Popeye Village, Mellieħa, Malta

Popeye Village is one of Malta’s most unusual and photogenic attractions — a cluster of brightly painted, higgledy-piggledy wooden houses tumbling down to a rocky bay on the north-west coast of the island near Mellieħa. It was built in 1979 as the film set of Sweethaven, the fictional seaside town in the big-budget live-action musical Popeye, directed by Robert Altman and starring Robin Williams, in his first leading film role, as the spinach-loving sailor. Rather than being torn down after filming, the whole village was preserved, and today it survives as a family fun park where visitors can wander the rustic streets, look inside the characters’ houses, meet costumed Popeye and Olive Oyl, and enjoy the beautiful setting of Anchor Bay.

What to See

The charm of Popeye Village is simply exploring the film set itself: some twenty wooden buildings — Popeye’s house, the Sweethaven pub, the town hall, the bakery and more — clinging to the slopes of the little bay, built from logs shipped in from the Netherlands and thousands of wooden shingles from Canada to look convincingly weather-beaten. Alongside the sets, the park lays on family entertainment: comic shows and appearances by Popeye and friends, exhibitions on the making of the 1980 film, a small museum, play areas for children and a short boat trip around the pretty Anchor Bay in season. There are viewing points above the village for the classic photograph, sunbathing decks and a little beach by the clear water, and a wine cellar and snack spots dotted about. It is aimed above all at families, but the setting and the film history make it enjoyable for anyone.

How to Get There and Practical Information

Popeye Village sits at Anchor Bay, about 3 kilometres north-west of the town of Mellieħa in the north of Malta, and roughly a 40-minute drive from the capital, Valletta. It is reached by car, with a car park at the site, or by public bus to Mellieħa and then a local bus or taxi down to the bay; many visitors also come on organised excursions. The park is open daily with seasonal hours (longer in summer), and admission is charged per adult, with cheaper tickets for children and pensioners, usually including the shows, boat trip and activities. Allow two to three hours for a visit, bring swimwear in summer if you fancy a dip in the bay, and note that the site is built on a slope with steps, so it involves a fair amount of walking up and down.