You’re travelling to Malta and you have no idea where to begin with packing. You’ve never been there. You’ve never even visited the Mediterranean. And you’ve just not had the time to read up much about your destination - you plan to do that on the plane. In short, you know pretty much nothing about the place, what you’ll do there or even what the weather will be like. How do you even begin to contemplate what to pack in your suitcase? Let’s just cover the essentials, shall we?
1. A hat and sunscreen
The sun is hot and it burns - take heed of local advice. Protect yourself against sunburn and sunstroke. Yes, even in winter. And surprisingly so in overcast, windy weather. Just take care.
2. Swimmers
Make sure you pack your bikini or swimming trunks, no matter how grey and wet the weather is outside your window. Even in autumn or winter, just do it. You may be pleasantly surprised by great weather and a warm (bearable) sea temperature.
3. Clothing
Only light cotton clothing in summer - forget the synthetics, they will just stick to your sweaty body, feel awful and look unsightly. No matter how nice the chiffon flows, you won’t bear it. Just spare it. In spring, autumn and winter, go for layers. The weather can vary a lot, from sunny days that call for T-shirts to dreary wet and wind-swept days. Select a wardrobe you can wear in layers so that you can peel off and put on as required to keep you comfortable.
4. Shoes
In summer the feet just want to breathe. Sandals and flip-flops, aside from the footwear you will travel in, will serve you just fine throughout your stay. In cooler seasons, whether you take a historic walking tour around a fortified city or trek across the Maltese countryside, you’ll appreciate a pair of comfortable shoes.
5. A jacket
Whatever you may have heard about the weather, it does get cool in the evenings by the sea, even in summer. Be prepared with a long sleeved top, hoodie or light jacket that you can chuck in a bag and retrieve at any time. In winter, don’t think polar, just something comfortable you can wear much of the time. Remember that heating is not a thing in Malta, except in hotels. Malta, being an island, is windy and very humid, so the cold simply feels different despite the higher temperatures.
6. A book or a game
Chances are you’ll be tempted to spend idle time by the pool or on the beach. Take something to keep you entertained while you sunbathe. Conversely, in wet seasons, while the rain rarely pours down for hours, pouring in Malta can mean buckets. Locals take to waiting for the rain to stop before continuing about their business. If you follow suit, you’ll appreciate the pastime.
These taken care of, you can pop anything else into your bag that keeps it within the travelling limits. But we recommend you do save some space and weight for some local souvenirs!