This event finished on September 21, 2026. The dates below are last year’s.
Independence Day falls on Monday 21 September 2026. It is a public holiday and almost everything closes.
It marks independence from Britain in 1964. It is one of five national days Malta keeps.
What happens on the day
There is a wreath-laying ceremony at the Independence Monument in Floriana, with the President and the armed forces.
Concerts and community events run in Floriana and Valletta through the day, and there are fireworks in the evening.
The programme of times is published shortly before the day and is free to attend.
What is closed
Banks, government offices, schools and most shops are shut. Supermarkets in the tourist areas usually open.
Buses run a Sunday timetable, which is thinner and stops earlier.
Pharmacies work a rota, with a set of them open across both islands. The list is on our duty pharmacy page.
The full list of dates is on public holidays in Malta.