Marsaxlokk

By Rainer Von Helin on Sep 1, 2014

 

The colorful fishing village of Marsaxlokk is popular amongst tourists and locals alike. It’s the best place to get fresh fish on the island of Malta. The village’s name comes from the word marsa, which means port and xlokk, which is the word used to describe the southeast. Swordfish, tuna and the popular lampuki are caught in abundance between spring and late autumn and although fresh fish has become a scarcity at local markets, the Marsaxlokk fish market still takes place every Sunday starting early in the morning until early in the afternoon. Here one may find plenty of restaurants offering fresh fish, literally off the boat and once you’ve tasted the best fruits of the sea, one can take a hike or a transfer taxi for 3€ per person to St Peter’s Pool for a cliff dive into crystal blue waters. Sounds perfect, doesn’t it?

 

The reality of Marsaxlokk fish market did not meet our expectations due to the number of closed restaurants that were highly recommended on Tripadvisor.com and the over saturation of made in China products found at the market. The herds of students who come to Malta to study English during the summer and the abundance of tourists did not make the experience any better. Our suggestion is most definitely to choose wisely when coming to Marsaxlokk to eat and to pass by early in the morning for fresh fish. Otherwise, just come for a stroll, a swim at St Peter’s Pool and enjoy the colorful views across the bay. Getting to Marsaxlokk is easy. It takes approximately 40 minutes from Valletta and can be reached easily by public transport.