Romantic Essence is this area's number-one pick for a fancy-pants dinner with beautiful sea views. Cooking is sophisticated with delicious and surprising combinations of flavours using seasonal ingredients. Menu highlights could include salmon ceviche with a citrus marmalade or duck breast with a pomegranate and walnut sauce. Bookings are recommended.
Essence
Northern Malta
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
9.79 MILES
St John's Co-Cathedral, Malta's most impressive church, was designed by the architect Gerolamo Cassar. It was built between 1573 and 1578, taking over…
10.18 MILES
The Hypogeum (from the Greek, meaning 'underground') is a subterranean necropolis, discovered during building work in 1902. To visit is to step into a…
9.26 MILES
The megalithic temples of Ħaġar Qim (adge-ar eem; 'standing stones') and Mnajdra (mm-nigh-dra) are the best preserved and most evocative of Malta's…
9.84 MILES
The stern exterior of the 16th-century Grand Master's Palace conceals a sumptuous interior. This was once the residence of the Grand Masters of the…
12.35 MILES
The reason to head to Birżebbuġa is to see the Għar Dalam Cave & Museum, 500m north on the main road from Valletta. Għar Dalam (aar-da-lam; the name means…
National Museum of Archaeology
9.71 MILES
The National Museum of Archaeology is housed in the impressive Auberge de Provence. Exhibits include delicate stone tools dating from 5200 BC, Phoenician…
4.74 MILES
The cathedral is said to be built on the site of the villa belonging to Publius, the Roman governor of Malta who welcomed St Paul in AD 60.
8.8 MILES
Perched on the crest of the hill to the south of Xagħra, the awe-inspiring megalithic Ġgantija Temples command soaring views over most of southern Gozo…
Nearby Northern Malta attractions
0.09 MILES
The lovely sandy arc of Golden Bay has a beautiful setting, and is a popular place to hang out, with a few cafes, water sports and boat trips available…
0.19 MILES
The area between Golden Bay and Anchor Bay was once earmarked for a golf course, but opposition from environmental groups led to the creation of National…
0.42 MILES
Għajn Tuffieħa Bay (ayn too-fee-ha, meaning 'Spring of the Apples') is even lovelier than neighbouring Golden Bay – no buildings overlook it, and it's…
1 MILES
This gentle red-sand beach is backed by terraced hillsides and has boathouses built into the rocks to one side. Built in 1637 by the Knights of St John,…
1.3 MILES
Around 700m west of Mġarr, the ornate early-19th-century manor house Zammitello Palace is now a wedding and function hall.
1.63 MILES
Mġarr's Church of the Assumption was built in the 1930s with money raised by local parishioners, largely from the sale of local eggs. Some estimates put…
1.66 MILES
The Mġarr Shelter was used by locals during the WWII bombings of Malta (enter through Il-Barri restaurant). You can only imagine the long uncomfortable…
1.75 MILES
Steep-sided, pretty little Anchor Bay was named after the many Roman anchors that were found on the seabed by divers, some of which can be seen in the…