The north of Malta is a 12 km peninsula running up toward Cirkewwa, with the Gozo ferry at the top and the sandy beaches scattered along both coasts. Bus access is acceptable for the main towns but tedious for the smaller beaches and walks. A hire car is the right call for anything more than a single day.
From Valletta
- Bus #41 or #42 from Valletta City Gate to Mellieha town, 70 to 80 minutes depending on traffic, €2.50. Every 15 to 20 minutes from 05:30 to 23:00.
- Bus #45 continues from Mellieha to Cirkewwa ferry terminal, around 25 minutes.
- Driving from Valletta to Mellieha is 35 to 50 minutes off-peak, longer in summer afternoon traffic.
From Sliema and St Julian’s
- Bus #X1 express from Sliema/St Julian’s to Cirkewwa via the airport, around 90 minutes total, €2.50. The express stops at Mellieha along the way.
- Driving from Sliema to Mellieha is 30 to 45 minutes; to Cirkewwa around 40 to 55 minutes.
From the airport
- Bus #X1 runs from the airport to Cirkewwa via St Julian’s; from the airport to Mellieha takes around 60 to 70 minutes.
- Bolt from the airport to Mellieha is €30 to €45 depending on demand.
The Cirkewwa ferry to Gozo
This is the part most first-time visitors find confusing.
- The Gozo Channel ferry crosses Cirkewwa (Malta) to Mgarr (Gozo) every 30 to 45 minutes from 06:00 to 23:00 (reduced overnight service).
- The crossing takes 25 minutes quayside to quayside.
- Walk-on passengers do not book. Walk up, board, walk off. €4.65 return.
- Car passage is not booked in advance. Drive on at Cirkewwa, drive off at Mgarr, do your Gozo day, then queue and pay at the Mgarr terminal on the way back. €15.70 return for car + driver + passengers, paid at the Mgarr toll booth before re-boarding.
- Summer queues for cars are 30 to 90 minutes between 09:00 and 11:00 on weekends. Cross before 09:00 or after 13:00 to avoid the worst.
- A separate fast passenger ferry from Valletta directly to Mgarr (Gozo) runs hourly in summer, half-hourly at peak times. 45 minutes, €7.50 one way. Bookable; useful if you do not have a car.
The Comino ferry
Several small operators run boats from Cirkewwa to Comino (the Blue Lagoon), typically €15 to €25 return, departures from 09:00 to roughly 17:00. The smaller-operator boats are preferable to the mass-market party boats from Sliema or Bugibba.
The smaller boats drop you at the Blue Lagoon for a fixed window (usually 3 to 4 hours) and you return on the same operator’s pickup. Confirm the pickup time before getting off the boat.
The alternative is the small Mgarr-Comino ferry from the Gozo side: €10 return, 10 minutes each way. See the Comino guide for the strategic case for using this route instead.
Within the north
A single bus runs along the spine of the peninsula (the #221) connecting Mellieha to Cirkewwa via the main road. Frequency is hourly. For travel between Mellieha Bay, Golden Bay, Ghajn Tuffieha and Paradise Bay, walking from the main road takes 10 to 30 minutes per beach. A car is genuinely useful.
- Mellieha town to Mellieha Bay: 800 m walk downhill from the village centre, or bus #41 (3 minutes).
- Mellieha to Golden Bay: bus #223 to the Radisson hotel, then 5 minutes walk. Or drive (10 minutes).
- Mellieha to Cirkewwa: bus #45 or #221, around 25 minutes. Drive 12 minutes.
Parking
- Mellieha Bay: large public car park behind the beach. Free in winter, €5 to €7 per day in summer (June-September).
- Golden Bay: small car park, free, fills early on summer weekends.
- Ghajn Tuffieha: smaller car park 15 minutes’ walk above the beach, free.
- Cirkewwa ferry: large free car park at the terminal for ferry passengers, but check the signed time limits.
- Mellieha village centre: free street parking, plentiful outside July-August.
Accessibility
Mellieha Bay has level beach access via a ramp at the western end and the surface is relatively even. Golden Bay has a paved descent path but the sand itself is not wheelchair-friendly. Ghajn Tuffieha requires descending 200 steps; not accessible.
Mellieha village is hilly with limestone-slab streets; the parish church area has steps. The Red Tower is approached by a 200 m gravel path from the road; the tower interior has stairs only.
The Cirkewwa ferry terminal has level boarding and accessible toilets. The Gozo Channel vessels have lifts between car deck and passenger deck. Comino boats have varied accessibility; check with the operator before booking.