Malta Public Holidays 2027: Full List with Dates and Weekdays
Malta has 14 public holidays in 2027: five national holidays and nine other public holidays set by law. Good Friday falls on 26 March, and three holidays land on a weekend without a substitute weekday.
By Malta 365 Editorial Reviewed by Alex Borshch, Founder & Editor
Published November 15, 2026 · 9 min read
The short version
Malta and Gozo share one calendar of 14 public holidays a year. Five of them are national holidays tied to the country's modern history, and nine are public holidays, most of them Catholic feast days. All 14 are set by the National Holidays and Other Public Holidays Act (Chapter 252 of the Laws of Malta). Thirteen fall on a fixed date every year. The only movable one is Good Friday, which in 2027 falls on Friday 26 March, two days before Easter Sunday on 28 March.
For a visitor, a public holiday in Malta rarely spoils a trip. Government offices close by law, and the state museums run by Heritage Malta close on a short list of days, but beaches, most restaurants in the tourist areas, buses and the Gozo ferry keep going. What changes is the mood: several of these dates are the biggest days in the island's religious and festive calendar, and they are worth planning around rather than avoiding.
Malta public holidays 2027: the full list
The table below follows the order of the year. Weekdays are calculated for 2027. "National" marks the five national holidays listed in article 2 of the Act; the rest come from the Schedule to the Act.
| Date | Weekday | Holiday | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2027 | Friday | New Year's Day | Public holiday |
| 10 February 2027 | Wednesday | Feast of St Paul's Shipwreck | Public holiday |
| 19 March 2027 | Friday | Feast of St Joseph | Public holiday |
| 26 March 2027 | Friday | Good Friday | Public holiday |
| 31 March 2027 | Wednesday | Freedom Day (Jum il-Ħelsien) | National holiday |
| 1 May 2027 | Saturday | Workers' Day | Public holiday |
| 7 June 2027 | Monday | Sette Giugno | National holiday |
| 29 June 2027 | Tuesday | Feast of St Peter and St Paul (L-Imnarja) | Public holiday |
| 15 August 2027 | Sunday | Feast of the Assumption (Santa Marija) | Public holiday |
| 8 September 2027 | Wednesday | Victory Day (Jum il-Vittorja), Feast of Our Lady of Victories | National holiday |
| 21 September 2027 | Tuesday | Independence Day (Jum l-Indipendenza) | National holiday |
| 8 December 2027 | Wednesday | Feast of the Immaculate Conception | Public holiday |
| 13 December 2027 | Monday | Republic Day (Jum ir-Repubblika) | National holiday |
| 25 December 2027 | Saturday | Christmas Day | Public holiday |
Two common assumptions do not apply in Malta. Easter Monday and Boxing Day are not separately named public holidays in Malta. In 2027, however, 26 December falls on a Sunday and is therefore a public holiday under the Sunday rule. Every Sunday is also a public holiday under the same Act, which is why Easter Sunday does not appear in the list.
Good Friday 2027: why 26 March
Malta follows the Western (Gregorian) church calendar, so Good Friday is the Friday before Western Easter Sunday. In 2027 Easter Sunday is 28 March, which puts Good Friday on 26 March. That creates an unusual cluster in late March 2027: St Joseph on Friday 19 March, Good Friday on Friday 26 March and Freedom Day on Wednesday 31 March, three public holidays in under two weeks.
Holy Week is one of the most striking times to be in Malta. Good Friday processions take place in many towns and villages, and the days around Easter bring their own food and church traditions. Our guide to Holy Week and Easter in Malta covers what to see. Note that Heritage Malta closes all its museums and sites on Good Friday, so leave the temples and state museums for another day, and check the hours of churches such as St John's Co-Cathedral before you go, since services take priority during Holy Week.
What happens when a holiday falls on a weekend
Malta does not move a public holiday to the following Monday. The holiday stays on its date. What the law changed is the effect on workers: under article 6(c) of the Act, with effect from 1 January 2021, when a national or public holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday it counts for "entitling any person to a day of vacation leave in addition to the leave entitlement" for that year. In other words, employees get an extra day of leave to take later, not a bank-holiday Monday.
In 2027 three holidays fall on a weekend:
- Workers' Day, Saturday 1 May
- Feast of the Assumption, Sunday 15 August
- Christmas Day, Saturday 25 December
No substitute public holiday is created on Monday 3 May, Monday 16 August or Monday 27 December. Individual businesses may still choose to close.
What closes on a public holiday
Government offices
The Act states that on public holidays "all Government offices shall be closed", although the Prime Minister may direct that specific offices stay open. If you need anything from a government counter, such as a document or a permit, plan for it on a working day.
Heritage Malta museums and sites
Heritage Malta, which runs the national museums and archaeological sites, lists five closure days in its current leaflet: 1 January, Good Friday, and 24, 25 and 31 December. That covers places such as the National Museum of Archaeology, Fort St Elmo and the National War Museum, Hagar Qim and Mnajdra, the Ggantija Temples on Gozo and the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum. The other public holidays are not on that closure list, but hours can differ from a normal day, so check the Heritage Malta site before you go. As of November 2026, Heritage Malta also lists a Hypogeum closure from 18 to 24 January 2027. Check availability before planning your visit.
