Bugibba, Qawra and St Paul's Bay: one stretch of coast
Bugibba and Qawra are part of the St Paul's Bay municipality, and you can walk them along a seafront lined with terraces and apartments. The shore is rocky, the crowd leans towards families and nights wind down earlier than in Paceville.
Just offshore lie St Paul's Islands, where tradition says the saint was shipwrecked.
Mellieħa: a hilltop town
The town sits on a ridge and drops to the bay down a long slope you'll feel on the way back. It suits people here more for the sea than the party.
Nearby is Popeye Village, the set from the 1980 film, still standing in Anchor Bay.
The beaches that make the trip worthwhile
The full comparison is in the best beaches guide. For hopping over to Gozo and Comino, this is the handy side of the island, since the ferries leave from Ċirkewwa.
- Għadira: the island's largest sandy beach, on Mellieħa Bay.
- Golden Bay and Għajn Tuffieħa: on the west coast, great for sunset.
Café del Mar, the north's big party
Café del Mar is in Qawra, facing St Paul's Islands, with a seaside pool and the sunset thrown in. The Thursday pool party usually ends at 01:00, earlier than the clubs, which makes getting back much simpler; other nights can run to 04:00. Each party sets its own times, so check its page.
How to plan if you stay there
The trip back is what you'll notice most:
- Group your nights: crossing the island once or twice is fine; every night isn't. Or split your stay: St Julian's first, the north afterwards.
- Party transport: when a ticket includes a bus, it usually leaves from St Julian's or Paceville, so you have to get there first.
- Taxi home: have both apps from getting around installed and share a car; demand is high at 04:00.
- Bus: fine by day, but the ride can approach or pass an hour. In the small hours, don't count on it without checking the Tallinja app.
