Valentine’s day in Malta

Valentine’s Day in Malta – Romantic holidays & excursions

Valentine’s Day is the festival of love, which is celebrated worldwide on 14 February. On Valentine’s Day in Malta, it is customary to organise a romantic getaway with a couple’s trip, hike, city trip or wellness. After the offer was thinned out during the Corona period, since 2023 you can again draw from the full range. Let your imagination run wild and leave everyday life behind. Enjoy the romantic moments, the sunny Valentine’s Day in Malta. Because you and your partner are worth it.

Are you planning something extraordinary in sun-kissed Malta? Then we’ve got 7 great ideas for you on how you can collect some wonderful moments. We hope you enjoy planning, indulging and falling in love all over again!

Tip 1: Walk along the marvellous sandy coasts

The north of Malta is particularly suitable for this. Visit the picturesque town of Mellieha with its wonderful sandy beaches:

Golden Bay (GoogleMaps)
Għadira Bay (Google Maps)
Armier Bay (Google Maps)
Anchor Bay at Popeye Village (Google Maps)
Għajn Tuffieħa Bay (Google Maps)

In hiking boots and with a picnic basket, you can explore Malta’s north on a walk. At an expected 14-18 degrees, you can enjoy Valentine’s Day along the rugged coastline and bays. The season provides seclusion for a picnic for two or revitalising walks in harmony with nature. At this time of year, the weather is still mild and you can enjoy your Valentine’s Day walk to the full.

Gozo donkey hike

The circular hike takes around 2 hours, including a snack break. The start and end point is the Church of the Conception on the road from Qala to Hondoq, which is well worth seeing.

Tip 2: Rent a farmhouse in Gozo

On the sister island of Gozo, a secluded Gozitan farmhouse, often with a swimming pool and luxurious furnishings, can be rented cheaply in February. You can easily organise a few romantic days around Valentine’s Day, away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Explore the green landscape and nature of Gozo. Enjoy long walks in the picturesque towns and villages in Gozo and enjoy the sunset on one of the marvellous cliffs with endless sea views.

Tip 3: Romantic dinner after a wellness couple’s massage

There are many places in Malta for a romantic dinner. The AX The Palace hotel in the bustling town of Sliema offers massages for couples in its “Marion Mizzi Spa & Wellbeing” wellness area. During a couples massage, you and your partner lie next to each other on two separate massage tables. You enjoy the pleasures of the massage together with soothing music and aromatherapy.

Later, on the 9th floor of Hotel AX The Palace, you can enjoy an exceptional six-course menu on Valentine’s Day. The hotel is known for its great international cuisine. The ideal setting for a passionate and romantic dinner for two.

Don’t have time for a massage?

Then Phoenicia Malta offers the Valtentine’s package:

À la carte breakfast for two people
A bottle of Prosecco and strawberries in your room on arrival
Dinner for two at the Phoenix Restaurant on Valentine’s Day
130 Euro meal credit for check-out before 14 February
Free non-alcoholic minibar
Use of the facilities of the Deep Nature Spa at The Phoenicia Malta

Share your magical moments at The Phoenicia Malta.

Tip 4: Discover the Maltese capital Valletta

Valletta is the smallest capital city in the European Union with a population of around 6,000. Valletta has a rich history:

the Ottoman Empire,
the Knights of Malta,
Napoleon,
the British
until the bombing by the Third Reich.

Valetta became the European Capital of Culture in 2018. Explore the narrow alleyways where the painter Caravaggio fled from justice. The colourful Maltese balconies and the many squares that have served as film sets for Hollywood producers.

Parts of the series and films Game of Thrones, Count of Monte Cristo, World War Z and Steven Spielberg’s Munich, among others, were filmed in Malta’s capital Valletta.

Valentine’s Day in Malta through Valletta with Moisés Redondo

Explore Valletta with an expert guide: We have known Moisés Redondo as an expert guide for years. Contact Moisés via Facebook or Instagram.

Start your exploration with the midday cannon salute from the Barraka Gardens. Visit the jewel of Valletta, St John’s Co-Cathedral. Explore the old railway line from Valletta to Mdina, the new Parliament of Malta, the Malta Opera House and the Auberge de Castilla.

At the end of the tour, Moisés will certainly recommend a restaurant to suit your taste: from the traditional Maltese pastizzi and ftira, to 5-star restaurants that leave nothing to be desired.

Tip 5: Challenging hike on Gozo with and without donkeys

The hikes along Gozo’s coasts are among the most beautiful hikes in Europe. Don’t fancy exploring on your own? Then contact experienced guide John via Meetup. John has been living on Gozo for more than two decades and organises guided donkey tours, as well as 10 different exciting, sometimes challenging, multi-hour hikes. Explore together the amazing secrets of

Dwejra,
Comino, where Brad Pitt once stood with his mother in the film Troy, in the magnificent Blue Lagoon,
Hondoq Bay
or the Mistral cliffs with farms built into the rock.

