St Paul's Bay

Saint Paul's Bay (Maltese: San Pawl il-Baħar) is a town located on the northeast coast of Malta in the Northern Region. It is a major residential and commercial area and a centre for shopping, bars, dining, and café life. According to the 2021 census, St. Paul's Bay is the most populated settlement in the country. Its name refers to the shipwreck of Saint Paul as documented in the Acts of the Apostles on St. Paul's Islands near St Paul's Bay, on his voyage from Caesarea to Rome, which laid the foundations of Christianity on the island. Burmarrad, Wardija, Qawra, Buġibba, Xemxija, and San Martin, as well as parts of Bidnija and Mistra, form part of St. Paul's Bay Local Council. The area of the locality is 14.47 km2 (6 sq mi). The permanent resident population in 2021 was 32,042. This nearly doubles, going up to about 60,000, between June and September with Maltese residents and tourists lodging in hotels, especially in Buġibba and Qawra. Heading north is Mistra Bay, its headland and St Paul's Island. Going west and crossing the island towards Ġnejna Bay and Golden Bay is the scenic Wardija Ridge.