What it is like
A small village on the ridge between Victoria and the south coast cliffs, with a square, a modest baroque church and not much else laid on. Munxar was the last village on Gozo to become a parish, in December 1957, which tells you something about how long it stayed a scatter of farmhouses. The name is old Maltese for a bucksaw, taken from the zigzagged cliffs below as they appear from the Bardan Heights, and the place is first recorded as il monxar in a notarial deed of 1584.
What is actually here
The church of St Paul, the square, and underneath the square a set of WWII shelters 25 metres long, dug in 1942 by Public Works Department labourers under the architect Ġużeppi Savona, with the entry in the square itself. Munxar also produced Professor Joseph Aquilina, born here on 7 April 1911, who wrote the Maltese-English Dictionary that is still the standard reference for the language.
Beyond that, the village is residential and quiet, and most of what visitors come for falls within its council area rather than within the village: Xlendi Bay, which the council administers, and the cliffs at Sanap.
The cliffs and the walk
The south coast here is the good part. A trail runs from the Sanap cliffs down into Xlendi Bay, and the cliff edge path continues east towards Ta’ Ċenċ. There is no shade, the ground is loose in places, and the climb back up from Xlendi is harder than the walk down.
Getting there
Buses from Victoria take about ten minutes and continue down to Xlendi. Parking in the square is straightforward outside festa week, which is more than can be said for the bay below.
When to come
The village festa falls on the last Sunday of May, rather than on St Paul’s own feast of 10 February. For the cliff walks, spring and autumn; in July and August the exposed ground makes it unpleasant by mid morning.
Staying near Munxar
Prices and availability come from the booking sites, not from us, and we have not stayed in any of these. How this site is paid for.
Questions about Munxar
Is there anything to see in Munxar?
Not a great deal, and the village makes no claim otherwise. There is a small baroque church dedicated to St Paul, a square, and the entrance to the wartime shelters beneath it. Most people are passing through towards Xlendi or starting the Sanap cliff walk.
Why is the village called Munxar?
Munxar is old Maltese for a bucksaw, and the name describes the zigzagged line of the cliffs below the village as seen from the Bardan Heights. The place first appears in writing as il monxar, in a notarial deed of 1584.
How do I walk from Munxar to Xlendi?
A trail runs from the Sanap cliffs down into Xlendi Bay. It is downhill going and a real climb coming back, with no shade at all, so carry water and avoid the middle of a summer afternoon. Allow longer for the return than the descent.
Who was Joseph Aquilina?
The author of the Maltese-English Dictionary and the best known person born in Munxar, on 7 April 1911. His dictionary remains the standard reference work for the language, which is a substantial thing for a village this size to have produced.