Manikata is a small village in the limits of Mellieħa in the northwestern part of Malta and is home to about 1000 inhabitants. Every last Sunday in August the parish celebrates the feast of St.Joseph.
The main industry of Manikata is farming. The produce includes grapes, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, melons, water melons, apples, oranges, pomegranates, strawberries and many others. There are also many beekeepers in this area.
The area includes three bays: Gnejna Bay, Għajn Tuffieħa & Golden Bay.
A lot of cart ruts are found around Manikata and date to a period between the Bronze Age and the Roman Era. In the area of Il-Ġnien ta’ Għajn Tuffieħa there are the remains of Roman baths that formed part of a rural villa. Nearer to Manikata there are several Roman tombs. Farmers usually inhabited the caves in the vicinity. In the north-east of the Manikata church there is a medium barren land called Tal-Qargħa. This land contains a number of archaeological remains, mainly cart-ruts, an old quarry and walls built of large stones.
In 1565 the Turkish fleet anchored in the bays around Manikata and In 1637 laid the foundation stone of Għajn Tuffieħa Tower. Other watch towers are at Ġnejna, Qawra and Binġemma.
