Malta & Gozo · self-drive car hire
Car hire in Mellieħa
Staying in the north? Mellieħa is the longest airport run on the island — and the part of Malta where a car matters most.
Getting to Mellieħa from the airport
Allow around 40 minutes from the airport, mostly dual carriageway once you're past the centre of the island. It's the furthest of the main resort areas, which is precisely why arriving with your own car beats arranging a transfer and then being stuck without one.
Driving and parking in Mellieħa
Għadira has a large free car park behind the beach, which is the good news; in July and August it fills by mid-morning and the roadside spaces go with it. The village sits up on a ridge above the bay with narrow, steep streets, so most people park below and walk up. The climb out of the bay is steep enough that a small engine will want a low gear.
What a car unlocks from here
The Gozo ferry
Ċirkewwa is ten minutes up the coast — the shortest hop to Gozo of anywhere you might stay.
The west-coast beaches
Golden Bay and Għajn Tuffieħa are about 15 minutes away, and far easier with a car than without.
The quiet north
Popeye Village, Anchor Bay and the coast road are all on the doorstep rather than a bus ride away.
Where you collect
There's no desk in Mellieħa — collection is at Park East inside Malta International Airport, about 40 minutes away. Walk out of arrivals, turn right and carry straight on for a few minutes; the car is waiting there.
Open 08:00 – 02:00, every day.
How the airport pickup worksIn every rate
- Comprehensive insurance
- Unlimited mileage across Malta and Gozo
- Free cancellation up to 48 hours
- 10 classes, from €6 a day
Car hire in Mellieħa — common questions
- How far is Mellieħa from the airport?
- About 40 minutes, and worth building into your plans for the return leg — it's the longest run to the airport of any of the main resort areas.
- Can I take the hire car to Gozo from here?
- Yes. The Ċirkewwa–Mġarr ferry carries cars year-round, the terminal is ten minutes away, and your cover and unlimited mileage apply on Gozo exactly as on Malta.
- Is a car necessary in Mellieħa?
- More than anywhere else on the island. The north is spread out, the beaches are a drive apart, and bus journeys that look short take a while.