This is Part 1 of our Complete guide to Malta with kids. Click here to see the following two parts to this guide.
Part 1: Northern Malta
Mellieha
Mellieha is a small town perched on a hill with beautiful views of the sea. In the summer, Mellieha turns into a resort town but it hasn’t yet been over-developed and it retains a laid back, local feel. The town has its fair share of great restaurants, and the town is only a 15-minute walk to the longest sandy beach in the Maltese Islands.
During our two months in Malta we stayed in Mellieha, which is about a 40-minute to an hour easy bus ride to Valleta and other fun areas of the island. Mellieha is on the north east end of the island of Malta, an area that is not super developed and, as a result, it offers a lot of opportunities for great hiking.
Buses that reach Mellieha: 41, 42, 49, 101, 222, 250, N11 and X1
Ghadira Bay
Ghadira Bay, in our opinion, is the best beach in Malta. It’s a sandy beach with very few waves and shallow waters that are perfect for kids of all ages (our two-year old daughter could easily enter the water on her own to get buckets of water).
There are several food shacks on the beach, and there are also good restaurants on either side of the bay where you can get a drink or sit-down meal while enjoying the view. We made a tradition of going to Munchies (on the northern side of the bay) every Sunday after a hike in the area. They have a great outside deck right over the water (you can see fish swimming practically by the leg of your chair), and the real plus (if you are a parent!) is their inside play space that on Sundays has a supervisor keeping the kids engaged with activities. There is also an outdoor playhouse in the sand for kids to use. They have a great brunch menu and the place fills up with locals.
Buses that reach Ghadira Bay: 41, 42, 49, 101, 221, 222 and 250 (Get off at Ghadira stop)
Ghadira Nature Reserve
Made possible by BirdLife Malta, the oldest environmental organization in Malta, this reserve is located on the outskirts of Mellieha, right across from the beach and it’s a great place to learn more about the local flora and fauna, go for a short hike, do birdwatching, and look for chameleons.
This is a perfect length hike for little legs–it’s a single path that’s a little under a half mile one way–and the promise of finding chameleons will keep kids very interested. We saw several chameleons every time we visited the reserve (by walking slowly and looking hard!) and the kids loved it.
There is a nice visitor center with activities for kids, staffed by volunteer naturalists who are super friendly and eager to answer any questions you might have. The trail itself leads to a bird viewing platform. On two occasions we saw a Eurasian Spoonbill there! The Reserve is free and it is open only on weekends from 10am to 4pm.
Buses that reach Ghadira Nature Preserve: 37, 41, 42, 101, 221, 222 and X1 (Get off at Ghadira stop)
Foresta 2000 Hikes
Foresta 2000 is an area of natural habitat that has been restored to a Mediterranean woodland (also by BirdLife). It overlooks beautiful Ghadira Bay and extends almost to the other coast, providing a great place to explore with the kids. We went there very often with the kids and were always discovering new paths and areas to play around, drive toy cars, and play in the mud. You can also hike to the Red Tower (see below) through here. The entrance is just past Ghadira Nature Reserve.
Buses that reach Foresta 2000: 37, 41, 42, 101, 221, 222 and X1 (Get off at Riserva stop)
Red Tower (St. Agatha’s Tower)
This tower was built in 1647 and at the time was the farthest fortification from Valletta that served as a communication point with Gozo. The walls are super thick to withstand cannon balls and the Knights of St. John kept it staffed and stocked ready for siege. You can visit the inside of the tower (2 Euros for adults) and climb to the top to get panoramic views over Mellieha, Comino, and all the way to Gozo (hours vary between seasons so check their website for more information).
The Red Tower is a great place to catch the sunset and, if you like hiking, you can continue walking (or drive it if you have a car) past the tower all the way to the northwestern corner of the island on the Marfa Ridge. You can reach the tower walking on the road from the bus stop, or you can walk through Foresta 2000 for more of a nature hike.
Buses that reach the Red Tower: 41, 42, 101, 221, 222 and N11 (Get off at Riserva to walk through Foresta 2000, or at Qammieh to walk up the main road)
Selmun Family Park
Open 24 hours a day, this park has lots of options for the entire family. The kids enjoyed the green areas where they played under the shade while looking for bugs and making forts out of loose rocks, as well as picnic table space. The park has a lot of different sports facilities including an open air gym, a running track, and a basketball court. There is also a skate ramp and space for kids to ride their bikes or scooters.
Across the street from the skate ramp there is a children’s playground and sitting area. On our last weekend in Malta. the city replaced the old playground structure at the park with a brand new one. Very poor timing for us but great for the community! The new structure is shaped like a castle and it looks perfect for younger kids!
Buses that reach Selmun Family Park: 41, 42, 49, 101, 222, 250, N11 and X1 (Get off at Mellieha stop)
Mellieha Air Raid Shelters
We explored these tunnel shelters on a rainy day and they were very interesting, if a bit spooky. These shelters were built during WWII for people in Mellieha to take refuge from Nazi bombings. The shelters are now open to the public. There are actually quite extensive and it takes a while to walk the whole thing. There were some creepy dummies inside as replicas for what it looked like at the time, but overall the tunnels were an interesting historical, kid friendly place to visit. The entrance was affordable (the man at the entrance charged our family of four 5 euros).
Mellieha Church
The Parish Church of Mellieha sits on top of a hill with stunning views of the sea, the town of Mellieha and the islands of Gozo and Comino. The grounds around the church are a very fun place for kids to explore and play around. On the lower part of the church complex there are some fun fountains coming out of the ground with no barriers where kids can run around on. Our kids had a blast running through them on a rainy day while wearing full rain gear!