Round off Valentine’s Day in Gozo with an extraordinary candlelight dinner. The island of Gozo is known for some of the best restaurants in Malta. Gozitan, Maltese and Mediterranean dishes are served there. For Valentine’s Day, the Michelin Guide 2020 nominated restaurant Ta’ Frenċ in Gozo stands out. Enjoy the 6-course Valentine’s Day menu Gem of Love at Ta’ Frenċ on Valentine’s Day or the evening before.

In the charming and attractively restored farmhouse in Xagħra, the long-standing team serves traditional Mediterranean cuisine. The Valentine’s Day menu includes delicacies such as pan-seared scallops, beetroot risotto and slow-cooked veal cheeks. The dish is complemented with creamy, smoked truffle mashed potatoes and caramelised parsnip puree.

Tip 6: A gondola ride from Valletta to the Three Cities

The Barklor Cooperative offers tours with Maltese gondolas (Dghajsa) around the Grand Harbour or the crossing to the Three Cities. On Valentine’s Day, enjoy a water taxi to the town of Vittoriosa (Birgu), one of the oldest maritime towns and the first home of the Knights of St John. Book the Dghajsa’s for a personalised tour on Valentine’s Day.

Tip 7: A culinary experience in the evening to round off Valentine’s Day

Love goes through the stomach. Spoil your loved one with a romantic, gastronomic and culinary experience of a special kind.

Malta’s restaurants have put together menus especially for the Valentine’s Day weekend. We would like to recommend 5 of them to you in particular:

L’Artiglio, Valletta
This fantastic restaurant Artiglio in Valletta has created a special Valentine’s Day menu. Choose between four or five courses. Choose from duck bruschetta, baked camembert or steak tartare
Caviar & Bulls, St. Julian’s
The Caviar & Bulls offers a 6-course Valentine’s Day menu with rabbit terrine, fresh truffle with roasted hazelnuts over slow-cooked duck leg and duck breast with sweet potatoes to accompany the impressive sea view. For dessert, a raspberry sorbet with hazelnut and white chocolate icing is served.
Grotto Tavern, Rabat
The Grotto Tavern in Rabat is located in an old vault opposite St Paul’s Church. The lovingly decorated restaurant will be serving a romantic five-course menu on Valentine’s Day. Turbot with cauliflower couscous, roasted and caramelised butternut squash will be served by candlelight.
Bacchus Restaurant, Mdina
Enjoy this affordable 4-course Valentine’s Day menu in a stunning setting. The smoked local goat’s cheese is accompanied by roasted cauliflower and parsnip cream, as well as caramelised onions and apples. After the local sea bass, the Valentine’s Day menu ends with a homemade dessert of chocolate and local strawberries.
Tosca Restaurant, Mellieħa
Tosca Restaurant, near Mellieha Bay, offers a Valentine’s Day menu of roast lobster tails, sweetbreads and a white and purple cauliflower soup.

A bouquet of flowers says more than 1,000 words

If you want to surprise someone spontaneously or make someone happy, you will find the most beautiful flowers and plants at Il-Qronfla. Give the gift of affection on Valentine’s Day with flowers and show your loved ones that you are there for each other. One thing is certain: a bouquet of flowers will bring a smile! Il-Qronfla is one of the most popular florists in Malta.

Not found the right tempting idea? You can find more events to enjoy in Malta in the WoM events calendar.

Why do we celebrate Valentine’s Day on 14 February?

The origins of Valentine’s Day can be traced back to ancient Rome. The pagan festival of Lupercalia was celebrated from 13 to 15 February. Naked and scantily clad men spanked (beat) the women’s buttocks with goat or dog whips. Back then, it was supposed to increase fertility and prevent infertility. This festival is also associated with the mating season of animals and the beginning of spring. In the 5th century, Pope Gelasius I “combined” or replaced the pagan Lupercalia festival with the Christian Valentine’s Day festival.

When did St Valentine’s come along with love and romance?

According to tradition, the Catholic saint and martyr Valentine of Terni was executed in Rome on 14 February 269. Valentine of Rome married couples according to the Christian faith. He gave the married couples flowers from his garden. These couples are said to have been particularly happy.

Christian marriage was forbidden under Emperor Claudius II. The emperor firmly believed that single and especially young men were better off serving as soldiers. Emperor Claudius II had the priest arrested and sentenced Valentin of Terni to death in 269, others write 270. Around 100 years later, Christianity became the state religion. The Roman bishop Julius I built a basilica with Valentin’s name in his honour. This can be seen in a list of bishops from the year 354.

In his “Parlement of Foules“, the poet Geoffrey Chaucer mentions Valentine’s Day as a day for lovers. The terms Valentine, flowers from the garden and happiness can be found in his poem from 1382. Since this time, there has been a British custom of giving gifts to loved ones secretly or anonymously on “secret Valentine’s Day”.

The alternative story to St Valentine:

St Valentine fell in love with his jailer’s daughter in prison. Before his execution, he gave her a letter signed “from your Valentine”. This phrase is still used today to express love and affection.

The meaning of Valentine’s Day in Germany

In Germany, Valentine’s Day has a similar saintly significance to St Nicholas and St Martin. The custom was brought to Germany by US soldiers stationed in America after the Second World War.

What are the 5 languages of love