Marsaxlokk

The bay has been used as a harbour since antiquity by Phoenicians, Carthaginians and Romans, and on the hill above it the sanctuary of Tas-Silġ was in use from the Neolithic to late Roman times. In 1565 the Ottoman fleet anchored in the bay at the start of the Great Siege, and forts and towers such as Fort San Lucian were later built to defend it. Napoleon's forces landed here in 1798.

The modern village grew from the mid-19th century, when fishermen from nearby Żejtun settled by the water, and it became a separate parish in 1897; work on the parish church began in 1890. In 1989 the bay hosted the summit between Presidents George H. W. Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev, held aboard a ship at anchor. Today a large share of Malta's fishing fleet is based in Marsaxlokk.

Fishing remains central to Marsaxlokk's identity, and many families have worked the sea for generations; swordfish, tuna and lampuki are caught in season from spring to late autumn. The village festa in honour of Our Lady of Pompeii is held in late July or early August, with decorations, band music and fireworks. Restaurants serve local fish, so travellers seeking halal options should ask staff directly.