Malta has a real winter-let market. It is one of the better value propositions in the Mediterranean. From about November to March, properties that let by the night in summer let by the month instead. Rates are much lower, because the alternative is standing empty.
Comparing across the booking sites is worth the two minutes it takes.
How a winter let works
The winter let
Properties that let by the night in summer let by the month through winter. Rates are much lower, because the alternative is standing empty. Landlords want the whole block rather than six weeks of it.
Furnished is normal and utilities are usually extra. Ask what the electricity costs before you agree anything.
Choosing the area
Try Sliema, Gżira and St Julian’s for convenience and a walkable winter. Buġibba and the south are the cheaper options. Gozo if you have a car and want it quiet.
Winter empties the resort towns almost completely. Buġibba in January is cheap for a reason, and some people find it bleak.
Areas compared
Heating and damp
Maltese buildings are built to shed summer heat. Stone walls, no insulation and high humidity make an unheated flat feel far colder in January than the thermometer suggests.
Check what heating exists, and who pays to run it. This is the single most common complaint from people wintering here for the first time.
What utilities cost
How it works
- The season
- Winter lets typically run October or November to March or April, and landlords want the whole block rather than six weeks of it.
- What is included
- Usually furnished with utilities extra. Ask specifically about heating: Maltese buildings are built to shed summer heat and are cold and damp in January.
- Where to look
- Try Sliema, Gżira and St Julian’s for convenience; Buġibba and the south for price; Gozo if you have a car and want quiet.
- Deposits
- Expect one month held as deposit and agency fees where an agent is involved.
- Longer than six months
- At that point you are on a normal rental rather than a winter let, and the rules and paperwork differ. See renting in Malta.
This is the single most common complaint from people wintering here for the first time. Stone walls, no insulation and high humidity make an unheated Maltese flat feel far colder than the temperature suggests. Check what heating exists and who pays for the electricity to run it.
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