Ċirkewwa () is a

harbour A harbor (American English), or harbour (Commonwealth English; see American and British English spelling differences#-our, -or, spelling differences), is a sheltered body of water where ships, boats, and barges can be Mooring, moored. The t ...

and zone situated at the northernmost point of

Malta Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and North Africa. It consists of an archipelago south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two ...

, part of the locality of

Mellieħa Mellieħa ( ) is a large village in the Northern Region of Malta. It has a population of 10,087 as of March 2014. Mellieħa is also a tourist resort, popular for its sandy beaches, natural environment, and Popeye Village nearby. Etymology The n ...

. It is the site of the Ċirkewwa Ferry Terminal, from where regular car

ferries A ferry is a boat or ship that transports passengers, and occasionally vehicles and cargo, across a body of water. A small passenger ferry with multiple stops, like those in Venice, Italy, is sometimes referred to as a water taxi or water bus. ...

operate to the port of

Mġarr Mġarr (), formerly known as ''Mgiarro'', is a village in the Northern Region of Malta. Mġarr is a rural village, isolated from nearby towns and cities. Mġarr lies west of Mosta and is surrounded by farmland and vineyards. Many of the 4,840 ...

Gozo Gozo ( ), known in classical antiquity, antiquity as Gaulos, is an island in the Malta#The Maltese archipelago, Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is part of the Republic of Malta. After the Malta Island, island of Malta ...

. In the summer, boat trips to

Comino Comino () is a small island of the Maltese archipelago between the islands of Malta (island), Malta and Gozo in the Mediterranean Sea, measuring in area. Named after the cumin seed, the island has a permanent population of only two residents a ...

also operate, as well as organised diving excursions. As Ċirkewwa is a point on the northernmost end of the island, and not a town, there is no major infrastructure besides the terminal, but near the harbour there is a hotel resort. Paradise Bay, a sandy beach, is also nearby, to the south of the Ċirkewwa peninsula. View of Marfa Bay and Paradise Bay Hotel

View of Marfa Bay and Paradise Bay Hotel

Visitors travelling to Gozo can reach Ċirkewwa by car by following road signs to Gozo, and by bus directly from

Valletta Valletta ( ; , ) is the capital city of Malta and one of its 68 Local councils of Malta, council areas. Located between the Grand Harbour to the east and Marsamxett Harbour to the west, its population as of 2021 was 5,157. As Malta’s capital ...

Sliema Sliema ( ) is a town located on the northeast coast of Malta in the Districts of Malta#Northern Harbour District, Northern Harbour District. It is a major residential and commercial area and a centre for shopping, bars, dining, and café life. ...

Buġibba Buġibba (English pronunciation: ) is a zone within St. Paul's Bay in the Northern Region, Malta. Situated adjacent to Qawra, it is a popular tourist resort, containing numerous hotels, restaurants, pubs, archit clubs, and a casino. History Duri ...

and

St. Paul's Bay Saint Paul's Bay () is a town located on the northeast coast of Malta in the Northern Region. It is a major residential and commercial area and a centre for shopping, bars, dining, and café life. As per the 2021 population census, it has also ...

Etymology

The name Ċirkewwa is derived from the Maltese word "ċirka", which means "circle". This name was given to the town due to its circular shape, as it is situated on a small peninsula that curves outward into the

Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern Eur ...

Diving

Ċirkewwa is one of the most visited

scuba diving Scuba diving is a Diving mode, mode of underwater diving whereby divers use Scuba set, breathing equipment that is completely independent of a surface breathing gas supply, and therefore has a limited but variable endurance. The word ''scub ...

sites on the Maltese Islands. It has underwater cliffs, caves, tunnels and an arch down to the seabed at 27m. Ċirkewwa also includes the wrecks of the tugboat MV ''Rozi'' and the P29 patrol boat, which were intentionally sunk in 1992 and 2007, respectively. Out towards Marfa Point is a statue of the

Virgin Mary Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...

which was placed in a natural cavern by the Amphibians Diving Club. From the middle of 2010, divers have been cooperating to designate Ċirkewwa as a Voluntary Marine Reserve to safeguard the site. The site now has the support of the diving community which is working to gain the support of the fishing, angling and boating communities to implement a code of conduct to preserve and protect the site.

References

External links

Gozo Channel Company Limited

Malta Amphibians Dive club

Cirkewwa Voluntary Marine Reserve
Mellieħa Ports and harbours of Malta Underwater diving sites in Malta {{Malta-geo-stub