Readers will know by now how much I love markets. Any type, any kind, I will go check them out and be enthralled by what I discover. I was equally excited about this one that I had heard and read about. Is the Sunday Marsaxlokk Market in Malta worth the hype? Hmmmm.
How to Get There
Marsaxlokk used to be a sleepy fishing village on the south east coast of Malta. I think if you visit any other day of the week, it will seem quiet. Not so on Sundays! I took two busses from the Three Cities to reach the bay. It was not fun. The first bus at 7:10am was full of men and the smell was awful. It arrived 10 minutes late and I missed my connecting bus. Because they only run every 30 minutes, by the time the next one came by, it was jam packed and I barely squeezed myself in.
It took me a total of almost an hour and a half to get to Marsaxlokk using the bus. That said, from Valletta city, it is one single bus and the ride should take 45 minutes. Other options are of course Uber or Bolt.
Market Entrance
I got off the bus just after the fort, when the road began to go downhill. This way, I could enter the bay at one end of the market and simply walk through to the other end. The Sunday market takes the entire length of the bay, it’s a big one! If you happen to get off the bus at the next two stops, simply walk down towards the water and either begin your shopping by turning left or right.
Fish
The biggest draw for me at this market is the fish and seafood. I didn’t know what else I was going to be seeing, but I did expect this. And I was in luck. Towards the centre of the market, one sees the fish vendors all together, side by side.
Marsaxlokk opens as early as 7am, so if its fish you are after, come then for the best and biggest selection. There was plenty left though, when I wandered into the mix at 9am and boy was there ever a lot of people looking and shopping.
There is quite a variety of fish to see, a few types of shrimp and crab, small octopus and squid. As far as molluscs go, there were also a number however far fewer than I had imagined. The vendors are cleaning the seafood as soon as it is purchased and will do any type of fillet or cut you request. It’s a lively scene, lots going on, noisy and fun to experience.
Food
Another thing I was interested to see at this market or any market rather, is the food! Here I found all sorts of honey, sauces, liquor, breads, spices and of course fresh fruits and vegetables. Prices are high, definitely higher than in Birgu for example. I had just purchased these same strawberries for €4 the other day and here they are €6.50!
Sweets man, beware of this vendor and stall. Read your google reviews of the Sunday market and you will see hundreds of warnings not to purchase from the cannoli guy. Be forewarned. The items sure do look tempting but after seeing photos and reading about bugs etc., no thanks.
Souvenirs
This can be one option to purchase your souvenirs at, but I have to say the prices are really extortionate here. Even in Valletta, the capital, the prices are less expensive from the stores on the most popular street in town.
There are a lot of things to look at however, some beautiful machine-made lace, tote bags, little wooden traditional boats and so many magnets and small trinkets.
Other Goods
The bulk of this market is other goods. By far. There is stall after stall of inexpensive clothing, undergarments, shoes, luggage, handbags, sunglasses, home goods and housewares. These vendors I have seen before.
They are travelling vendors that attend a different market around the island each day of the week. If you see something, didn’t purchase it but later wished you had, just come to Birgu on Tuesday morning and find the exact same vendor here, with a cheaper price that day. 😂
The Bay
Like I said previously, this market is huge. It extends from one end of the bay to the other. I walked through three times, as I like to do. Once in one direction looking at goods on the right side, then back looking at the left side. Then a third time to purchase anything I wanted. My only purchase this day was two small traditional date pastries that weren’t that good, for a total of €1.20.
Final Thoughts
My next post will feature the town itself and everything about it that I discovered. For me, that is the only draw to Marsaxlokk. If you want to come for the market, be prepared for high prices, low quality goods and intense crowds after 9am. This market wraps up at 1pm, so to spend a day here can be a good idea, rather than coming all the way just for the market. Morning market, long languishing lunch, afternoon stroll and sunbathe. Perfect.
