Discovering Malta’s natural beauty by foot

Famed for their scorching summers and fascinating history, the Maltese islands are also tailor made for outdoors lovers, with the archipelago criss-crossed with scenic hiking routes ideal for exploring during the mild and bountiful shoulder seasons.

Whether you know it or not, you’ve probably seen pictures of Malta: that quintessentially Mediterranean scene of sun-drenched limestone spilling down into absurdly turquoise waters, accented here and there by swimwear-clad figures. You probably assumed it depicted the height of summer, but you’d be wrong.

The Maltese islands sit almost equidistant between Sicily and Tunisia, a southern European spot treated to nearly 300 days of sunshine every year. Sun-kissed days stretch well into the winter, and Spring is a positively transformative time, when the usually green and honey-coloured garrigue softens into a multi-hued panoply of floral blues, reds and the delicate violet of rock centauries. And yes, leaving your rain jacket at home would be a little optimistic, but in Spring, wet weather is fleeting, and with temperatures that rarely dip into the single digits, it’s the perfect time for exploring off-piste.

Here are five magical locations to discover by foot in Malta and Gozo.

 

1. Inland Gozo

Where mainland Malta offers visitors modern amenities – resorts, five-star hotels and Michelin-star restaurants – Gozo is all about its agricultural heritage. Known by locals as the ‘Island of Three Hills’, its topography is an undulating canvas of peaks and troughs, offering plentiful opportunity to see farmland rich in citrus, carobs, olives and vineyards producing local wines (which aren’t exported, so make sure you book a winetasting). It’s a wonder to explore the smaller island by foot (it’s only 67sqkm) and you’re always steps away from serene sea views.

Walking Gozo’s ridge paths, where rubble walls mark centuries of terraced farmland.

One of the most popular walking routes begins at the historic salt pans in Xwejni, where locals still harvest the mineral in the way their ancestors have done for centuries. Vast swathes of rhomboid trays cut into the rock stretch for nearly a kilometre up the coastline, before dissipating into the naturally rippling terrain. Follow the gravel road running just above the cliff-edges for 15-minutes to reach Wied il-Għasri, a magnificent, deeply cut cove with a tiny pebble beach set into steep cliffs. It’s a great spot for a refreshing dip, just prepare yourself for the almost 100-step climb down (and back up!). Another 3km of hiking brings walkers to the not-to-be-missed Wied il-Mielaħ, a stunning stone archway reaching out into the sea.

2. Dingli Cliffs

In Malta, no one view is like another, every curve and inlet of the country’s coastlines hiding a different treasure. On the mainland, the highest point is Dingli Cliffs, a range of towering, craggy limestone reaching 253-metres-high. Believed to be named after an English Knight of St. John, Dingli’s position on the south-western side of Malta sees fewer visitors than the likes of Valletta and the Three Cities – especially in the off season. Here, you can walk as far (or not) as you like. Turn left from the ‘Cliffs’ bus stop and head south east to enjoy views of the open ocean and Filfa island for an invigorating walk which culminates at the Blue Grotto, a series of arched rock structures famed for their water’s cerulean shades.

The Dingli Cliffs at dusk, Malta’s highest point at 253 metres, with the distinctive radar dome set back from the edge.

Following the cliff path above Mtaħleb, where the sun sets over the open Mediterranean.

We recommend taking public transport from nearby Rabat to the cliffs, and hiking an ‘out and back’ route to return there for finishing, as getting a bus or taxi from other spots along the coastline can be tricky. Rabat is right next to the historic city of Mdina, which is a great place to recuperate after your expedition. This walled city (there are 3 fortified cities in Malta), its series of mediaeval streets, gently-tolling church towers and high calibre eateries (try Coogli’s for traditional Maltese dishes such as bragioli) – plus its unbeatable views across Malta’s mainland – are good reason to make it a base of operations from which to explore.

Mdina at golden hour, the walled hilltop city that makes a natural base for exploring the Dingli coast.

