Malta is Europe's most surprisingly rich small-island urbex destination — 316 km² of Mediterranean limestone where British military withdrawal in 1979 and a 1980s hotel development boom have left a derelict landscape proportionally unmatched on any other European island. White Rocks covers 45 hectares of abandoned British officers' housing with a graffiti-covered swimming pool. The Jerma Palace Hotel has Gaddafi's presidential suite in a collapsed sea-view headland. The Festaval Hotel by Richard England sits at 230ft on a ridgeline above the Mediterranean, abandoned since 1992. Discover the 5 best abandoned places in Malta, selected from our Malta Urbex Map — 60+ verified GPS locations.
Why Malta Is Europe's Most Underrated Urbex Destination
Malta's dereliction reflects the collision of British military withdrawal (1979), a 1980s hotel boom that overbuilt for available tourism demand and the specific Maltese planning culture where properties stay in ownership disputes for decades. The Mediterranean limestone construction and the sea views make every ruin photogenic.
1. White Rocks Complex – Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq — British 1960s Military Officers' Housing, 450,000m², Abandoned 1995, Graffiti, Swimming Pool Turned Skatepark, Mediterranean Views (Known Location)
The White Rocks Complex was built by British forces in the 1960s as the "St Patrick's Officers Married Quarters." When military personnel left Malta, it was converted to a holiday complex and remained in use until 1995. Today the 115-acre site contains dozens of forsaken structures — apartment blocks, houses, a swimming pool turned skatepark and an abandoned bus station — all coated in stunning graffiti art with views of the Mediterranean coast. In November 2025 the government pledged to convert it into a national park.
🔗 Sources: Atlas Obscura – White Rocks Abandoned Complex | Wikipedia – White Rocks Complex
2. Jerma Palace Hotel – Marsaskala — Built 1982 by Libyan State, Gaddafi Presidential Suite, Largest South Malta Hotel, Closed 2007, Sold $21M, Never Renovated, Largely Collapsed (Known Location)
The Jerma Palace Hotel was built in Marsaskala for the Libyan Foreign Investment Company and opened in 1982, managed by Corinthia Hotels International. Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi had a presidential suite within the hotel. It was the largest hotel in the south of Malta and transformed the former fishing village. The hotel closed in March 2007, was sold for $21 million in 2008 to contractors who planned renovation that never materialised. The building has since fallen into severe disrepair, with large sections literally collapsed, and has become a popular spot for graffiti artists and arsonists.
🔗 Also read: Top 5 Abandoned Places in Malta →
3. Mistra Village – St Paul's Bay — Corinthia Resort, 1980s, Closed 2004, Limestone Ruins, Redevelopment Contested 20 Years, Northern Malta Coastal Setting
Mistra Village opened in the 1980s, operated by the Corinthia Group, and was once considered one of Malta's premier hotels. After closing its doors in 2004, only ruins remain today. Since closure, the site has been at the centre of ongoing redevelopment debates. Applications for high-rise projects were first submitted in 2004, with permits granted in 2008 but contested repeatedly. A 2013 permit expired due to funding issues, while in 2023 a new permit was approved, sparking renewed controversy. All GPS in our Malta Urbex Map.
4. Festaval Hotel – Mellieħa — Designed by Richard England 1980, Closed 1992, 230ft Above Mediterranean, Malta's Most Architecturally Significant Derelict Hotel (On Our Map Only)
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 at 230ft altitude. It closed around 1992 and has remained abandoned. Plans to demolish and reconstruct the site were approved as of 2022 but the site remained in limbo through 2024. The owners were fined over its abandonment. The only abandoned building in Malta designed by its most celebrated living architect. GPS in our Malta Urbex Map.
5. Fort Campbell – Mellieħa — British WWII Coastal Defence 1937–38, Protected Mellieħa Bay and RAF Seaplane Operations, Derelict Limestone Fort, George Cross Siege Heritage (Carte Urbex Exclusive)
Fort Campbell near Mellieħa was built by British soldiers and army engineers between 1937 and 1938 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. It was built to replace the Wardija Artillery Battery of 1915. As a WWII Siege of Malta site — the George Cross campaign that defined Malta's wartime identity — Fort Campbell carries a specific historical weight that makes it the finest military dereliction in the Mellieħa area. Mapped exclusively in our Malta Urbex Map.
Safety Tips
- Jerma Palace: large sections have literally collapsed — always assess each area before entering and never approach the sea-facing walls
- White Rocks rooftops: roof access has structural risks after decades of abandonment — assess stairwells before ascending; never approach unsecured parapet edges
- Mistra Village 2023 works: contractor activity since 2023 — check current access status before visiting
- Never explore alone — always bring at least one other person and share your location
❓ FAQ
What is the most famous abandoned place in Malta?
White Rocks Complex near Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq — 115 acres of British 1960s military housing abandoned since 1995, freely accessible, with a swimming pool turned skatepark and extraordinary graffiti art. The largest and most accessible. For notoriety, the Jerma Palace Hotel in Marsaskala with Gaddafi's presidential suite in a collapsed headland hotel is the most talked-about.
Is Malta good for urbex?
Exceptionally so — proportionally to its size, Malta has more accessible abandoned sites than almost any European country: the 1980s hotel boom, British military withdrawal and decades of planning limbo create a derelict density that rewards even a one-week visit. All of Malta's urbex sites are within 45 minutes of each other.
Where is the Jerma Palace Hotel?
On the il-Ħamrija headland in Marsaskala, southeastern Malta. Approach from the Marsaskala waterfront road — the hotel is visible on the headland just across from Fort Saint Thomas. Marsaskala is 30 minutes from Valletta by car.
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