I ALWAYS take my boys away for some winter sun at the start of January – and this year we tried out the trending holiday hotspot that combines the best of city and seaside.
We headed to Malta, one of the jewels of the Mediterranean, to find out for ourselves why the capital Valletta was recently named best city in the world in Conde Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice awards.
The island is experiencing a tourism boom, with its airport recording more than 10 million passengers for the first time by 2025.
So going in the quieter winter months is definitely a winner if you want to beat the crowds.
The smallest and southernmost European capital, Valletta is the perfect base if you love wandering round historic city streets in the sunshine while admiring the architecture and soaking up the atmosphere.
Over the festive season, the city centre is lit up until Twelfth Night, there are fireworks above the harbour on New Year’s Eve and Christmas market ‘Fairyland’ takes over a couple of squares, offering ice skating, stalls, a big wheel and more.
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It was magical wandering the city streets, with a different view around every corner.
And as dusk fell, it felt like every alleyway was filled with festive fairy lights, while it was still warm enough to meander slowly through the streets or enjoy an alfresco drink.
Once you’ve had enough of the hustle and bustle of streets full of festive shoppers and sightseers, the beauty of Malta is that everything is just a short bus ride away.
You can even get to neighbouring Gozo on the ferry in less than an hour.
Buses cost just €2 (£1.73) per journey in winter and you can pick up a week-long bus pass for €25 (£21.67).
The one downside to choosing Malta for a winter sun break is that its weather is far more unpredictable than firm favourites like the Canaries or Cape Verde, which we’ve visited in the past.
While those can be fairly windy, they are usually good for a guaranteed dose of sun.
It’s a bit more hit and miss what weather you’ll get during a Maltese winter.
Having said that, the thermometer hit the early 20s in the week of our New Year break and we even went swimming in the sea at Għadira Bay.
If you’re travelling as a family, you might be wise to take a look at budget-friendly accommodation options outside the capital.
We chose Mellieħa, an hour north on the bus.
The beach was just a five-minute bus ride from our flat.
Nearby Popeye Village, an old filmset of quirky wooden houses built in the 1970s for the Robin Williams movie about the spinach-guzzling sailor, was lots of fun, with character parades and shows proving a highlight of our afternoon there.
From neighbouring Ċirkewwa, it was easy to hop on a 25-minute ferry to Gozo, with return tickets for my family of five costing just €16 (£13.87), compared to €65 (£56.35) for the 45-minute boat between Valletta and Gozo.
There’s a different pace of life on the smaller island and we found some little gems in its capital Victoria.
I loved the iconic nativity scenes in the basement of Il-Ħaġar Heart of Gozo Museum and there’s a fascinating stone column running up through the centre of the museum that sums up the islands’ history, with the different civilisations and groups based there throughout the ages.
From Victoria, you can take a 10-minute bus trip to the Neolithic Ġgantija, temples made of huge stones still standing after more than 5,500 years.
We all know that going away in the school holidays can cost a pretty penny at any time of year, but I managed to bag return flights to Malta for five of us for just £200.
Accommodation costs are also lower out of the summer season, so our winter sun week away came in at about £500 for flights and apartment, which is a bit of a bargain by anyone’s standards.
One final festive touch if you visit in early January is that the three wise men visit various churches on horseback the weekend before Epiphany.
The famous Maltese hospitality was in full flow for us when the Mellieħa scout group offered our teen a pride of place in their parade to mark the occasion.
For festive fun and a bit of sun, make Malta your midwinter must-visit for 2026.
For more winter sun inspiration, here are islands five hours from the UK that will soon be much easier to get to.
Plus, the top nine cheapest last-minute winter sun destinations less than five hours from the UK.