Malta’s sea and gardens
Malta
3 days
SEASON
Autumn, Winter, Spring
TRANSPORT
Car, Bus, Boat, Walk
Malta’s sea and gardens
Perched in the middle of the Mediterranean, the country of Malta is a stunning little archipelago that sits just south of Sicily and just shy of Tunisia to the north. It’s one stunning country to explore, with a whole heap of the best places in Malta that are dotted all across the islands. Particularly wonderful are the scenarios that open onto the sea, between cliffs and bays, where you can often admire the richness of the fauna that spreads from the inland woods to the beaches.
The gardens that can be found in the Maltese Islands are numerous but relatively small. What they lack in size they make up for in historical and cultural content, which when pieced together, relate the happenings of their inhabitants from the early 15th century to present day.
Day by Day
With this 3-day itinerary you will travel among the splendid scenery of the Maltese archipelago between cliffs overlooking the sea and gardens overflowing with flowers and precious plants. The itinerary winds almost entirely on the largest island of Malta, passes through the Argotti Botanical Gardens and the Buskett Gardens, touches the Pembroke Nature Reserve and ends on the island of Comino, with a panoramic boat crossing.
DAY 1
Rinella organic farm
Managed by Genista Research Foundation, the farm produces organic vegetables, herbs and local fruits. The center also does experiments on organic farming techniques to identify how to cultivate vegetables to withstand our climate, focusing on potatoes, onions and local herbs.
The site is under EU protection and a several endemic local trees can be found.
More info..
Opening hours: Open for public Saturdays from 9am
Admission: Free entrance
Contacts:
+356 7923 2635
www.facebook.com
Argotti botanical gardens
A Botanic Garden created in 1674 by the Knights of St John. The Argotti Botanic Gardens & Resource Centre at Floriana maintains the national herbarium and the living botanical collection of predominantly Mediterranean type plants. The Argotti Botanic Gardens & Resource Centre host a number of mature botanical specimens which include amongst others; Tetraclinis articulata (Sandrac Gum Tree), Ficus macrophylla (Moreton Bay Fig), Dracena draco (Dragon's Blood Tree), Argania spinosa (Argan Tree), Pheonix rupicola (Cliff Date Palm), Lagunaria patersoni (Cow Itch Tree), Tipuana tipu (Rosewood, Pride of Bolivia) and Jaracanda mimosaefolia (Jacaranda). There are also several large specimens of Cereus pringlei and a large collection of succulent Euphorbias. The botanical collections are partly organised by families. The collection of cacti and succulents is housed in one of the greenhouses and also as a roof garden.
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Opening hours: From Monday to Friday 8am to 3pm
Admission: Free entrance
Contacts: www.um.edu.mt/argotti
Oil making tour
Set in Mgarr, one of the most beautiful rural areas of Malta, this tour offers a unique opportunity to explore local products with a special focus on Extra Virgin Olive Oil. The experience starts at a historic location, followed by a visit at an exclusive estate olive grove. Extra virgin olive oil from the same small grove is tasted followed by a Maltese traditional light lunch including estate wine. Visitors will also be able to tour around the grove which is situated in a secluded rural area and hosts a number of endemic and indigenous plants.
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Opening hours: Every Wednesday 2pm-4pm
Admission: Adults – 35 € / Children – 15 € / Free for children under 7.
Includes light lunch and wine. Transport: Optional Pick-up and Drop-off available at 15 € per person
Contacts: www.merill.com.mt/evoo
DAY 2
Pembroke nature reserve
97 hectares of land situated along the northern coast of Malta. Mediterranean thyme and the seaside squill are typical garrigue plants that can be found at Pembroke. The Pembroke SAC area holds great potential as an educational site, in particular for the furtherance of the study and appreciation of the ecology, flora, fauna, geology and history of the Maltese Islands.
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Contacts: www.naturetrustmalta.org
Xrobb l-Ghagin Nature Park and Sustainable Development Centre
Located on a jutting peninsula with scenic views of the southeast of Malta within the locality of Marsaxlokk. Xrobb I-Ghagin is one of the few remaining natural places which has exposed Globigerina Limestone in the mainland. Such geology allows specific coastal vegetation communities to colonize. All of the vegetation on site has a higher degree of salt tolerance than equivalent inland habitats on the rest of the island.. Generally, the most dominant habitats in the park are steppe and garigue. Steppes are grasslands, while garigues involve communities of low-lying shrubs and geophytes (bulbous plants). A large variety of plants and herbs can be spotted when visiting the reserve.
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Buskett gardens
The gardens contain broadleaved deciduous woodland, native coniferous woodland, with sclerophyllous garigue and maquis shrubland, as well as groves of fruit trees. Many different trees and shrubs grow in the gardens, including numerous fruit-bearing trees. One of the greenest areas in Malta, the gardens are at their best in the spring but also provide shade from the harsh mid-summer sun and offer a quiet place for a walk in the winter months. The gardens are very popular with the Maltese people, who often go for walks in the peaceful settings or enjoy a picnic in the shade of the trees.
