Carnival in Malta and Gozo: Valletta, Nadur and what to expect in 2026

Malta’s two carnivals: a tale of two islands

Malta’s Carnival season offers two entirely different experiences happening simultaneously, 25 kilometres apart. Understanding both is essential to knowing which one (or both) to visit.

Valletta Carnival: The official, state-supported carnival. Decorated floats parade down Republic Street. Costumed groups dance in organised stages. Children in colourful costumes compete for prizes. It is festive, family-oriented, and genuinely excellent.

Nadur Carnival (Gozo): Completely unofficial, entirely spontaneous, deliberately strange. Locals dress in grotesque costumes — monstrous masks, deliberately disturbing characters, satirical and macabre themes — and wander the village streets of Nadur at night. There is no official programme. There are no floats. The event has grown organically for generations and maintains a genuinely dark, uncanny atmosphere that is unlike anything else in Europe.

If you only have time for one, the choice depends entirely on what you want: celebration or experience.

---

2026 dates

Malta Carnival runs in the days before Lent, determined by the movable date of Ash Wednesday.

Malta Carnival 2026: approximately 10–13 February 2026 (Ash Wednesday falls on February 18; Carnival runs the 5 days before: Thursday–Tuesday preceding it, with the main public events on the weekend of Saturday 14–Sunday 15… Note: exact dates pending official confirmation. The tradition is the last weekend before Lent, typically the second week of February.)

The 2026 approximate schedule:

• Thursday, 12 February — official opening events in Valletta
• Friday, 13 February — opening floats and children’s parade
• Saturday, 14 February — main daytime parade (floats, costumed groups), evening programme
• Sunday, 15 February — second main parade, prize-giving
• Monday, 16 February — final day events

Nadur Carnival runs simultaneously with Valletta’s, with the main Nadur events concentrated on Saturday and Sunday nights.

Official dates will be confirmed by the Malta Tourism Authority at visitMalta.com; check there closer to the time for the exact 2026 schedule.

---

The Valletta Carnival: what to expect

History

Malta’s Carnival traces its origins to the Knights of St John, who governed the islands from 1530 to 1800. The Knights brought the Italian carnival tradition (Venice-influenced, as many of the Knights were of Italian or French origin) to Malta, and the tradition has continued with varying levels of intensity since then. The modern Malta Carnival was revived and formalised in the mid-20th century with the current float parade format.

The programme

The float parade is the centrepiece. Large, papier-mâché floats built by competing groups (called Każin, based in different communities) parade down Republic Street in Valletta. The floats are satirical and political in theme — Maltese carnival culture has a tradition of using the floats to lampoon politicians, current events and national controversies. This element requires knowledge of local politics to fully appreciate, but the visual spectacle stands on its own.

Costumed groups dance alongside the floats, often in matching themed costumes. The choreography ranges from folk dance to contemporary forms.

The children’s carnival is a separate daytime event — groups of schoolchildren parade in their classroom-made costumes. This is a genuinely sweet tradition and the most photographically appealing part of the event for many visitors.

Music and street performances — carnival music bands (brass-based, uptempo) accompany the parade, and music stages operate in the main squares.

Practical notes for Valletta Carnival

It is free. No tickets, no payment. Simply arrive at Republic Street before the parade begins (check the official times, typically around 2 pm for the main Saturday parade). Position yourself early for a good viewpoint — the street fills up.

The best viewpoints:

• Republic Street itself (standing room, first-come)
• The steps at the Great Siege Monument at the entrance to Republic Square
• The balconies of café-restaurants overlooking Republic Street (book well in advance; these tables are reserved for paying customers and sell out months ahead)

Transport: Valletta on Carnival Saturday and Sunday is extremely crowded. The Valletta bus terminus fills up; parking near the city is effectively impossible. Plan to arrive early or use Bolt rather than buses.

Hotels: Valletta boutique hotels fill up for Carnival weekend. Book at least 2–3 months ahead if you want to stay in Valletta. Sliema hotels have better availability but still book ahead.

A guided walking tour of Valletta on a non-carnival day (Thursday or Friday) before the main parade weekend is an excellent way to understand the city’s history before seeing it transformed by the carnival.

---

The Nadur Carnival: the dark side of Maltese culture

What Nadur is

Nadur is a village of 3,500 people in the eastern part of Gozo, perched on a ridge with views to Malta and the open sea. On the surface it is a typical Maltese-Gozitan village — a central square, a massive parish church, a few bars and restaurants.

On Carnival weekend, it becomes something else entirely.

The Nadur Carnival has no official organisation. No committee plans it. No floats are built. Instead, locals — following a tradition that has built over decades through community osmosis — dress in costumes that are deliberately disturbing:

• Grotesque masks: oversized, misshapen, inhuman faces. Some are clearly DIY constructions; others are elaborate. The effect is deeply unsettling, especially when encountered after dark in a narrow village lane.
• Satirical characters: dressed as doctors, police, politicians, religious figures — but in deliberately perverted or mocking ways. Maltese political and social satire at its rawest.
• Horror and death themes: skeletal costumes, monster figures, representations of disease or decay.
• Cross-dressing: a significant element, with men in women’s clothes as a traditional component.

