Mellieħa (often written Mellieha) is a village in the north of Malta, perched on a ridge above Mellieħa Bay, the bay of Għadira (Ghadira Bay). According to Visit Malta, the official tourism website, it is the largest sandy beach in Malta and the most popular family beach on the island, with its gently sloping sand and shallow water. Things to do in Mellieħa away from the beach: watch the birds at the Għadira reserve, visit a shrine set in a cave, climb up to a Knights' tower, or take the ferry to Gozo or Comino, which are very close.
Mellieħa suits families and anyone who wants to stay close to the sea and the ferries. From Valletta, buses 41 and 42 get there in 45 minutes to 1 hour 15. Times and prices were read on 20 October 2026 on the official websites: check them before you set off.
- Where: in the north of Malta, with the old village high above the bay.
- The beach: sand, shallow water, restaurants, a car park, lifeguards from June to September.
- By bus from Valletta: routes 41 and 42, between them one bus every 10 minutes during the day on weekdays.
- From the airport: bus TD1, one an hour from 5am to midnight, €3.50.
- Bus fare: €2 a ticket in winter, from 18 October 2026 to 12 June 2027, and €2.50 in summer.
- Għadira reserve: just behind the beach, free, open from September to May.
- Gozo and Comino: the ferries leave from Ċirkewwa and Marfa, 15 to 25 minutes by bus from the village.
Mellieħa beach: Mellieħa Bay (Għadira Bay)
The bay is sheltered between two headlands. According to Visit Malta, it is the largest of the thirteen small beaches around Mellieħa, with bars, cafés, restaurants, public toilets, equipment hire, water sports and parking. Part of the bay is set aside for water sports and windsurfing: swim outside these areas.
From June to September, the Malta Tourism Authority runs the beach with Mellieħa Local Council: lifeguards, a small first aid post and two beach supervisors (Visit Malta). The beach is wheelchair accessible, with mobile toilets and special wheelchairs for the sand. Before you go into the water, look at the flag: red, high hazard; double red, water closed to the public; purple, stinging creatures such as jellyfish (Malta Tourism Authority).
By bus, get off at the “Għadira” stop, 5 to 12 minutes after the village (routes 41, 42, 221, 222 and X300, among others). The beach is very popular with families: in summer, come early in the morning if you want a spot near the water.
Għadira Nature Reserve, just behind the beach
Behind the sand, the old salt flat of L-Għadira has become a nature reserve, run by BirdLife Malta and protected as a bird sanctuary since 1978. On 7 hectares of brackish lake and saltmarsh, you can watch migrating wading birds, such as redshanks, sandpipers and egrets, from two hides.
As of 20 October 2026, BirdLife Malta lists it as open from September to May: on Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 4pm, and in winter also on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 1.30pm to 5pm. It is closed on Christmas Day, New Year's Day, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Entry is free and pets are not allowed. It is on Triq il-Marfa, past the Mellieħa Holiday Centre and the roundabout, with a car park: the reserve's page on the BirdLife Malta website.
Things to do in Mellieħa village
In the 15th century, Mellieħa was an isolated hamlet on the ridge overlooking the bay, and it was abandoned for two centuries because of pirate attacks, Visit Malta says. Today it is a modern seaside resort, with an old centre of narrow streets and stepped alleys.
The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Mellieħa, in a cave
Beneath the parish church is the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin, the National Shrine of Our Lady in Malta since May 2015. According to the Archdiocese of Malta, tradition says that Saint Luke painted the Virgin on the rock of this natural cave; today's icon, of Byzantine and Sicilian origin, probably dates from the 11th century. Visit Malta presents it as the oldest Marian shrine in the country.
Opening times given by the Archdiocese on an undated page: every day from 8am to 6pm, until 7pm in summer; Mass at 8.30am from Monday to Saturday, and at 10am in English on Sunday.
