It was the setting for blockbuster films Troy and Gladiator and it’s a popular place for holiday-home buyers and retirees. So if Mediterranean island life sounds good to you, how about giving Malta a try?

The island of Malta, which is located about 60 miles south of Sicily, is part of an archipelago of islands in the Mediterranean Sea; the others are Comino, Gozo (where Sean Connery and Billy Connolly own holiday homes) and two small, uninhabited islands.

Malta’s a relatively small island, measuring a mere 17 miles by nine miles, and the population stands at about 400,000.

Its location in the Mediterranean means that Malta is blessed with fantastic weather and its island situation brings heaps of benefits for anyone who loves beach and sea living – it’s perfect for boating, yachting, diving, swimming or simply relaxing and enjoying sea views.

The island offers a lively cultural experience, is rich in history, and has a good standard of living and a low crime rate.

Malta has become a popular destination for tourists, with over one million people visiting the island each year, so there are definite opportunities for anyone considering purchasing a buy-to-let holiday home on the island.

Tourism has been helped along further in recent years by the introduction of low-cost flights to the island, making travelling there less expensive from the UK than it used to be.

Since 2004, the island has been a member of the European Union and it finally adopted the Euro as its currency in 2008.

Property buyers here get a number of perks, aside from the gorgeous weather, including reasonably priced property and a good residency scheme tax benefit. Under this scheme, if you live permanently in Malta for three years, you then gain from reduced tax on income and no inheritance or capital gains tax.

Foreign buyers are happily welcomed by the Maltese, but there are certain rural non-designated areas where non-residents aren’t allowed to buy more than one property. This is a good idea, as it means people can’t buy up lots of properties in one village leaving hardly anything for the locals. New developments are limited too, which is aimed at helping to prevent Malta from becoming too built up.

Maltese is the primary language here, but English is widely spoken too, helped along by the presence of British expats. You’d certainly get by speaking in English – but you’d win some extra Brownie points by having a go at Maltese!

Homes for sale in Malta

Here’s a taster of homes for sale in Malta:

A five-bedroom farmhouse in Lija is priced at £882,665.

A traditional four-bedroom villa in the quiet village of Mosta is for sale for £578,124.

A luxury three-bedroom apartment in Mellieha is priced at £445,860.

Search for properties for sale in Malta.

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