Popeye village, inside an imaginary world
A Christmas visit to Sweethavens
Popeye Village is a place where the story of Popeye, the character who gets energy by eating spinach, one of our childhood nostalgias, is told. It looks like a village, but it is actually a film set from the 1980 film “Popeye,” jointly produced by Walt Disney Productions and Paramount Pictures. Even though the movie was filmed many years ago, Popeye Village is still one of the top tourist attractions of Malta.
Towards Popeye Village
It was just before Christmas when I, with my two roommates, decided to go and visit Popeye Village. Before arriving at Popeye Village, we spent some time at a sandy beach we saw during the trip. The day was sunny, and the sand glittered. The problem was that the wind was so strong that it even made the sand fly. So we could not stay there for a long time. Our hair was full of sand grains when we got out of there.
When we arrived at Popeye Village, there were already many people. Many of them were tourists who had come to spend Christmas in Malta.
There was a discount for University students, so we got our tickets for only 9 euros. And this was written on it,
“Visitors entering Popeye Village are doing so at their own risk, and the company will not be responsible for any personal accident that may occur.”
A very nice message to begin the visit! As it was a set of a film made almost 40 years back, there was indeed a risk of accidents. Because of this problem, access to some houses out of the 19 buildings built there was also prohibited.
What to See in Popeye Village
The view of the Popeye Village you have as soon as you enter is enchanting. We feel like we are inside a cartoon world with colorful houses among the sandalwood-colored rocks next to the blue sea. The buildings are completely made of wood and beautifully painted.
Walking in that imaginary village, also known as ‘Sweethavens’, gives a feeling of entering a Hollywood movie set in the past. When you enjoy the beauty of the sea from there, you won’t realize that time is passing.
In the village, you can find everything that we see in a real-life small town. The post office, the dentist’s office, the grocery store, the restaurant, the houses of Popeye and Olivia, the cemetery, the canoes, and even the traditional Maltese boats called “luzzu”. And then there’s also a secret room where the ‘Grinch’ sleeps. As it was a day before Christmas, there were few more attractions than usual.
Christmas in Popeye Village
There were some artists in Popeye village who entertained the visitors with dance and music, but in a way that children liked. In fact, the children danced together with the elves, Popeye, Bluto, and the other characters from the film, so it’s an ideal tourist destination for families. But we can also enjoy this show with a feeling of nostalgia.
Since it was Christmas, Santa was around too. He talked to us, wished us a Merry Christmas, gave us presents, and we took a picture together with the elves. Seconds after we took the pictures, Santa took back the gifts he just gave us! I think he was broke at the time.
Since we went there in the afternoon, we could also enjoy a beautiful sunset. The evening was freezing cold, and we couldn’t take it anymore. Popeye, Olivia, Bluto, and the elves wished everyone a Merry Christmas, and we said goodbye to Popeye Village. Despite the film’s failure, the Popeye set still enjoys great success in Malta.
