A Pretty Bay, Malta style

Pretty much an eyesore Bay. Nice sand, shame about the view.

This is the only sandy beach in the south of the island. Like St. George’s Bay, this is an artificially sandy beach – once upon a time it was a large rocky beach.

This rather sizeable beach is surrounded by the little town of Birzebbugia and would really live up to its name of ‘pretty’ if it were not for the huge Freeport right in front of it. In fact, it came into being as a result of the Freeport – probably a kind of recompense to the locals for the blot on the landscape.

Pros: Close for those living in the South or who are visiting some of the temples and other historical sites in the area. Easy access to all the necessary facilities available in town, including a couple of decent and cheap fish restaurants. There is a 5-a-side football pitch for those wishing to play some ball. Very close to the bus stop.

Cons: It has a very urban feel to it, being close to a road, town and huge Freeport. Much less beautiful than the options in the North.

Verdict: Hard to call this one. If you’re Maltese and not living in the South, I doubt you’d go out of your way to go to swim here. But I’ve met visitors who’ve spent happy times on Pretty Bay, hardly moving elsewhere. It is probably worth a stop if you’re touring the South (temples, fishing village of Marxalokk) or been to Playmobil with the kids and need a dip after.

How to get there:
From Valletta: Bus 11 – every 15 mins from 5.30am till 10.30pm.

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