Popeyeis first and foremost a comic book character created in 1929 in the United States by E. C. Segar for the series Thimble Theatre. This brawling sailor, who consumes an astronomical amount of spinach that gives him Herculean strength, would later inspire a film directed by Robert Altman in 1980 and starring Robin Williams in the title role. And now, Popeye is a village, perched on the hillsides… of Malta! During your language study trip to Malta, let’s take a closer look at this curious Mediterranean town.
Popeye or Sweethaven?
The village of Popeye is also known as Sweethaven — a name you’re likely to hear your host family use during a language study trip to Malta. The town in question is a cluster of wooden buildings located in the northwestern corner of the main island, a few kilometers from Mellieħa, a town of about 6,500 residents.
Why visit a village dedicated to Popeye during your language study trip to Malta?
But what is a village dedicated to Popeye doing on the island of Malta? The answer is very simple: it was built from scratch to serve as the setting for Robert Altman’s feature film, at the initiative of Paramount Pictures and Walt Disney Productions!
Popeye and Olive in the Mediterranean Sea
Today, as you may have the chance to discover for yourself, Popeye Village is open to the public and serves as both an open-air museum and a family entertainment complex. It’s a chance to reconnect with the delightfully gruff sailor—as well asOlive, Brutus, and Gontran—through a variety of fun activities!