Real estate · Malta

Real estate in Valletta: homes and areas

Malta's small walled capital: a UNESCO World Heritage city of limestone streets between two harbours, with far fewer residents than a century ago and homes in buildings that are often centuries old.

Last updated

Living in Valletta

Valletta is Malta's capital, built by the Knights of St John on a narrow peninsula between the Grand Harbour and Marsamxett Harbour after the Great Siege of 1565. The whole city has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980, one of the most concentrated historic areas in the world. It is the seat of government, with the Parliament House by Renzo Piano at City Gate, and was European Capital of Culture in 2018.

By day the city is full of office workers, shoppers and tourists; far fewer people live here. The resident population is roughly a quarter of what it was at the 1921 census, and a study for the Valletta 2018 Foundation linked the recent decline partly to the conversion of homes into boutique hotels and businesses. Most residents are Maltese; at the end of 2025 fewer than one in five was a foreign citizen, a much lower share than in Sliema or St Julian's.

Valletta is the hub of Malta's bus network, with the main terminus just outside City Gate. Ferries cross to Sliema and to Cospicua in the Three Cities, the Barrakka Lift links the upper city with the Grand Harbour waterfront, and fast passenger ferries leave for Gozo. Cars entering the city pay a Controlled Vehicular Access charge on weekday daytimes, and parking is very limited, so walking, buses and ferries are the easiest way to get around.

Homes are mostly flats and maisonettes in older buildings, along with traditional townhouses and a few palazzi: at the 2021 census about seven in ten households lived in a flat, and more than four in ten occupied homes dated from before 1961. Restoring and converting historic buildings in a World Heritage city takes time and planning approval. Valletta has no Special Designated Area, so the standard rules for foreign buyers apply.

Population
5,189 (2025)

Source: NSO Malta, World Population Day: 11 July 2026 (NR 120/2026), Table 11: total population by broad citizenship, district and locality as at 31 December 2025 (Valletta)

Neighbourhoods

Republic Street and Merchants Street
The city's main street and its parallel, running the length of the peninsula from City Gate, lined with shops, cafés, offices and government buildings.
Strait Street
A narrow street that was the servicemen's entertainment strip until the mid-20th century, declined after independence and has been revived since the 2000s with bars, restaurants and holiday lets.
Marsamxett side and the Manderaggio
The side of the city facing Sliema across Marsamxett Harbour, where the Sliema ferry lands. The Manderaggio, once a notorious slum, was cleared from 1948 and rebuilt as social housing.
Lower Valletta
The older residential quarter from Due Balli near Fort St Elmo to St Mark Street, with the Arċipierku area. Social housing here is being upgraded under an EU-funded regeneration project begun in 2018.
Upper Barrakka and the Grand Harbour side
The gardens on the highest point of the walls look over the Grand Harbour and the Three Cities; the Barrakka Lift runs down to Lascaris Wharf, where the Cospicua ferry leaves.
Floriana (next door)
The fortified town just outside City Gate, with the main bus terminus, public gardens and the Valletta Waterfront, the cruise terminal and restaurant strip on the Grand Harbour.

Practical information

  • Airport: Malta International Airport at Luqa is linked to Valletta by the direct TD4 bus, a paid service also for tallinja card holders, and by regular buses from the City Gate terminus.
  • Ferries: boats run at least every half hour to Sliema and to Cospicua. A ferry ticket also covers the Barrakka Lift on the same day, and holders of a personalised tallinja card ride free.
  • Gozo: passenger-only fast ferries run from the Grand Harbour to Mġarr in Gozo in about 45 minutes.
  • Healthcare: Valletta residents use the Floriana Health Centre, open 24 hours a day. Mater Dei Hospital, the main public hospital, is in Msida.

Frequently asked questions

How many people live in Valletta?

At the end of 2025 Valletta had 5,189 residents, according to Malta's National Statistics Office (NSO), about a quarter of its population at the 1921 census.

Can you drive and park in Valletta?

You can, but it is not easy. Cars entering the city pay a Controlled Vehicular Access charge on weekday daytimes, streets are narrow and parking spaces are scarce. Buses, ferries and walking cover most needs.

Can foreigners buy property in Valletta?

EU citizens who have lived in Malta for five years can buy freely, and EU citizens buying their main home do not need a permit either. Other buyers, including non-EU citizens, need an AIP permit, because Valletta has no Special Designated Area.

How do I get from Valletta to Sliema and Gozo?

The ferry to Sliema leaves from the Marsamxett side of the city and the crossing is short. Fast passenger ferries go from the Grand Harbour to Mġarr in Gozo; with a car, you drive to Ċirkewwa for the Gozo Channel ferry.

Other cities

Sources