Santa Maria Estate Villa

Santa Maria Estate is a hilly area in Mellieha which leads to down to a rocky beach as part of the bay. Once home to the British families in Malta, one finds a number of elite residences, mainly villas in this area. Most of the properties have large outdoor spaces with extensive views which reach out to the sea.

Mellieha is a large village in the North of Malta situated on a hilltop, surrounded by fertile valleys, enjoying magnificent panoramic scenes.

Mellieha was one of the first 10 parishes in Malta. It existed in 1436 but was abandoned in the 16^th century as it was not considered safe due to the attacks by the Muslim Corsairs. The village became a parish again in 1844. The parish church built in the 1880’s, located in the main square, is dedicated to the Birth of Our Lady.

The sanctuary of Our Lady of Mellieha originated as a natural cave and linked to the Medieval period. The miraculous altarpiece depicting the Virgin Mary holding Christ in her arm, is a Byzantine style fresco that dates to the early 13^th century. It is also believed to be the oldest Marian shrine in Malta.

Places worth mentioning are Selmun Palace built during the reign of Grandmaster Manoel de Rohan, St Agatha’s Tower more commonly known as the Red Tower built in 1649 by Grandmaster Jean Paul Lascaris Castellar.

Mellieha boasts of the largest sandy beach in Malta, Ghadira Bay, which has been awarded the Blue Flag status. It is very popular with both locals and tourist alike.

Mellieha properties range from apartments to terraced houses and very large villas. In some of the older streets you may also come across a few character houses which have beautifully restored.