My earliest memory of summer in Malta is defined by an array of colours and bright lights which travel across the night sky. Every night, we would watch as fireworks from nearby villages shot up above us in celebration of the traditional village feast, or festa, as it is known to the locals.
Each village has its own festa, sometimes even two or three, and although the festa is held on one day, usually a Sunday, celebrations last a whole week! This is not something unheard of in the Mediterranean. Like similar feasts being celebrated in Italy and Spain, the Maltese festa goes back to Catholic roots where each village celebrates in honour of its patron saint.
So what is a typical Maltese village festa like? The village churches are adorned with flowers, whilst the streets are decorated with statues and lights. Food stalls line the roads selling anything from children’s toys to typical Maltese food such as qubbajt, a hard candy made from honey, sugar and nuts. Besides the fireworks which fill the sky, music from the local marching band can be heard throughout the village and locals fill the streets drinking and celebrating.
The Maltese festa is the biggest event of the year for most locals, who are passionate and proud of their village feast and compete to carry the statue of the patron saint from the church and into the village.
Not sure which festa to go to? Our
hostels are located in central locations with easy access to buses to all Maltese villages and their feasts. This means that whenever you visit during the summer months, you will be able to easily reach one of Malta’s village feasts.
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