
This is the one to book first. Good Friday falls on 26 March and Freedom Day on Wednesday 31 March. Take Monday 29 and Tuesday 30 off and you get six days in a row. It is also Holy Week, so Malta looks its best: the Good Friday processions in Valletta and the villages are among the most moving events of the Maltese year, and the weather is usually mild and green. Flights and hotels fill up early at Easter, so plan ahead.
2. St Paul’s Shipwreck: 6 to 10 February (5 days, 2 days leave)
The feast falls on a Wednesday. Take Monday and Tuesday off and you get Saturday to Wednesday. It is a quiet, cheap time to visit, and Malta’s Carnival traditionally runs in the days before Lent, so expect a lot of colour in Valletta and the villages. Check the Carnival dates closer to the time.
3. Victory Day, 4 to 8 September, and the Immaculate Conception, 4 to 8 December (5 days, 2 days leave each)
Both fall on a Wednesday, so the same plan works: take Monday and Tuesday off. The September break is still beach weather, with a warm sea and fewer crowds than August, and the traditional rowing regatta in the Grand Harbour usually takes place on Victory Day. The December one is perfect for the Christmas lights and markets, and it is a great time for a short trip abroad.
4. Mnarja, 26 to 29 June, and Independence Day, 18 to 21 September (4 days, 1 day leave each)
Both holidays land on a Tuesday, so you only need to take Monday off. Mnarja is the traditional feast of St Peter and St Paul, celebrated every year with feasting and folk singing at Buskett and the traditional horse races in Rabat. See our guide to Buskett Gardens.
5. The free three-day weekends
New Year’s Day (Friday), St Joseph (Friday), Good Friday (Friday), Sette Giugno (Monday) and Republic Day (Monday) all give you a long weekend without using any leave. Sette Giugno on 7 June is the one to plan around for the first beach days of the year, as the sea is warming up.
When the holiday falls on a weekend
Three holidays in 2027 fall on a weekend: Workers’ Day on Saturday 1 May, the Assumption on Sunday 15 August and Christmas Day on Saturday 25 December. Malta does not move the holiday to a weekday. Since 1 January 2021, however, an employee gets an extra day of vacation leave for a public holiday that falls on a Saturday or Sunday, on top of their normal leave. Check your contract or ask your employer how the extra day is given. Note that this is a day of leave, not extra pay.
Santa Marija is celebrated on 15 August whatever day it falls, with village feasts, processions and fireworks, so the fact that it is on a Sunday in 2027 changes nothing for visitors.
Where to go on a long weekend
Stay in Malta
A long weekend is a good chance to do the things that are hard to fit into a normal weekend. Take a boat to Comino and the Blue Lagoon on a calm day, spend a full day exploring Gozo, walk the Victoria Lines, or visit the museums with the Heritage Malta Multisite Pass, which is valid for 30 days. For more ideas see our guides to Valletta and Mdina.
Fly somewhere for the weekend
Malta’s airport is small but well connected, and the cheapest long weekend breaks are usually short flights to Sicily and the Italian mainland, plus the big Mediterranean cities. A few rules of thumb:
- Book early for holiday weekends. Fares jump for Easter, Christmas and the five-day breaks, because everyone in Malta is looking at the same dates.
- Be flexible by a day. Flying on the holiday itself or a day later can cost less than the busiest Fridays and Sundays.
- Check the return, not just the outward leg. The last day of a long weekend is the busiest and most expensive to fly home.
Still to come in 2026
If you are planning ahead for this year, three public holidays are left:
- Tuesday 8 December, Immaculate Conception: take Monday 7 December off and you get four days, Saturday 5 to Tuesday 8 December.
- Sunday 13 December, Republic Day: falls on a weekend, so it gives an extra day of leave.
- Friday 25 December, Christmas Day: a free three-day weekend, Friday 25 to Sunday 27 December.
The lights and events in the capital are on our page for Christmas in Valletta, and you can see everything coming up on the Malta events calendar.
Frequently asked questions
How many public holidays does Malta have?
Malta has 14 public holidays a year. Five of them are national holidays: Freedom Day, Sette Giugno, Victory Day, Independence Day and Republic Day.
Is Easter Monday a public holiday in Malta?
No. Good Friday is a public holiday, but Easter Sunday and Easter Monday are not on the list. This is why Good Friday and Freedom Day, five days later in 2027, make such a good pair.
What happens if a public holiday falls on a weekend in Malta?
It is not moved to another day. Since 2021, employees get an extra day of vacation leave instead. Check with your employer how it is applied.
Are shops and attractions closed on public holidays?
Banks, government offices and many businesses close, but most restaurants, beaches and tourist attractions stay open. Some museums and public transport run reduced hours, so check opening times before you go.
Which is the best long weekend in Malta in 2027?
The Easter break, 26 to 31 March: six days for two days of leave. For the beach, the best bets are Sette Giugno (5 to 7 June) and Victory Day (4 to 8 September).
The dates of the public holidays are set by law and rarely change, but we will update this page if the list changes.