If you’re thinking of heading to Europe this fall, and you’ve been wondering whether it’s already too late for an off-season dip in the Mediterranean, or sipping red wine alfresco with breathtaking vistas, we’re here to tell you not all hope is lost.
While it’s true that in most places leaves have turned amber, and pumpkin spice latte has made its yearly comeback to Old Town cafes, there’s one European island still reminiscing of summer.
With average fall temperatures of 76 °F, the tiny Mediterranean nation of Malta is one of the warmest spots you can visit across the pond right now—and trust us when we say, you’ve never seen water this clear before.
The Warmest European Island This Season
An archipelagic nation located south of Sicily, Malta is the perfect off-season beach getaway if you’re not ready for the seasonal switch.
For starters, the autumnal period here is a lot milder than in other parts of the continent, due to Malta’s southerly location: if you think about it, it’s almost halfway between Europe itself, and the coast of Africa, so it’s typically hit full-on by any Saharan heat waves coming from the south.
Then, there’s the fact that Malta is a very arid, almost desert-like landmass: there aren’t any rivers, vegetation coverage is minimal, and last year, it registered only 69 days of rain—when we break it down to heavy precipitation with, say, over 20 mm of rain, that’s an even lower 10–20 days.
On average, fall temperatures in Malta reach as high as 76 °F, whereas the average low, typically observed in the evenings, is a pleasant 63 °F.
A Postcard-Ready Capital City With A Small Town Feel
The summer-like temps and minimal rain are not Malta’s only perk this season: in case you’re unfamiliar with the country, it’s packed with ancient sights, Baroque cities frozen in time, and paradisaical beaches that look like a live postcard.
Naturally, there’s no Malta without Valletta, its compact harbor-side capital. The smallest capital in the European Union, at a mere 0.24 square miles, it is a hilly maze of narrow streets lined with colorful covered balconies.
Located on a pedestrianized Republic Street, St. John’s Co-Cathedral is lavishly-decorated with gilded ceilings and intricate carvings, and it houses Caravaggio’s masterpiece The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist.
If you’re passionate about History, you can’t miss the 16th century Grand Master’s Palace, the historic seat of the Knights of St. John, who founded Valletta. It now houses the Office of the President of Malta, but tourists are still welcome to visit the museum.
Along the edges of the walled city, the Upper Barakka Gardens offer incredible views of Malta’s heavily-fortified Grand Harbor, and the ‘Three Cities’ in the distance. It also features grandiose memorials, shaded walkways, and ornate fountains.
Medieval Towns Galore
Speaking of the ‘Three Cities’, they’re a trio of historic municipalities that now form a single conurbation, lying across the Grand Harbor from Valletta.
The oldest of them, Vittoriosa was the original seat of the Knights before Valletta was built. Senglea is scenic and more laid-back, with Gardjola Gardens being a particularly-great lookout over the capital. Finally, there’s Cospicua, a double-fortified town with imposing coastal walls.
It doesn’t end there: Malta is littered with well-preserved medieval ‘cities’—they’re technically all small towns, but let’s play along here.
Mdina, known as the ‘Silent City’, is completely surrounded by walls and a moat, and cut through with cobblestone alleys that lead to hidden patios. Just outside Mdina, Rabat has Roman-era catacombs, traditional Maltese houses, and local cafes.
Everyone’s heard of the ‘Three Cities’, but very tourists are aware of Malta’s ‘Three Villages’: Lija, Balzan, and Attard, all elegant old towns dominated by Baroque cupolas, and characterized by a virtually-unchanged medieval streetscape.
Beach-Hopping In October? Why Not?
October (and early November) are perfect for beach-hopping around Malta as the summer crowds have fully dissipated, water temps are still pleasant enough to swim in, and you’ll get most of the beaches all to yourself.
This includes Golden Bay, perhaps Malta’s most popular sandy beach, due to its crystal-clear water, Mellieħa Bay, a rivalling sandy strip with family-friendly shallow seas, and of course, Malta’s iconic ‘Blue Lagoon’:
Something you should know, however, is that Malta isn’t a single-island nation.
It consists of three main landmasses: Malta itself, the largest island and main administrative center, Gozo, the second-largest island, and Comino, an islet that’s not permanently inhabited, located between the other two.
The Blue Lagoon is in Comino, and you’ll need to book a boat tour to get there. Luckily, they run year-round, as tourists come from all over the globe, regardless of season, to marvel at the impossibly-turquoise waters of this natural pool.
Discover Malta’s Smaller Lesser-Known Sister
When it comes to Gozo, it’s a destination in its own right, with plenty of pristine bays and swimming coves to explore, and many more ancient settlements to be discovered.
Ferries to Gozo leave from the Northern Maltese port of Ċirkewwa, and the crossing to Mġarr port takes about 25 minutes. From Mġarr, there are regular buses running to Victoria, the capital of Gozo, and a fortified citadel with a Baroque cathedral at its center.
Other must-see sites around the island include Xaghra, the location of a prehistoric archaeological site, Nadur, an inland town with family-owned Maltese trattorie and ocher-colored buildings, and Ramla Bay, famous for its red-sand beach and azure, warm waters.
Fall temperatures in the island of Gozo are similar to those in neighboring Malta, only slightly cooler. Average high is 73 °F, average low is 63 °F, and only a few rainy days, mostly light showers throughout the season.
Nonstop Flights From The U.S. To Malta Launching In 2026
Starting next year, Americans will be able to fly nonstop to Malta for the first time in over two decades. You read that right: no more layovers in mainland Europe.
Delta Air Lines announced they will be servicing Malta International Airport (MLA), the country’s only access point, from their JFK base beginning June 7, 2026.
Flights will operate three times a week, and they will run through October of that same year, on a wide-body Boeing 767-300ER.
This will make Malta a lot more accessible, and within easy reach of U.S. vacationers looking for a sun-drenched cultural getaway.
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