Blog
The Best Places to Move to in Malta
The low cost of living, the warm climate and the fact that English is widely spoken mean that Malta is one of the most popular countries to move to in Europe – particularly for British people looking for somewhere to retire to. Here Hamiltons Removals, who offer commercial and domestic moving packages right across Europe, look at some of the most popular places if you are considering removals to Malta.
Valletta
The country’s capital is also its only city, with a population of around 6,000 people. This means the expat community, although increasing, is still quite small. It is the cultural capital of the island and was designated the European Capital of Culture as recently as 2018. Valletta is home to the National Museum of Archaeology, the National Fine Arts Museum, and the Royal Opera House.
In practical terms, it is the administrative centre of the island too, which is convenient if you are moving house to Valletta and have a problem or a query to sort out. There are also plenty of shops here too – a good mix of brand-name stores, smaller independent shops and a daily morning market.
Valletta is also a seaport with a Grand Harbour (pictured above); however, it is commercially much less important than it used to be as much of the island’s trade now goes through a free port near Marsaxlokk. However, the harbour area is the focus of several regeneration projects. This will include new piers built for handling cargo, a new promenade for pedestrians – and several new recreational areas will be created as well.
Marsaxlokk
This pretty little fishing village is on the Malta’s south-eastern coast. It’s ideal to move to if you like seafood; there’s a big fish market every Sunday and bream, bass, swordfish and tuna are all likely to feature on restaurant menus (however, there are restrictions on how much tuna and swordfish can be caught).
It’s also a great place to move to if you like swimming and sunbathing. There’s a small sandy beach on the east side.
St Paul’s Bay
This is a town on the main island’s northern coast. Its population is around the 20,000 mark, but this increases considerably over the summer months when tourists and Maltese residents come here on holiday. You should still be able to find a quiet spot to relax and it’s also ideal for water sports such as swimming and snorkelling.
Like other towns in the north of the island, St Paul’s Bay is a particularly popular spot to retire to; apart from the coastal location, housing is cheaper compared to Valletta and it’s much quieter as well, with far less in the way of night-time entertainment.
Victoria, Gozo
This is the largest town on Malta’s smaller island, Gozo. Small really is beautiful as everything is accessible on foot and the whole town covers just over 1 square mile. It still possesses two opera theatres, a landscaped park and two streets with a variety of shops.
If you want some spectacular views over the Mediterranean, make sure you visit the Citadella (citadel); this was built in the early 17th century as a defensive fortress and is the dominant feature of the island’s skyline. It has a visitor centre which is open during the day, although to get the best views you should visit the Citadella at night.
Another advantage of moving to Victoria – or anywhere on Gozo – is the cost of living. Accommodation (whether rented or purchased outright) is generally cheaper than on Malta’s main island, as is eating out and socialising. However, you will need to factor in the cost of any commute as there are many services, including the airport, which are only available ‘over the water’.
Removals to Malta with Hamiltons Removals
At Hamiltons Removals, we can help you if you are considering moving house to all the major Maltese destinations, including Valetta, Marsaxlokk and Gozo. We can ship your belongings in a dedicated container or, if you opt for our groupage service, they will be put into a shared container with other customers’ possessions. Smaller, valuable items can be sent by air freight.
If you would like to know more about our European moving service, follow this link or call us directly on 01379 855203 or 0800 246 5622.
A Guide to Some Traditional Cypriot Customs
Cyprus is one of the most popular destinations for British expats; more than 70,000 people who used to live in the UK have now made this Mediterranean island their home. English is one of the country’s main languages, alongside Greek and Turkish, and it’s also a comparatively cheap place to live.
However, there are one or two aspects of life which may take you by surprise if you are considering international removals to Cyprus. Here Hamiltons Removals outline a few customs and traditions which any new Cypriots should be aware of.
Weddings
If you are involved in, or invited to, a Cypriot wedding there will be some aspects which will be familiar – and plenty which are not. For instance, the couple wear red scarves (a symbol of virginity and fertility) and wear crowns as a symbol of God’s blessing. During the ceremony, rice is tossed at the couple, again as a sign of fertility. However, the couple still exchange vows and rings, and the bride tosses away her bouquet towards unmarried girls and women after the service.
The practice of throwing either knives or plates, both of which were imported from Greek culture and formed part of the wedding reception, has now largely died out on safety grounds. Instead, visitors or guests are more likely to throw flowers instead – which are far less likely to cause any damage or injuries.
Name Days
Birthday celebrations in Cyprus are kept comparatively low-key. Of far greater importance are the Name Days, which relate to the patron saint of any particular region. Anyone with the name Costantinos, Costas, Dino, Costantia or Tina will celebrate St Constantine’s Day, while Elenas and Elenis can look forward to St Helena’s Day.
Anyone with the exact name or any of its variants can look forward to either a barbecue or a buffet at their house, along with plenty of singing, dancing and drinking. Invitations are not traditionally given to join the celebrations – friends, family and neighbours are just expected to visit. This tradition also has its roots in the Greek Orthodox Church and it extends to whole neighbourhoods where the parish church shares its name with a saint.
Carnival
This is celebrated in late February or early March and is in honour of Dionysus, the God of Feasts and Good Cheer. For ten days, there are feasts, fancy-dress parties, street parades (usually on the first day) and everyone is in a festive mood. For anyone considering removals to Limassol, the celebrations in the city (pictured above) are generally believed to be the liveliest and the most entertaining.
Easter
This celebration is longer and more varied than its UK equivalent. It lasts for five days, not four, and is preceded by 50 days of fasting during Lent (usually this starts as soon as the carnival events have come to an end). The country takes its fasting very seriously, with meat, fish and dairy products all banned in the seven weeks before Easter. Most shops and businesses are shut for the whole five days, and on Easter Saturday many Greek Orthodox Cypriots head to church for the midnight sermon.
After the service, candles and bonfires are lit and firecrackers let off all round the island; this signifies the end of the fasting period. On Easter Sunday families celebrate with feasting, singing and dancing.
Christmas
After Easter, this is the second most important festival in the Cypriot calendar. It’s less commercialised than it is in the UK and it is very much focused on the family. Christmas carol singing and leaving cookies and milk out for Santa Claus are both common traditions here.
There’s also plenty of special food made for the festive season, including Christopsomo (a soft, sweet bread which translates as ‘The Bread of Christ’ and is meant to be shared by hand, not cut), melomakarona (cinnamon and orange cookies, glazed in honey syrup and covered with nuts), and kourabiedes (almond biscuits coated with icing sugar).
International Removals to Cyprus with Hamiltons Removals
We provide shipping and removals to all areas of Cyprus, including Limassol, Kyrenia, Larnaca and Nicosia. Our service can include full packing and unpacking or just the shipping of your belongings, where we offer either a dedicated container for your sole use, or a groupage service where you will share the container with other people’s possessions. We cater for commercial as well as domestic moves, and are highly experienced in moving specialist items, pets and cars.
If you’d like to know more about our international removals to Cyprus, follow this link or call us on 01379 855203.