Natural Crafts Malta

Before visiting the cave, you can go down the cliff-flower stairs, which leave the road in the signposts and allow you to admire the views and entrance of the caves. Just above the cave, a large parking lot, some restaurants and more and more beach bazaars are waiting for the tourist. A beautiful stone terrace with carved balcony (the th century) offers an ideal point of observation on the sea. Walk down on the rocks below, where you can sunbathe. In winter, the descent is less advisable, first because of the cold, but above all because of possible tempête that can prove dangerous.

The first of the caves is The Cat's Cave (the Chat Cave). Its water, transparent and shallow (5 m), leaves the rock bottom and the algae.

The second cave, the Reflection Cave, is named because water reflects phosphorus, as shown by the following small experiment: plunge your hand into the water near Reflection Cave and watch it immediately after removing it; It will have taken a very unusual blue tint (unless you are a Smurf!). The entrance of the Blue Grotto evokes an elephant with its shaded trompe and opens up another cliff. At the bottom of the water, the red corals contrast beautifully with the blue of the sea.

The next cave is La Rotunda (the Rotunda), because its rounded ceiling resembles the dome of the famous church of Mosta. Here, unlike other caves, the bottom of the water is sandy. Later, the rock, in height, evokes a horse hoof. In the past, the guides enjoyed visiting this site to the French, because one of the rocks looked, from a certain angle, to De Gaulle's nose. Today, however, "De Gaulle's nose" is less known to the new generations, and the rock itself eventually eroded. Later, the smooth and gilded walls of another cave evoke those of the recorded.

Finally, the Blue-Window Cave (cave of the Blue Window) allows you to see the azure through its opening.

Qbajjar's outdoor saltworks date from the Roman era of the Island. They are located west of Marsalforn.

One of Malta's most beautiful rocky beaches. In this natural pool at the tip of Delimara Point, only the brave spend the day, ensuring peace and quiet. Be sure to check for jellyfish before launching yourself off the rocks! The crystal-clear water turns azure and indigo green, a real paradise for snorkellers. The flat rocky surface allows you to spread out your towel on a spacious surface, or take shelter from the sun under the high rocks. You'll come across plenty of locals.

They offer a magnificent landscape, perhaps the most beautiful of the island, because the wild. You can contemplate them and appreciate the height from the Madliena chapel, the apex of the island (250 m). From Dingli, the pleasant and panoramic road, after climbing the hills above Buskett, allows to discover Zebbug, but also Mdina and Siggiewi to the south, in a landscape of full countryside.

Despite the cruel absence of a signs, the maze of roads is not too worrying, because the slightest prominence allows us to take stock of the plains villages; a simple card is enough to find you.

You will already be able to enjoy its tiny sandy beach, with shallow waters, ideal for children and where you can take a dip after a drink or lunch in one of the surrounding restaurants. You can also go up the road to the left of the cliffs to find a privileged observation point on the rocks and take your place to attend one of the most beautiful shows on the island, the sunset being reflected on the small sailing boats that have come to anchor. A promenade is set up to enjoy the surroundings.

This is one of the obligatory passages for anyone travelling to Malta and, a fortiori, to Gozo. Ramla Bay known in Maltese as "Ramla I-Hamra", i.e. the red sandy beach and is one of the most beautiful unspoilt beaches on the island. It is reproduced on many postcards and is also the regular setting for many fashion magazine photos. Reddish sand and very soft, very wide beach allowing crowds to gather there in summer. Roman ruins are buried under the sand, and the Calypso Cave overlooks the west side of the beach. One has to go back to the Roman Empire to find traces of a marble and stucco decorated villa built on this site. Surrounded by hills on both sides, the sandy path on the east side of the hill leads to Calypso Cave, a natural cave that tradition associates with the capture of Ulysses during seven years in theOdyssey. Also visible is a statue of the Virgin Mary erected in 1881 in the middle of the bay.

Advice. It's best to wear special non-slip shoes if you want to enter the water because a good series of stones cover the first few meters. Toilets and showers are at your disposal, to the right of the cafés where you can have a drink and a bite to eat when you leave the beach.

During the summer, many musical events are organized on the wasteland overlooking the beach, even allowing festival-goers to camp there. An experience to be tried.

One of Gozo's most secret bays. Whether you jump in or go down step by step, you'll enjoy a gentle swim in clear, deep water, ringed by rocks on either side of the landscape. At one time a refuge for the galleys of the Knights, at another a port of embarkation for Gozitans taken prisoner by the Ottoman Empire in 1551, Mġarr ix-Xini is steeped in history. Take advantage of the stroll to take a tour of the knights' watchtower, built in 1661 and open to the public. For lovers of the deep sea, come and admire not far from the surrounding cliffs and caves, the wreck (deliberately sunk) of the Xlendi ferry. For the record, almost the entirety of Angelina Jolie's 2015 film By the Sea, starring Brad Pitt, takes place here.

