This Island With Turquoise Seas Is One Of The Warmest Places To Visit In Europe This Fall

When you’re pondering of heading to Europe this fall, and you have been questioning whether or not it is already too late for an low season dip within the Mediterranean, or sipping crimson wine alfresco with breathtaking vistas, we’re right here to let you know not all hope is misplaced.

Whereas it is true that in most locations leaves have turned amber, and pumpkin spice latte has made its yearly comeback to Outdated City cafes, there’s one European island nonetheless reminiscing of summer season.

With common fall temperatures of 76 °F, the tiny Mediterranean nation of Malta is among the warmest spots you’ll be able to go to throughout the pond proper now—and belief us after we say, you have by no means seen water this clear earlier than.

The Warmest European Island This Season

An archipelagic nation situated south of Sicily, Malta is the right low season seashore getaway if you happen to’re not prepared for the seasonal swap.

For starters, the autumnal interval right here is a lot milder than in different elements of the continent, attributable to Malta’s southerly location: if you consider it, it is virtually midway between Europe itself, and the coast of Africa, so it is usually hit full-on by any Saharan warmth waves coming from the south.

Then, there’s the truth that Malta is a really arid, virtually desert-like landmass: there are not any rivers, vegetation protection is minimal, and final yr, it registered solely 69 days of rain—after we break it right down to heavy precipitation with, say, over 20 mm of rain, that is a good decrease 10–20 days.

On common, fall temperatures in Malta attain as excessive as 76 °F, whereas the typical low, usually noticed within the evenings, is a nice 63 °F.

A Postcard-Prepared Capital Metropolis With A Small City Really feel

The summer-like temps and minimal rain aren’t Malta’s solely perk this season: in case you are unfamiliar with the nation, it is filled with historical sights, Baroque cities frozen in time, and paradisaical seashores that appear to be a dwell postcard.

Naturally, there is no Malta with out Valletta, its compact harbor-side capital. The smallest capital within the European Union, at a mere 0.24 sq. miles, it’s a hilly maze of slim streets lined with colourful coated balconies.

Situated on a pedestrianized Republic Avenue, St. John’s Co-Cathedral is lavishly-decorated with gilded ceilings and complicated carvings, and it homes Caravaggio’s masterpiece The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist.

When you’re enthusiastic about Historical past, you’ll be able to’t miss the sixteenth century Grand Grasp’s Palace, the historic seat of the Knights of St. John, who based Valletta. It now homes the Workplace of the President of Malta, however vacationers are nonetheless welcome to go to the museum.

Alongside the perimeters of the walled metropolis, the Higher Barakka Gardens supply unbelievable views of Malta’s heavily-fortified Grand Harbor, and the ‘Three Cities’ within the distance. It additionally options grandiose memorials, shaded walkways, and ornate fountains.

Medieval Cities Galore

Talking of the ‘Three Cities’, they seem to be a trio of historic municipalities that now type a single conurbation, mendacity throughout the Grand Harbor from Valletta.

The oldest of them, Vittoriosa was the unique seat of the Knights earlier than Valletta was constructed. Senglea is scenic and extra laid-back, with Gardjola Gardens being a particularly-great lookout over the capital. Lastly, there’s Cospicua, a double-fortified city with imposing coastal partitions.

It does not finish there: Malta is littered with well-preserved medieval ‘cities’—they’re technically all small cities, however let’s play alongside right here.

Mdina, often known as the ‘Silent Metropolis’, is totally surrounded by partitions and a moat, and reduce by means of with cobblestone alleys that result in hidden patios. Simply exterior Mdina, Rabat has Roman-era catacombs, conventional Maltese homes, and native cafes.

Everybody’s heard of the ‘Three Cities’, however very vacationers are conscious of Malta’s ‘Three Villages’: Lija, Balzan, and Attard, all elegant previous cities dominated by Baroque cupolas, and characterised by a virtually-unchanged medieval streetscape.

Seaside-Hopping In October? Why Not?

October (and early November) are excellent for beach-hopping round Malta because the summer season crowds have absolutely dissipated, water temps are nonetheless nice sufficient to swim in, and you will get many of the seashores all to your self.

This consists of Golden Bay, maybe Malta’s hottest sandy seashore, attributable to its crystal-clear water, Mellieħa Bay, a rivalling sandy strip with family-friendly shallow seas, and naturally, Malta’s iconic ‘Blue Lagoon’:

One thing you must know, nonetheless, is that Malta is not a single-island nation.

It consists of three essential landmasses: Malta itself, the biggest island and essential administrative middle, Gozo, the second-largest island, and Comino, an islet that is not completely inhabited, situated between the opposite two.

The Blue Lagoon is in Comino, and you may have to e-book a ship tour to get there. Fortunately, they run year-round, as vacationers come from all around the globe, no matter season, to marvel on the impossibly-turquoise waters of this pure pool.

Uncover Malta’s Smaller Lesser-Recognized Sister

In terms of Gozo, it is a destination in its own right, with loads of pristine bays and swimming coves to discover, and lots of extra historical settlements to be found.

Ferries to Gozo go away from the Northern Maltese port of Ċirkewwa, and the crossing to Mġarr port takes about 25 minutes. From Mġarr, there are common buses operating to Victoria, the capital of Gozo, and a fortified citadel with a Baroque cathedral at its middle.

Different must-see websites across the island embrace Xaghra, the placement of a prehistoric archaeological web site, Nadur, an inland city with family-owned Maltese trattorie and ocher-colored buildings, and Ramla Bay, well-known for its red-sand seashore and azure, heat waters.

Fall temperatures within the island of Gozo are just like these in neighboring Malta, solely barely cooler. Common excessive is 73 °F, common low is 63 °F, and just a few wet days, principally mild showers all through the season.

Nonstop Flights From The U.S. To Malta Launching In 2026

Beginning next year, Individuals will be capable to fly nonstop to Malta for the primary time in over 20 years. You learn that proper: no extra layovers in mainland Europe.

Delta Air Traces introduced they are going to be servicing Malta Worldwide Airport (MLA), the nation’s solely entry level, from their JFK base starting June 7, 2026.

Flights will function thrice every week, and they’re going to run by means of October of that very same yr, on a wide-body Boeing 767-300ER.

It will make Malta much more accessible, and inside simple attain of U.S. vacationers in search of a sun-drenched cultural getaway.

Vinicius Costa

Vini, our senior lead author at Journey Off Path, has over 60+ international locations beneath his belt (and at the moment weaving tales from Paris!), and a knack for turning off-the-beaten-path experiences into informative tales that can have you ever packing your baggage.