Popeye Village

Northern Malta

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Steep-sided, pretty little Anchor Bay was named after the many Roman anchors that were found on the seabed by divers, some of which can be seen in the Maritime Museum at Vittoriosa. In 1979 Anchor Bay was transformed into the ramshackle fishing village of Sweethaven, the set for the 1980 Hollywood musical Popeye, starring Robin Williams. The vintage set still stands and houses an old-fashioned theme park; it's great fun for kids.

Admission includes animation shows, splash pools and a 15-minute boat ride. You can pay extra for the chance to make a movie (€6), which is particularly good fun.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Details of Mnajdra megalithic temples of Malta (Qrendi)

    Ħaġar Qim & Mnajdra

    10.77 MILES

    The megalithic temples of Ħaġar Qim (adge-ar eem; 'standing stones') and Mnajdra (mm-nigh-dra) are the best preserved and most evocative of Malta's…

  • The Grand Master's Palace.

    Grand Master's Palace

    10.55 MILES

    The stern exterior of the 16th-century Grand Master's Palace conceals a sumptuous interior. This was once the residence of the Grand Masters of the…

  • St John's Co-Cathedral, Valetta, Malta

    St John's Co-Cathedral

    10.5 MILES

    St John's Co-Cathedral, Malta's most impressive church, was designed by the architect Gerolamo Cassar. It was built between 1573 and 1578, taking over…

  • Malta, Paola, Hal Saflieni Hypogeum, Interior

    Hal Saflieni Hypogeum

    11.17 MILES

    The Hypogeum (from the Greek, meaning 'underground') is a subterranean necropolis, discovered during building work in 1902. To visit is to step into a…

  • Malta, Birzebbuga, Ghar Dalam cave, Interior

    Għar Dalam Cave & Museum

    13.49 MILES

    The reason to head to Birżebbuġa is to see the Għar Dalam Cave & Museum, 500m north on the main road from Valletta. Għar Dalam (aar-da-lam; the name means…

  • Aerial view of Valletta and St. Elmo Fort, Manoel Island, and Dragutt Point on the right, Malta, Mediterranean, Europe

    Fort St Elmo & National War Museum

    10.7 MILES

    Guarding Marsamxett and Grand Harbours is Fort St Elmo, named after the patron saint of mariners. The fort was built by the Knights in 1552 in just four…

  • Sleeping lady statue, Museum of Archaeology, Valletta, Malta.

    National Museum of Archaeology

    10.43 MILES

    The National Museum of Archaeology is housed in the impressive Auberge de Provence. Exhibits include delicate stone tools dating from 5200 BC, Phoenician…

  • Feast Day banners outside St Paul's Cathedral.

    St Paul's Cathedral

    6.18 MILES

    The cathedral is said to be built on the site of the villa belonging to Publius, the Roman governor of Malta who welcomed St Paul in AD 60.

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Nearby Northern Malta attractions

1. Għadira Nature Reserve

0.79 MILES

Close to Mellieħa Bay is the Għadira Nature Reserve, managed by BirdLife Malta volunteers. This area of shallow, reedy ponds surrounded by scrub is an…

2. Mellieħa Bay

0.8 MILES

The warm, shallow waters and soft white sand of Mellieħa Bay are easily accessible (via bus or you can park on the road that backs the beach), safe for…

3. Red (St Agatha's) Tower

1.04 MILES

The chess-piece-like Red Tower was built in 1649 for Grand Master Lascaris, as part of the chain of signal towers that linked Valletta and Gozo; the view…

4. Church of Our Lady of Victory

1.06 MILES

The Church of Our Lady of Victory sits prominently on a rocky spur overlooking Mellieħa Bay. It's attached to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Mellieħa, which…

5. Mellieħa Air-Raid Shelters

1.08 MILES

The Mellieħa air-raid shelters were dug by hand to shelter the town's population from WWII bombs. It's one of the largest underground shelters in Malta,…

6. Ras il-Qammieħ

1.1 MILES

The western headland, 129m at its highest point, commands fantastic views and feels like the end of the world. It's home to an old radar station.

7. Grotto of the Madonna

1.13 MILES

Across the main street from the Church of Our Lady of Victory, a gate in the wall and a flight of steps lead down to the Grotto of the Madonna, a shrine…

8. Park tal-Majjistral

1.57 MILES

The area between Golden Bay and Anchor Bay was once earmarked for a golf course, but opposition from environmental groups led to the creation of National…

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