There is no clean distinction between performers and observers. You walk into Nadur village on Carnival night and you are in the middle of it. Costumed figures approach you, interact with you, photograph you. The normal rules of social interaction are suspended in a very specific Maltese cultural context.

The atmosphere

Visitors describe the Nadur Carnival variously as: “the strangest thing I have ever seen,” “genuinely creepy but fascinating,” “like walking through someone’s fever dream,” and “completely unlike any carnival or festival I have experienced.”

The darkness — literal darkness, because Nadur’s narrow lanes are only partially lit, and the crowds carry lanterns and phone torches — contributes to the effect. The sounds (Maltese music mixed with shouts and laughter and the occasional deep bass from a car speaker) combine with the visual chaos of masked figures and flickering lights to create something that is difficult to describe accurately to someone who has not experienced it.

It is safe. This is important to establish: the Nadur Carnival, despite its unsettling aesthetic, is not dangerous. It is a family event in the Gozitan sense — the village’s children are present, the elderly are watching from chairs outside their houses, the bar is open and doing good business. The strangeness is performative.

It is entirely free. There is no entrance charge, no official programme, no commercial aspect beyond the local bars and restaurants doing good business.

Getting to Nadur for the carnival

From Mġarr port in Gozo (where the ferry from Cirkewwa arrives):

• Bus to Nadur: approximately 20 minutes on the Gozo bus network
• Taxi or Bolt from Mġarr: approximately 15 minutes

From Victoria (Gozo capital):

• Bus to Nadur: approximately 15 minutes
• Taxi: approximately 10 minutes

The Saturday night is the main event. Arrive in Nadur after sunset (around 7–8 pm) and the village is already in full swing. The peak atmosphere is usually 9 pm–midnight. Stay as late as you like; the carnival gradually winds down towards 1–2 am.

Stay in Gozo for the carnival weekend. If you want to do both Valletta (Saturday afternoon parade) and Nadur (Saturday night), it is logistically demanding but possible: take the afternoon parade in Valletta, cross to Gozo on the afternoon ferry, arrive in Nadur for the evening. However, staying in Gozo for the full weekend is more relaxed and gives you Nadur on both Friday and Saturday nights if you want the full experience.

---

Valletta vs Nadur: which one to choose?

Factor	Valletta Carnival	Nadur Carnival
Character	Festive, organised, family-friendly	Dark, spontaneous, strange
Uniqueness	Seen versions of this in Italy, Brazil	Genuinely unlike anything else in Europe
Best for	Families, first-time visitors, day event	Adventurous travellers, photographers, night owls
Time of day	Afternoon–evening parades	After dark, evening–midnight
Logistics	Easy (Valletta base)	Requires Gozo trip
Instagram moment	Colourful floats	Grotesque masks in lamplight

The best answer is both. Staying in Gozo for the full weekend allows you to take the Cirkewwa ferry to Valletta for Saturday afternoon’s main parade, then return to Gozo for Saturday evening in Nadur. Total combined experience is unlike any other Mediterranean carnival.

---

Carnival in Malta vs other Mediterranean carnivals

For context:

• Venice Carnival: Elaborate, beautiful, very expensive, tourist-dominated
• Nice Carnival: Large-scale French event, flower parade and float processions
• Valletta Carnival: Smaller than Nice and Venice, but with genuine local community involvement and political edge
• Nadur Carnival: Completely different category — closer in spirit to some of the strange Balkan mask traditions (like Bulgaria’s Kukeri) than to Italian carnival

---

Frequently asked questions about Malta Carnival

When is the Malta Carnival in 2026?

Approximately 10–13 February 2026. The exact dates depend on the movable date of Ash Wednesday. The main public parade events are on the Saturday and Sunday of that weekend. Confirm at visitMalta.com.

Is the Malta Carnival free?

Yes. All carnival events in Valletta and Nadur are free to attend. There are no entrance tickets. Restaurants and hotels cost money; the parade and street events do not.

How do I get to the Nadur Carnival from Valletta?

Take the Cirkewwa–Mġarr ferry to Gozo (foot passengers; 25-minute crossing), then bus or taxi to Nadur (15–20 minutes). Total journey: approximately 1.5–2 hours from Valletta centre including waiting times.

Is the Nadur Carnival suitable for children?

The Nadur Carnival is unsettling by design — grotesque masks, dark themes. Many Gozitan families bring their children, who are used to the tradition. Visitors with young children should be aware that the aesthetic is very different from a conventional carnival and prepare children accordingly.

Can I dress up for the Malta Carnival?

Yes. Wearing a costume is welcomed and common, particularly for the Valletta parade. Simple masks or themed costumes work well; elaborate costumes are also common. For Nadur, a costume is optional but adds to the experience. Grotesque or dark themes fit Nadur’s aesthetic; colourful costumes fit Valletta’s.

Where should I stay for the Malta Carnival?

For Valletta Carnival: a Valletta boutique hotel or a Sliema hotel (10 minutes by ferry from Valletta). For a combined Valletta + Nadur experience: a Gozo guesthouse or farmhouse for the weekend.

Last reviewed: 2026-04-20