Malta, Sliema

Day 1 - Sliema (Malta)
Day 2 Sliema, Marsaxlokk

On arrival at the airport in Malta you may be surprised to hear English. Maltese is a Semitic language with Latin script. Over the years, many British, Italian and French words have been incorporate into  the language. Most Maltese speak English very well. This is the second official language of the country.

The first few days we will stay in Sliema. This is the second largest city of the island. On the north side of this city is St. Julian's, one of the main tourist areas of Sliema Malta. On the coast of Sliema you find the bustling tourist area of the city. There are nice traditional shops, boutiques and modern. Furthermore, the city has restaurants, bars and is known  for water sports.

Our first walk starts in the village of Kalkara. From there we follow the beautiful path along the coast to the city and the Bay Marsa Scala, a rapidly growing tourist location. The goal of this walk is the idyllic fishing village of Marsaxlokk. Here you will find the typical, brightly colored Maltese fishing boats: the luzzus. The eye of the god Osiris watches over all the fishing boats. Besides the daily market there is a big market on Sundays where you can find almost everything from fresh fish to electronics.

Walk Duration: 4-5 hours

Malta, Dingli Cliffs and Medina

Day 3 Sliema, Mosta, Mdina
Day 4 Sliema, Dingli Cliffs
Day 5 Sliema - Mellieha Bay - Xlendi (Gozo)

The next day we start our walk by way of the church of Mosta, one of the most striking buildings of Malta with the fourth largest dome in Europe. A nice fact is that the church has been built from donations and voluntary labor of the population. Towards the capital Rabat we pass the Chapel of St. Paul. Here the Apostle Paul spent three months spent underground. After passing the chapel we walk through a beautiful valley and after 3 hours walking Rabat comes into sight. From Rabat we walk to a part of the former capital, Mdina, which has the nickname "the silent city”. Here there are no cars and it seems as if time has stood still. There are beautiful churches, monasteries, palaces and imposing limestone walls. From the office wall you have a breathtaking view of almost the entire island. This certainly makes for a lovely walk.

Our next walk follows the Dingli Cliffs a 12 kilometer long wall of cliffs on the south coast of Malta. The more than 200 meter high cliffs rise almost perpendicularly from the sea to provide a beautiful view over the island.  In the distance you can see Filfla an uninhabited island. In the past the rocks offered a defense against natural enemies. We walk from Buskett Gardens along the coast through to the fishing village Fawwara Ghar Lapsi. Here we find a natural bay that provides protection for the fishing boats. Also the wonderful bay with cool water well is a nice place for a refreshing dip at the end of the walk.

Our last walk on the island of Malta brings us from Golden Bay to Mellieha Bay. These are two beautiful sandy beaches. After these 2 hours hike awe take a ferry to the island of Gozo. On arrival in Gozo you feel that you have gone back in time. The island is much more rural than Malta and is characterized by typical villages, green fields and steep sloping shorelines. The island is about one fourth of the surface of the island of Malta, but only 7% of the population of Malta live here. We stay on this island in the village of Xlendi, situated on the Bay in the south of Gozo.

Walk Duration: 3-4 hours
Walk Duration: 3 hours
Walk Duration: 2 hours and 15 minutes

Gozo

Day 6 Xlendi, Gharb
Day 7   Xlendi - San Lawrenz - Sliema (Malta)
Day 8 Sliema – Land Ends

Today is the starting point and end point of our walk on the square of the picturesque village of Gharb. The square has a very special atmosphere set by the beautiful church in its baroque style. We walk through the beautiful fields and valleys around Gharb. Here we take a cruise passing many buildings with interesting legends.

Our visit includes Il-Madonna taz-Żejt, followed by the chapel of San Dimitri. Enjoy the breathtaking views you have from the hill of San Dimitri in the valleys and the lighthouse Ta'Gurdan. This lighthouse is also linked with the neo-Romanesque basilica Ta 'Pinu.  Later in the walk, we have the opportunity to climb the Ta'Gurdan mountain and to see see the lighthouse up close. From here you have a view virtually all over Gozo.

As we walk on, we pass “Wied il-Mielah ", the natural window in the rocks. This is caused by erosion and eventually the rest of the rock will erode. In Gozo you constantly see the effects of erosion, which also bares fossils from the distant past.  You'll see them when you walk along the cliffs.

From Xlendi, climb the stairs to the next day to WARDIJA Point with a magnificent view over Dwejra Bay and “Azure Window”, a regularly shaped rock arch that spans the seawater on the coast of Dwejra Point. Behind the rocks, you will find a lake along the coast. Water flows through a tunnel from the sea.

The lake is an ideal place for a swim because the water is warm and calm. Fisherman’s boat houses around the lake are lovely. The end point of this walk is San Lawrence. Here we pick up the bus and we are brought to the port where the ferry to Mgarr Malta awaits us.

The last night you have free. You can for example visit the sites in the city Valletta, one of the most historic centers of Malta with steep streets, majestic cathedrals and shops. From the most beautiful park, the Upper Barracada Gardens, you can enjoy a magnificent view over the harbor. You can also choose to stay in Sliema to relax and dine on the boulevard.

Walk Duration: 4 hours and 30 minutes
Walk Duration: 2 hours and 30 minutes