What to Pack for Malta in Summer: Complete Packing Guide
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Last updated on March 31, 2026
Not sure what to pack for your upcoming Mediterranean getaway to Malta? You’ve come to the right place! This packing guide will show you exactly what to pack for Malta in summer, with fashion and function in mind.
Packing is always tricky when you want to look cute, but also have practical clothing for the trip. Add in the goal of packing light, and it’s an even more daunting experience.
After my dreamy six-day vacation to Malta last summer, I realized what worked and didn’t. And since every inch and pound matters in your suitcase, I’m here to tell you what you should really bring on your trip.
Table of Contents
What to Pack for Malta: Packing List
Here is a quick and easy checklist to ensure you have all of the essentials for your Malta trip. I’ll go into further detail about each below if you need help deciding what brand or style to bring.
What to pack for Malta in summer
What to Pack for Malta in the Summer Heat
Summer in Malta is hot. You want to pack light, breathable clothing and layers for sun protection while you’re exploring. Think summer dresses, lightweight long sleeve button-up, shorts, skirts, and bathing suits.
Summer officially begins in June and lasts until September. Late May and early October are considered the “shoulder seasons” with summer-like temperatures, although slightly cooler. If you’re visiting in May or October, I would bring a light jacket, like a jean jacket, as the evenings can be chillier.
| Month | Avg. High | Avg. Low | Avg. Rain (in.) |
| May | 73°F (22.7°C) | 61°F (16.1°C) | 0.5″ (13 mm) |
| June | 81°F (27.2°C) | 68°F (20°C) | 0.2″ (5 mm) |
| July | 86°F (30°C) | 72°F (22.2°C) | 0.1″ (2.5 mm) |
| August | 86°F (30°C) | 73°F (22.7°C) | 0.2″ (5 mm) |
| September | 81°F (27.2°C) | 70°F (21.1°C) | 1.4″ (35 mm) |
You should pretty much always have a bathing suit on you because you never know when you’ll want to go for a dip!
➡ Read Next: Where to Stay in Malta: Best Areas & Hotels for All Travelers ⬅
Luggage
We are team carry-on even for big international trips. After dealing with lost luggage on a trip to Spain, and seeing the expensive checked-bag fees with most airlines today, it’s cheaper and easier to travel with a carry-on.
Not to mention, Malta’s streets and sidewalks aren’t fantastic. They are extremely uneven, narrow, and often just disappear as you’re walking.
If you’re trying to get around the city to get to the bus station or hotel, you want something that you can easily lift or hand carry. Our recommended carry-on suitcases are the Level8 Voyageur or Freeloop carry-on.
I also like to use compression cubes to organize and shrink my clothing footprint. I can fit way more in my suitcase, and it keeps my clothing organized. If you’re on the fence about whether they are worth it or not, I promise it makes a huge difference!
The compression packing cubes from Tripped have been a really good quality and lasted 7+ trips for us.
Buying vs Renting Clothes for a Malta Vacation
As a Floridian, most of my wardrobe is made for hot weather like summer in Malta. However, if you want to refresh your warm-weather fits before your Malta trip, one option is Nuuly.
Nuuly is an online rental company that allows you to rent six items for 30 days. They have tens of thousands of luxury and modern brands to rent from.
If you love the piece, you can buy it at a discounted rate. But the membership is pausable, making it great for trips like this, and costs just $70 for your first month when you use this link to get $30 off your first rental!
Some items you can rent from nuuly
Buying clothes for Malta
If you want to buy new clothes for your trip to Malta, please shop responsibly and invest in quality over fast fashion.
Fast fashion is one of the largest contributors to global carbon emissions and creates a ridiculous amount of waste. Roughly 85% of all textiles from fast fashion are sent to the dump annually.
Avoid big-box companies like Zara, Shein, H&M, and pretty much most retailers on Amazon. Instead, seek out brands that are transparent about their social and environmental impact.
Prioritize clothing made from natural fibers—like wool, organic cotton, or silk over synthetic blends, which shed microfibers into our environment.
We love sustainable-minded brands like Quince, Pact Apparel, Reformation, or Unbound Merino. However, if they are currently out of your budget, consider shopping secondhand. Online platforms like ThredUp or your local thrift store offer affordable options and significantly reduce the environmental footprint of each garment, even if the item isn’t from a perfect brand or fabric.
Shop this look
TOP: Reformation tank top
Skirt: thrifted, but shop similar here
Glasses: Thrifted, But shop similar here
Now that we covered responsible shopping for your trip, let’s dive into what to pack for Malta in summer.
