Ever wondered why the sun feels hotter on the Maltese islands?

The island of Gavdos, Greece (34.8462° N, 24.0845° E) is the least ambiguous southernmost point of Europe, but Malta is not that far off, at 35.9375° N, 14.3754° E. As you travel north (in the northern hemisphere) the sun is lower in the sky, making it feel 'weaker' than it feels in the south.

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Although technically classified under a Mediterranean climate, Malta feels hotter than this typical climate, which is usually characterised by rainy, mild winters and dry, warm to hot summers. It's no wonder, since Malta has one of the warmest temperature averages in Europe, with 23°C during the day and 16°C at night. In July and August - peak summer - the weather average has highs of 31°C and lows of 22-21°C with zero days of rain.

During the summer months, Malta has a relatively cloudless sky, while other parts of Europe are frequently cloud-covered. This direct sunlight is penetrating and can cause harsher sunburn.

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Another explanation for it feeling so hot, hot, hot on the islands? Malta is extremely humid, with the annual average relative humidity at 73 per cent, ranging from 65 per cent in July to 78 per cent in December.

The sun is out for a very long time on the islands, which heats everything up! The archipelago has amongst the highest number of daylight hours in Europe, with the longest day of the year (June 21st) starting with sunrise at around 5:30 and ending with sunset at 20:30.

Also one of the highest in Europe, Malta enjoys around 3,000 hours of sunshine per year, from an average of about five hours of sunshine per day in December to 12 hours of sunshine per day in July. As a result, Malta enjoys about twice the amount of sunshine as cities in the northern half of Europe.

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Another final explanation for the sun feeling so strong? The entire island is virtually built out of limestone - a very bright, reflective stone that can almost feel white when the hot sun is relentlessly beating down on it. It's hard to say that the sun is not strong when squinting to no end to find a sliver of vision. Note that sunglasses are an absolute must on the islands!

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