The parish church and the view over the bay
Just above, the terrace of the parish church gives a panoramic view over Mellieħa Bay and the countryside, according to Visit Malta.
The Second World War shelter
A large Second World War shelter can be visited in the village: its entrance is near the courtyard of the sanctuary, according to TVM, Malta's public television channel (1 September 2022). An association from Mellieħa looks after it, and in 2022 the Malta Tourism Authority added the sounds of the war and films from that time. Opening times and prices: not found on an official source, ask when you get there.
Around Mellieħa: a tower, coves and beaches
The Red Tower (St Agatha's Tower)
On the other side of the bay, the red tower stands on the Marfa Ridge. Grand Master Jean Paul Lascaris de Castellar had it built in 1647 and 1648, as a fort that could hold out for forty days. From the top, the view goes all the way round, from Għadira Bay to Comino and Gozo.
The volunteers of Din l-Art Ħelwa, the association that restored it, open it “almost daily”: from 10am to 4pm from November to March, until 5pm from April to October, for €2.50 (as of 20 October 2026). These times depend on the volunteers: call first, on 9934 7551, or look at the tower's page on the Din l-Art Ħelwa website.
For walkers, Visit Malta describes a loop past the watchtowers that starts from the beach, near the reserve, and climbs to just below the tower. More walking ideas: our article on hikes in Malta.
Armier and Little Armier
At the very north of Malta, Armier Bay, within the limits of Mellieħa, has a sandy beach facing Comino and Gozo, with no hotel, and with bars and small restaurants (Visit Malta). Swimming there is generally safe, but the swell can be strong when the wind is from the north. Visit Malta also mentions Little Armier for its very clear water. Bus 49 goes there once an hour, in 15 to 20 minutes from the village.
Not to be confused: the Ramla Bay Resort is a hotel in Marfa, in Mellieħa; Ramla Bay beach is on Gozo (our article Ramla Bay, Gozo's red sand beach).
Anchor Bay and the Popeye film set
One kilometre west of the village, the cove of Anchor Bay is home to Popeye Village, built as the set for the 1980 musical film “Popeye” and now a park (Visit Malta, the park's website). Prices, opening times and buses: read our article Popeye Village: prices, opening times and getting there.
Golden Bay and Għajn Tuffieħa
Golden Bay, within the limits of Mellieħa, is the second largest sandy beach in Malta, in the Il-Majjistral nature park (Visit Malta). It has lifeguards from 15 June to 15 September, and the currents there are strong when the wind is from the north-west. Its neighbour Għajn Tuffieħa, which is less crowded, is reached by a steep flight of steps or a gravel track. Bus 101 links the village to the Għajn Tuffieħa stop (“Tuffieha” on the timetables) in about 15 minutes, once an hour. For the other beaches: our guide to Malta's beaches.
Gozo and Comino, just across the water
At the end of the road, 15 to 25 minutes by bus from the village, Ċirkewwa is the Gozo ferry terminal, and Paradise Bay is very close (the “Paradise” stop on bus 101). Terminal, beach and diving: our article Ċirkewwa: the terminal, Paradise Bay and diving.
The Gozo Channel ferry leaves Ċirkewwa every day and takes about 25 minutes to Mġarr, on Gozo: times and prices in our guide how to get to Gozo from Malta. For Comino and the Blue Lagoon, Comino Ferries advertises return trips every day from Marfa and Ċirkewwa: see our guide how to get to Comino. To go ashore at the Blue Lagoon, also book the free pass, separately from the boat: see our guide to the Blue Lagoon and its pass.
Our Gozo tours with Yippee (jeep, quad, buggy or tuk-tuk) leave from Marfa quay or the Ċirkewwa café, on a boat reserved for their customers, with pick-up from where you are staying or the nearest point, all year round. Their boat trip to the Blue Lagoon and the Comino caves also leaves from Marfa quay, from mid-April to mid-October (tour pages read on 20 October 2026). See the Gozo tours by jeep, quad, buggy or tuk-tuk and the boat trips to Comino and the Blue Lagoon.
