By nine on a Sunday morning, a church bell is competing with a bus horn, a man is selling pastizzi from a hatch in a wall, and somewhere nearby a brass band is rehearsing for a feast. Daily life in Malta blends a Mediterranean rhythm, a British-style road system and a deeply Catholic calendar, all in English or Maltese.
What languages do people speak in daily life in Malta?
Malta has two official languages, Maltese and English, and almost everyone speaks English: you can live and do your paperwork in it. Many Maltese also speak Italian. Maltese is a Semitic language written in the Latin alphabet, with many English and Italian loanwords. It is the language of the courts, politics and many media. Do not confuse it with Arabic or Italian; it is a language in its own right and an official language of the EU. A few words go a long way: bonġu (hello), grazzi (thank you).
How do you drive and get around?
Traffic keeps to the left and you overtake on the right. The limits are generally 50 km/h in built-up areas and 80 km/h outside, unless a sign says otherwise. Seat belts are compulsory, the alcohol limit is low, and using a phone at the wheel is heavily penalised. Satellite navigation sometimes sends you along narrow roads that are hard to use, particularly in Gozo. Public car parks run by Transport Malta are free; a tip to the attendant is possible but optional. Leaving a roundabout or a car park is the moment when newcomers drift to the right, so be careful in the first days. The administrative side is in driving in Malta.
What practical habits should you adopt at home?
- Electricity: 230 V, 50 Hz, British type G plugs with a switch on the socket. If a charger does not work, check the switch.
- Tap water: the tourism authority recommends bottled, filtered or reverse-osmosis water for drinking.
- Emergency number: 112 for police, fire brigade and ambulance.
- Smoking: banned inside public places (bars, restaurants, transport, schools, hospitals), except in designated smoking rooms.
- Tipping: common in restaurants, 5 to 10% if you are satisfied, unless service is already included.
How do shops and nights out work?
Traditional shop hours are 9:00 to 13:00 and 16:00 to 19:00, Monday to Saturday; in tourist areas, many shops stay open continuously from 9:00 to 19:00 or later, and many supermarkets open all day, including on Sundays. Bars usually open from noon to midnight, and clubs from about 21:00 to 04:00. The legal drinking age is 17.
What is the climate like, and how do you live with it?
The average daytime temperature over the year is about 23 °C, and in August it is often 28 to 34 °C. Summers are hot and humid, which changes the way you live: a well-ventilated or air-conditioned flat changes your life, so check it before you sign a lease (see renting in Malta). Plan errands in the cooler hours and keep water with you.
What are the public holidays in Malta in 2026?
Malta has 14 public holidays, five of them national holidays (marked with an asterisk), set by the National Holidays and Other Public Holidays Act and listed by gov.mt:
- 1 January, New Year's Day
- 10 February, Shipwreck of St Paul
- 19 March, St Joseph
- 31 March, Freedom Day*
- 3 April 2026, Good Friday (variable)
- 1 May, Workers' Day
- 7 June, Sette Giugno*
- 29 June, St Peter and St Paul (L-Imnarja)
- 15 August, Assumption (Santa Marija)
- 8 September, Our Lady of Victories*
- 21 September, Independence Day*
- 8 December, Immaculate Conception
- 13 December, Republic Day*
- 25 December, Christmas Day
Many shops stay open on these days, sometimes with shorter hours, and buses may run less often. Government offices are closed, so do not plan an errand with Identità or the tax authority on a public holiday. Employees get an extra day of leave when a public holiday falls on a rest day, which is part of the 216 hours of paid leave in 2026 (see working in Malta).
What role does religion and the village feast play?
The Constitution makes Catholicism the State religion and guarantees religious freedom. In state schools an ethics course can replace the religion course. Every parish celebrates its patron saint with processions, brass bands and fireworks, mostly in summer; the dates change from parish to parish, so ask the parish or your local council (Kunsill Lokali). These feasts are not a show for visitors: they are the social calendar of a village, and living next to a band club means some late nights.
How do you get things done in daily life in Malta?
The administrative side of daily life is manageable because the state is small and almost everything is in English. A handful of agencies run your life: Identità for your residence card and e-ID, the Department of Social Security for your number and benefits, Jobsplus for work, the MTCA for tax and VAT, and the Entitlement Unit for healthcare entitlement. Servizz.gov, the agency that groups state services, helps with the rest, by phone on 153, by email at servizz@gov.mt or in one of its offices, including one in Victoria on Gozo. Once you have your residence card, ask for your e-ID account, which opens most services online.
Those agencies, and the order in which to see them, are covered in the Malta checklist. A few habits make the day-to-day smoother: keep your e-mail and phone number updated in your e-ID account (codes and resets go there), keep copies of every certificate as a PDF, and book appointments early. If the old name "Commissioner for Revenue" or "Identity Malta" appears in a forum, that is the same agency under its former name.
What does a normal week look like?
Mornings begin early, because the heat in summer pushes errands to the first hours. Shops that observe traditional hours close for the early afternoon, and evenings stretch late on the waterfronts. At the weekend, you will see families at the seaside, village band clubs preparing for the next feast, and the ferry to Gozo carrying people to lunch. Bring a hat and a bottle of water, because the sun is strong even in spring and autumn.
Almost everyone will switch to English as soon as you hesitate, and a word of Maltese is a friendly gesture. A request made politely, in person, often solves things that email alone does not.
What is Gozo's place in daily life?
Gozo, the greener and more rural sister island, is a 25-minute ferry from Ċirkewwa or about 45 minutes from Valletta. Many residents of both islands cross regularly for family, work or leisure. See living in Gozo.
What are the classic mistakes of newcomers?
- Driving on the right out of reflex.
- Underestimating the summer heat when choosing a flat.
- Planning an errand on a public holiday.
- Assuming English is enough at school; see schools in Malta for expats.
- Forgetting to switch on the socket.
French citizens can register with their consular register, and the French embassy lists a French cultural association; other nationalities can look for their embassy in Valletta. If you are moving from Britain, the plugs, the road rules and the language will feel familiar, and the details of your status are in moving to Malta from the UK.