In the old maps, two landmarks are indicated to the north of the Maltese Islands: the saltpans, and the old church of Mellieha. The production of salt has been moved to another place (the old saltpans were ones sites where the Ghadira Bird Sanctuary now stands), but the old semi-underground church dedicated to Our Lady still stands; in it a fresco of the Virgin Mary was, according to tradition, painted by St. Luke himself who, with St. Paul, was shipwrecked not far from here in the year 60. Scientific study of the icon has assigned it to a more recent, but still very ancient period.

The old saltpans are gone but they have given their name to the town of Mellieha, melh being the Maltese word for “salt”.

Most of the sandy beaches, none of them very big, are found to the north of Malta, not far from Mellieha, the largest being at Mellieha Bay itself.