Marsaxlokk fish market in a small village in Malta

Marsaxlokk fish market, a famous place in Malta.

When reading guides about attractions on the island of Malta, you will probably come across a mention of the large fish market in a place with a difficult-to-pronounce name, Marsaxlokk.

This largest market event on the island takes place every Sunday from early morning until afternoon. During summer, the market basically lasts the whole week. Local housewives come here and stock up for the rest of the week. Restaurant and bar owners from all over the island also stock up on fish here. The rest of the visitors are tourists, many tourists.

Marsaxlokk fish market full of everything

As Marsaxlokk is officially a fishing village, one might expect that the stalls set around the bay would be overflowing with fish and such. However, that’s not the case; most vendors offer traditional Chinese knick-knacks from headphones and cheap power banks (stay away from those), to €5 shoes and Maltese souvenirs with “Made in China” stamped on the back.

Fortunately, cheap trinkets aren’t all that the big bazaar has to offer. The villagers display their own prepared food and grocery products here. I’m a big fan of Maltese nougat with nuts, and I was pleased to find it available at nearly every other stall.

You can also buy the famous Maltese honey, excellent sheep cheeses, and giant olives stuffed with either cheese or vegetables. We recommend liqueurs and wines made from prickly pear, which grows literally everywhere on the island. Additionally, there are vegetables and fruits, not only those originating from the island, but also regularly imported from nearby Sicily.

Of course, there are also stalls with fish, although they are mostly traded wholesale in the privacy of local pubs. The ones displayed on ice-covered counters are meant for the residents, who eagerly buy them. We saw still-alive octopuses and fish of unknown species. Then there were fillets, shellfish, and shrimps. There were even sharks of some dwarf variety.

Browsing through the fish stalls was an interesting experience for us, although for lunch, I opted for a Greek salad and avoided fish for another week.

In the nearby taverns, they serve fresh fish and (how else) seafood, which I’m not particularly fond of. So I can’t say if they’re good, but I assume they are, as people from all over the island flock here for lunch. We visited Malta at the end of September, which means significantly fewer tourists than in the summer months. However, the crowds squeezing between the stalls were still substantial.

The famous Maltese Luzzu fishing boats in Marsaxlokk fish market

Once you’ve tired yourselves out from strolling through the bustling market, I suggest sitting by the waterfront to admire the gently swaying, fantastically colourful fishing boats called Luzzu.

The residents of Marsaxlokk love their boats and are very superstitious. They adorn them with carved eyes of Osiris, just like those from Egypt. Supposedly, thanks to them, the fishermen working at sea have good luck with their catches, and thanks to the divine eyes, they always find their way home. Interestingly, the village is renowned for its extremely devout Catholic faith, even by the standards of devout Malta.

Despite this, they don’t see any contradiction in incorporating ancient beliefs from Egypt. However, after spending a few months in Asia, nothing that people are willing to believe can surprise me any more.

On Sunday mornings, many buses bring tourists to Marsaxlokk; look for line number 81, but be sure to double-check on-site. We travelled by car, which provides immense opportunities and incredible mobility.

While finding parking during the market can be a miracle, somehow we managed it, thanks to visiting at the end of September.

Information and interesting facts from Marsaxlokk fish market on the island of Malta

• The name of the village is a combination of two Maltese words – “Marsa,” which simply means port, and “Xlokk” – the southeast wind blowing towards the island.
• In the bay of Marsaxlokk in 1989, the Soviet ship Maxim Gorky anchored, on board of which Bush and Gorbachev signed an agreement ending the Cold War.
• Luzzu boats are painted in yellow, blue, and red stripes. This tradition, as well as the construction of the boats, dates back to the times when Malta was ruled by the Phoenicians.
• The construction of the boats has not changed for thousands of years. Today, it is one of the most durable designs capable of withstanding any, even the greatest storm. Although they are mainly used for transporting tourists nowadays, it is not uncommon to see a colourful boat returning from fishing.
• The villagers are very calm and understanding. They never rush, and when asked about something, they can talk about it for hours.

Polish version