Mellieħa as a base: buses, journey times and nights out
Journey times to the village's “Mellieħa” stop, from the official timetables read on 20 October 2026:
| From | Bus | Frequency | Journey to the village |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valletta (bus terminus) | 41 and 42 | between them, every 10 min during the day on weekdays, about every 15 min at weekends | 45 min to 1 hr 15 |
| Valletta | X300 | about every 45 min | 45 min to 1 hr 05 |
| Airport | TD1 (€3.50) | every hour, from 5am to midnight | 45 min to 1 hr 15 |
| Sliema (Ferries) | 222 | every 20 min during the day on weekdays | 40 min to 1 hr |
| St Julian's (Spinola) | 222 | every 20 min during the day on weekdays | 30 to 50 min |
| Buġibba | 221 | every 30 min on weekdays, every 15 min during the day at weekends | 20 to 30 min |
You buy the ticket on the bus, in cash or with a contactless card, and it is valid for 2 hours, including changes; it costs €3.50 on the TD1 and €3 at night, and it is free for children under 4 years old. Today's times on the Malta Public Transport website: route 41 timetable · route 222 timetable.
So Mellieħa is a good base for the beach, Gozo and Comino, less so for Valletta, about an hour away by bus. For bars and nightclubs, Malta's main nightlife area is Paceville, near St Julian's, according to Visit Malta (our guide to Paceville). After the last 222 (11.25pm from Sliema on weekdays, 10.20pm at weekends), night bus N11 leaves St Julian's every 30 minutes, from 12.05am to 3.05am, every day, and reaches the village about 40 minutes later. For the rest of the island: things to do in Malta.
FAQ: Mellieħa
What is there to do in Mellieħa?
Swim at Mellieħa Bay, see the birds at the Għadira reserve (from September to May) and the Sanctuary of Our Lady, in its cave. Nearby: the Red Tower, Armier, Golden Bay, and the ferries to Gozo and Comino.
Is “Il-Mellieħa” the same as Mellieħa?
Yes: it is the full Maltese name of the village, the one used in addresses, as in the official address of Popeye Village. It is also written without the letter ħ.
Is Mellieħa a good base for visiting Malta?
Yes for the beach, Gozo and Comino: the Ċirkewwa ferries are 15 to 25 minutes away by bus. Valletta is 45 minutes to 1 hour 15 away on buses 41 and 42.
Is Mellieħa beach good for children?
Yes: its gently sloping sand and shallow water make it the most popular family beach on the island, according to Visit Malta. Lifeguards are there from June to September; always check the flag.
How do you get to Mellieħa Bay by bus?
Get off at the “Għadira” stop: buses 41 and 42 go there from Valletta (50 minutes to 1 hour 30), the 222 from Sliema and St Julian's, the 221 from Buġibba. The TD1 from the airport stops at “Skrajda”, just before.
How far is Mellieħa from St Julian's?
On bus 222, allow 30 to 50 minutes between the “Spinola” stop in St Julian's and the village; at night, the N11 takes about 40 minutes.
What is there to do in Mellieħa in the evening?
Have dinner in the village or by the bay, where Visit Malta lists restaurants. For bars and nightclubs, go to Paceville, near St Julian's: night bus N11 brings you back every 30 minutes, from 12.05am to 3.05am.
Is Popeye Village in Mellieħa?
Yes: it is at Anchor Bay, one kilometre west of the village, and its official address is “Anchor Bay, Triq Tal-Prajjet, Il-Mellieħa”. Prices, opening times and access: our article on Popeye Village.
How do you get to Comino from Mellieħa?
Take a bus to Ċirkewwa, then a ferry to the Blue Lagoon from Ċirkewwa or Marfa: companies and prices in our guide on how to get to Comino. Also book the free pass to go ashore.