Mellieħa, the beach town at Malta's northern tip

Mellieħa is my answer when someone asks where beach Malta actually is. It sits at the northern end of the island, well away from the bustle of Sliema and St Julian’s, and packs into a few kilometres the best-known sandy beaches, the terminal for boats to Gozo and Comino, and a stretch of protected coast that is still properly wild.

A big village at the northern tip

According to the NSO, Mellieħa had 14,541 residents on 31 December 2025, 253 more than a year earlier. What strikes me is that 5,124 of them are foreign nationals, just over a third, which says a lot about what the place has become, halfway between Maltese village and home for people who’ve moved here from abroad.

The old centre looks down on the bay from the top of a ridge. Below is Għadira, the long beach, and behind it the bird reserve. That contrast between the village on high and the sea below is what defines Mellieħa, and it’s also what once left it exposed. VisitMalta explains that the 15th-century hamlet perched above Għadira stood empty for a couple of centuries because of pirate and Saracen raids, and people only came back in the early 18th century. By then the Knights had already planted the big tower that crowns the ridge.

What to see in Mellieħa

My first stop would be the Red Tower in Mellieħa, St Agatha’s Tower, which Grand Master Lascaris built in 1647. According to VisitMalta it was the furthest outpost from Valletta, signalled to Gozo and had a cannon and 30 men. Its walls are about four metres thick. The opening hours on that page date from 2021, so I’d check before walking up.

Then I’d head down to Mellieħa Bay, better known as Għadira, the town’s big sandy beach. Behind it is the nature reserve, seven hectares run by BirdLife Malta, a bird sanctuary since 1978 that opens free of charge from September to May. In summer it’s closed, exactly when the beach is packed.

To the west, above Anchor Bay, is Popeye Village, the original set of the 1980 film. Its postal address confirms it belongs to Mellieħa. And towards Golden Bay stretches the Majjistral Nature and History Park, where VisitMalta lists cart ruts, dry stone walls, corbelled stone huts (giren) and British military remains.

The landscape is protected well beyond the reserve. Under the EU’s Natura 2000 network, the protected sites around Mellieħa include Għadira (97.74 hectares), Ramla tat-Torri and Irdum tal-Madonna (74.91) and the Wied il-Miżieb valley (24.65).

The beaches around Mellieħa

Here I need to be precise. Golden Bay, Għajn Tuffieħa and Paradise Bay are all near Mellieħa, but the official sources I’ve read don’t say which council each belongs to, so I won’t claim it. What I can tell you is how to reach them. Route 101 runs from Ċirkewwa through the town and on to Manikata, Popeye Village, Golden Bay and finally Għadira Bay, and the 44 runs to Golden Bay from Valletta.

Golden Bay is the north’s most famous sandy beach. Malta Public Transport describes Għajn Tuffieħa, right next door, as less crowded. And Paradise Bay, by the Ċirkewwa terminal, is the northernmost cove. For the full picture of where to swim across the three islands, see my pick of the best beaches in Malta.

Ċirkewwa, the gateway to Gozo and Comino

At the northern tip, Ċirkewwa is the terminal for Gozo Channel’s ferries to Mġarr and a departure point for boats to Comino. The bus terminal has public toilets run by Gozo Channel, vending machines and live departure screens. For me this is what makes Mellieħa a base, because the boat is a short bus ride away rather than at the other end of the island.

Getting there and around

From Valletta, routes 41 and 42 run to Ċirkewwa and the 44 to Golden Bay. From the airport, the TD1 goes direct via Buġibba and Rabat, and the 221 takes you to Buġibba. One warning with a shelf life. On 7 January 2026 Malta Public Transport announced a free shuttle in Mellieħa because of long-term roadworks, two routes every 20 minutes from 05:30 to 23:00. Whether it’s still operating I can’t say, so check its website before relying on it.

If you’re staying a few days, my shortlist is in hotels in Mellieħa.