Public holidays in Malta: the 2026 and 2027 calendar, and what it means for you

If you’re travelling to Malta around a special date, knowing which days are public holidays saves you from finding a door shut in your face. Malta has 14 a year, and five of them are national days with real historical weight. Below is the calendar for 2026 and 2027, what each date commemorates and, above all, what changes for you on the day.

The fourteen holidays and their dates

The official list, published by the tourism authority and the Government of Malta under the National Holidays and Other Public Holidays Act (Chapter 252), runs as follows. New Year’s Day on 1 January, the Feast of St Paul’s Shipwreck on 10 February, St Joseph on 19 March, Freedom Day on 31 March, Good Friday, Workers’ Day on 1 May, Sette Giugno on 7 June, St Peter and St Paul (L-Imnarja) on 29 June, the Assumption (Santa Marija) on 15 August, Our Lady of Victories on 8 September, Independence Day on 21 September, the Immaculate Conception on 8 December, Republic Day on 13 December and Christmas Day on 25 December.

The table gives the day of the week for each in 2026 and 2027, which I’ve worked out myself. Good Friday moves with Easter, and in 2027 it falls on 26 March.

What does each national day celebrate?

The five national days tell the story of modern Malta in five dates, and they’re worth knowing. 31 March is Freedom Day, marking the closure of the British base in 1979, according to the Government of Malta. 7 June, Sette Giugno, commemorates the 1919 revolt against British rule, which Heritage Malta links to the scarcity and high price of bread and the imposition of new taxes.

8 September carries the most layers. Heritage Malta explains that it marks the victorious end of the Great Siege of 1565 and the day Fascist Italy’s surrender was made public in 1943, and that, by pure coincidence, the Nativity of Mary is celebrated on the very same day. There’s more in the Great Siege of Malta. 21 September celebrates independence in 1964, and 13 December the republic of 1974. The full background is in the history of Malta.

What closes on a public holiday in Malta?

This is where the sources don’t quite agree, so I’ll give you both. Visit Malta says many shops, attractions and businesses stay open throughout the public holidays, some with reduced hours, and that transport may run fewer services. Spain’s Foreign Ministry, on the other hand, says most shops close on Sundays and holidays, although shopping centres and the big chains don’t. My reading is that tourist areas and shopping centres open, while small neighbourhood shops are less likely to. Pharmacies work a duty rota.

With sights, you need to be more precise. Heritage Malta museums and sites close on five days a year, 1 January, Good Friday and 24, 25 and 31 December, and follow their usual hours on the other holidays. St John’s Co-Cathedral closes to visitors on every Sunday and public holiday. The Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna sites, such as the Lascaris War Rooms, close on 31 December, 1 January, Good Friday, Easter Sunday and 24 and 25 December. Each museum’s hours are in museums in Malta.

Getting around on a holiday

The buses run, though Visit Malta warns of possible reduced frequencies. The Valletta ferry to Sliema and the Three Cities has its own Sunday and holiday timetable, which until 31 October runs until midnight and in winter finishes in the early evening. It’s all in Valletta ferries.

What I can’t confirm

In 2026, Sette Giugno falls on a Sunday, the Assumption on a Saturday and Republic Day on a Sunday. British visitors used to a substitute bank holiday on the Monday will wonder whether Malta does the same, and the honest answer is that I haven’t found any official source saying so either way. So I won’t claim it. If your plans depend on it, I’d check with your accommodation a few days beforehand.