Terraced House
The terraced house is a traditional Maltese family home – a multi-storey property forming part of a continuous row. Offering more space than maisonettes with private entrances, garages, and often gardens, terraced houses are the classic choice for families seeking room to grow.
Key Characteristics
Shared Walls
Part of a continuous row, sharing walls with neighbours on both sides. End-of-terrace units share only one wall.
Multi-Storey
Typically 2-4 floors providing generous living space. Ground floor often includes garage, upper floors for living.
Private Entrance
Your own front door directly from the street, like a maisonette but with more space and typically wider frontage.
More Space
Larger floor area than maisonettes, with minimum 6m frontage. Often includes internal courtyard and back garden.
Typical Layout
Ground Floor
Typically contains the garage, entrance hall, and sometimes a small living room or store room. Access to back yard if present.
First Floor
Main living floor with kitchen, dining area, and sitting room. Often opens to an internal courtyard (bitħa) or light well.
Second Floor
Bedrooms and bathroom. Master bedroom often has access to a front balcony overlooking the street.
Third Floor / Roof
Additional bedrooms, washroom (for laundry), or converted into living space. Roof terrace access for many properties.
Common Features
Internal Courtyard (Bitħa)
Open-air courtyard in the middle of the house providing natural light and ventilation to internal rooms.
Back Garden
Many terraced houses have a small garden or yard at the rear, accessed from the ground floor.
Garage
Ground floor typically includes a garage – valuable in Malta where parking is scarce.
Roof Terrace
Access to the roof for a terrace, laundry area, or potential future development (subject to permits).
Front Balcony
Traditional wooden or stone balconies overlooking the street, often on multiple floors.
Wide Frontage
Minimum 6 metres wide, giving more room than narrower maisonettes and allowing better room layouts.
Separate Rooms
Traditional layout with distinct rooms rather than open plan – more privacy within the home.
Storage Space
Multiple floors and traditional layouts provide good storage options including under-stair cupboards.
Terraced House vs Maisonette
| Feature | Terraced House | Maisonette |
|---|---|---|
| Width | 6m+ frontage (wider) | Narrower (vertical slice) |
| Floors | Typically 3-4 | Typically 2-3 |
| Garage | Usually included | Sometimes |
| Garden | Often has back garden | Small yard if any |
| Internal courtyard | Common | Less common |
| Overall space | Larger (150-300+ sqm) | Smaller (80-150 sqm) |
| Best for | Families needing space | Couples, small families |
Where to Find Terraced Houses
Birkirkara
Malta's largest town with extensive terraced housing stock in various conditions.
Mosta
Traditional village with many terraced houses around the central parish church area.
Naxxar
Growing locality with mix of traditional terraced houses and newer developments.
Żebbuġ
Historic village with characterful terraced houses in the old village core.
Qormi
Traditional working-class area with affordable terraced housing options.
Żabbar
Southern town with good stock of family-sized terraced houses.
Understanding Terraced Houses in Malta
The terraced house (sometimes called a row house or townhouse) is a staple of traditional Maltese residential architecture. Forming continuous rows along village streets, these homes have housed families for generations, offering the space and privacy of a house while making efficient use of Malta's limited land.
More Than a Maisonette
While both terraced houses and maisonettes have private street entrances and multiple floors, terraced houses are substantially larger and wider. The minimum 6-metre frontage allows for better room layouts, internal courtyards, and the kind of generous spaces that families need. Where a maisonette might feel like a vertical apartment, a terraced house feels like a proper family home.
The Internal Courtyard
Many terraced houses feature a bitħa (internal courtyard) – an open-air space in the centre of the house that brings light and ventilation to inner rooms. This traditional feature, inherited from Mediterranean architecture, creates a private outdoor area sheltered from street noise and neighbours' views.
Garage: A Valuable Asset
In Malta, where parking is a constant challenge, a garage adds significant value. Most terraced houses include a ground-floor garage – not just convenient but increasingly essential as car ownership grows and street parking becomes scarcer.
End-of-Terrace Premium
End-of-terrace houses share only one wall with neighbours, offering windows on the free side for extra light and potentially more garden space. These properties often sell at a premium – the extra light and sense of space justifies the cost for many buyers.
Renovation Potential
Many older terraced houses have renovation potential. Traditional layouts can be opened up, kitchens modernized, and roof spaces converted. The solid construction typical of these homes means they respond well to renovation, though buyers should budget for updates if purchasing an older property.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a terraced house?
A multi-storey home (2-4 floors) forming part of a continuous row, sharing walls with neighbours on both sides. Has private street entrance, typically includes garage and often a garden.
Terraced house vs maisonette?
Terraced houses are wider (6m+ frontage), have more floors, and typically include garages and gardens. Maisonettes are narrower vertical slices with less overall space.
Do they have gardens?
Many have back gardens plus internal courtyards (bitħa) for outdoor space and natural light. Not all – depends on the specific property.
How many floors?
Typically 2-4 floors: ground floor with garage/entrance, first floor for living areas, upper floors for bedrooms, often with roof access.
Good for families?
Excellent for families. More space than apartments or maisonettes, often with outdoor areas, garages, and good separation between living and sleeping areas.
What is end-of-terrace?
A house at the end of a row, sharing only one wall with neighbours. Often has more windows, more light, and sometimes larger garden. Usually commands a premium.
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