Located in Anchor Bay, northwestern Malta, Popeye Village is one of the great attractions on the island of Malta. This tiny seaside village, cradled by the waters of the Mediterranean, is the former film set for the Popeye movie.
Made up of nineteen wooden buildings in the typical Maltese fishing style, this village continues to bring the story of this sailor to life. It is a real amusement park dedicated to one of the most famous cartoon characters in history.
What are the places and activities to do in Popeye Village?
1. Film set
In Anchor Bay, a small and attractive bay in the north of the island of Malta, is Popeye’s Village, a charming fishing village which was the set created to film the 1980 Popeye movie. After the production of the musical had ended, the small village was preserved and expanded so that it could be used as a tourist attraction. Today it functions as a curious open-air museum and is open seven days a week.
2. Activities
Sweethaven, the real name of Popeye’s village, has now become one of Malta’s biggest attractions. As a theme park, it is the perfect place to spend a day full of magic, with different shows, workshops and activities that will make your stay an adventure.
You can find demonstrations from glassblowers and puppet shows, as well as the Slash pool, a mini-golf course or a free wine tasting for adults. It is an idyllic place for children but also very interesting for adults. There are also swimming pools, trampolines and water attractions where you can enjoy the beautiful Mediterranean surroundings.
3. Water Sports in Anchor Bay
A visit to Popeye’s Amusement Park is also an ideal opportunity to enjoy one of the island’s best diving spots, Anchor Bay. With its crystal clear waters, this bay attracts thousands of divers from all over the world every year for its magnificent marine life and spectacular dive sites such as the Scorpion Cave.
Another popular activity is a short boat trip around Anchor Bay, the small cove that is home to this fictional village. Here you can take the best photos of the village as well as enjoying the scenery of the Maltese coastline. There are also daily boat trips, provided the weather conditions are suitable.
4. Popeye’s House Museum
Visitors can enter different rooms where they can see some of the original furniture and props that were used during the filming of the movie. Popeye’s house is decorated so authentically that you will feel as if you were inside the cartoon series itself. You will also meet the different characters from the series in the village, and you can finish your visit by buying a souvenir in one of the shops in the park.
Travel Tip: To organize your trip we recommend using Passporter totally free. You can be inspired by the experiences of other travelers, choose the places that interest you most, create the travel route with a geolocated map, upload all important documents such as reservations and invite your friends so that everyone can participate in the organization of the trip.
How to get to Popeye Village?
The easiest way to get to Popeye Village is by car, although there are also buses available from various points on the island. If you don’t have a vehicle to get to Popeye’s Village, there are several buses from around the island to Mellieha Bay. Mellieha Bay is the closest town to Popeye Village, so you can catch the bus to Sweethaven from there.
Where to eat near Popeye Village?
Popeye’s Village has several restaurants, but you’ll find more options in the surrounding area. Discover some of the most popular restaurants near Popeye Village and make a reservation at the one you like best. Here are our top 5 quality restaurants near this quaint film village.
- Bouquet Garni
- Westreme Kitchen + Bar
- Michele’s Cafe
- Amami
- L’ostricaio Mellieha
Where to stay near Popeye Village?
Unfortunately, Popeye Village does not have any accommodation because there is no real infrastructure. However, in the nearby town of Mellieha you will find everything you need to enjoy your stay. Here is a selection of the best rated hotels in the area, all within easy reach of Popeye Village, so pick your favourite and book now!
- Solana Hotel and Spa
- Radisson Blu Resort & Spa, Malta Golden Sands
- AX Seashells Resort
- Corinthia Palace Malta
- Palazzo Violetta Boutique
Map and Travel Itinerary for Malta
Here we leave you our map with the places we recommend to visit in Malta so you can organize your trip easily and quickly. You can also add important documents such as travel tickets, hotel reservations and even invite your friends to be part of the itinerary organization. Using Passporter is free of charge and will help you travel in a more organized way. You have the option of registering on the website or downloading the app to keep everything centralized and in your pocket.
How to organise your trip?
If you have doubts about how to plan your trip, Passporter offers you several ways to do so. Download the app and discover all its helpful features. You will find a wide variety of ideas and inspiration on what beautiful villages to see as well as what activities you can do in Malta. You can also use this post as a reference and combine it with the ideas that the app suggests. Create your perfect travel itinerary with Passporter.
If you have any doubts about how to use the app, you can read our post: How to create your travel itinerary with Passporter.
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