To the east of Mellieħa Ridge, the ornate fortress-like Selmun Palace – formerly a hotel and restaurant – dominates the skyline above St Paul's Bay. It was built in the 18th century for a charitable order called the Monte di Redenzione degli Schiavi (Mountain of the Redemption of the Slaves), whose business was to ransom Christians who had been taken into slavery on the Barbary Coast.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
8.49 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…
9.37 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…
9.72 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…
8.53 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…
11.8 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…
National Museum of Archaeology
8.43 MILES
The National Museum of Archaeology is housed in the impressive Auberge de Provence. Exhibits include delicate stone tools dating from 5200 BC, Phoenician…
5.18 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.
8.74 MILES
Perched on the crest of the hill to the south of Xagħra, the awe-inspiring megalithic Ġgantija Temples command soaring views over most of southern Gozo…
Nearby Northern Malta attractions
0.55 MILES
The derelict Fort Campbell is an abandoned coastal defence built by the British between WWI and WWII. To reach the fort, turn right just before you reach…
0.6 MILES
Secluded Selmun Bay is an adventure to find, and a great place to escape the crowds; bring refreshments and sunshades. Take the road to Selmun Palace from…
0.6 MILES
Built by the Knights of the Order of St John in 1658, this ruined tower sits above a compact beach at Mġieba Bay.
0.94 MILES
Is-Simar was opened in 1995 on a marshy patch of neglected land and is managed by BirdLife Malta volunteers on behalf of the government. More than 180…
1.04 MILES
To the west of Buġibba, near the fishing-boat harbour at the head of the bay, is Għajn Rasul (Apostle's Fountain), where St Paul is said to have baptised…
1.09 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…
1.14 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,…
8. Church of Our Lady of Victory
1.16 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…