Birzebbugia

Birzebbugia is a small town in the south of Malta, which lies in the Mediterranean Sea 100km south of Sicily. The town’s name means ‘Well of Olives’ and lies 9km from the country’s capital, Valetta.

Birzebuggia began its life as a fishing village, but has now expanded into a popular southern town due to its sandy beaches and stretch of lively bars and restaurants.

Despite its growth, the town stays true to its heritage as traditional Maltese fishing boats, luzzu, carrying the watchful Eye of Osiris to ward off evil dating back 2,500 years, can be seen dotted all around the bays.

The island, which is smaller than the Isle of Wight, enjoys very mild winters with minimal rain and hot dry summers. The country’s official languages are English and Maltese.

Attractions

Birzebbugia has three main beaches. St George’s Bay and Wied Il-Buni are small, secluded rocky coves. Pretty Bay is the main stretch of sandy beach. It also has a playground, covered gazebos and a football pitch.

Malta is home to a number of prehistoric archaeological sites. In Birzebbugia, Ghar Hasan - the Cave of Hasan – was the hideout of a 12th century Saracen rebel. Ghar Dalam - the Cave of Darkness – also has a museum. It contains semi-fossilised remains of extinct species including dwarf elephants and hippopotami, which roamed the island over 250,000 years ago.

The Church of Saint Peter in Chains is the centre of the community. In summer the Feast of Saint Peter takes place on the first Sunday in August, with the week leading up the feast being one of street parties, marches and band parades. Two rival band clubs, the Eagles and the Lions, meet in the street and compete whilst surrounded by their supporters. On the actual day of the feast a huge statue of Saint Peter is carried around the streets of the town and then brought back into the church. The evening is finished off with bands playing and an awesome fireworks display in the church square. Kiosks spring up all over town during the feast selling food, drinks, ice cream and children’s toys.

Shopping

Business hours in the town revolve around the Mediterranean siesta therefore most shops are open from 9am until 7pm with a three hour lunch break, usually lasting from 12pm until 3pm.

Birzebbugia market day is every Thursday throughout the year, where you can buy clothes, household items, and traditional foods including stuffed olives, goat’s cheese and pastitsie (puff pastry parcels filled with ricotta or peas).

Clothes shops in the town include The Right Spot and Casual 78. Southvale is a conveniently located shop opposite the beach, which sells a variety of children’s toys and inflatables.

Nightlife and Dining

Birzebbugia has a seafront strip of bars, cafés, restaurants and kiosks. The main hotel is the Seabreeze, which has a restaurant offering fine dining in a warm and friendly atmosphere.

Al Fresco, on the edge of the town, serves traditional Maltese food including swordfish, rabbit, and of course pizza and pasta. This restaurant has a large veranda where you can dine outside and take in the beautiful views of St George’s Bay.

If you fancy something completely unrelated to the island, Birzebbugia also has its own Chinese restaurant. Borda’s Chinese in Pretty Bay offers an impressive range of Chinese dishes and uses freshly caught fish from the bay in its seafood dishes.

Small cafés where you can have a quick meal include Southend on the seafront, Litebite and Country Style.

The seafront bars get very busy in the summer months when it is too hot to stay in doors without air-conditioning. Some of the most popular are the Power Bar, Johnny’s Bar, and Laura’s Place, where you can sample the country’s own beer, Cisk, and its unique soft drink, Kinnie, made with a blend of oranges and aromatic herbs.

Airport

Malta International Airport in Luqa is 4km from Birzebbugia.

The official carrier is Air Malta, which operates flights from London Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, Newcastle, East Midlands, Bristol, Cardiff, and Glasgow airports. British Airways also offer direct flights from a variety of airports.

Ryanair have recently introduced low cost fares to Malta direct from London Luton Airport. Other carriers, including Al Italia and Lufthansa, operate indirect flights via Italy and Germany respectively.

Tourist Information

Malta Tourism Authority Auberge D’ItalieMerchants StreetValetta CMR 02 MaltaTel: +356 (2) 291 5000

Malta Tourist Office (UK)Unit CPark House14 NorthfieldsLondonSW18 1DDTel: 020 8877 6990

Email: info@visitmalta.com