Xemxija
Encyclopedia
Xemxija is a resort area on the west side of St. Paul's Bay
, Malta
.
Xemxija (meaning sunny and pronounced shem-shee-ya) is the gateway to the sandy beaches of Golden Bay to the west, and to Mellieha
Bay to the north. Xemxija is a quiet resort, surrounded by Maltese countryside and some of the most fertile valleys in Malta. There is also a picturesque small fishing harbour. There are a few hotels and restaurants in Xemxija, but nightlife, shops and bars can be found in the villages of St Paul's Bay, Buġibba
and Qawra
, all within walking distance.
Xemxija is the smallest resort in Malta and is extremely close to some of the best Maltese beaches. It also has a couple of private lidos.
Xemxija, although consisting mainly of new apartment blocks built in the late 1980s and 1990s, has been home to settlements since prehistoric times.
In fact, the area includes the oldest preserved burial sites on the Maltese Archipelago (Neolithic phase – 4,200 BC), Punic Period tombs (900 BC), a fortified Bronze Age village site, cart ruts, a Bronze Age grain silo (1,200 BC) turned into a water catchment area, the remains of a neolithic temple (3,400 BC) and megalithic stones. Extensive trogdolitic dwellings from the 9th century abound in the region. A Heritage Route has been formed within the last few years. This route is mainly located on Xemxija hill (in Maltese, "ix-Xaghra l-Bajda").
Within the Extended Heritage Walk area, one will also find rock-hewn Roman-Period baths, a Second-World-War defence outpost and a post-Second-World-War emergency underground flour mill, which has recently been restored to working condition by the Fondazzjoni Wirt Industrijali Malti.
A 24-page booklet describing the Heritage Walk is freely available from St. Paul's Bay Local Council (located on the Main Road at St. Paul's Bay) and will help any visitor to find the sites and understand them.
An extensive volume by Eugene Paul Teuma, San Pawl il-Bahar: A Guide (2003), describing archaeological sites in the region (including an extensive chapter about Xemxija), may be acquired from the above-mentioned local council offices, or over the internet (search "Teuma San Pawl Il-Bahar Malta Archaeology").
St. Paul's Bay
Saint Paul's Bay is a town in Malta, situated in the north east of the island of Malta, sixteen kilometres from the capital city Valletta.Its name refers to the shipwreck of Saint Paul, as documented in the Acts of the Apostles, due to the tradition that Saint Paul was shipwrecked on the isles,...
, Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
.
Xemxija (meaning sunny and pronounced shem-shee-ya) is the gateway to the sandy beaches of Golden Bay to the west, and to Mellieha
Mellieha
Mellieħa is a large village in the northwestern part of Malta. It is a popular tourist destination during the summer months. Mellieħa as a village developed under British colonization after the British encouraged people to settle in the area by giving leases to the population...
Bay to the north. Xemxija is a quiet resort, surrounded by Maltese countryside and some of the most fertile valleys in Malta. There is also a picturesque small fishing harbour. There are a few hotels and restaurants in Xemxija, but nightlife, shops and bars can be found in the villages of St Paul's Bay, Buġibba
Bugibba
Buġibba [pronounced bu-jibb-buh] is a small town in Malta, situated adjacent to Qawra and forming part of the local council of St. Paul's Bay. With numerous hotels, restaurants, pubs, clubs, and a casino, it is a popular resort among tourists....
and Qawra
Qawra
Qawra is a town in Malta. It is located on the northeast of the Malta Island, and with Buġibba it forms a part of St. Paul's Bay. It is popular among tourists and is home to a many hotels and restaurants. Although there is no beach, many people swim and bathe off the rocks, which provide ample...
, all within walking distance.
Xemxija is the smallest resort in Malta and is extremely close to some of the best Maltese beaches. It also has a couple of private lidos.
Xemxija, although consisting mainly of new apartment blocks built in the late 1980s and 1990s, has been home to settlements since prehistoric times.
In fact, the area includes the oldest preserved burial sites on the Maltese Archipelago (Neolithic phase – 4,200 BC), Punic Period tombs (900 BC), a fortified Bronze Age village site, cart ruts, a Bronze Age grain silo (1,200 BC) turned into a water catchment area, the remains of a neolithic temple (3,400 BC) and megalithic stones. Extensive trogdolitic dwellings from the 9th century abound in the region. A Heritage Route has been formed within the last few years. This route is mainly located on Xemxija hill (in Maltese, "ix-Xaghra l-Bajda").
Within the Extended Heritage Walk area, one will also find rock-hewn Roman-Period baths, a Second-World-War defence outpost and a post-Second-World-War emergency underground flour mill, which has recently been restored to working condition by the Fondazzjoni Wirt Industrijali Malti.
A 24-page booklet describing the Heritage Walk is freely available from St. Paul's Bay Local Council (located on the Main Road at St. Paul's Bay) and will help any visitor to find the sites and understand them.
An extensive volume by Eugene Paul Teuma, San Pawl il-Bahar: A Guide (2003), describing archaeological sites in the region (including an extensive chapter about Xemxija), may be acquired from the above-mentioned local council offices, or over the internet (search "Teuma San Pawl Il-Bahar Malta Archaeology").