What is the weather like in Malta in April?

Mild and mostly dry. The long-term average high is about 20 C and the low about 12 C, with roughly 22 mm of rain falling on around four days. Sunshine is frequent, evenings stay cool, and a light jacket is useful after dark.

Can you swim in Malta in April?

The sea averages about 16 C, which is cold. Some people swim briefly on a sunny day, but most visitors find it too chilly for more than a quick dip. Boat trips and beach clubs usually do not hit their stride until later in spring.

Is April busy in Malta?

It can be, around Easter, when visitors and local travellers fill accommodation and the island has processions and services. Outside the Easter period, April is calmer than the summer months. Book early for the Easter week, and expect more crowds at the major sites that week.

What should I pack for Malta in April?

Short sleeves for the daytime, a light jacket or sweater for evenings and boat trips, comfortable walking shoes, sunglasses and sunscreen. A thin waterproof is worth carrying, although rain is not likely. Swimwear is optional unless you have a heated pool.

Is April good for Gozo?

Yes. The countryside is still green, temperatures suit walking, and the island is quieter than in summer. Ferry crossings are straightforward in settled weather, though a rough sea can still disrupt sailings, so allow some flexibility.

Malta Weather April: Warm Days, Little Rain, Cool Sea

By April the Maltese islands have settled into the rhythm that visitors imagine when they book: warm enough to sit outside at lunchtime, dry enough to plan a day without a rain backup, and not yet hot. The Luqa weather station, in its 1991-2020 record, gives an average high of about 20 C and a low near 12 C.

Rain: nearly gone

The average April total is only about 22 mm, falling on around four days that reach 1 mm. Compare that with the 43 mm of March and the 80 mm of January. When rain does fall in April it tends to be brief, and a trip rarely needs a wet-weather plan beyond a thin waterproof in the bag.

Water temperature

This is the part of the picture that surprises people. The sea averages about 16 C in April (satellite surface record east of Malta, 1991-2020), only a degree above the February and March low. Air has warmed by four degrees since March while the sea has barely moved. So: a lovely day for lunch on the promenade, an awkward day for a swim.

April, hour by hour

Mornings start cool, around the low of 12 C, and a jumper is welcome until about ten. By midday you can walk in a T-shirt in the sun, and by late afternoon the shade is cool again. Evenings call for a layer. This spread is the main reason to dress in layers rather than to pack for a single temperature.

Easter and the holiday calendar

Good Friday is a public holiday that falls in March or April depending on the year; in 2026 it is on 3 April. Holy Week is a major period in Maltese religious life, with processions in several towns and villages, and the weekend itself sees visitors from abroad. Accommodation tightens, and some sites alter their hours. Outside that week, April is calm.

The Malta International Fireworks Festival usually takes place in April around the Grand Harbour, though dates are announced late, so check before planning around it.

What to do

April suits the places that are miserable in August. The open limestone landscape around the Tarxien Temples and the Ggantija Megalithic Temples offers little shade, and a cool day makes the visit easier. The same logic applies to the Citadel in Victoria and the walls of Mdina.

For a first look at the harbour, take the walk through Valletta Waterfront and then up through the town. If you want time on the coast without the swim, Marsaxlokk combines a fishing village with a market and waterfront restaurants.

Gardens look their best now. Buskett Gardens and the Argotti Botanic Gardens are green, shaded and quiet.

Four degrees up, one degree of sea

The shift from March is clear in each of the numbers. The average high rises from about 18 C to about 20 C, the average low from 10 C to 12 C, and the rainfall falls from 43 mm to 22 mm, with rain days dropping from about seven to four. The sea gains only about one degree, to 16 C. That is why visitors who plan a swim based on the air temperature in April often retreat from the water: the air has moved on, the sea has not.

What a good April looks like

A good April day starts with coffee in a sunny square, continues with a long walk or a drive to a site, takes lunch outside and ends with a jacket on for the evening. The gaps between showers are long, and even in a wet spell you can usually count on a few hours of sun. It is also the month in which the island starts to show signs of the summer to come: sun loungers appear, boat operators open for the season and restaurants put out terrace tables.

Spring visitors, summer expectations

Some visitors arrive in April expecting beach weather and leave disappointed; others arrive expecting winter and are delighted. The honest summary is that April is a splendid month for people who want sunlit streets, open-air lunches and walking, and an ordinary month for people who measure a holiday in hours of swimming.

Planning

A rental car or a bus pass is easier to manage in April than in July, since the heat does not force you to cut days short. Pair that with a flexible mind about swimming: some travellers do take a quick dip at a sheltered spot in the middle of the day, but plan the schedule around the land. For the year as a whole, use the Malta weather overview; for the following month, read Malta weather in May.