My decision to go to Malta was one born out of the desire to compromise. I wanted to enjoy swimming and sunning views. In contrast, my partner wanted to stay as engaged as possible, hike, and preferably avoid sand beaches.
So, after googling Mediterranean countries that have both beautiful hiking routes and stunning beaches, Malta became an obvious choice: it is cheap, relatively close to Belgium, and checks all the boxes!
Here, our adventure started: trying to hike in Malta! Just like you, I didn’t have a clue where to go, what to do, or what to prioritize. I went through multiple blogs, watched a lot of videos, and still… I didn’t find a guide to hiking in Malta. It seemed as if a lot of people didn’t do it here…
Well, I am here to change this! This blog is about my experience hiking in Malta. How I planned it, what I’ve liked and disliked about it, and my general recommendations.
Before we start…
About Malta
Malta is a small island situated between the African continent and Sicily. On a surface of around 300 square km, roughly half a million locals are enjoying this beautiful land.
Malta is also part of the European Union, using the euro as its currency, making it easier for Europeans like me! Additionally, the fact that English is one of the national languages makes it an attractive vacation destination for a wide range of visitors.
Malta has a rich history, and I am pretty sure you can feel it in the streets that are infused with memories from the past. Becoming a British colony in 1813, then regaining its independence in 1964, Malta has had a tumultuous evolution to the present. Echoes of the past are still heard.
The architecture, food, and even tourists (you will notice a lot of UK visitors) highlight a past you don’t get to live nowadays.
But let’s get back to the main topic of this blog, hiking.
What do you need to know about hiking in Malta?
Although there are plenty of hiking routes in Malta on platforms like Komoot, you will be surprised to see a poor hiking culture.
What do I mean by that? Well, we visited Malta between 23 and 30 September, the time when the peak season almost ends. In one week being there, we have seen only 1 hiker like us; the rest of the tourists were not there to walk around, but to have nice food, visit places and generally enjoy the country (which is totally fine, don’t get me wrong).
With that being said, after hiking through Malta, I was left with the impression that the tourism here is not focused on improving the hiking routes and trails, not to mention the promotion of “walking” through Malta. So there weren’t many spaces specifically made for hiking. A lot of our hikes were going through streets shared with the local traffic, unpleasant industrial areas or super touristic cities.
While it was nice to experience all sides of Malta, it would’ve been nice to have the chance to discover the nature on its own, without cars, without commercial buildings, without the buzzing of very popular tourist attractions.
A 6 Day Journey Through Malta
Tip: Don’t ignore proper preparation!
Things you will need for the hike:
- Waterproof hiking shoes (especially for cases of unexpected rain)
- Sunscreen
- Lots of water
- Snacks
Our days in Malta were simple with a simple breakfast at our accomodation or a short grocery trip to a nearby Lidl (always a saviour for affordable snacks, cheap drinkable water, electrolites, fruits, and nuts). Then, we were packing all the necessary things for our hikes: a lunch (usually some pastries from Lidl, otherwise we were buying them from the kiosks like Jeff’s Pastizzeria or McSims (having THE BEST Qassatat with ricotta filling), some nuts, 4l of water (especially important in summer!), bananas and/or musli bars.
We were also making sure to put on sunscreen, re-applying it every 30 minutes to an hour! We kept our caps on at all times and wore light, waterproof hiking shoes. Even if you think running or walking shoes will suffice, the hard rocks and gravel will not only make your legs tired, but can also damage and hurt the soles of your feet. Be careful!
Day 1: Valletta, Museums, and The Three Cities
On our first day, we decided to get our bus subscription (we went for an Explore Flex Tallinja Card with a Gozo Highspeed fare included at 37 euros – definitely worth it) and have a slow start to the holiday.
After securing the card, we went to the city centre, where we were met with lots of crowds, which we swiftly avoided by going to the Saluting Battery Museum.
And here, let me be honest… It is a small stop… Small, short, and quite underwhelming. Unless you really want to check every box on your Maltese list, I would not recommend it. There were some info panels on the history of the place and Malta in general, together with a display on the different instruments used to take care of the canons, but nothing that stayed with us after.
Our visit naturally ended in the Upper Barrakka Gardens with a cute atmosphere: nice flower arrangements, some cats sleeping lazily despite the buzzing of the crowds, a bar serving refreshments… Overall, a nice view of the port, the three cities, and the sea, of course.
