Popeye Village

In 1979 a production crew arrived at a remote cove in northern Malta and built an entire village of crooked timber houses for the film musical of Popeye, using shiploads of imported lumber and hand-cut wooden shingles, and rather than dismantle it afterwards they left it standing. Four decades on it is one of Malta's oddest attractions: a genuine film set of leaning, brightly painted buildings tumbling down to a small bay, now filled with a family programme of costumed characters, a mini golf, boat trips, a wine cellar and a museum about the film. The cove itself is lovely, and the set photographs beautifully from the road above whether or not you pay to go in. For adults it is worth an hour for the sheer improbability of the thing; for children it is a full afternoon.

History

Construction began in June 1979, when a crew of 165 spent four months building the 19 wooden buildings with logs and planks from the Netherlands, roof shingles from Canada, eight tons of nails and 7,600 litres of paint. Filming began on 23 January 1980 and ended on 19 June (Wikipedia, Popeye Village).

What you'll find

• The film set village - the original crooked timber houses from the 1980 production.
• Anchor Bay - the cove the village tumbles down to.
• The viewpoint above - the set seen from the road, free and photogenic.
• The film museum - footage and material about the production.

When to go

April to October for the boat trips and swimming in the bay; the programme of shows and activities is fullest in summer, which is also the busiest and hottest time. Winter opening is shorter and quieter, and some activities stop.

What to expect

It is priced as a full attraction but for adults without children the interest is largely the set itself, which can be photographed for free from the road above. The costumed entertainment is aimed squarely at young children. In summer it is hot, crowded and the buildings, being wooden and forty years old, are patched and repainted rather than pristine.

Nearby

Mellieħa Bay's beach is close; Gozo ferries leave from Ċirkewwa nearby.

Key facts