Christmas Morning on the Sliema Ferries
Step off the ferry from Valletta on Christmas morning and the waterfront at Tigné Point is already awake: strings of lights overhead, a scatter of Christmas-themed stalls and food vendors along the pjazza, and carollers and street performers working the crowd through the afternoon. The sea air carries roasted chestnuts and spiced cocoa, and the terrace tables around Pjazza Tigné fill with people who have walked off lunch and come down for the music. Sliema is Malta's shopping district—retail outlets, designer boutiques and malls—and at Christmas it turns that energy into an open-air celebration along the waterfront.
Follow the Lights Across the Water to Valletta
Sliema's own Christmas activity centres on the Tigné Point waterfront, but the capital is fifteen minutes away by ferry, and the season's centrepiece is there. Cross for the day and build an itinerary from these:
- Christmas in the Capital (25 November – 31 December): the tree lighting in Freedom Square, lights along Republic Street and Merchants Street, a nativity crib beside St John's Cathedral, a nativity scene at St George's Square, and light projections there from early December. Organised by the Valletta Cultural Agency (vca.gov.mt).
- Valletta Waterfront Christmas Village (1–31 December, open daily): a 35-foot Christmas tree, stalls selling local crafts, handmade gifts, food and sweets, Santa's Workshop and a life-size Nutcracker Soldier.
- Fairyland at Pjazza Tritoni, outside Valletta City Gate (5 December – 4 January): live music, entertainment and performances, plus the "Rudolph's Wheel" observation ride.
- Nice Things Market: a one-weekend pop-up in early December at Is-Suq tal-Belt, with 80+ stalls and billed as Malta's biggest creative and local market.
- St John's Co-Cathedral: hosts an international carol concert during the season.
Check the Valletta Cultural Agency and Fairyland Malta sites for the exact day and time of each item—the season runs long, but individual performances are scheduled closer to the date.
Eat the Season: Qubbajt, Imbuljuta and a Crib or Two
Maltese Christmas has its own flavours, and the Valletta Waterfront stalls are the easiest place to try them in one sweep: nougat (Qubbajt), honey rings (Galletti), almond pastries and ħelwa tat-Tork, the sesame and honey rings. For something warm, look for Imbuljuta tal-Qastan—a thick hot drink of roasted chestnuts, cocoa, cloves, citrus zest and spices. As you walk, watch for the Presepju: nativity cribs appear in homes, churches and public places across the islands, and the ones in Valletta's churches and squares are worth a detour. Daytime highs hover around 17°C, so most of this eating and wandering happens outdoors—bring a light jacket for the evening lights.
Day Trips Worth the Crossing
If you want Christmas Day to stretch beyond the harbour, three excursions stand out, each reachable from Sliema via Valletta:
- Mdina Medieval Christmas Market: a medieval-themed market in the walled "Silent City," with crafts, jewellery, local products, live music, performances and workshops—about a 30-minute taxi from Valletta. Mdina also served as a Game of Thrones filming location.
- Marsaxlokk: a seaside Christmas market along the promenade, with seafood, pastries and mulled wine, next to the village fish market—about a 20-minute drive from Valletta.
- Bethlehem f'Għajnsielem, Gozo: an interactive live nativity village with stalls and 150+ actors, reached by a roughly 45-minute ferry from Valletta.
Closer to home, Bugibba's market—handicrafts, clothing, jewellery, toys, decorations, local and international food, live music and dance—is about 30 minutes by car and makes an easy half-day.
Plan Around the Season, Not Just the Day
The Maltese Christmas season opens in late November and runs to early January (25 November 2026 – 4 January 2027), so Christmas Day in Sliema sits inside weeks of markets and lights rather than standing alone. Base yourself near the Tigné Point waterfront for the carolling and stalls, use the 15-minute ferry for Valletta's markets and cribs, and keep an evening free for the lights along Republic Street. Confirm the day's specific programme with the Valletta Cultural Agency and Tigné Point before you travel, then book the ferry timetable around your Christmas lunch.