In the second half of the day, we decided to spend visiting “the other side”. We took a ferry and had a small walk in between the streets… It was nice, calming, and super touristy, so we quickly made our way back to our stay.
Day 2: Munxar Peninsula – St. Thomas Bay Cliffs
The second day, we did this hike (well, we attempted to at least). We took the bus to the starting point and from there we cautiously advanced.
The day turned out to be very hot (with 28°C) and humid, so our enthusiasm was quickly replaced with a fear of heat stroke. Since it was our first long hike, we didn’t want to risk it, so we stopped at the Munxar Window, then turned back.
The big plus of this (at least for female hikers) is the presence of free public toilets on the way, which always had running water, soap, and toilet paper – coming in handy for all sorts of emergencies.
We used them to water our caps and cool down by washing our faces, + reapply the sunscreen in the shadows.
On the first day, we stopped a lot to hydrate because we weren’t sure we could handle walking in such strong heat (turns out we are more than capable, but of course, it might not be the case for you, so be extra cautious when walking).
Overall, the walk offered multiple occasions for us to jump in the water and cool down (but we stopped for this only once); however, you could enjoy the water as much as you wanted. There were a lot of beautiful views, making the ‘suffering’ all the more rewarding.
On the downside, while this walk started on a calmer path through a natural park, it quickly routed us on paved, car-heavy roads – not our preferred type. Just something to take into mind.
Day 3: Gozo Island
We had to take advantage of our ticket for the Gozo High Speed Ferry, so we decided to go there already on our 3rd day! Although with some rain at the beginning, in the end we arrived in Victoria, where we took a bus to the capital city (not without passing by Lidl first and saying hi to the local cats).
For Gozo, I planned to do this walk, not a bad decision in terms of the places it has; however, I believe it could’ve been done better. Let me tell you why a bit later.
At the beginning, we visited the citadel: a beautiful construction I would recommend visiting to anyone; it has a nice historical feel and breathtaking views.
After munching on some pastizzi and getting lost in the city, we advanced further in our walk. And let me tell you, it was not the most pleasant. It was near busy car streets. Not only was it loud, but we have discovered that Maltese drivers are quite reckless as well: speeding and doing dodgy manoeuvres with their cars, making us feel unsafe as pedestrians…
I would say the Ghasri Valley makes it all worth it: the view, the swim, the water: EVERYTHING. For me, this was the highlight of the hike (and one of the most cherished memories in Malta). It was a rare occasion to enjoy a swim in such a place, feeling small next to these giant cliffs.
Next, we saw some fascinating salt pans, which stirred our curiosity about this craft as a whole (I will let you visit Malta and find out more about it yourself). This is a wonderful stop to marvel at.
Unfortunately, we had to cut our walk short. So here comes my first advice: when visiting Gozo and planning a walk that lasts more than 2-3 hours, take an early ferry and buy the return ticket as late as possible (or as comfortable for you: usually the last ferry is at 6pm). We arrived in Gozo at around 12 pm, and the fact that we got lost in Victoria didn’t help us at all… To add salt to the injury, we bought our tickets back at 5pm to avoid any last-minute rush.
To catch our ferry, we had to order a Bolt (always a cheap and comfy solution, yet again, Maltese drivers are something else, and I am coming from the Balkans… That should be telling…). So unfortunately, we left Gozo early, maybe too early.
What I can say is that Gozo, on its own, would deserve 2 days. There are different parts of the island I feel are worth visiting, so if you have time and desire, dedicate more than 1 day to walking through Gozo, I think it is worth it.
Day 4: Mdina and Dingli Cliffs
To get to Mdina, we once again took the bus. In less than an hour, we arrive at a very busy bus station where a lot of tourist companies were shipping their clients as well.
I am not going to lie. Mdina was superb, but the hectic atmosphere that the excessive tourism has created made us only glimpse at the city. We walked through its walls to then quickly get out and make our way to the Dingli Cliffs.
Although the map was showing that you could get a bus to and from Dignli Cliffs, the reality was different. We had a 2-hour walk from Mdina to Dingli Cliffs, only to find out that the bus station had been discontinued.