Shops, banks and businesses
Ask individual shops and banks for their holiday opening arrangements. If staying in Sliema, St Julian's or St Paul's Bay, check meal and shopping options in advance rather than relying on normal hours.
What keeps running
Buses run on public holidays, with holiday changes. Its December 2025 notice announced lunchtime suspensions and an early finish on Christmas Day and New Year's Day; check the new notice for your travel dates. Check Malta Public Transport's service alerts the week before you travel; our transport overview and the getting around Malta guide explain the network.
The Gozo Channel ferry between Cirkewwa and Mgarr operates on public holidays. In recent years it has paused crossings for a few hours around lunchtime on Christmas Day and New Year's Day so that crews can eat with their families, with departures and resumption times specified in each notice. The Gozo ferry guide covers the routes; confirm holiday times on the operator's site in December.
For flights at Malta International Airport, check your airline's schedule and allow extra time for the journey on holiday weekends.
The holidays worth planning a trip around
Carnival and St Paul's Shipwreck (February)
Festivals Malta lists Malta Carnival on 5 to 9 February 2027, before the Feast of St Paul's Shipwreck on 10 February. The feast commemorates the shipwreck of the apostle Paul on Malta, and the main celebration is in the capital. See our Valletta guide for the city itself.
L-Imnarja (29 June)
The Feast of St Peter and St Paul is better known by its Maltese name, L-Imnarja. Check the programme for celebrations at Buskett Gardens and on Gozo before choosing travel dates.
Santa Marija (15 August)
The Feast of Santa Marija falls on 15 August; check parish programmes for the celebrations. Plan transport and accommodation in advance for mid-August, including visits to beaches such as Mellieha Bay and Golden Bay, so book transport and rooms early if your trip covers it.
Victory Day (8 September)
The Victory Day Regatta in the Grand Harbour is the traditional event of the day, with rowing races watched from the waterfronts of Valletta and the Three Cities. The date is also the Feast of Our Lady of Victories. For the history behind the harbour's sieges, Fort St Angelo and Fort St Elmo are the places to go.
Freedom Day, Independence Day and Republic Day
The three political national holidays mark the steps to modern Malta: independence in 1964, the republic in 1974 and the closure of the last foreign military bases in 1979, which Freedom Day on 31 March commemorates. For visitors they are mostly normal days out with a public holiday mood.
Christmas and the Immaculate Conception
December has three holidays in 2027: 8 December, Republic Day on 13 December and Christmas Day. Our Malta in winter guide covers the Christmas season, cribs and what stays open.
Planning tips
- Plan holiday weekends. In 2027, New Year's Day, St Joseph and Good Friday all fall on a Friday, and Sette Giugno and Republic Day on a Monday. Check ferry notices and accommodation availability on Gozo for those weekends.
- Check Heritage Malta closures first. If a museum day is central to your plan, avoid 1 January, Good Friday and 24, 25 and 31 December.
- Use the holidays for festivals. L-Imnarja, Santa Marija and Victory Day are among the best days of the year to see Maltese traditions up close. See the full events calendar and our best time to visit Malta guide.
- Remember Sundays. Sunday is a public holiday by law, check business opening arrangements rather than assuming normal weekday hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many public holidays does Malta have in 2027?
Malta has 14 public holidays in 2027: five national holidays (Freedom Day, Sette Giugno, Victory Day, Independence Day and Republic Day) and nine other public holidays listed in the Schedule to the National Holidays and Other Public Holidays Act. Sundays are also public holidays by law.
When is Good Friday in Malta in 2027?
Good Friday falls on Friday 26 March 2027. Easter Sunday is 28 March. Easter Monday is not a public holiday in Malta.
Are public holidays moved to Monday in Malta if they fall on a weekend?
No. The holiday stays on its date. Since 1 January 2021, the law gives employees an extra day of vacation leave when a national or public holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, but no substitute weekday holiday is declared. In 2027 this applies to Workers' Day (Saturday 1 May), the Assumption (Sunday 15 August) and Christmas Day (Saturday 25 December).
Is Boxing Day a public holiday in Malta?
Boxing Day is not a separately named public holiday in Malta. However, 26 December 2027 is a Sunday, and Sundays are public holidays under the Act.
Are museums open on public holidays in Malta?
Heritage Malta closes its museums and sites on 1 January, Good Friday, and 24, 25 and 31 December. On the other public holidays they are not on the closure list, but check opening hours before you go, since sites can run shorter hours or close temporarily for restoration.
Do buses and the Gozo ferry run on public holidays?
Yes. Buses may have holiday timetables and service breaks; check the notice for your travel dates, and the Gozo Channel ferry operates between Cirkewwa and Mgarr. On Christmas Day and New Year's Day the ferry has paused for a few hours around lunchtime in recent years, so check the holiday schedule before travelling.
Which Malta public holidays are best for festivals?
L-Imnarja on 29 June at Buskett, the Feast of Santa Marija on 15 August and Victory Day on 8 September, with its regatta in the Grand Harbour, are the most festive. Good Friday brings Holy Week processions in many towns, and Festivals Malta lists Carnival 2027 on 5 to 9 February.