Tomorrow, Heritage Malta will open the archaeological site of San Pawl Milqi in Burmarrad for visits at a reduced admission fee of €2 per person to coincide with the public holiday marking the shipwreck of the apostle St Paul in Malta in 60AD.

According to a traditional Pauline cult, this site is where St Paul was greeted by Publius, the island’s Governor at the time who eventually became Malta’s first bishop. Although there is no documentary evidence that St Paul was ever at the site it has significant archaeological value.

The area contains the most extensive remains of a typical Roman villa that was occupied for at least six centuries from the second century BC to the fourth century AD, as well as some ancient tombs. The villa hosted remains of several stone instruments related to olive pressing in the agricultural section of the villa, and traces of fine wall paintings in the living quarters.

Visitors can also attend Mass at San Pawl Milqi chapel on site at 10am and at 3.30pm.

Part of the site is being used for beekeeping and locally produced honey and other byproducts will be available for sale.

There will be honey demonstrations in English at 10.30am and 1.30pm, and in Maltese at 11.30am and 2.30pm.

There will be guided tours of the site in Maltese at 9 and 11am, and at 1 and 3pm.

Tours in English will be given at 10am, noon, and at 2 and 4pm.

The archaeological site of San Pawl Milqi in Burmarrad will be open tomorrow from 9am to 5pm (last admission 4.30pm) at a reduced fee of €2. For more information, visit www.heritagemalta.org .

The Roman villa remains at San Pawl Milqi, Burmarrad.