Five Reasons to Make Malta Your Home in Early Retirement

Since we retired early and started traveling full time in 2019, we’ve had so many memorable experiences. We’ve hiked across the Turquoise Coast in Turkey. We’ve watched the sun rise over the Acropolis in Athens. We’ve enjoyed the cafe culture on the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia.

All these experiences have been incredible and we’re looking forward to at least a few more years of full-time travel. We’ve got a long list of countries we want to visit. 

But what happens after that? We know a time will come when we’ll want to feel more settled. Also, full-time travel is not an easy lifestyle. Even though we love exploring new cultures and landscapes and trying new foods, there’s a lot going on in the background just to ensure that we have a new destination and a new home every month. 

We’re constantly planning logistics to get in and out of countries. We have to find an Airbnb we can be happy and comfortable in for a whole month. And when that month is up, all of our worldly possessions need to be crammed into two suitcases. 

With that in mind, whenever we go to a new destination, we’re always evaluating its potential as a home base. Our long-term plan for early retirement is that we still travel and explore the world but we also have a place to call home for most of the year. So every time we arrive somewhere new, we ask ourselves: Could this be a good home for us?

We’ve been in Malta for over a month. It’s a pretty small country so by now we’ve traveled all over. We’ve sampled the local food. We’ve hiked the coasts. And we’ve visited more than a few historic sights. So, is this a place we could call home?

We’ve come up with five reasons why Malta is a great place to settle long term. We’re going to talk about the beautiful landscapes, the climate, and the gorgeous architecture. But despite all the reasons to make Malta a home, there are also a few drawbacks and we’ll include those as well. 

Year-round sunshine

The number one reason why Malta is a great place to call home: year-round sunshine. It’s actually one of the sunniest places in Europe, which makes sense because it’s in the middle of the Mediterranean, just below Italy.

Since we retired early, we’ve discovered just how important the weather is. While we were working, we spent the vast majority of the day cooped up in an office. Now that we’re retired, we spend a lot of time outside discovering new cities and hiking the nearest mountain. So if it’s cold and rainy, that can really put a damper on our activities.  

Not only is Malta sunny, it’s also warm. We’re here in the dead of winter — January — and the temperature is usually around 16 C or 60 F with a bit of rain and the occasional cloud cover. Not exactly tropical weather but certainly warmer than most of Europe. One day we were out for a hike on a cliff. It was a beautiful day but when the wind gusted up we said, wow it must be chilly up here in the winter. And then we remembered it was winter and this is as cold as it gets.

Natural beauty 

The next reason why Malta could make a great base is all the natural beauty. Malta is an island so it offers miles of beautiful coastline to explore. And because it’s a small island, you’re never too far from a great hiking trail. You can get just about anywhere in less than an hour-long bus ride or even faster by car. 

The nearby island of Gozo is even more rugged and natural, and it’s fairly easy to get to from Malta. We rented a car and popped over there for the day by taking the ferry. And even right in the centre of the city there’s plenty of natural beauty. We have a daily walk with our dogs on the beautiful beach of Sliema that’s just a few steps from our Airbnb. 

In the warmer season, which is most of the year, Malta has countless little coves and beaches to discover. It’s easy to spend the day enjoying the sun and a dip in the sea. 

Architecture

Next up is the architecture. Malta has a long and rich history and you can see it everywhere. Malta has been ruled by various foreign powers and each one left its mark on the country. It’s been ruled by the Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Knights of St John, France and, most recently, Britain. 

We spent many hours getting lost in the historic city of Valletta, which is quite a bustling and vibrant place that has been beautifully preserved. We also explored Mdina, the one-time capital of Malta, that feels like a town frozen in the 16th century. 

The rest of the country is dotted with charming villages and lovely churches. The distinctive architectural feature of the Maltese balcony is everywhere. And almost all the buildings are built of limestone which gives all the towns and villages the same golden colour.  

Lifestyle

Malta also offers a very appealing lifestyle. There’s a strong cafe culture where locals are out enjoying their afternoon coffees. The main cities are very pedestrian friendly. There’s a beautiful waterfront walk that goes on for kilometres in both directions. There are lots of entertainment options: restaurants with great views of the Mediterranean, cathedrals, museums, ancient ruins.

Because it’s an island there is also ample opportunity for watersports. While the weather has been a little chilly while we’ve been here, we did see some brave souls having a swim. Of course, Malta is famous for its great dive sights, and in general there are all sorts of opportunities to be out enjoying the sea. 

Local integration

The fifth reason we loved Malta is the opportunity for local integration. The first language of Malta is Malti but English widely spoken thanks to over 150 years as a part of the British Empire. With so many English speakers, it’s really easy to navigate the basics like grocery shopping, getting a cab or ordering in a restaurant. In fact, signs and menus are mostly all in English. 

This makes things like shopping for groceries a very different experience than in a place like Ukraine for example, where the language doesn’t even use the roman alphabet. All this means that it’s easier to make friends and build community during a longer stay. Language isn’t a barrier.

Those are a lot of great reasons to choose Malta as a home when you retire early. But there are also a few considerations to keep in mind. 

Reality Check

Malta is ultimately a very small country. It’s just three islands with a total population of less than half a million. Because it’s small, there are only so many places to discover. And because it’s an island, it’s an effort to go anywhere else. There are direct flights to cities in Europe but, after that, you’re looking at a lot of connections if you want to go further.

The main island of Malta is also very developed. As Canadians, we’re used to having vast expanses of wild nature to explore. Here in Malta, you take twenty steps and you’re in the next village.

Malta is also very expensive relative to other places you might consider for early retirement, like Thailand or Turkey. Looking in Numbeo, which is the website we use to compare the cost of living in different destinations, Malta is on par with other high cost countries in Europe or North America.

Certainly we’re paying one of the highest Airbnb rates here versus all the other places we’ve stayed in the past year. That said, if you were staying long term, the cost for accommodations would most likely be less.

Of course, the cost of living in Mata, the size, the ease of getting in and out…these aren’t necessarily show stoppers. It really depends on your personal taste and what you’re looking for in a home base. 

We loved our cliff hikes, the little historic villages, and views of the Mediterranean in just about every direction. It’s been so great to start each morning with a walk on the beach with the dogs. Of course, the cost of accommodations might make us think twice about setting up a home base here. Let’s just say Malta is on our consideration list for now.