4 Reasons we are making Malta our new home.
— NADUR, GOZO, MALTA — Travel Journalists, photographers, and hotel scouts, Mary Charlebois and Kevin Scanlon will spend one year in the Mediterranean archipelago of Malta.
I’m thrilled to announce that my partner Kevin and I have signed a one-year lease for an ocean-view apartment in Nadur, Gozo, Malta. We begin our one-year try-out in January 2023. Malta looks like the place we would like to retire. One year living like a local should show us if the country is right for us and if we are right for Malta.
After “Where is Malta?” the most common question is, “Why Malta?” In a story TravelAwaits published, The One Thing We Are Trying Before We Retire Abroad, I write in detail about our reasoning. Here are the four main reasons we want to retire in the EU Mediterranean —
1 – Cost of Living
Living on the small island of Gozo, Malta will allow us to live on our Social Security and have a better lifestyle costing 50% (or less) of our life in Northern California.
2 – Location, Location, Location
Malta is 50 miles south of Italy, 176 miles east of Tunisia, and 207 miles north of Libya. Further away, but still close, are Greece, Turkey, Syria, Israel, Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, Spain, France, and many more. This tiny island nation in the center of the Mediterranean and the crossroads of history is surrounded by Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. All are a ferry ride or a short flight away.
Malta is an ideal location for travel journalists, Kevin and me. We are planning our first adventure to Sicily, just 60 miles away. First, we’ll take a ferry to Sicily, then ride the train the circumference of the island, hopping off from time to time to explore a village or maybe a wine-producing estate.
3 – Mediterranean Climate
Three thousand hours of sunshine a year – no snow or ice. Rarely above 85 F or below 50 F.
4 – Language
English and Maltese are official co-languages.
There is so much to learn about Malta; its history is one of the oldest on Earth. The food is sublime, and the people are beautiful, warm, and welcoming.
Stay tuned for the occasional update, and look for our stories on TravelAwaits and GoNOMAD.
Our regards, Mary & Kevin
Best wishes on your move to Malta. I was only there for a day a number of years ago and fell in love with it., too. Can’t wait to hear your stories.
Thank you, Karen. Like you, I fell in love with Malta instantly when I first visited in 2019. You should return and visit Gozo, my new home.
We love to walk. Is there a good map of Gozo to help you find places to wander?
Diane, I suggest this site for some excellent walking paths of Gozo. – https://www.visitgozo.com/blog/5-walking-routes-that-you-can-trek-hike-in-gozo-this-spring/. If you go to the Visitor Center at the Citadel in Victoria, you can get booklets of each trail with text and photos. Best part – they are free! Have fun, it’s a beautiful island and a great time to be out walking. ~Mary