12 Things To Do in Popeye Village, Malta

If you know me, you might just know that I do adore anything a bit kitsch. The kind of places some travellers would probably turn their noses up at. Which is why Malta’s best-loved tourist attraction, Popeye Village, was incredibly up my street.

We visited on a sunny afternoon after lazing by the pool, and I had the actual best time there. Tacky? Maybe. But it also had a lot of heart, happiness, colour and warmth. That, I can definitely get behind.

In the 1908s, Malta’s Anchor Bay was a film set. The film in question? Popeye, quite obviously. To be honest, although I was familiar with the cartoon, I hadn’t actually seen the movie myself, but it didn’t stop me from having an awesome adventure there. (Plus, if you really want to catch up, they actually show the film in one of the buildings.) 

I actually had way more fun skipping through Popeye Village than walking the streets of Valetta (which are v.slippery), and it was a charming and quirky way to spend an afternoon. Here are twelve things to do in Popeye Village.

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1. Take in the beautiful views

After a bus journey that felt more like a rollercoaster ride (that’s just how Maltese bus drivers roll, we discovered), we arrived at Popeye Village and picked up our tickets. With no real idea what to expect, we walked round to the village entrance and…wow. Ahead, we saw stretching cliffs above blue, shimmering sea. To our right, a collection of wooden buildings made up Popeye Village – and far ahead, the ocean stretched out before us. Beautiful.

TRAVEL TIP: Buy your tickets in advance to skip the line!

2. Swim, Relax and Play on Giant Inflatables

I was expecting Popeye Village to just be an attraction where you spend an hour or two looking round – but actually, people stay there for the whole day as there are plenty of things to do in Popeye Village!

Swimming in the blue water, or relaxing beside the cliffs, it’s easy to while away the hours. AND they have water trampolines.

3. Meet Popeye and Bluto and Olive

Not just for the kids! In Popeye Village, actors dress up as characters from the famous cartoon, and are happy to pose for pictures with visitors of all ages.

POPEYE CALLED ME A UNICORN AND MY LIFE IS BASICALLY COMPLETE.

4. Dive into all the little details of Popeye Village 

All of the buildings and houses through the attraction are super detailed – even the ones you can’t go into. Obviously, the film set would have had to look as real as possible, but the level of detail they’ve kept the village too is pretty impressive.

From signs on the walls to even the toilets having a themed exterior, it’s a really immersive place to be.

5. Food and Drink at Popeye Village

Usually at tourist attractions, you expect to pay the equivalent of your flight costs to get a cardboard-y meal and some undercooked chips. Thankfully, the cafe at Popeye Village do actually do some decent grub – I really enjoyed my pizza, and the burgers aren’t bad at all.

Obviously, it’s not gourmet dining, and you could take a picnic, but eating here is a totally fine option. Oh, and there’s beer. *thumbs up emoji*

6. Take in a Popeye performance

Lose your inhibitions and dance with the gang. Orrr…just watch some hilarious comedy fight scenes as Popeye and Bluto battle each other for Olive’s affections. Embrace the ridiculousness of it all, and it’s pretty damn entertaining. Especially if you plan on visiting with kids.

7. Explore Olive Oyl’s home

I definitely did not put on an Olive voice and swoosh around. Noope. Also, in one of the rooms, there’s a pretty interesting documentary on a loop about the making of the movie. Said room is also beautifully air conditioned.

8. Play Christmas-themed mini golf, all year round.

Need I say more? One of the silliest things to do in Popeye Village is play a round of festive mini-golf. Yep, no matter what the season, you can whack a ball around through the candy cane course and see if you can hit a snowman in the eye.

Alright, it’s pretty shoddy quality, and we ended up going round the wrong way through lack of numbers, but it’s FUN. Well, apart from the part where I lost.

8. Star in your own Popeye Village movie, with a DVD to take home

Sadly, we didn’t get to try this as we missed the session – however, this sounds pretty cool! The fact that you get given the DVD rather than charged for a copy is a lovely touch, as with most attractions you pay a lot to get your pictures and videos afterwards.

9. Check out Popeye movie props and memorabilia

If you’re a fan of the film, or just a Popeye fan in general, you’ll love all the memorabilia on display. From comics to toys to novelty spinach cans, it’s really interesting to see the Popeye influence in pop culture over the years. The gift shop is also pretty good (and reasonably priced!), so if you want a Popeye mug or soft toy to take home, you can pick some cool things up here. 

10. Watch the documentary

The film site has a cinema that shows a 15min documentary about the making of the film and it’s set, which is a fun little watch to give some context to your visit. 

12. Pick up your freebies

Included with your entrance fee, you get a free postcard and some popcorn. Don’t forget to pick them up! The postcard is a great little scrapbook inclusion.

Popeye Village probably isn’t for everyone, but I loved the place. It’s the kind of honest, family fun place that excites the kid in me that still feels way too much wonder at the silliest of things. And there’s actually plenty of things to do in Popeye Village – even if you’re just sunbathing/sipping a drink and enjoying the stunning views.

Sure, it’s small and kinda…ramshackle? It’s certainly not got the technical wow-factor of large-scale theme parks. But, if you’re like me, you’ll find a real sense of charm in the village street and enthusiasm from the characters who greet you – it’s pretty hard not to feel your heart warm a little when you’re there. 

Where is Popeye Village & how do I get there?

Popeye Village – also known by it’s actual name of Sweethaven Village – can be found at Anchor Bay, 3 km from the village centre of Mellieħa, reachable by bus. From there (stop: Etna) it’s about a 10min bus ride to Popeye Village. Driving or by taxi, it’ll take you around 35mins from Valetta, 30min from St Julians/Buggiba, 15mins from St Paul’s Bay.

How much is entry to Popeye Village and what does it include?

The Summer Package is €24 adults / €16 children, and includes: Film set entry, use of sun beds and inflatables, cinema entry for a 15min screening of the ‘making of Popeye’ documentary.

Where to stay near Popeye Village

Luna Holiday Complex (££) – self catering apartments with pool
Solana Hotel and Spa (££) – I stayed here and really rate it!
Pergola Hotel and Spa (£££) – upmarket rooms and apartments