Driving down the brand-new road, the view over Comino is breathtaking, and the salt marsh coastline is picturesque. Hondoq Ir-Rummien, a small beach of sand and pebbles and crystal-clear sea, is one of Gozitans' best-kept secrets. Hondoq Ir-Rummien is also popular for snorkeling and exploring the many caves in the crystal-clear, clean water. The only drawback is that a car is required to visit this beach, which is accessible from the village of Qala.

Access via Xaghra: cross Il-Pergla above Ramla Bay, lost on a moor where acanthus, oleander and acacia blossom. From the small parking lot, go to the viewpoint at the entrance to the cave: the view over Ramla Bay and the valley is superb. The terraced crops, separated by low walls, form an immense mosaic with pieces of different patterns and colors. A 20-metre walk leads to the small, low, cold cavern, which is a real disappointment: a ten-metre gut that ends in a dead end. But it was here, in the bay of Ramla in the north of the island, that the poet Homer stranded Ulysses, who fell in love with the nymph Calypso, mistress of Ogygie (the name Homer gave to the island of Gozo). Calypso held her prisoner for many years, until Athena, moved by the hero's plight, dispatched Hermes to the island to convey Zeus' order to let Ulysses go. With a heavy heart, Calypso must comply. There are underwater remains of an ancient fort built by the knights in the ^18th century. By scanning the sea from the shore, you can make out the shape of the fort. The purpose of this strange construction was to block the progress of enemy ships, making it easier to attack them with mortars dug into the rock.

Its colorful, swaying boats, ducks and cats are the recurring themes of every tourist calendar in the country. You'll also notice the small statue of Saint Julian that gives the town its name. At the water's edge, still at the end of the bay, new modern buildings have recently appeared. You'll understand what they mean when their shadows on the ground form the word "Love". In Spinola Bay, the local brass band's bar makes sure you don't forget that the pleasure town was once a peaceful village. But it's not so easy to notice. Every facade, every building is occupied by restaurants. They all try to make their terraces look bigger or better than their neighbors', but they're all a good option if you're in the mood for a romantic dinner. This is a very lively area in the evenings, especially on weekends. The atmosphere is family-friendly and chic, and most of the restaurants are quite expensive. As you walk up rue Saint-George, you'll pass the Palazzo Spinola. Its name and that of the bay come from an Italian knight who had this beautiful residence built in 1688. Half a century later, his grand-nephew remodeled it to give it its current appearance, that of an interesting and graceful building that today houses a business center. It was this same Spinola who built the small Church of the Immaculate Conception, to provide a nearby place of worship.

On the road to Cirkewwa, the ferry port to Gozo. Malta's largest white-sand beach, Mellieha (or Ghadira) Bay is ideally located in the heart of one of the most popular seaside resorts in the north. Perfect for family get-togethers, the sea is reputed to be calm, not exposed to currents and shallow, and there are plenty of stalls to enjoy an icy treat after a swim. Deckchairs are available for hire, as are numerous water sports (pedal boats, water-skiing, buoys, etc.). And you can end the evening in the pleasant village of Mellieha, always lively in the evening.

Little sister of Ramla Bay, this magnificent wild beach of red ochre sand enjoys a strategic position. At the northern tip of the island of Gozo, the waters are transparent and the landscape of rare beauty. Much less frequented by tourists because of the 400 m difference in altitude to be made on foot. It is dominated by the Ta'Sopu Tower erected in 1667 to watch over the bay, which did not prevent French troops from approaching the island nearby in 1798. Ideal for a picnic or to rent kayaks to explore the surrounding caves.

It was here that St Paul is said to have taken refuge on his arrival in Malta in 60 AD, at the origin of the Christian community on the island. Pope John Paul II came to visit his statue here. Not to take anything away from the myth, the cave is accessed through the adjacent catacombs, which represent part of the underground tombs of the 3rd century AD. Amid labyrinthine alleys, rock-cut tombs of all sizes follow one another, some with bone fragments still in them, from the Punic, Roman and Christian eras

Here you discover the garrigue, this typically Maltese and Mediterranean ecosystem, so fragrant (wild fennel, thyme, caper...). A very rich environment. The fauna and flora are very particular: a multitude of herbaceous plants grow there, adapting to the influences of the wind, the dry rock, the sea. And these discreet plants still allow the Maltese not to suffocate in their car exhaust fumes. But this environment is extremely fragile, and we would like everything to be done to preserve these few remaining natural areas.

