Where To Live In Malta

Being such a small country, there’s not a lot of diversity in the lifestyles you’d seek here… the two top choices for most are the vibrant, culture-rich capital of Valletta on Malta’s main island or the relaxed, largely agricultural, secondary island of Gozo.

Despite the fact that this is a tiny speck of a country, the type of lifestyle offered by these two destinations are dramatically different…

Valletta boasts a rich history with historical treasures on the corner of every winding cobblestoned street. But this is also a modern European capital with great shopping by day and entertainment nearby at night. If you like having everything on your doorstep, a lot to see and do, then Valletta is for you.

Gozo, the country’s second island, is rural by nature. It’s just a 25-minute crossing from Cirkewwa on the main island, but, when you step off onto the island, it feels a world away.

Home to charming small towns hidden among rolling farmland that swings between green and lush in winter through to parched in summer, this is the Mediterranean of old—a way of life long lost to most coastal regions in Southern Europe. The pace of life here is slower, it’s a quiet location. It’s easy to see why this has long been a retirement destination for Maltese seniors. These days, though, retirees from further afield are beginning to set up home here. Famed Scottish comedian and actor Billy Connolly is one of the many expats who have bought homes on Gozo.

Gozo has no shortage of its own attractions. Among the highlights is a geographical wonder called the Inland Sea, which was carved out of solid stone by the Mediterranean. Another must-see on Gozo is the Citadel, Gozo’s version of Mdina. If you like the idea of a rural lifestyle where you can get away from it all on a relatively low budget, then Gozo could well be for you.