Naxxar is a historic city with well-preserved fortifications. In the past, representatives of the upper social classes lived here, as evidenced by numerous palaces. Today, tourism is developing here, and there is a large amusement park in the coastal part of the city.
The beginnings of settlement in this area date back to the Neolithic period. Among others, ruins of the megalithic temple of Tal-Quadi. The ruts that can be seen in the stone near the city remain a mystery to this day. Some scientists believe that these may be traces of carts, others point to the natural processes of rock erosion. The Salina Catacombs date from the first centuries of Christianity. According to local sources, the name of the town comes from the ship of St. Paul, which crashed nearby on the coast. The apostle baptized the villagers and gave it a name.
The most important monument of the city is the 18th century Palace of Parisio surrounded by gardens. Initially, it was a hunting palace of the great Masters of the Knights of Malta, but with time it passed into private hands and, as the property of the Scicluna family, it began to be called the Little Versailles. There are many other interesting baroque and classicist palaces within the Old Town, including the Nasciaro Palace. An interesting monument is also the Naxxar parish church.
From the 15th century, the city was protected against invasions. At that time, fortifications called Naxxar Entrenchment were created, the remains of which are bastions and towers around the Old Town. In the 19th century, a 12 km long belt of fortifications, known as the Victoria Line, was built here.
Although Naxxar itself is not directly by the sea, it extends all the way to the shore. There are some nice beaches here, but the amusement parks are the main attraction. The first is the Splash & Fun Water Park with pools and water slides. The second is the Mediterranean Sea Park, where you can watch aquatic animals, including dolphins and sea lions.
