Mellieħa is a large village or small town in the Northern Region of Malta. It has a population of 10,003 as of March 2013. Mellieħa is also a tourist resort, popular for its sandy beaches and natural environment.
The town of Mellieħa stands on a group of hills on the northwest coast of the main island of Malta. Mellieħa proper consists of the areas of Mellieħa Heights, Santa Maria Estate, il-Qortin, Ta' Pennellu, Ta' Masrija and Tal-Ibraġ. The nearby villages of Manikata and Selmun also fall under Mellieħa's jurisdiction.
The town overlooks Mellieħa Bay, which includes Għadira Bay, the largest sandy beach in Malta. To the east of the town and bay, there is the Selmun peninsula, and St Paul's Islands lie about 80 metres off the coast. Mistra Bay lies close to Selmun, and this marks the boundary between Mellieħa and St. Paul's Bay.
The large Marfa Peninsula lies to the north of Mellieħa. It includes several small bays, such as Armier Bay and Paradise Bay, as well as the harbour of Ċirkewwa, from which the Gozo ferry departs. The Marfa Ridge spans across a large part of the peninsula.
To the south of Marfa Ridge, there are Anchor Bay and Popeye Village, Majjistral Nature and History Park, the hamlet of Manikata and Golden Bay. The boundary with Mġarr lies at Għajn Tuffieħa.
Mellieħa is a popular tourist destination during the summer months. It is well known for its beaches, with the most well known being Għadira Bay and Golden Bay. Ċirkewwa is also popular as a dive site, and it includes the wrecks of MV Rozi and the P29 patrol boat.
In 2009, Mellieħa was awarded the title of European Destination of Excellence due to its sustainable initiatives (Wiki)
