EVERY Christmas an island in Europe is transformed into a festive paradise – but you won’t need your thick coat to explore it.
While most Brit holidaymakers head to Malta during the summer months, it’s also a good wintertime destination.
The weather in Malta in December reaches highs of 17C during the day, which is firm t-shirt and short weather for Brits.
And throughout December, Malta is home to several Christmas markets, transforming the Mediterranean island into a yuletide paradise.
One of the Christmas markets, Villa Rundle, runs from the end of November until just before Christmas Eve, making it the island’s longest-running Christmas Market.
Located in the Villa Rundle Gardens, the Christmas market is home to wooden stalls selling handmade gifts like soaps, candles, toys and sweets.
Meanwhile, Malta Artisan Christmas Market at Palazzo Pariso lasts for just one day.
This year, the market, which will be situated in Victory Square, will be decorated in twinkling fairy lights with live performances by musicians also taking place.
Given its name, you can expect local artists and creatives who will be selling handcrafted gifts and treats.
There’s also Fairyland in Valletta, running from December 10 until January 7, 2025.
Located right outside the City Gate, mulled wine and mince pies are sold at market stalls, with live performances also taking place on stage.
Another Christmas market is Christmas at Fort St Elmo in Valletta.
Running for two days in December, Heritage Malta organises family-themed events inside the Christmas village.
This year, there will be an interactive children’s area where kids can meet the big man himself and post a wish list to Father Christmas.
There are plenty of other draws to Malta too.
Valletta, the capital, has stunning Baroque architecture, museums, and the majestic St. John’s Co-Cathedral.
The country has a stunning coastline too, with a popular beach being Golden Bay.
While it might be the perfect temperature for Brit holidaymakers to wear their summer wardrobe, locals will be wrapped up in their winter gear.
Temperatures will also drop to 11C at night, so be sure to pack a jacket too.
Direct flights operate from UK cities like Manchester, London, Birmingham, Liverpool and Edinburgh.
Return fares start from as little as £37 in December.
THE Sun’s Mia Lyndon recently visited Malta – here’s what she thought.
I’M gazing up at a swirling, gold-leaf ceiling that took one man five years to paint.
Surrounding me are oil paintings, marble sculptures and an altar so bejewelled that I almost reach for my sunglasses.
No, I’m not at the Vatican or Versailles – I’m in Malta, in Valletta’s 450-year-old St John’s Co-Cathedral, which took artists more than a century to decorate.
This fortress-like building is set in the beating heart of Valletta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the world’s smallest capital cities.
After my spiritual experience, there’s time to dip into nearby Stephen Cordina Aroma & Therapy shop to buy a heavenly lavender and bergamot room diffuser, £14 (Stephencordina.com), before climbing the cobbled streets to Upper Barrakka.
This quaint, leafy park is nestled between limestone fortress walls and is the perfect spot to snap pictures of the glistening Grand Harbour.
At Upper Barrakka Kiosk, I sample traditional pastizzi – flaky, clam-shaped pastries stuffed with peas, 85p each, washed down with a can of Maltese Kinnie, £1.70, a zesty, Negroni-like soft drink, before I find family-run Trattoria da Pippo and my friends, who’ve been saving the table!
We tuck into large, sizzling pans of delicious Fillet Tartuffe, a creamy mushroom pasta, and Marina, a tagliatelli loaded with prawns and calamari, £17 per person for two sharing dishes
Here are other Christmas markets to visit in Europe.
And these are the European Christmas markets Brit holidaymakers can reach by taking a ferry from the UK.
