For our exploration of the southern area of Malta, we decided to go to the Blue Grotto, Dingli Cliffs, Hagar Qim Temples, and Mnajdra Temples. Since it was late in the year, I thought it would be too chilly to enjoy a boat ride, but there were a few other boats going out for tours while we were there. I would definitely do it during the warmer months- next time! Still, it was fun to just walk around and look at the beautiful water for a bit and snap some photos. There are a few small restaurants where you can get a quick snack but it’s a pretty small undeveloped area (which is a good thing).
To get to Dingli Cliffs, we started in Buskett Gardens, an area with woodlands dating back to the 16th century. There are historical sites nearby such as prehistoric cart ruts and Ghar il-Kbir (a complex of caves that were inhabited up to 150 years ago). Although there are numerous trails you can hike around Buskett Gardens, we just walked straight from Buskett Gardens to Dingli Cliffs although we could have just driven straight to the cliffs. If I would have had more time, I definitely would have spent more time hiking around Buskett Gardens since it seemed very pretty in the area.
Hagar Qin Temples were my favorite of all of the temples we went to (and we went to a lot). I thought the preservation of the temples were some of the best in the area and the location of the temples by the Dingli Cliffs just added to the experience. Mnajdra Temples were within walking distance from Hagar Qin, just a bit closer to the water but not quite as extensive. First excavated in 1839, the remains of Hagar Qin suggest a date between 3600 – 3200 BC, a period known as the Ġgantija phase in Maltese prehistory.
It was nice that the last temples we went to were my favorite ones; we saved the best for last. After all of this history, we were ready to see some other things, so we decided to see some beaches in the area. Join me for that upcoming post!
Happy travels!
Donna
runningtotravel 
Your photos are amazing! Blue grotto reminds me of Capri though. 🙂 I have heard Malta has a lot of Mediterranean influence. Is that true?
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Thank you. It makes it easier to get good photos when a place is as beautiful as Malta. I’ve never been to Capri, but I’d love to go. Malta does have a lot of Mediterranean influence, especially in their food and some of the architectural styles but also the landscape. I kept getting reminded of things I’ve seen in Italy or Greece.
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That’s good to know. 🙂 Capri is nice but way too touristy. Well, all beautiful places are touristy!
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True. That’s what I liked about Malta, though. Not a ton of Americans go there, so it’s at least a little bit off the radar, even though others in the surrounding area vacation there.
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Wow. What a treasure! Lovely, Donna!
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Malta is so beautiful. I love it there!
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Looks so gorgeous 🙂
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It seemed like Malta just kept getting better and better. Every new place we’d go would be better than the last.
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That sounds amazing, I must pay Malta a visit! 🙂
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I hope you do go there and love it as much as I did!
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