3. The Victoria Lines

This 12-km trail connecting Malta’s east and west coasts is part-hike, part-history lesson. Beginning from the small Kunċizzjoni Chapel, limits of Rabat, this hike follows the ‘Great Wall of Malta’ a natural, raised divide across the mainland, which, for a short period in the early 20th-century was fortified by the British during their occupation. The remnants of their efforts – including forts, bastions and entrenchments – mark the way for walkers to enjoy every aspect of Maltese life, from patches of hand-tilled farmland to bustling towns. The vast majority of the trail accompanies the remains of the wall itself, with a highlight being the Binġemma Gap, a place where the wall dips into a valley and climbs out the other side. Break for lunch in Mosta, a lively town famed for a church not only sporting the biggest dome in the country, but one where during World War Two a bomb broke through the roof and landed inside the church but didn’t detonate. Visitors can see the bomb’s casing and the place it broke the ceiling today. Some of the sections of this trail can be overgrown and uneven, especially in the off season when the flora is at its fullest, so solid hiking gear is essential.

Mdina rising from the countryside, typical of the cultivated landscape the Victoria Lines trail crosses.

4. Dwejra Bay and the Inland Sea

One of Malta’s most popular spots, this dramatic bay in Gozo is home to a number of iconic geological formations. Approaching from the elevated hillside of San Lawrenz, visitors are blessed with an untrammelled view of the dominating Fungus Rock which towers from the waters in Dwerja Bay. To the right, the dark archway of the Inland Sea connects the open ocean to a small tidal pool (which you can explore via a five euro boat trip), while tucked around a corner, is the Blue Hole, a circular, cobalt-blue aperture in the land which attracts swimmers, divers and influencers in equal measure. This bountiful location is a fantastic starting point to explore Gozo’s captivating coast.

A lone walker silhouetted against the sunset on Malta’s western cliffs.

From Dwerja you can head along the cliffs in either direction; both are equally rewarding. If you head north, following the path uphill behind St. Anna’s Chapel, you’ll trace the cliffside, following the terraced edges of farmland and stepping between clumps of red sulla, violet sand crocuses and blushing pink Field Gladiolus. To the left, you’ll ascend some 120-metres to an overlook of Dwerja Bay and the site of the 2,300-year-old Ras il-Wardija punic temple, before following the cliffside around to the delightful seaside village of Xlendi, about an hour-and-a-half away. Both hikes offer incredible, panoramic ocean views, and are relatively flat after the initial ascent. Red dots spray-painted on the rocks mark your route, and you can walk as far as you fancy; the entire coastline is about 50km, and a popular multi-day hike.

Last light along the clifftop path, a popular multi-day coastal walk.

5. Għajn Tuffieħa and Ramla Bay

Malta’s north-western coastline has it all. Just north of Dingli Cliffs lies Il-Majjistral Nature & History Park, where a range of trails zig-zag through a scree and boulder-strewn landscape littered with endemic species of flora including the Maltese Pyramidal Orchid and various Mediterranean thymes. It’s a great starting point from which to head south and skirt the island’s famous trio of beaches: Golden Bay, Għajn Tuffieħa and Ġnejna. This easy 5-8km route (depending how close to the edge you stick) offers stunning views across the three unique coves as well as visits to two historic watchtowers.

The three-bay run of Malta’s north-west coast – Golden Bay, Għajn Tuffieħa and Gnejna – linked by the Il-Majjistral trail.

The distinctive clay ridge at Il-Majjistral Nature & History Park, one of the trail’s most striking stretches.

Rocky coastal walking near Għajn Tuffieħa, where the path traces boulder-strewn ground above the sea.

If beaches are your happy place, beeline back to Gozo for one of the country’s most striking: Ramla Bay. Start once again at Xwejni, but head east instead of west. You’ll stay inland and follow roads for most of this journey, but it’s a delightful, undulating route tracing the outskirts of the hilltop village of Xaghra (home to the 5,500-year-old UNESCO Heritage Site of Ġgantija temples) alongside captivating views from Calypso’s Cave. From there, Ramla’s auburn-coloured expanse is a bright beacon guiding you to a spectacular finish. On arrival, scramble up the far cliffside to Mixta Cave and bask in panoramas back over Ramla and its lush green valley, all framed by the curvature of the cave roof.

The view down to Ramla Bay, Gozo’s red-sand beach, from the cliff path approaching Mixta Cave.