Marsaxlokk, pronounced "Mar-sa-shlock", is an enchanting little fishing village on the south-east coast of Malta. The effect of tourism seems to have bypassed the village and it remains the island's prettiest and most authentic port.
The picturesque harbour, with its multi-coloured boats bobbing in the glistening bay, has given Marsaxlokk the honour of being Malta's most photographed resort. Here life continues as it has done for generations maintaining the village's sleepy charm.
The village's name is derived from the words "mersa" and "sciro" meaning "harbour of the southeast". The port is the second largest natural harbour in Malta and is home to the island's biggest fishing fleet.
These luzzas, as they are known, are painted in the time-honoured colours of yellow, cobalt blue and emerald green and bear the "eyes of Osiris", an ancient Phoenician symbol thought to ward off evil.
Brightly coloured fishing nets spread around the quay and the tight-knit fishing community who work at the harbour's edge complete the traditional scene. People come from all over Malta to the famous fish market held every Sunday on the harbour side and the availability of the freshest fish on Malta also means that there are some fantastic seafood restaurants in the area.
Other areas of natural beauty to visit in Marsaxlokk include St Peter's Pool, a picture perfect bay of dazzling turquoise water surrounded by limestone cliffs, and Delimara Point, quiet and rural with beautiful walks around tiny bays and fields - blemished only slightly by a power point.
As with many Maltese settlements, the village's history can be traced through its archaeological sites which include a Megalithic temple dating back as far as 3300BC, a Punic temple dedicated to the goddess Astarte, the remains of a Roman sanctuary and a Byzantine church.
A more recent claim to fame is the Gorbachev-Bush Sr. summit held in Marsaxlokk in 1989 which marked the beginning of the end of the Cold War.
