The island of Malta, located in the Mediterranean Sea, is still rather unknown as a hiking destination.
Quite wrongly!
It is true that there are no high peaks to climb on Malta, and there are only a few hiking trails, some of them sparsely marked. But the hikes along the coast with its steep cliffs offer breathtaking views. Here - as in the interior - you constantly come across traces of Maltese history, you can explore ancient temples, Roman ruins and fortifications. Even the smallest villages have magnificent old churches.
If you walk the islands in spring, as we do, you will also find yourself in the midst of an unparalleled sea of flowers.
of a sea of blossoms that is unparalleled. The lush green of the grasses, the warm tones of the rocks, the blaze of colour of the countless flowers and the shining turquoise blue of the sea, which combines with the dark blue of the sky, almost put us into a state of bliss.
Red clover, pink foxglove, white asphodel and yellow composite flowers line our hiking trail.
Frauke, a former employee of the botanical garden in Heidelberg, is in flower bliss and scans one blossom after another with her plant identification app, putting all her energy into flower power. Excitedly, she kneels at a rock bar made of coral limestone in front of a filigree, delicate lilac flower, "Look, that's a Cheirolophus crassifolius, it only grows here on Malta and Gozo and is the national plant of the islands." She carefully examines the flower which looks like a stuffed basket. "How lucky we are to see one of these! They are threatened with extinction."
The island state in the Mediterranean Sea is the smallest member state of the European Union with a total area of only 320 km² (the land mass is roughly the size of Bremen).
You can easily go hiking here on the wilder south coast in the morning and enjoy a cappuccino in one of the many trendy cafés in the afternoon in the capital Valetta, which is located in the north.
With 1,620 inhabitants per km², it is one of the most densely populated countries on earth. This means that there is not much space for untouched nature.
Click on the first picture to start the photo gallery:
Since earliest times, the Maltese islands of Malta, Gozo and the small Comino have been an important hub for trade routes in the Mediterranean.
Since time immemorial, they have linked continents and cultures, serving as a bridge between Europe and Africa and between the Christian and Islamic worlds. Over the course of time, they have experienced a wide variety of occupiers, all of whom left diverse traces. And yet the Maltese have always managed to integrate these influences while preserving their own culture and language.
Throughout the islands, this turbulent past is reflected in the multitude of architectural monuments from all periods of human history. The UNESCO World Heritage Site includes not only unique prehistoric temples from the Neolithic period - the Ġgantija temples are the oldest freestanding monuments in the world and bear witness to the fact that the island was inhabited at least 1,000 years before the famous Egyptian pyramids of Giza were built - but also the capital city of Valletta, founded by the Order of Malta.
Valletta is inextricably linked to the history of the military and charitable Order of Saint John of Jerusalem. Built after the Great Siege of 1565 and named after the Grand Master Jean Parisot de la Valette, the fortified city houses hundreds of monuments in a relatively small space, making it one of the most concentrated historical areas in the world
But if you leave the city behind and go hiking, you will discover a whole other, wilder side of the island ...
Read also my next blog:
The hike to Golden Bay incl GPS data
Info:
General information is available (in English) at www.visitmalta.com.
35 hikes are described in the Rother hiking guide "Malta-Gozo".
Best time to visit:
Spring starts as early as mid-February and is the most beautiful time for hiking - temperatures rise and wildflowers transform the islands into a sea of blossoms.
Getting there and around:
Direct flights from Frankfurt to Malta are available with Lufthansa, for example. Ryanair flies from Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden from the end of March.
Alternatively, it is also possible to travel by ferry. Twice daily between Marsa (near Valletta) and the town of Pozzallo in southern Sicily.
The public express bus lines X1, X2, X3 and X4 connect the airport with the main destinations on the island. www.publictransport.com.mt (English).
In addition to taxis and rental cars, Malta Transfers offers group and individual transfers to many hotels. www.maltatransfer.com.
Malta has left-hand traffic.
Car rental price comparison e.g. at: www.arguscarhire.com
Malta and Gozo are connected by a car and passenger ferry. It departs about every 45 minutes, reservations are not required. www.gozochannel.com.
Sleeping:
From a 400-year-old farm in Malta, the hosts at Talbot & Bons have converted a charming little B&B with twelve individual rooms.
https://talbotbons.com/ Double rooms from €80.
In the heart of Gozo at the foot of the Victoria Citadel is Casa Gemelli Boutique Guesthouse. Twin sisters Anna and Sonia run the house with great attention to detail and serve excellent breakfasts. Book via tel: +356 2155 9067 or booking.com, double room from 100€.
On Gozo, we had booked a flat in the middle of the old town via Airbnb. It can only be reached on foot and there is no parking in front of the house. But it is wonderfully quiet and lovingly renovated. There are several flats here:
Dining:
Colourful chairs, wobbly tables, whimsical memorabilia - what doesn't sound glamorous at all glamorous, was used by Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt as a filming location for "By the Sea" - and today serves guests as a very good fish restaurant.
Café Mgarr ix-Xini, Gozo in the bay of the same name off Xewkija. Tel: +356 7955 3691