Pillar 07 · Walks & Nature

Żejtun to St Peter’s Pool: A Walking Route

St Peter’s Pool — the south-east’s iconic natural swimming pool, cut into the Delimara peninsula — is just about walkable from Żejtun. It is also unforgivingly hot in summer; pick the season carefully.

This article is a stub. We’ll publish a fuller route guide as we expand the Walks pillar.

The route

The natural way to walk from Żejtun to St Peter’s Pool is via Marsaxlokk — about 2.5 km down to the harbour, then around the bay and out along the Delimara peninsula for another 3.5 km or so. Total: roughly 6 km one way, with very little shade once you leave the harbour. Allow two hours one way, plus time at the pool, and budget for the return. The terrain is mostly flat tarmac with a final stretch of rough rocky track down to the swimming pool itself; sturdy footwear matters here — flip-flops are not enough.

St Peter’s Pool itself is a square-ish natural pool cut into the limestone with deep, exceptionally clear water. There are no lifeguards, no facilities, and the entry and exit involve climbing a couple of metres on stone steps cut into the rock. It is genuinely one of the best swims in Malta. It is also extremely popular in summer: go early, on a weekday, or off-peak. In July and August the route is brutally exposed; consider it a spring/autumn walk, or take a taxi or bus to Marsaxlokk and walk only the final stretch. [LOCAL FACT — Mattew to confirm the current state of the access path and any recent council changes to parking at the pool.]

Crowds and timing

St Peter’s Pool has been popular for years and crowds in summer can be substantial. The natural swimming pool is small enough that twenty people in the water already feels busy. The realistic strategy: go early — meaning before 9am — or late — after 5pm — and avoid weekends in July and August unless you’re happy with company. There are no facilities at the pool: no toilets, no kiosk, no lifeguard. Bring everything in. Take everything out. The site has come under pressure as a result of its popularity, and visitor restraint is what keeps it usable.

What this article will cover

  • The full route with surfaces, timings, and shade notes
  • Best months and times of day
  • Swimming safety at the pool
  • What to bring (water, sun protection, footwear)
  • Combining the walk with lunch in Marsaxlokk
  • Bus and taxi options if you don’t want to walk both ways

Read more on this pillar

Part of our Walks & Nature pillar. Pair with to Marsascala, to St Thomas Bay, and walking in summer.

Mattew Cassar

Resident · Writer

Mattew writes zejtun.com from a flat above his grandfather’s old workshop on Triq San Girgor. He has lived in Żejtun for twenty-three of his thirty-one years.