Finding your holiday home on island Malta

A second property on an island in the Med sounds pretty exotic. If the island happens to be Malta, then you are bound to find yourself wooed by full Mediterranean tradition, culture and a bevy of quaintly typical island characteristics that should give your life that extra dash of vibrant colour….. at least every single time you visit your new holiday property in Malta.

The Islands offer a fantastic range of noteworthy properties in Malta and Gozo ready to become somebody’s extra special holiday home. Island living can be pretty laid back especially when you’re enjoying a holidaying frame of mind. So if you’re tempted to scour the Maltese property market for something to fit your holiday lifestyle, what is the variety available like?

Most certainly, there is a great deal to choose from, whether you want a seafront penthouse or a country villa or a village farmhouse or a townhouse. You can opt to buy a property which oozes age and era, or go for something pretty modern and recently constructed. Then there is location – rural, town, city, seaside and they all co-exist amicably on such a tiny speck of an island. You’ll be spoilt for choice.

Prices reflect both the property’s condition as well as its age, but most prices are strongly influenced by the property’s location. It is amazing just how much prices can fluctuate even between similar residences in one or another part of town. There are classic locations such as Valletta or Mdina – both historic cities which are fully immersed in a cultural backdrop that will tantalise you and your visitors. However whilst Valletta is the new capital that comes alive every morning and excites each and every visitor she gets, Mdina is the old capital that is staid, quiet and calm, and ready to embrace you in her silence. The Three Cities are similarly steeped in history yet of a completely different outlook with pre-war and post-war buildings happily rubbing shoulders with centuries-old palazzos looking onto newly created yacht marinas.

Something more modern can be found in the Sliema/St Julian’s property market where you will be close to high street shopping, a myriad of trendy cafeterias and sandy or rocky beaches are just one step away. Do not forget the nightlife which is constantly fascinating, each and every night in Paceville close by. Alternatively you can opt to retire yourself in any one of the several country villages that are all about insular tradition and customs. Settle for a townhouse on the village square or venture somewhat further afield to purchase a farmhouse with its many typical antique farm life characteristics.

It’s small but it’s intense – that’s Malta. There is something new on every corner, something to do every day, somewhere to visit every weekend and the people are extra friendly, which does make life that much easier when you’re settling in a new country. The amazing thing is that so many foreign visitors start off by purchasing a holiday home just so they could repeat the Malta experience as often as they wanted… Many love it so much that they re-locate permanently….. You’ve been warned!

Written by: Marika Azzopardi
Marika Azzopardi is a freelance writer and journalist. A frequent contributor to national English language papers and magazines, she writes about a bevy of topics including art, people and life in general. She is also the author of children’s books and short stories, delving into adult fiction from time to time.