This week in Malta (9–15 Mar): Biennale kick-off, Fort Delimara, San Sultana

This week in Malta at a glance

• Malta Biennale ’26: preview days 11–13 Mar, then opens to the public Sat 14 Mar
• Fort Delimara Open Weekend (14–15 Mar): rare access + hourly guided tours — book your slot
• Food scene update:MICHELIN Guide Malta 2026 is out — 7 starred restaurants retained, Bib Gourmand list now 5

Spotlight of the Week: Malta Biennale ’26 – opening week

Malta’s flagship contemporary art event returns across 11 Heritage Malta sites in Valletta, Birgu and Gozo — and the “opening week” energy is the best time to go if you want it to feel like a cultural moment (not a day out at a museum).

Local tip: don’t try to do all 11 sites in one go. Pick 2–3 in one area (Valletta or Birgu) and actually enjoy them.

Details: Public from Sat 14 Mar – multiple sites – Tickets: https://heritagemalta.mt/store/c453/ – Info: https://maltabiennale.art

What’s On: 3 things to do this week

1. Discover Fort Delimara – Open Weekend Tours – rare access to a normally closed Victorian fort

When: Sat 14 & Sun 15 Mar (09:00–16:00) hourly guided tours

Where: Fort Delimara, Marsaxlokk

Why go: tunnels, huge guns, WWII history — and capacity is naturally limited

Book (required): https://heritagemalta.mt/store/s88/

1. San Sultana Standup Comedy Show – big, unapologetically Maltese stand-up night

When: Fri 13 & Sat 14 Mar (20:00) + Sun 15 Mar (18:30)

Where: City Theatre, Valletta

Why go: perfect “go with friends” local crowd + tickets from €18

Tickets: https://eventworks.mt/san-sultana-show-2

1. Valletta Resounds: The Caravaggio Experience – music-theatre inside the Oratory at St John’s

When: Selected March dates (18:30), entry from 18:00

Where: Oratory of St John’s Co-Cathedral, Valletta

Why go: the setting is unreal — proper “only in Malta” culture night

Tickets: https://udjenza.com/shows/valletta-resounds/

Also happening (bonus picks):

• Javier Zanetti + Cambiasso Training Camp (12–14 Mar, Santa Venera) — info/booking: https://www.whatson.com.mt/en/events/events/23941/javier-zanetti-and-esteban-cambiasso
• Over the Moon: Film Music on Piano (Sat 14 Mar, 19:00, Valletta) — details: https://artsmalta.org/event/over-the-moon-a-piano-celebration-of-film-music/

Tip: Save or screenshot this section so you’ve got your week sorted in 10 seconds.

Book Ahead

• Singin’ in the Rain (Teatru Astra, Gozo) – limited dates + Gozo theatre runs fill quickly

When: 14, 15, 19, 20, 21 & 22 March 2026 (see times per date)

Where: Teatru Astra, Victoria

Tickets: tiered seating online

Book: https://teatruastra.org.mt/events/2026/singin-in-the-rain

Note: Saturday nights usually go first

• Festa Frawli 2026 (Mġarr Strawberry Festival) – expect crowds + the best stalls sell out early

When: Sun 12 Apr 2026

Where: Mġarr

Tickets: Free entry

Info: https://festafrawli.com/

Where to Go: The Food Coop in Ħ’Attard

Malta’s first community-owned food shop — built around fresh local produce (Maltese + Gozitan) and a “by the community, for the community” model. It opened in October and is already expanding due to demand — which tells you everything.

Details

• Location: Triq il-Pitkali, Ħ’Attard
• Find them: https://www.foodcoop.mt • https://www.facebook.com/foodcoopmalta/

Get Involved: Żibel is looking for Land / Coastal Cleaning & Sorting Volunteers

Żibel runs hands-on cleanups around Malta and Gozo — you can join for a single event and make a real dent in waste (they sort + log what’s collected too).

How to join:

• Volunteers.mt listing: https://volunteers.mt/listing/zibel-land-coastal-cleaning-and-sorter-volunteer/
• VolunteersMalta listing: https://volunteersmalta.com/listing/enivronmental-volunteer-with-zibel/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zibelofficial/

Quick Hits

• Food trend (MICHELIN 2026): less “new stars popping up”, more quality consolidating — 7 starred restaurants retained, Bib Gourmand now 5, and 48 restaurants listed overall. Not bad!
• Retail watch:H&M is coming to Malta in 2026 (via Hudson).
• Save the date:Thu 19 Mar is St Joseph (San Ġużepp) — public holiday + Rabat festa vibes. Expect road blocks and be ready to celebrate.
• Local gem: March is prime “green Malta” season — perfect for a Sunday wildflower walk before the heat and crowds.

Your Turn:

Know a great event, venue, or community project that should be here next week?

→ Hit reply and tell me in 1–2 sentences.

Question of the week:

What’s one underrated place in Malta you’d take a friend visiting for the first time?

Cheers,

Simone

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