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Opening hours: Open every day all day long
Admission: Free entrance
Contacts: http://lifesavingbuskett.org.mt
DAY 3
Comino by boat
The Island of Comino, formerly called Ephaestia is a small island of the Maltese archipelago between the islands of Malta and Gozo in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is a paradise for snorkelers, divers, windsurfers, and hiking enthusiasts.
Comino can be visited without a car and apart from one hotel, it is virtually uninhabited. The main attraction of the island is the Blue Lagoon. In summer, this enclosed aquamarine glowing water inlet over white sand is very popular for everyday hiking. Other beaches on the island are Santa Marija Bay and San Niklaw Bay.
Comino is also worth visiting in the winter, ideal for walkers and photographers to explore the flora and fauna.
More info..
By boat from Gozo – Cost 15 € – 2h tour
Contacts: www.visitmalta.com/pl/island-of-comino
Saint Raphael Lake (San Raflu)
Small rural area just outside the locality of Kercem, at the south-west of the island of Gozo. The area is approximately 148 meters above sea level and is surrounded by two of the most important bays of Gozo; the Dwejra Bay to the left, and the Xlendi Bay to the right. Since the year 1981, a spring festival, called the Fiera tal-Ghadira (Ghadira Festival) is held every year on the first Sunday after Easter, and in which several agricultural produce and farm animals are sold to the public. The area boasts of a diversity of flora and fauna throughout the year, making it an ecological place of high importance. An interesting variety of plants vary can be found, indigenous, endemic, and also alien or introduced species. This is the clearest proof of the flora diversity and its importance not only in Gozo but also in the Maltese Islands in general.
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Walk by the Wied il-Mielah Window
Wied il-Mielah Window (Maltese: it-Tieqa ta' Wied il-Mielah) is a limestone natural arch on the north-western coast of the island of Gozo. The walk offers to visitors astonishing views and the chance to discover wild herbs and plants in a spectacular environment. Among them: Cheirolophus crassifolius, the Maltese centaury, Maltese rock-centaury or Widnet il-Bahar, which are Asteraceae species, endemic to Malta, and the national plant of Malta since 1973.
Walking along Dingli Cliffs, visitors will also encounter the purplish-pink patches of the Mediterranean Thyme’s crowded flowers spreading on the garigue between May and August. This common indigenous aromatic shrub grows from 20 to 50 cm in height and has a sweet aromatic smell when touched.
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Along the way, visitors can stop at small farms selling local. The walk takes approximately 2 hours.
Contacts: www.visitgozo.com
Accessibility
Starting point: Rinella
Nearest airport: Luqa International Airport
Distances:
Day 1
Rinella > Argotti gardens: 9 km (15 min drive)
Argotti > Mgarr: 18 km (26 min drive)
Day 2
Pembroke > Xrobb l-ghagin: 14 km (23 min drive)
Xrobb l-ghagin > Buskett: 16 km (26 min drive)
Day 3
Ferry from Circewwa Malta to the island of Gozo: 30 min
Comino Island by ferry: 20 min trip
San Raflu from ferry terminal: 12 km (25 min drive)
San Raflu to Wied il mielah: 8 km (20 min drive)
Ferry: https://www.gozochannel.com/
Distances: distances are very short so most can be done by walk or via a car or a bit longer by bus.
Best to visit between September and May since the other months are very crowded and with temperatures ranging from 30-45 degrees.
Accomodation
Castile Hotel
Valletta Malta
Castille Square, Valletta, Malta
Contacts:T. +356 2124 3677
M. info@hotelcastillemalta.com
$
Go to the websiteBritish Hotel Valletta
Valletta Malta
40 Battery Street, Valletta, Malta
Contacts:T. +356 21224730
T. +356 21239022/3
T. +356 99768250
M. info@britishhotel.com
$$
Go to the websiteCatering
The Beer Cave restaurant Valletta
Malta
Castille Hotel, Castille Square, La Valletta, Isola di Malta VLT 1211 Malta
Contacts:T. +356 7932 8068
M. info@thebeercavemalta.com
$$
Go to the websiteThe Rootz Bar
La Valletta Malta
11 triq Id-Dejqa Strait street VLT1430 La Valletta, Malta
Contacts:T. +356 2713 5923
M. mr.vacuitas@gmail.com
Price range:
$$
Go to the websiteFontanella Tea Garden
Malta
1 Bastion Street Triq tal-Infetti, Medina, Isola di Malta Malta
Contacts:T. +356 2145 4264
M. fontanellateagarden@gmail.com
$$
Go to the websiteThe Medina Restaurant
Malta
7, Holy Cross Street Medina, Malta
Contacts:T. +356 2145 4004
M. medina@xaracollection.com
$$$
Go to the websiteGrotto Tavern
Rabat Malta
10, Misrah il- Parocca RBT1529 Rabat, Malta
Contacts:T. +356 7945 3258
M. info@grottotavern.net
Price range:
$$
Go to the website
