A Luxury Holiday Cottage in Malta
A superbly appointed ground-floor Maltese home
on the corner of two historic streets.
Magdalena sits at 48 Triq Il-Gendus in Bormla — one of Malta’s Three Cities, enclosed within 17th-century fortifications built by the Knights of St John. Dick and Christine found her in 2024, restored her in 2025, and opened her to guests who prefer history over hotels. Original encaustic tile floors, hand-hewn timber beams, limestone walls. Everything added sits quietly beside what was already there.
Sleep well – King-size bed with quality linen. Air conditioning. The quiet that only stone walls two feet thick can give.
Cook properly – Induction hob, oven, coffee machine, full equipment. A breakfast bar looking onto the living area. The Tuesday market is five minutes away.
Step into history – The Grand Harbour waterfront is a short walk. Fort St Angelo is around the corner. Valletta is a five-minute ferry ride.
A corner house with a long life
One of the few buildings in Bormla to survive WWII bombing intact, Magdalena has been a family home, a football coaching room, a pasta shop called Pasta Rav, and a soap shop called RAWA — all while keeping its original hand-hewn timber ceiling beams, encaustic tile floors, and limestone walls. Dick and Christine purchased it in 2024, restored it in 2025, and opened it back as a home.
We wanted guests to arrive and feel the house had always been like this. As if the restoration was just the house settling back into what it should be.
Dick & Christine
What’s included
1 bedroom with king-size bed
Quality linen & towels
Air conditioning
Wardrobe & storage
Safe deposit box
Induction hob & oven
Microwave & refrigerator
Coffee machine
Full cookware & equipment
Breakfast bar with 2 stools
High-speed Wi-Fi
Smart TV
Walk-in rain shower & WC
Smart lock (keypad entry)
Iron & ironing board
Location
The Cottonera — inside the walls
Magdalena is located in the Cottonera — the collective name for the towns of Birgu and Bormla, enclosed within two lines of fortifications: the Santa Margherita Lines and the Cottonera Lines. Both were erected in the 17th and 18th centuries by the Knights of the Order of St John. They are among the most complete military fortifications in Europe, and you can walk their full circuit.
Bormla — previously “Bur Mula” meaning “the higher land” — overlooks Dockyard Creek, one of the four creeks of Malta’s Grand Harbour. In 1722, Grand Master Marc Antonio Zondadari awarded Bormla city status, renaming it Città Cospicua — “the Conspicuous City.” Population today: around 6,000. Archaeological evidence suggests the area has been inhabited for at least 3,000 years.
From the 16th to 18th centuries, the Knights Hospitaller’s naval and military activities drew thousands of labourers and traders. Malta’s first dockyard was established in Galley Creek in 1776. The British Royal Navy later made the Grand Harbour the headquarters of their Mediterranean Fleet — which is why many street names in Bormla are English: Scottish Alley, Irish Street, Hanover Street. The local band club and football team are both named St George’s.
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Contact us
email: magdalena.bormla@gmail.com
Phone and Whatsapp
Dick +356 99669871
Christine: +356 99464678