Sun Protection
Sun protection is absolutely critical for a summer trip to Malta. The sun here is intense and you will get burnt if you don’t protect yourself.
I definitely recommend having a good mineral sunscreen with you. I applied sunscreen every day, beach or not, specifically on my face, chest, and shoulders.
I love ATTITUDE’s sunscreen because it’s thin (great for packing) and not a liquid, so there are no issues even with a carry-on. Plus, it’s EWG approved and uses zero plastic in its packaging.
The one item I didn’t pack was a hat, and I regretted it! Have a hat or buff to protect your neck and face while you’re exploring, and sunglasses.
When it comes to cover-up, you can go with a standard beach cover-up or use my new favorite travel top from Unbound Merino. This button-down is super lightweight and made from Merino wool, so it doesn’t smell even after sweating through it on a hot summer day. It was a lifesaver on this trip!
Tops for Malta
The tops you bring to your Malta vacation will depend on the bottoms you bring. Always make sure the tops can mix and match with each bottom. You don’t want exclusive outfits that only work one way.
I love the tops below because they are versatile, lightweight, and made from quality materials. But feel free to bring tops you already have that fit the style you want.
Dresses for Malta
I love wearing dresses, especially in hot weather. Not only are they great for air flow, but they are an all-in-one outfit. My favorite dress from the trip was a black midi dress that I could pair with other tops, doubling as a skirt.
Whatever you pack, make sure it can withstand sweat. I love a great silk dress, and a bold color to pop on the yellow honeycomb colors of Malta’s buildings, but it shows signs of sweat pretty quickly.
Lots of light colors and natural materials like wool, linen, or organic cotton should hold up well. Below are a few dress ideas if you’re wondering what to pack for Malta in summer.
Bottoms for Malta
I suggest bringing one pair of shorts, one pair of linen pants, and one skirt for the trip. You could squeeze in an extra skirt if you’re going to be in Malta for closer to a week, but for a four to five-day trip in Malta, three bottoms are more than enough!
I loved having a denim skirt to pair with my tops, and I used my black dress as a skirt alternative.
Shockingly, I didn’t bring any shorts on my trip! But with five days in Malta, it wasn’t really necessary. Below are a few bottom ideas for what to pack for Malta.
Shoes for Malta
I recommend having one pair of comfortable sneakers for walking long distances or exploring some of the more rugged areas like Gozo or Hagar Qim, and then having one or two pairs of sandals you can wear to the beach, out to dinner, or for water activities.
Ideally, the sneakers will be comfortable and can handle long distances of walking or standing. I love my Weekend sneakers from Vessi. They are waterproof and can handle the seven-plus miles of walking easily.
For sandals, I recommend having one “cute” pair that you can pair with a dress for a dinner out that still feels somewhat fancy, but is comfortable for walking. I love the leather platform sandals from Quince. They come in black, white, and a brownish tan.
Also, bring a more rugged waterproof pair that you can wear in the water or outdoor activities.
Malta shoe selection tips:
Dennis and I both wear and love our Earth Runners sandals. They are grounding, which is great while traveling and can help combat jet lag. Plus, they are comfortable, slip-resistant, and can easily go in the water.
If you prefer, you can get Tevas or Chacos as your active shoe, but I’ve found these to be more slippery than my Earth Runners.
➡ Read Next: What to Do in Malta: 15 Can’t-Miss Things to See and Do ⬅
What to Pack: Miscellaneous Items + Accessories
Aside from your core clothing, you’ll want to bring one small crossbody purse with a zipper to keep your must-have items on you, like your wallet, phone, makeup, etc. If you’re staying in Malta for a while and want to rewear outfits, pack laundry sheets so you can do laundry on the trip.
Of course, don’t forget your bathing suit! I only brought one suit with me, and it managed to dry each day before going swimming again, but if you want variety bring a two piece suit and a one piece.
Don’t forget nighttime and personal essentials, like underwear, pajamas (we recommend no more than two), socks, earrings, toiletries, lotion, any medicines, and make-up. I don’t travel anywhere without earplugs and an eye mask.
You’ll need a European adapter if you want to charge any of your devices while in Europe. We use this one, which is universal and works in virtually every country!
If you found this packing guide helpful, please let me know in the comments below. Hopefully, it’s given you a great idea of what to pack for Malta in summer and helped you understand your options when it comes to picking cute and cool clothing.
