Malta has also been celebrating the Carnival ta’ Malta in February for centuries – a colourful spectacle with a tradition dating back to 1535. In addition to the magnificent parades in Valletta and Victoria, the spooky festival of the devil in Nadur and the summer carnival in BuÄ¡ibba attract visitors with their Mediterranean flair, Maltese joie de vivre, elaborate costumes and rousing music.
The first records of the carnival date back to 1535 under Grand Master of the Order of St John Piero del Ponte. The Maltese carnival is therefore one of the oldest documented celebrations in Malta. At the time of the Knights of Malta and the Knights of St John, decorated galleys sailed through the Grand Harbour during the carnival. Later, the ships were replaced by carnival floats, which King Carnival leads.
The title of King Carnival (Ir-Re tal-Karnival) is awarded to the team that built the best float for the magnificent parade in Valletta in the previous year. The selection is made by a vote among the float teams. The royal figure on the winning team’s carnival float leads the parade.
The floats are usually painted and decorated in extravagant colours and the costumes are magnificent and colourful. The music is accompanied by choreographed dance shows. Brass bands and children in fancy costumes parade through the streets. Night owls can then often be found in the clubs and bars of Paceville. The carnival days in Malta are among the most colourful events in the Maltese festival calendar.
Political satire hardly plays a role in the Maltese carnival. Instead, the carnival in Malta has a new theme every year. As with fireworks and rowing, the Maltese towns and villages compete for the most beautiful, self-designed costumes and the most impressive floats.
The most famous carnival events in Malta take place in the capital Valletta, in Nadur on Gozo and in the Gozitan island capital Victoria. The 2025 carnival season starts on 28 February and ends on Tuesday, 4 March. In the week before carnival, some towns start with parades and celebrations. In Victoria’s old town, for example, the carnival celebrations begin on 22 February 2025 and one of the highlights is a magnificent fireworks display on Floriana’s main street.
The carnival ends on Tuesday with the selection of the most creative carnival costume by the Arts Council Malta. In Buġibba and Marsascala, there has also been a small, fine summer carnival for several years. This will take place from 25 to 27 August 2025.
Valletta and the town of Floriana, located outside the city gate, are regarded as carnival strongholds. In Valletta, the carnival revellers gather with their costumes near the Parliament in Freedom Square, St. George’s Square and Great Siege Square (next to the Law Courts). Valletta’s carnival parade is one of the most atmospheric on the island.
In the island’s capital Victoria, the carnival takes place on the It-Tokk market square. Nadur in Gozo is a village where carnival events can be experienced on every street. The Festival of the Devil (Il-festa tax-Xitan) in Nadur is considered to be particularly unique and has a long tradition. Here, the festival is celebrated in a macabre and sarcastic manner.
The carnival is a reminder of earlier times when rural life on the small, sun-drenched island was considered particularly hard. This is why many locals in Nadur wear veils and scary masks and costumes. There are some interesting videos on YouTube from recent years, including footage of the Nadur Spontaneous Carnival.
Hotels, guesthouses and Airbnbs are usually fully booked for this time months in advance. Many visitors therefore have to travel back by ferry or their own boat after the festivities. At carnival time, over 40,000 enthusiastic carnival revellers flock to Gozo.
Temperatures during Carnival in Malta are usually between 14 and 19 degrees Celsius. These mild weather conditions make the carnival an ideal time for outdoor events. Rain is rare in Malta in February. The sunny days provide excellent conditions for the colourful parades and festivities in Valletta and other places.
Every year, the carnival society publishes a detailed programme for the individual events during the carnival days. This programme includes all parades, processions and public dance events.
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