Red Tower, Mellieħa: 17th century views over Comino

The Red Tower in Mellieħa is Saint Agatha’s Tower, a 17th century bastioned watchtower painted a deep red and opened to visitors for sweeping views across Malta’s north. Come for a short, inexpensive stop that gives you the island’s military story in miniature and a rooftop panorama over the channel toward Comino and Gozo.

Whether it delivers for you depends on a few things. Pick a clear day so the horizon pops, be ready for steps up through stone rooms to the roof, and plan your timing around the weekday opening. If you like pairing a dose of history with coastal scenery, it is an easy win before or after beach time at Mellieħa Bay or a photo stop at Popeye Village and the Anchor Bay cliffs.

Built by the Order of Saint John between November 1647 and April 1649 under Grand Master Jean Paul Lascaris Castellar, the tower watched the northern passages and could alert the defence of Valletta about twenty miles or so to the south. Antonio Garsin engineered it for a garrison of 30 men with stores to withstand a siege for 40 days, and its job extended beyond watching, since ammunition for Aħrax Tower and Wied Musa Battery was held here too. It is the sixth of the Lascaris towers and the last large-bastioned tower built in Malta, completed in November 1648 and strengthened in the early 18th century as artillery got heavier. The colour that gives it its nickname was said to help sentinels recognise it against the skyline, though the local stone can read reddish in certain light as well.

Architecturally this is a square tower with four corner towers in limestone, a compact little fort that still looks tough thanks to outer walls about four metres thick at the base. The corner turrets carry fish tail crenelations. Inside, the rooms are barrel vaulted, and there is a small chapel alcove dedicated to Saint Agatha set into the far wall of the second vaulted room. A wooden surface with glass apertures covers the original uneven floor. Outside, traces of an 18th‑century entrenchment survive as a low rubble wall in a redan trace. From the roof you look across the straits between Comino and Gozo, and down to the Għadira Bay nature reserve and bird sanctuary.

The tower is intact thanks to a late 20th‑century rescue. Restoration finished in 2001 after work that began in 1999, led by volunteers of Din l‑Art Ħelwa, who still manage the site today, while ownership rests with the Government of Malta. It stayed useful far beyond the age of cannon, remaining in military hands during the British period, manned in both World Wars and later adapted as a radar station for the Armed Forces of Malta. Today it is open to the public and can also host small events.

Practicalities are simple. The access road is Triq Tad‑Dahar on the ridge above Mellieħa, so it is easiest to fold into a north‑island day that might also include the Għadira Nature Reserve below or a run out toward Paradise Bay. If you are heading for Comino, the view from the roof puts your next move in context before you boat to the Blue Lagoon or explore the Crystal Lagoon and Santa Marija Caves. Divers bound for the ferries and reefs at Ċirkewwa will also find it a convenient stop.

Adults pay €2.50. Children 12 and under go free.

It is open Monday to Saturday 10:00–16:00 and closed on Sunday.

You do not need to book ahead as an individual visitor. For groups, the custodians ask that you advise in advance, preferably at least a week before, so they can plan staffing.

With children it is straightforward, but it is still a historic fort. Expect stairs and a rooftop viewpoint, and keep smaller ones close in the rooms and on the way up. The price and size make it an easy add to a beach day, with enough story inside to keep older kids engaged for a short visit.

Common questions

Last checked: 24 October 2026. Prices, opening hours and timetables change, verify anything time-sensitive before you travel. Photo: Felix König, CC BY 3.0.