Renting a Townhouse in Malta

Maybe you'll be on this Mediterranean island for only a couple of weeks. Or maybe you're thinking of living here for several months to find out if Malta is a place you want to retire to. What kind of living arrangement should you make?

If you want to experience some authentic Maltese living, renting a Maltese townhouse-not an apartment or staying in a hotel--may be the perfect thing. But there are a couple of facts you should know before you put down a deposit.

What is a MalteseTownhouse?

The typical Maltese townhouse-which can be old or refurbished-is known for keeping its inhabitants cool in the summer because of its thick limestone walls and tiled floors. If you're lucky, you may find a townhouse with the original multi-colored Maltese tiles from over a hundred years ago.

If you're like me and you like places with character-archways, beams holding up very high ceilings and a flat rooftop--you will love living in a Maltese townhouse. You can generally expect a large entrance hall, living room, big eat-in kitchen (Maltese families often entertain family and friends at the kitchen table) and perhaps a dining room on the ground floor.

The best part is the enclosed or walled yard or garden in the back of the house. Hopefully, you'll have a small bathroom on the first floor. Our townhouse had a tiny toilet and sink through a small brown door off the kitchen, but it was enough for us.

Upstairs you'll find the bedrooms with at least one bathroom, often two. The master bedroom is usually huge, complete with a large wardrobe (freestanding closet). There may be one or two smaller bedrooms on the first floor (which is actually the second floor in the US).

Then up another flight of stairs, you've got the roof-a place where you can sit in the sun and hang your laundry under the blue Mediterranean sky.

The townhouse usually comes with a separate room for storage and a washing machine (but not drier).

Renter Beware

Here are some of the things you should know before you rent:

1. The townhouses vary greatly in how well they're maintained. See the place before you rent it. For a short-term rent, it probably doesn't matter as much. But if you're planning to rent for a long time (called a long let here in Malta), make sure the toilets flush OK, there's enough water pressure in the shower or tub and the air conditioners/heaters work.

2. Most townhouses (and apartments in Malta and the rest of Europe come furnished. Make sure you like the furniture because that's what you'll be using for your time in Malta.

3. Rent for a townhouse can vary from 500 to 800 Euros per month, depending on the condition and location of the place. If you rent in Sliema or St. Julian's-the main touristy locations in Malta where all the action is, you'll be paying more than if you rent in a village further out on the island.

4. If you want to use the roof, make sure it really is usable. In the summer, the roof will bake and so will you, unless there's a table with a large umbrella over it or a roof awning for shade.

5. If you're here in the winter, you must make sure that there are gas heaters available and learn how to use them. Malta does not have central heating. And believe it or not, it is very cold in the house during the winter. I had heard this and didn't believe it until I spent my first winter here. It's actually colder inside than outside from December through the end of February.

Take the proper precautions, and living in a Maltese townhouse will really give you the flavor of living on the island like the "natives" do.

Ilene Springer is currently renting a townhouse in Sliema, Mata, and is author of An-American-in-Malta.com.