Published: 30 October 2026
Marsaxlokk & St Peter's Pool: South Malta in a Day
Marsaxlokk and St Peter's Pool are the two reasons most visitors come to the south-east of Malta: a fishing village with painted luzzu boats and a Sunday morning market, and a natural rock pool of deep, clear water on the Delimara peninsula, 35–45 minutes' walk away. You can do both in one day — the market early, the pool before the heat, and the afternoon at St Thomas Bay in Marsaskala, the next bay up the coast.
This is our home coast. We run boats, kayaks and jet skis from St Thomas Bay from April to October, and our 28ft south-coast tour stops at St Peter's Pool on the way to the Blue Grotto, so we know the walk, the rocks, the sea state and the market timing. Here is how to plan the day on foot, by bus, by taxi or by sea, with 2027 prices for the sea options.
Marsaxlokk Sunday market: when to go and what you'll find
Marsaxlokk is Malta's main fishing village, and the harbour full of luzzu — the wooden boats painted blue, yellow, red and green with the eye of Osiris on the bow — is the picture everyone comes for. On Sunday mornings the whole seafront becomes a market: fish stalls at the harbour end, then fruit and vegetables, honey, nougat, lace, clothes and souvenirs along the promenade.
It runs roughly from 07:00 to 13:00, and the useful part is before 10:00: that is when the fish is still on ice and the locals are buying. From about 10:00 the tour buses arrive, the fish stalls begin to pack up and the souvenir rows take over. Arrive early, walk the whole front, then sit down for a coffee by the water.
On the other six days the village is quieter: a smaller daily market on the front, the luzzu still in the harbour and the fish restaurants open for lunch and dinner. Ask for the catch of the day — from late summer into autumn it is usually lampuki (dolphin fish), the local favourite — or octopus, swordfish and the fish soup called aljotta.
How to get to Marsaxlokk from Valletta, Sliema and the airport
- •Bus: routes 81 and 85 run from Valletta to Marsaxlokk — check the route in the tallinja app before you leave, numbers change. A single ticket is valid for 2 hours with transfers and costs about €2.00 in winter and €2.50 in summer (summer fares from mid-June to mid-October); pay on board in cash or with a card. Fares at publictransport.com.mt.
- •Car or ride-hailing app (Bolt, eCabs): Valletta to Marsaxlokk is about 25 minutes by car. On Sunday mornings parking fills early, so expect to leave the car on the edge of the village and walk in.
- •From Sliema or St Julian's a ride-hailing app is the simplest option; by bus you usually change in Valletta, so allow over an hour.
- •The airport at Luqa is in the same corner of the island, which makes Marsaxlokk a sensible first or last stop of the trip.
How to get to St Peter's Pool from Marsaxlokk
St Peter's Pool has no bus stop and no facilities, which is exactly why it is still beautiful. From Marsaxlokk it is about 35–45 minutes on foot along the road out onto the Delimara peninsula, with a final stretch of uneven ground down to the rocks. Fine in trainers; not fine in flip-flops with a pushchair.
A taxi or ride-hailing car from Marsaxlokk is a short hop and makes sense in July and August, when the walk back in the midday heat is the worst part of the day. Ask the driver how close the car can get; the last part is on foot anyway.
The third way is by sea. St Peter's Pool is a classic stop on south-coast boat trips, and from the water you see what you cannot from the ledges: the pool is a rounded cut into the headland with the open sea right outside. Our 28ft boat from St Thomas Bay does this (details below), and a self-drive boat reaches the same coast.
St Peter's Pool, Il-Kalanka and the Delimara peninsula
The pool itself is a natural basin cut into the limestone: flat ledges around a deep, clear, blue hole of water, open to the sea on one side. There is no sand and no shade. People come to jump from the ledges, swim in water that is several metres deep straight from the edge, and lie on the warm rock. In summer the ledges are full by late morning; at 08:00 you can have it almost to yourself.
Il-Kalanka is the next cove along the same headland: rockier, smaller, with fewer people and the same clear water. If St Peter's Pool is packed, walk over. The peninsula ends at the Delimara lighthouse, with open views along the whole south coast — worth the extra minutes on a cooler day.
Safety on the rocks: jumping, swell and what to bring
- •Look at the sea before you jump: on days with swell the water heaves against the ledges and getting out is harder than getting in. Calm mornings are the rule; if the surface is white, swim somewhere else.
- •Check the depth and your exit before jumping — the water is deep near the edge, but every ledge is different and the rock is sharp at the waterline.
- •No lifeguard, no toilets, nothing you can count on: carry at least 1.5 litres of water per person, something to eat and sun cream.
- •Shoes that can get wet: in July and August the rock is burning by 11:00 and the walk back is uphill.
- •Zero shade: a hat and an umbrella are the difference between two hours and twenty minutes.
- •Keep valuables to a minimum and in a bag — you will be leaving them on the rock while you swim.
- •Everything you bring goes back with you.
