Malta's coastline is 253km of Mediterranean limestone — every headland, bay and ridge has been fortified, developed or inhabited across 7,000 years of continuous occupation, and the specifically Maltese pattern of 1980s coastal hotel overdevelopment combined with planning limbo dereliction has produced a coastal urbex landscape of extraordinary density for such a small island. The Jerma Palace Hotel on its headland in Marsaskala, the Festaval Hotel on the Marfa Ridge above the northern sea, White Rocks with its sea-view graffiti towers and the WWII coastal batteries of Fort Campbell create a coastal dereliction sequence available on no other Mediterranean island. Discover the 5 best abandoned coastal places in Malta, selected from our Malta Urbex Map — 60+ verified GPS locations.
Why Malta Has the Mediterranean's Most Dense Coastal Dereliction
Malta's 1980s hotel boom overbuilt at precisely the wrong moment — too many four-star hotels for a Mediterranean island with limited airlift, and the planning authority created a Maltese-specific dereliction pattern: too expensive to renovate, too contested to demolish, left decaying with the sea visible from every ruin.
1. Jerma Palace Hotel – il-Ħamrija Headland, Marsaskala — Built 1982 by Libyan Investment Company, Gaddafi's Presidential Suite, Largest Hotel in South Malta, Sea-View Headland, Closed 2007 (Known Location)
Jerma Palace Hotel was built on the headland of il-Ħamrija in Marsaskala for the Libyan Foreign Investment Company, opened in 1982, managed by Corinthia Hotels International. The Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi had a presidential suite in the hotel. It was the largest hotel in the south of Malta and transformed the former fishing village of Marsaskala. The hotel closed in 2007, was sold for $21 million in 2008 to contractors who planned renovation but never proceeded. It has fallen into severe disrepair, with large sections collapsed, and has become a popular spot for graffiti artists.
🔗 Sources: Abandoned Spaces – Jerma Palace Hotel | Wikipedia – Jerma Palace Hotel
2. White Rocks Complex – Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq — British Military 1960s, 450,000m² of Abandoned Housing on the Mediterranean Coast, Sea-View Apartment Blocks, Pool Turned Skatepark, Abandoned 1995 (Known Location)
The White Rocks Complex was built by British forces in the 1960s as officers' married quarters on Malta's eastern coast. It was converted to a holiday complex in 1979 and remained in use until 1995. Today it covers 115 acres of forsaken structures — from tall apartment blocks to modest houses, a swimming pool turned skatepark, an abandoned bus station and stunning coastal views. In November 2025 the Maltese government pledged to turn the area into a national park.
🔗 Also read: Top 5 Abandoned Places in Malta →
3. Festaval Hotel – Marfa Ridge, Mellieħa — Designed by Richard England 1980, Closed 1992, 230ft Above Mediterranean, Demolition Plans Contested, Knight's Tower Adjacent
The Festaval Hotel in Mellieħa is a former aparthotel designed by architect Richard England, completed around 1980 on the Marfa Ridge beneath Saint Agatha's Tower. It closed around 1992 and has remained abandoned. Owners were fined over its abandonment. Plans to demolish it have been contested by heritage advocates. The 230ft altitude above the Mediterranean and the Richard England architectural credentials make it one of Malta's most architecturally significant derelict buildings. All GPS in our Malta Urbex Map.
4. Fort Campbell – Mellieħa Coast — British WWII 1937–38, Coastal Defence of Mellieħa Bay and St Paul's Bay, Limestone Fort, Northern Malta Headland, Seaplane Landing Protection (On Our Map Only)
Fort Campbell is a former military fort near Mellieħa, built by British soldiers between 1937 and 1938 at a strategic position between Mistra Battery and the ruins of Għajn Ħadid Tower. It was constructed to protect the entrance to Mellieħa Bay, the entrance to St Paul's Bay, and to secure the landing of British seaplanes in Mistra Bay. The derelict limestone fort, the Northern Malta coastal setting and the WWII RAF seaplane history create a specific coastal military dereliction. GPS in our Malta Urbex Map.
5. Ulysses Lodge – Ramla Bay, Gozo — Opened 1980s, Closed Late 1980s/Early 1990s, Traditional Maltese Limestone Architecture, Ramla Bay Red Sand Beach Setting, Gozo (Carte Urbex Exclusive)
The Ulysses Lodge is an abandoned hotel structure located on the island of Gozo, at Ramla Bay in Xagħra. It opened in the 1980s in traditional Maltese limestone architecture, closed in the late 1980s or early 1990s, and remains in private ownership. It is known for its controversial development history and is a documented urban exploration site. The extraordinary combination of derelict limestone hotel and Ramla Bay's red sand beach — the finest beach in Gozo — creates a coastal urbex contrast unavailable anywhere else in the Maltese archipelago. Mapped exclusively in our Malta Urbex Map.
❓ FAQ
What is the most famous abandoned coastal place in Malta?
The Jerma Palace Hotel on the il-Ħamrija headland in Marsaskala — built by the Libyan Foreign Investment Company in 1982 with Gaddafi's own presidential suite, the largest hotel in south Malta, closed in 2007 and now a collapsed graffiti landmark. The sea-facing headland setting makes it the most visually dramatic coastal dereliction on the island.
Is the Ulysses Lodge on Gozo accessible?
The Ulysses Lodge is on private property at Ramla Bay — document from the beach and approach with the standard urbex caution. The Gozo ferry from Ċirkewwa takes 25 minutes; Ramla Bay is 10 minutes by car from the Gozo ferry terminal at Mġarr.
Can I visit White Rocks?
Yes — White Rocks is freely accessible on foot from the main highway near Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq. Walk the internal road through the complex. The government announced in November 2025 plans to convert it to a national park — conditions may change; check current access before visiting.
Safety Tips
- Jerma collapsed sections: large parts of the hotel have physically collapsed — never enter visibly unstable sections; the sea-facing walls are the most structurally compromised
- Marfa Ridge winds: the Festaval Hotel site is exposed to the Majjistral and Tramontane winds at 230ft — never approach the building's sea-facing edges in high wind
- Ramla Bay tides: the Ulysses Lodge sits directly behind the beach — approach only at low tide and be aware of wave action on the limestone platform
- Never explore alone — always bring at least one other person and share your location
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