The Birgu Flea Market, All You Need to Know

Looking for something fun to do on a Sunday morning in Malta? I’ve got you covered. Readers know how much I adore a good market, and this one in Birgu is full of fascinating finds. The Birgu flea market, all you need to know to have yourself a grand day.

General Information

This market is only on Sundays and should not be confused with the huge street market on Tuesdays, or the smaller street market on Saturday mornings. The Flea Market is located at Fuq II-Fortini (link here), and is located inside a fenced football pitch near the community resources building.

If you are walking here from any of the Three Cities, you will probably begin to see people that have set up their stands outside and on the surrounding sidewalks. Keep going until you see the main event near the newspaper kiosk.

Opening hours are 6am to 12 noon. Cost for buyers to enter is free. This is a ‘car boot sale’ type of market, where sellers simply put out their items on tables or the ground in front of their vehicle.

Antiques & Collectibles

What invariably catches my eye first at any flea market, are the antiques and collectibles. I used to be a collector myself, so am always enchanted by these beautiful old things. There are numerous sellers of these goods at Birgu. Lots of brass, pottery, jewellery, china, glass & crystal and a myriad of smalls.

One vendor has boxes of his items separated by category. I love the ephemera, old postcards, letters, booklets and papers of every description.

But he also has boxes of shotgun shells, bottle openers, matchbooks, small tins, trinkets, jewels and all sorts of other intriguing items.

Fruits & Veg

Find not only the large truck outside the main entrance of the market, but several smaller ones inside. If you have missed the weekly markets, rest assured you can find your fresh produce here.

A nice selection of seasonal goods, including strawberries which are making a beautiful showing at the moment can be found. On an aside, if you would like a small joy, purchase a few goodies and walk down the road after you are finished with the market. Take a left and you will end up at the Kalkara waterfront where you can have a little picnic and enjoy the picturesque harbour.

Clothing

This market differs from the Tuesday market in that most of these clothes are second hand. Shoppers will see vendors that simply sell by placing piles and piles of clothes out on tarps, to ones that take a little more care and hang their items. There are vintage linens here too, tablecloths, doilies and bed linens.

Tools

Look for any group of men huddled around a specific seller, and I can guarantee you he will be selling tools! Its almost comical and so charming. From used tools to all sorts of new bits and bobs, there are plenty of utilitarian household items to be purchased here.

Jewellery

A number of vendors have jewellery to sell. One table specifically is selling silver, lots of bracelets and earrings. Another has baskets and baskets of colourful costume jewellery. I’m sure if you have the patience to dig through these, you might just find a treasure or two.

Everything Else

Shoppers are going to see a little of everything that’s for sure. The entire field is full of sellers, from front to back. Shoes, beauty products, toys, plants and flowers, luggage, housewares and more. Of particular interest are the religious items to be found. Malta is 98% Roman Catholic and there is a good representation of both vintage and new items here.

The Birgu Flea Market is a thrifters paradise. The perfect place to find that unique souvenir. If you have no room in your suitcase like myself, it’s still a wonderful market to interact with the friendly locals and see what goods are being traded. No matter where I travel in the world, visiting markets is one of my favourite resources for learning about a culture and seeing fascinating sights.