Naxxar | €795,000 ($890,000)
A rustic three-bedroom stone ‘house of character’ with stained-glass windows and balconies.
This cozy home, believed to have been built around 350 years ago, is in Naxxar, a town in the Northern Region of Malta, the island nation south of Sicily. The “house of character” — or traditional Maltese residence — has classic Maltese architectural features, including arched stone ceilings, stained-glass windows, a water well and several balconies. Blue trim on the interior courtyard windows and railings give it a touch of whimsy.
Naxxar is a trove for history buffs. Nearby are catacombs, temple ruins dating to 3500 B.C., and lands that were settled during the Bronze Age, as well as more recent structures: churches. The modern city is about seven miles from Valletta, Malta’s capital and a 20- to 30-minute drive from the island’s northern sandy beaches at Mellieha Bay and Golden Bay. A short stroll from the home are Naxxar’s central piazza, as well as restaurants, cafes, shops and Naxxar Primary School. Malta International Airport is about a 15-minute drive.
Size: Approximately 3,770 square feet
Price per square foot: $235
Indoors: Double front doors open to a large entry hall, where a wood staircase leads to the second floor. Straight ahead from the entrance and up two steps, an opening leads to a hallway that wraps almost all the way around the courtyard. Heading left from the entrance, the hallway proceeds to the dining room. Heading right, it leads to the living room, which has two love seats and a music area under arched stone ceilings. Both the living room and dining room connect in the kitchen, on the opposite end of the house from the entrance.
On the second floor, the stairs arrive at a spacious landing with a balcony and wood beam ceilings, now used as an office. Through double doors, the hallway overlooks the courtyard and wraps around this floor, leading to the bedrooms, a bathroom and a terrace. The bedrooms have exposed wood beam ceilings. One has an en suite bathroom, another has a street-facing balcony. An exterior spiral staircase from the terrace leads to the rooftop terrace and a laundry area.