With autumn and winter looming, offering the prospect of shorter days and colder weather, seeking a break abroad could be a sensible way to escape the dreariness the changing seasons bring. You needn’t travel far from Germany for a warmer climate and could look to booking a holiday in Malta. Situated close to the coast of Sicily, the archipelago of Malta and its sister islands Gozo and Comino are a favourite destination for holidaying European travelers, tempted by the pleasant year-round climate and the stunning scenery. Being geographically small, Malta is easily navigated either using the extensive bus network or by car (driving on the left).

Located at the southern boundary of Europe, it is easy to find short flights to Malta. With regular departures from Frankfurt or Munich airports and with a flying time of around 2½ hours, Malta is the ideal holiday destination, combining the familiarity of European traditions with the warmth and sunshine of the Mediterranean.

As a devoutly Catholic country, Malta enjoys a variety of vibrant events which have become characteristic of the island’s heritage. Malta’s Festas are a sight to behold while the numerous carnivals and feast days are celebrated in the streets, bringing the normal pace of life to a standstill while locals engage in a rapturous celebration of their religious devotion.

Malta Carnival (February) features extravagantly colored floats that form a remarkable procession surrounded by children in dazzling fancy dress costumes. While most of the event takes place in the World Heritage site of Valetta, a variety of festivities are also held across the island in towns and villages, each one a small recreation of the main event with its own local influences and customs.

Feast days on Malta are reverently observed, with some designated as national holidays. While some high profile days dominate, to enjoy a genuine taste of traditional Maltese life you should aim to witness the ‘festas’ in which each village honours its own parish saint. With live music, marches, processions, feasts and firework displays, the festas are an intrinsic part of Maltese life that you cannot afford to miss.

Christmas is an ideal time to visit Malta and to experience one of the church’s most important times of the year. Malta’s Christmas celebrations are characterized by a sense of family and the community and, of course, thanksgiving. Church services are a fundamental part of the Maltese Christmas and a wide variety of opportunities are available for the traveler to experience a reverential celebration.

Malta is the perfect getaway destination in the autumn, not only to escape from the changing weather at home but to experience Maltese traditions at their finest, promising to offer a memorable experience that is unrivaled in continental Europe.