The afternoon at St Thomas Bay, Marsaskala
After the rocks, St Thomas Bay in Marsaskala is the easy afternoon: a shallow sand-and-rock bay where you can actually walk into the water, with our base open 09:00–19:00 from April to October. Marsaskala itself has a long seafront promenade with restaurants, and Żonqor Point at the end of it for the last light.
On the water, the cheapest way to see the coves and small sea caves around the bay is a kayak or a paddleboard: single kayak from €8 per hour (16+), double kayak from €15 per hour with no minimum age for the passenger if an adult paddles, SUP from €10 per hour (16+). The bay is sheltered, so it works for first-timers; snorkelling gear is €3 extra on the kayaks.
St Peter's Pool and the Blue Grotto by boat from St Thomas Bay
If you want to reach St Peter's Pool by sea, the 28ft open boat with skipper leaves from St Thomas Bay and runs the south coast: the sea caves only accessible by boat, the limestone cliffs, St Peter's Pool from the water and, on the longer sessions, the Blue Grotto. It is one price for the whole boat, up to 15 people, skipper and fuel included: €180 for 2 hours, €270 for 3, €400 for 5 and €530 for a full 8-hour day. No minimum age, so it works with small children; bring your own food and drinks (snorkelling gear is available on site).
Prefer to drive yourselves? The Hydra 530 is a 17ft motorboat for up to 6 people, no licence needed, driver 21 or older: €120 for 2 hours, €180 for 3, €240 for 4, €300 for 5 and €360 for 7 hours, with fuel bought separately at the base (about €15–30 per session) and a map of the south-coast swimming spots in the briefing. Both run April–October from 09:00 to 19:00; if we cancel for sea conditions you get a full refund or a free reschedule.
The Blue Grotto at Wied iż-Żurrieq, further west, is the other great south-coast sight: sea caves visited on 20–25-minute traditional boat rides from the tiny harbour, weather permitting and best in the morning for the light. From St Thomas Bay it is the far end of the full-day 28ft tour and of our guided Blue Grotto jet ski safari.
Marsaxlokk and St Peter's Pool in one day: a sample plan and the best months
Best months: the sea is typically 22 °C in June, 25 °C in July, 26–27 °C in August and still 25–26 °C in September; daytime highs run 28–32 °C from June to September. May (sea about 18–19 °C) and October (23 °C) are cooler but far emptier at the pool. In July and August do the pool first thing and the sea from a boat in the afternoon — the ledges are no place to be at 14:00. Our water sports run April–October, so the full plan works from spring to autumn.
- •07:30 — Marsaxlokk: walk the Sunday market while the fish is still on the stalls (any other day, the luzzu and a quiet coffee on the front).
- •09:30 — Walk or taxi to St Peter's Pool (35–45 minutes on foot); swim and jump before the ledges fill up.
- •11:30 — Move over to Il-Kalanka if it gets crowded, or back to Marsaxlokk for a fish lunch on the front.
- •14:00 — St Thomas Bay, Marsaskala: an hour of kayak or SUP in the sheltered bay, or the 2-hour skippered boat along the coast you walked in the morning.
- •Sunset — Marsaskala promenade and Żonqor Point; the sun sets behind the town and the restaurants face the water.
Frequently asked questions
Is St Peter's Pool free to visit?
Yes. It is a natural rock pool on public coastline with no entrance fee, no ticket and no facilities: no toilets, no shade, no lifeguard and no bus stop. The only cost is getting there — on foot from Marsaxlokk it is free, a taxi is a short ride, and by boat it is part of a south-coast trip.
Can you swim at St Peter's Pool?
Yes, that is the point: deep, clear water straight off flat limestone ledges, good for swimming and snorkelling on calm days. There is no beach entry — you jump or climb in from the rock — so it suits confident swimmers more than small children or anyone who needs shallow water. On days with swell, give it a miss.
What day is the Marsaxlokk market?
The big market is on Sunday morning, roughly 07:00–13:00, with the fish stalls at their best before 10:00. There is a smaller daily market on the seafront the rest of the week, and the luzzu boats and fish restaurants are there every day.
How far is St Peter's Pool from Marsaxlokk?
About 35–45 minutes on foot along the road out onto the Delimara peninsula, with a last stretch of uneven ground down to the rocks. There is no bus stop at the pool; a taxi or ride-hailing car from the village gets you most of the way in a few minutes.
Is Marsaxlokk worth visiting on a weekday?
Yes, if you want the village rather than the market: the luzzu in the harbour, lunch on the front and a much quieter walk to St Peter's Pool. Sunday is for the market atmosphere; any other day is better for photographs of the boats without the crowds and for an early, empty pool.
Can I visit St Peter's Pool and the Blue Grotto on the same day?
By road they are two separate trips on either side of the south coast; by sea they are one coastline. Our 28ft skippered boat from St Thomas Bay covers St Peter's Pool and, on the longer sessions, the Blue Grotto in a single trip (€180 for 2 hours up to €530 for a full day, whole boat, up to 15 people). The Blue Grotto boat rides from Wied iż-Żurrieq depend on the weather, so mornings are the safer bet.
