Malta is now a popular vacation destination with guaranteed weather. So we stop writing about Sightseeing :) How about some rest and relaxation on the beach? Everyone gets their due!
There are several reasons for flying to Malta: some treat it as a party sister to Ibiza, others come here to learn English (and we don’t just mean politicians ;-)), others want to see the local historic towns or natural rock formations, and still others just want to laze on the beach, because after all, it’s Malta, so how could you not ;)
We also geared up for the beach, so we brought swimsuits, towels, swimming gear and hoped to splash around in the water for at least half of the trip.
It didn’t work out for us for two reasons: first, it turned out that there were several interesting towns to see and we wasted a day on the beach, and second, the decent beaches were quite a distance from Sliema (where we stayed overnight), so going to the beach involved an almost all-day trip.
Well, it was more important for us to have a well-connected location in the city than to spend time in a seaside hotel. Everyone chooses what they care more about.
Being in Valletta or Sliema, we doubted if we would even be able to use the beaches – in this area they are rather symbolic: either rocky, or very modest and narrow just off the street. But there are also nice, wide and sandy beaches in Malta, you just have to look for them :) And the best way to look for them is in the northern part of the island or in Gozo.
Table of contents
Beaches in Malta
The first beach worth noting is at the village of Mellieha, on the east coast. This is probably the most popular beach – quite a large (for Malta), sandy beach is full of umbrellas and sun loungers, which can be rented for a fee, but the thrifty will also find a piece of beach to spread out their equipment.
You have to admit that it’s really crowded and it’s a typically commercial place, where you’ll also find companies offering water equipment rentals and all kinds of water sports activities.
Importantly, if you stay here longer, you may have trouble returning. And even if by some miracle you manage to fit into a city bus, there is a good chance that you will stand in a huge traffic jam. Such are the charms of traveling in season :)
On the other side, on the west coast, there are two more beaches, Golden Bay and Ghajn Tuffieha Bay. Both are sandy, stone-free and less crowded than Mellieha Bay, although there are quite a few people here as well.
The first, Golden Bay, is wider and dominated by a huge hotel complex.
The second, Ghajn Tuffieha Bay, is narrower and smaller, but definitely nicer located and more difficult to access – you have to go down stairs to get to it.
For those willing to do so, we recommend climbing a nearby cliff from which you can enjoy a magnificent view of the rocky coastline (you can even see Gozo).
Popeya Village
There is another attraction in the northern part of the island that attracts tourists and is closely related to the theme of beaches – this is Popeye Village (Popeye Village). Although there is no typical sandy beach here, there is an opportunity to go down to the water.
Popeya Villages is close to Mellieha Bay beach, from where you can walk in less than 30 minutes or wait for the less frequent buses that run here. The route to the village is along a tight road among the fields, and it’s quite pleasant as long as you don’t walk in 34-degree heat, but we still preferred to walk rather than stand still and wait for the bus.
The titular village was prepared for the film about Popeya’s adventures, and remained as a tourist attraction after the shooting was completed. When we arrived at the village, it turned out that they are closing it soon, and entry is quite expensive (14.5 EUR). Instead of entering the area, we went for a walk to the nearby cliffs from where there is a super view of the entire village.
From afar you can see colorful houses, pubs, everything as if taken straight out of a movie, and the only incongruous elements were tourists and loud music from the speakers. The bay also has a miniature beach with several deck chairs and umbrellas, as well as numerous water attractions (inflatable trampolines, slides).
We took a few photos and walked further along the cliffs from where there were beautiful views of Malta’s steep coastline.
Summary
The most important thing to remember: there are reasonably nice beaches in Malta, but unfortunately they are crowded, especially in high season. We encourage you not to focus solely on lying on the beach, but to go to other places or at least see Gozo, because Malta is not only beaches :)
Zobacz galerię zdjęć z plaż Malty i Wioski Popeya >>>
See also our summary: Malta practical tips and all posts about Malta.