Popeye Village, Film set theme park in Mellieħa, Malta
Popeye Village is a theme park in Mellieħa, Malta, made up of nineteen colorful wooden buildings that line Anchor Bay. The site offers family entertainment, water features, small boat rides, and guided tours through the film sets that remain open year-round.
The film crew built this village in 1979 for the shooting of Popeye, importing timber from the Netherlands and Canada to create realistic sets. After production wrapped in 1980, the site remained standing and was transformed into a permanent visitor attraction.
This filming location was built for Robert Altman's musical featuring Robin Williams as the sailor character from comic strips and cartoons. Today visitors walk through colorful wooden houses and meet costumed performers who bring scenes from the production back to life.
Regular bus routes connect the site to larger towns across Malta, and parking spaces are located close to the entrance for those driving. A visit works best in fair weather, as many activities take place outdoors and the coastal setting is exposed to wind and sun.
A breakwater stretching sixty meters protects the wooden structures from rough seas and helps the original architecture survive for over four decades. Eight tons of nails were used during construction to anchor the framework securely and withstand storms.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
