Malta in September is the year's quiet winner: the sea is at or near its warmest after a summer of heating, the days are still hot but easing, and once the school holidays end the crowds and prices fall away from their August high. You get peak-season warmth and the best swimming water of the year without the peak-season crush. It does beach and sightseeing equally well, the heat just gentle enough to enjoy both. Here's what to expect and how to make the most of it.
- 01September is arguably the best all-rounder – peak-season warmth and the warmest sea of the year, minus the August crush.
- 02It's the quiet winner: once school holidays end, prices and crowds drop while the weather stays summer-like.
- 03Go early September for the hottest, most settled conditions; the first rains can arrive late in the month.
- 04It does both beach and sightseeing better than midsummer, with the heat eased just enough to enjoy walking.
- 05It's popular with those in the know, so book a little ahead, especially for the child-free weeks.
What's the weather like in Malta in September?
Hot but softening. Daytime temperatures start the month in the high 20s and ease gently as it goes on, with warm evenings and long sunny days – still very much summer, just a notch off August's peak. Rain stays low for most of the month before the first autumn showers become possible towards the end.
The headline is the sea. After a full summer of heating it sits at or near its warmest of the year, around 25–26°C, warmer and more inviting than at any other point – which is what makes September such a strong beach month.
It's the rare combination of reliably hot, dry days and a sea at its best, with the edge taken off the midday heat that can make August sightseeing hard going.
Is Malta worth visiting in September?
Yes – for many it's the best month of the year. You get summer warmth, the warmest sea, and a long run of dry, sunny days, but with crowds and prices easing as the school holidays end. It's the closest Malta comes to having it all at once.
The only caveats are that early September is still genuinely hot, and the first rains can arrive late in the month. Our best time to visit Malta guide singles out late September in particular as the sweet spot – peak-season water without peak-season everything else.
The best things to do in Malta in September
This is prime time for the water. The sea is at its warmest for the best beaches, and the boat-trip season is in full swing for the Blue Lagoon and a catamaran or sunset cruise – all with thinner crowds than August.
The eased heat also makes sightseeing comfortable again. Walk Valletta, Mdina and the temples in the late-summer warmth, or take a Gozo day trip with the ferries quieter than at the peak – the wider things to do in Malta guide rounds it out.
It's a month with no real weak spot until the very end, when the first rains hint at autumn.
Prices and what to pack
September is better value than the summer peak. As the school holidays end, prices and crowds drop while the weather stays summer-like, so it's an easier month to find a good rate – browse the best hotels in Malta, and it fits the picture in our is Malta expensive guide.
Pack for summer: light clothes, swimwear, sun cream and sunglasses, with a thin layer for the evenings as the month wears on. A packable waterproof is worth it only if you're visiting late September, when the first showers become possible.
Featured image: Rhododendrites / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
