Malta is so small that some foreigners actually believe that everybody literally knows everybody. Our sunny disposition, which makes us smile a lot on the whole, maybe adds on to this misconception of actually knowing nearly half a million people.

What is amazing however is that many Maltese and Gozitan people have yet to discover some places on this small isle of ours.

Take a gem like Marsascala. Yes, most Maltese know about it and most have had a great meal there. But how many truly know what a beautiful place it is and what a good place to live in? Many Maltese and expats also know about the promenade because they have walked it after their fish-fest but few know that it meanders on and on around this fascinating village.

Actually living in Marsascala is another little-known secret and John Sammut and his family have been privy to this secret for a long time, having lived there for over 30 years. They were lured by the promise of proximity to family connections but Marsascala always featured highly for them.

The moment the Sammuts heard that the apartments at Ta’ Monita were being built they investigated, saw the plans and were captivated. And they were amongst the first to buy and transfer their lives there.

The Sammuts knew Marsascala well as they lived in a spacious bungalow together with their three boys, now men all involved in caring for us lesser mortals. In fact one is a surgeon, the other a doctor and the third one, who still lives at home, is studying hard to also become an MD.

A family of doctors with a father who is an accountant by profession and who works at HSBC as an internal auditor: this is quite an interesting concoction. Now that John is so far out-numbered he has accepted the fact that at least he will be well looked after. Even Monica, who today does not hold a full-time job, was more involved in number-crunching as she too worked in a bank.

When I meet John and Monica at their beautifully located, and equipped, apartment in Marsascala, I ask them the reason all their sons became doctors. Their answer is a huge smile and a word of wisdom for all of us from Monica about children and professions: “It was all in their hands. We gave them all the encouragement possible to further their studies but left the choice in their hands.”

John adds to this in his characteristic to-the-point way: “I might not have influenced them but my work did! My books and book-keeping put them off. I remember one of them saying that the last thing he ever wanted to do was get involved in numbers.”

John has a top job at HSBC as an internal auditor responsible not to the local organisation but to the regional director. No mean feat for an islander. During his time at the bank he has been head of compliance and even of the legal office. John is an accountant and auditor and has a Masters in financial Services and he has also lectured in accountancy. In his job as head of audit at HSBC Malta John needs to have the sharpest eye for detail to see what other eyes do not see and ensure that all is done according to set rules.

Al this makes John’s choice of Marsascala and Ta’ Monita even more impressive. He believes in being exact and has obviously perfected that attribute to be recognised by a bank of the stature of HSBC.

The Sammuts all love the tranquillity that Ta’ Monita offers. Their place has the feeling of a truly comfortable home with great views of Marsascala Bay. “It’s spacious without being too big. We have space for everything and John has his office too. We wanted to downsize since two of the ‘boys’ left but on the other hand, as we were used to a big place, we didn’t want to feel all cramped up,” Monica tells me while we sip our drinks and enjoy some cake on their balcony.

Sitting out there, the quiet is unreal, and the views of the bobbing boats, the shimmering sea and the Marsascala skyline prove to me that, as the Sammuts said, discovering Ta’ Monita and investing in it is a true find and a treasure.