Carnival is a fun-filled festival held in the week leading up to Lent. Many people have heard of the wild celebrations that take place in Venice and Brazil, but I was very surprised to hear that Malta is another country known for holding these crazy festivities. During the five days of Carnival, local Maltese and visitors alike flock to Gozo, Malta's sister island, to party late into the night, see the colorful costumes and face paint, and watch the creative floats pass through the packed streets of Nadur.
Many locals either rent farmhouses in Gozo or make the journey out to the island on the same day as the parade. My friends and I chose to take the latter option and decided to brave the long commute—an hour-long bus ride followed by a 30min. ferry—all in the name of Carnival weekend. When we got on the ferry, the scene of people dressed in costumes, masks, and face paint reminded me of Halloween night—although a little more risqué. The majority of men dressed as women, and most of these outfits were quite scandalous and kept me laughing all night. This easily is one of Malta's biggest party weekends. People set up their own bars on the side of the street, vendors sold local foods, and all of the bars and storefronts offered drinks for €2. Best of all, a wide array of hilarious floats drifted down the street. My favorite was an Air Malta float with men who dressed as flight attendants and drank from the plane's wings.
This party is a marathon, not a sprint, and it only became more popular and more crowded as the night progressed. At one point it was impossible to move from the spot I was in. For an idea of how little elbow space I had until the party ended at around 5am, take a look at the picture below.
This was one of the most fun nights I have had in Malta. If you plan to visit Malta during this time of year, I fully encourage you to make the journey to Gozo and experience one of the craziest street parties of your life. If you would prefer a more relaxed option, there are calmer, more family-oriented parades and celebrations in Valletta. This was a fun night full of surprises and partying into the wee hours of the morning, one that I won't soon forget.