For us, this was not an issue since we had planned our hike around this route; however, it may be useful to know for your information. Dingli Cliffs is a hot spot (rightfully so): the views are breathtaking, and here you get a glimpse of the nature Malta has to offer – wall lizards, singing birds, and true quiet.
The weather was not on our side that day, and we’ve been caught in one of the strongest rainstorms I’ve had the chance to experience, but this didn’t distract us from the walk, and we’ve persevered further till we’ve reached Blue Grotto, another beautiful spot, from where we took the bus back to our accommodation.
This hike, although wet, cold and slightly dangerous due to low visibility and wind, was another memorable route. In my opinion, Dingli Cliffs is definitely worth seeing together with the nature it harbours nearby. Blue Grotto is stunning as well, but it is more of a tourist spot, meaning that there will be more people and less of a calm atmosphere to enjoy the view.
Day 5: Manikata Loop with a view of the Popeye Village
On to our favourite hike of them all!
We followed this route from Komoot. And for the first time this trip, the majority of the walk was off the traffic roads (finally). The walk takes you along a beautiful coastal view, crossing through a natural historical museum, ending with a stop at the Popeye Village film set.
I enjoyed this walk mainly because we derailed from the route and accidentally discovered a secluded beach where we could take a break and enjoy a relaxing swim with just 2 people besides us! It was amazing, especially because it was just a few minutes walk from the busy Golden Bay Beach (and way more beautiful than it, although sandless as well).
What was supposed to be the highlight of the walk, the Popeye Village, was an underwhelming end to the walk. After seeing the amazing views of the northern part of Malta, getting to a theme park that plays commercial music loudly was a bit out of tune.
TIP: If you are visiting purely for hiking and nature, just skip this last stop and find a better way to end this walk, unless you really want to see the Popeye Village.
Day 6: Comino Island
Our last full day was on the Comino Island, where we got back with a ferry from Cirkewwa (an hour from Valletta). The journey to the island gave us a preview of what’s coming our way: a lot of tourists!
And this was the case indeed. Upon our arrival, lots of boats were slowly cruising the coast, myriads of people were swimming in the crystal clear waters, while others were purchasing Pina Coladas served in fresh pineapples.
I will be honest: I didn’t research what exactly Comino Island had to offer, as I like to be surprised. I expected a small island with some beautiful views and a light walk… It was way busier than I expected with music, bars and food stands trying to keep the pace with the influx of people.
Luckily, we had our food and drinks with us, so we didn’t stay in line anywhere but to the public toilets here (which are free and pretty clean). The walk was nice, with stunning views as usual, with a few historical landmarks on the way, like the Santa Maria Tower or the Santa Maria Battery.
Aside from a short heavy rain, the visit to Comino Island was nice. Once you go past the initial touristic area at the bay and the Blue Lagoon (which is undoubtfully beautiful, but incredibly popular), you can enjoy the cyan waters, the orange lime stones and the sea air with more ease.
For Comino, the walking routes are pretty easy to organize with just a simple map circling the island, but we’d followed this route and deviated when we saw something of interest (usually going towards cliffs closer to the coastline).
Overrated hiking places in Malta
If you are a tourist like us who prefers the calm nature with stunning views, I believe Malta is worth visiting; however, a lot of the walks will be passing through big tourist cities, so planning your hikes like I did might not be a good idea.
My suggestion is to avoid hiking around:
- Valletta: too crowded and overwhelming, especially in peak season, not to mention that there are not a lot of hiking trails around the area
- Comino Island: fun to visit, but just hiking on the island is not worth the trip. It is best to combine it with more activities, such as boat tours, diving or swimming.
- Mdina: not a hiking place. It is worth visiting if you want to spend a day in all the museums, shops and then have a dining experience; however, it is not a pleasant place to walk due to the tourist boom.
Best hiking spots in Malta
- Gozo Island: It is definitely worth going to the island and discovering all the cliffs, shingle beaches, and salt pans!
- Ghasri Valley: Beautiful views and calm surroundings, perfect for short swims.
- Dingli Cliffs: Sunning views (no extra words needed).
Closing remarks
Thanks for reading this blog! Visiting Malta was a very nice experience for us, and I hope this article will help you plan your next adventure!
If you have hiked through Malta or are planning to, let me know your thoughts on your trip!
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