Malta Villas

Malta villas date to well before the advent of the tourism industry. The Golden Age of Malta history dates to the medieval era of the Knights of Malta (also known as the Knights Hospitaller), who ruled supreme here from 1530 until 1789, when they and many other similar feudal orders were abolished by the King of France.

The Knights built magnificent cathedrals and opulent palaces. When they discovered the rewards of seaside vacations to escape the summer heat in their capital city of Valletta, they began building summer mansions and cottages in places like Sliema. They also escaped the city to summer residences in the countryside near towns like Mdina and Marsaxlokk. In 1798, Admiral Lord Nelson sailed into Valletta’s Grand Harbour to help the Maltese oust the French, and Malta became a British colony from 1802 to 1974. It was under British rule that villa holidays in Malta became popular with the English ex patriot community. After independence in 1974, the British continued to visit the islands and Malta villa rentals provided their accommodation of choice.

Some of the Malta villas are historic properties, palaces actually, that date back to the early days of the Maltese aristocracy. Some have been turned into boutique luxury hotels and some are used as venues for weddings and other special occasions. But most Malta villa rentals are more modern, and they run the gamut from luxurious mansions with swimming pools to modest cottages and rustic farmhouses that make villa holidays in Malta affordable for most visitors.

You will find Malta villas all over both Malta Island and Gozo Island. There are none on Comino Island, which has only one hotel and a permanent population of a under a dozen people. Even that hotel offers beachside bungalows suitable for families. Most are located in seaside towns and cities, but there are also many in the countryside. Since both islands are small (one coast or another is never more than three miles away), this still makes them easily accessible to all the attractions.

There are not a large number of sandy beaches, and those that are most accessible are public beaches. But you can still find Malta beach villas in several areas. Some of the more remote will be found on the west coast of Malta Island just south of Gnedjna Bay. Around the most popular beach resorts, you’ll find a number of townhouses and apartments available as vacation rentals. Many of these call themselves beach “villas,” but look carefully at the description if you have your heart set on a real villa that is really set on a beach.

Since villa holidays in Malta have been so popular in England since the nineteenth century, you’ll find many companies there offering vacation packages that include Malta villa rentals as part of the package. But this kind of vacation has become increasingly widespread in the United States as well, and most travel agencies can assist you with one. Packages like this normally include other features, most especially flights. Even though Malta villas offer the advantages of fully equipped kitchens, you really need to have a rental car for transportation with most of them. However, the public bus system is quite extensive, and you can get around quite well using only that.