Areas of Malta

Where to live depends on your work, your budget and how you like to spend your evenings. Here is what each area is like, and which homes are free there now.

• St. Julian'sNext to Sliema, around Spinola Bay and St. George's Bay, with a small sandy beach. Full of restaurants, hotels and offices. Paceville, the island's nightlife district, is here too, so streets near it can be noisy late at night.4 homes
• VallettaMalta's small capital, a UNESCO World Heritage city of limestone streets, churches and Baroque buildings. Many homes are in historic townhouses. Quiet in the evenings, with government offices, cafés and the ferry to Sliema.Ask about homes here
• SliemaMalta's best-known seafront town. A long promenade runs along the sea, with cafés, shops and swimming spots on the rocks, and a ferry crosses to Valletta in about ten minutes. Lively and central, popular with expats; rents are among the highest on the island.4 homes
• GżiraOn the harbour between Sliema and Msida, facing Manoel Island and the Valletta skyline. A seafront promenade, local shops and good bus connections. Close to Sliema, usually at lower rents.2 homes
• Ta' XbiexA small, leafy waterfront spot between Gżira and Msida, known for its yacht marina, embassies and elegant villas. Quiet streets and a seafront promenade, with Sliema and Valletta a short bus ride away.Ask about homes here
• SwieqiA quieter, residential area on the hill above St. Julian's. Mostly apartments and maisonettes on calmer streets, within walking distance of St. Julian's restaurants and the sea. Often more space for the rent than on the seafront.2 homes
• MsidaBuilt around a yacht marina, with the University of Malta and Mater Dei Hospital nearby, which makes it popular with students and hospital staff. Practical and well connected by bus.2 homes
• BirkirkaraMalta's largest town, right in the centre of the island. Busy streets full of shops and services, the Basilica of St Helen and the old Wignacourt Aqueduct. Buses run often to Valletta, Sliema and the university, and rents are usually lower than on the seafront.1 home
• GħargħurA small hilltop village above the Victoria Lines, with narrow old streets and the Church of St Bartholomew. Quiet, green and village-like, yet only a short drive from St. Julian's and Swieqi.1 home
• ĦamrunA busy, central town just outside Valletta, built along the long St Joseph High Street with its shops, cafés and pastizzi bakeries. Buses to Valletta and across the island are frequent, and rents are among the more affordable this close to the capital.1 home
• KapparaA small residential area between San Ġwann, Gżira and St. Julian's, mostly apartments on quiet streets. Close to the university, Mater Dei Hospital and the offices along the Regional Road, with Sliema a short bus ride away.2 homes
• MellieħaA hilltop village in the north, above Mellieħa Bay, Malta's largest sandy beach. Calmer than the centre, with sea and countryside views and the Red Tower on the ridge. The ferries to Gozo and Comino leave nearby, from Ċirkewwa.1 home
• MostaA large town in the middle of the island, known for the Rotunda, one of the largest church domes in Europe. Residential and practical, with shops, schools and walks along the Victoria Lines. Good roads lead both north and to Valletta.1 home
• QawraA seaside area next to Buġibba in St. Paul's Bay, with a long promenade, Qawra Tower on the point, hotels, restaurants and swimming spots on the rocks. Lively in summer, calmer in winter, and often more space for the rent than in Sliema.2 homes
• San ĠwannA residential town between Birkirkara and St. Julian's, mostly modern apartments and maisonettes. Close to the university, Mater Dei Hospital and the offices of St. Julian's, with supermarkets and shops nearby. Usually more affordable than the seafront.1 home
• Ta' l-IbraġA quiet residential area on the hill in Swieqi, with villas, maisonettes and apartments on calm streets. The restaurants of St. Julian's and St George's Bay are a short drive or bus ride away. A good fit for families who want calm close to the centre.2 homes

Photos: St. Julian's – Diego Delso / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Valletta – Diego Delso / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Sliema – Diego Delso / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Gżira – Nenea hartia / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ta' Xbiex – Txllxt TxllxT / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Swieqi – Continentaleurope / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Msida – Txllxt TxllxT / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Birkirkara – Frank Vincentz / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Għargħur – Frank Vincentz / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Ħamrun – Alan C. Bonnici / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Kappara – Continentaleurope / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Mellieħa – Kurjuz / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Mosta – Frank Vincentz / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Qawra – Continentaleurope / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · San Ġwann – Continentaleurope / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Ta' l-Ibraġ – Alan C. Bonnici / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0