There is a playground on the backside of the church that has a small play structure and a couple of other places to play. The playground has a lot of space for kids to run around and, the best part is, Seaview Cafe that serves delicious food, coffee and drinks, all of it with amazing views! This is a rather hidden but very popular local spot and they have something for everyone (breakfast, pastries, sweets, sandwiches, food, tap beer, mulled wine, cocktails, and so on). There are also a couple of coin-operated rides at this playground. Half the time our kids were happy just sitting on them and pretending to ride them. And us parents could drink a pint with a panoramic view while the kids played–perfect!
Popeye Village
We didn’t go into Popeye Village because of the somewhat steep entrance fees, but we visited from the outside to check it out from the cliffs above. The village was built as a set for the 1980s Popeye movie and it’s since been turned into a small theme park. The activities sounded like they’d be better for slightly older kids than toddlers, since they include movie making, so we opted to just visit the outside. The view is great and there’s a lot of hiking in the area. Popeye Village is an easy 40 minute hike to Ghadira Bay and about the same to the Red Tower.
Buses that reach Popeye Village: 101
Xemxija
This is a small village on the north side of St. Paul Bay with some food options and a good beach front promenade. Saint Paul Bay got its name after the Saint who was shipwrecked here in AD 60!
Heritage Trail and Roman Road
Starting at Triq Raddet ir-Roti, this heritage trail leads up to the hill behind Xemxija. This is a former Roman road that passes ancient cave dwellings, Roman-era apiaries (for bees), and pilgrim’s graffiti on what used to be a pilgrimage trail. The trail was very fun for the kids as they got to climb into caves, examine ancient beekeeping grounds, and hike through small patch of forest. If have time for one hike in northern Malta with kids, we’d recommend this one!
Buses that reach Xemxija: 41, 42, 49, 221, 222, 250 and X1 (Get off at Roti or Mistra stop)
Golden Bay and Tuffieha Tower
This area was definitely a wilder part of the island with lots of walking trails and two gorgeous sandy beaches.
Golden Bay to Tuffieha Tower hike
Golden Bay is another beautiful sandy beach in Malta. This is also a great beach for the kids but the sea is just a bit rougher than in Ghadira Bay. You could definitely spend the morning (or day) playing around the sand here, but if you are feeling up for a hike, this is a great starting place.
From the bus stop you can follow a trail that leads you to Ghajn Tuffieha (Tuffieha Tower). The hike to the tower takes about a half hour with little kids (probably ten minutes if you’re an adult on your own). From there, you can choose to loop back or to continue hiking down to the Ghajn Tuffieha Bay, which is as lovely as Golden Bay (just be ready to go down the almost 200 steps that lead down to it!).
You can also hike up the surrounding hills to get spectacular views of the bay, and to explore abandoned WWII bunkers. There is a nice cafe with views of the bay right across the street from the bus stop.
Buses that reach Golden Bay: 44, 101, 223 and 225 (Tuffieha is the last stop)
Buggiba
Buggiba has more of a gritty city vibe with lots of restaurants, cafes, and some grit. The new ocean front promenade is an amazing place to go for a stroll and you can even engage in some exercise on the open air gym that stretches along the promenade. Buggiba is full of inexpensive package resorts and we’ve heard it’s very crowded during the summer months.
The National Aquarium of Malta
We thought the aquarium was an okay place for an outing. It ‘s a good rainy day activity. There were some fun tanks but they were missing one of those big tanks you usually find at other aquariums. It’s not that big and we ended up walking through it twice to make it a full outing. That being said, the kids enjoyed visiting it. One thing we really liked was its emphasis on conservation and the protection of our oceans and the creatures living in it. There were lots of educational exhibits on this topic and they also had a shark nursery and a turtle rehabilitation area.
There is a fun ocean themed playground right outside the aquarium that is free of charge (you don’t need to enter the aquarium to use the playground). There is a cafe right next to the playground with lots of outside seating, and a wide open space for kids to run their bikes or scooters, or just run around.
Buses that reach The National Aquarium of Malta: 45, 186, 212, 221, 280, N11, N212 and X3 (get off at Ben stop).
Quattro Kids Cafe
This is an indoor play area with separate spaces for little and big kids. Our kids stayed entertained here for about 2 hours. There is a full cafe onsite, which was great for the parents who appreciate the access to food and coffee while out and about with kids. Their open hours vary each week depending on birthday parties so check their Facebook page before visiting.
Buses that reach Quattro Kids Cafe: 31 (get off at Pijunieri stop), or 41, 42, 48, 49, 203, 221, 222, 223, 225, 250 and N11 (get off at Mwiezeb stop)
Kennedy Grove Playground
Kennedy Grove is inside Salina National Park. The Grove is in the lowest terrace of the park and it was named after John F. Kennedy. There are two amazing playground structures for small and big kids inside the grove. The National Park also includes a stream that flows through the park, a forested area that is perfect fort the kids to play in, and there is also a fountain surrounded by a wide open space of turf where kids can ride their bikes or scooters, and play with balls. There is a cafe with pretty good options inside the park by the fountain.
Buses that reach Kennedy Grove Playground: 49, 212, 222, 225, N212 and X1 (get off at Kennedy or Gasfur stops).
Overall, northern Malta was a great place to explore with kids. There aren’t specific “big ticket” sites, but there are a ton of interesting things to do and see, with ocean views and towers built by the Knights of St. John at every turn. We hope you find this information useful and if you have any questions, we’re always happy to try and help answer them!
Check out our Malta section for Part 2 and Part 3 of the Complete Guide to Malta.