On Malta's north coast, where hotels jostle for space on the waterfront, the Buggiba Perched Beach overlooks the bay. Numerous ladders have been installed for swimming in clear, clean water. As a small curiosity, sand has been deposited on top of the smooth rock over a strip of almost 200 m, with the promise of being able to return it to its original geological state at any time. Not, as you may have guessed, the best spot for peace and quiet.

Located near St. George's Bay, on the Għaxaq-Żejtun road, this is undoubtedly one of the island's most interesting prehistoric caves. Mentioned in one of the first treatises on the Maltese islands in 1847, it was in 1865 that the first excavation was carried out and it was discovered to contain fossilized bones of small mammals, including elephants and hippos, as well as giant dormouse bones and other species, namely birds, reptiles and micro-mammals such as bats. Most of these animals are thought to have arrived in Malta while it was still attached to Sicily (some 200,000 to 12,000 years ago). Traces of human occupation have also been found, including Neolithic tools. These are the oldest remains of tools used by man on Malta. The cave was also used as a place to live for many years, and was still occupied in 1911. The cave, which is 144 m long, 18 m wide and 3-6 m high, features some admirable stalactites and stalagmites. The visit is interesting in every respect, and the well-maintained site is particularly pleasant. Għar Dalam is also a site of ecological importance and part of the EU's Natura 2000 network. An endemic woodlouse(Armadillidium ghardalamensis) can be found in the cave's inner recess.

You can then visit the Borg in-Nadur prehistoric complex, home to the ruins of a Maltese megalithic complex and the remains of a fortified village dating back to the Bronze Age. It's an easy visit, as the site is only 500 metres from the prehistoric site of Għar Dalam. Its name means "fortress hill" in Maltese, as it enjoys a unique position on the heights between two valleys: Wied Żembaq and Wied Dalam. You'll notice that its spectacular facade points towards the entrance to the port of Birżebbuġia. This site was used in both the late Neolithic and Bronze Ages (3,000-700 BC). It was in the 1920s that it was excavated by archaeologist Margaret Murray, and the excavations in the Neolithic area of Borg in-Nadur have yielded crucial information that has helped to understand many aspects of Maltese Prehistory that had previously remained mysterious, such as the differences between the Neolithic and Bronze periods. Tickets must be purchased from Għar Dalam.

An impressive overhang of almost 120 m above sea level is also an important bird sanctuary (almost 1,000 breeding pairs of Cory's Shearwaters and 300 pairs of Yelkouan Shearwaters). In the rock, the prehistoric chariot tracks may be those left by the machines that transported rocks to the island's temples. The scented scrubland is particularly pleasant in this part of the island. The Ta'Cenc, one of the most beautiful Maltese hotels, is located in this sumptuous setting.

Behind Paceville, this bay has a beautiful beach, unfortunately very dirty in summer: the gossip is all over the sand, even if the place is monitored and large panels encourage to keep the place clean. The swimming pool is moderately pleasant, especially since the beach is small and quickly crowded in summer. It is also the trend beach where we must be seen: Pretty girls and beautiful boys at sight.

You access St George's Bay on foot through the discotheques, then descending the stairs to Baystreet, the big shopping mall that transformed the bay. A leisure complex recently added to the shopping center (cinemas, IMAX, rink, bowling) and the very large and luxurious Intercontinental Hotel. If the replacement of this hotel by another large emirati hotel complex is now forgotten, another hotel project is now being debated: the construction of a concept of rock coffee which would come to the place occupied by the building of the school of tourism. The project still divides many but the fate of the school of tourism is already sealed, she will join Smartville.

This is the first bay from Sliema. There are a few hotels on the seafront, and at the back of the bay there are small restaurants that spread their terraces on the square in summer. You will of course notice the swimming pool of the local water polo club. You will not be surprised to see sometimes a huge Belgian flag which colours the bay with its three colours. It is not that of a Belgian protectorate but the colours of the St Julian Aquatic Club. It is dominated by the church of the Carmelites and by a superb building with vast niches on the façade.

You reach it by taking the road to the left just before the Paradise Bay Hotel. Wedged between the cliffs, it is one of the island's most pleasant beaches. Take a small path down to the beach. A restaurant (salad buffet, grills) and deckchairs unfortunately take away the impression of seclusion in summer, as the place is now "well-known" and crowded (too) with tourists. Cruises around the island sometimes even stop here, but out of season you'll be in peace.

The sand is fine and the water incredibly clear. And here, unlike Golden Bay or Ramla Bay (Gozo), you don't have to walk 1 km into the water to lose your footing and be able to swim. The slope is gentle, but real; children (and their worried parents) and experienced swimmers alike will find something to suit them. There is sometimes a paid "guarded" parking lot at the top of the path.