Bugibba Holiday Complex, Malta - hotels & attractions
Attractions: Bugibba > Santa Maria Hotel > Topaz Hotel > Other pages in this category: The Blue Grotto > Comino > Hypogeum > Gozo > Marsaskala > Mellieha > Mdina > Qawra > Sliema > St Julians > St Pauls Bay > Valletta > ZurrieqDiscounting the Neolithic period, Bugibba was virtually uninhabited until the 1960's. The Knights erected a few watchtowers during the 1600's but the surrounding land consisted of little but open fields and crumbling stone walls. During the 60's, a few entrepreneurs tentatively opened a number of hotels to attract the tourists. These ventures were so lucrative that Bugibba developed at an astonishing rate. Unfortunately, speed overtook any aesthetic planning and the high-rise buildings shot up with little consideration of appearance or architectural cohesion. Design was a delayed afterthought. During the1990's, plans were put in place to improve the appearance of Bugibba; palm-tree lined avenues, open squares and a neat pedestrianized centre have helped disguise some of the immensely ugly architecture.
Bugibba makes up the majority of the urban sprawl that is Malta's largest tourist development and holiday complex. Deliberately built as a British home-from-home, it is package holiday heaven, and though not Malta's most beautiful or inspiring place, it's certainly the busiest. Bugibba is a lively place where the main focus is bars, restaurants and clubs, all of which it has in abundance. During the busy summer months, Bugibba's nightlife is buzzing and the place truly comes alive after dark. Aside from nocturnal adventures, there's not a great deal to do in Bugibba other than lie around in the sun, float in one of the many lido's lining the sea front, or be towed around the bay on a selection of inflatables.
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Bugibba's main street Islet Promenade skirts the rocky coastline and passes the town's most popular bathing spot. There's not a grain of sand to be found however, and the rocks can be hard on bare feet. The web of streets leading inland from here is usually jammed with cars, tour organisers, cheap souvenir shops and cheaper restaurants.
Bugibba is a great location from which to explore the rest of the island. It's a convenient spot, and being such a massive tourist area, it's very easy to get in to and out of. Buses run frequently to most of the islands attractions so if you fancy a bit more culture than Bugibba can provide, you're only a hop away.
Malta Guide
