Snapshots of … An Island

Snapshots of … is a weekly series where the focus will be on the images. Each week I will choose a different place or theme and you will see it through my lens. Some weeks it will give you a better idea of ‘the big picture’, while on other weeks I might just zoom in on the details. So, without further ado, here is the first installment in this series. It will take you on a small tour of Malta – the must-see places if you are here on a very short visit. Although by no means an exhaustive list, it will give you an idea of what the island has to offer – apart from the sea and sun.

The capital city, Valletta, is a  UNESCO World  Heritage Site and there is plenty to discover.

Grand Harbour, Valletta’s natural harbour, has been fortified over many centuries. It is a place of unparalleled beauty and the best way to experience it is on one of the many harbour cruises that provide a commentary about the history and main landmarks of the harbour.

In the centre of the island, Mdina, the old capital city, sits proudly on its lofty bastions. This little walled city is a maze of winding streets, Baroque palaces, and a medieval core that has withstood the ravages of time.

A few kilometres away from Mdina, the cliffs at Dingli have always provided the island with impenetrable natural fortifications.

In the ancient past, Malta was thought to be the religious centre of a temple-building community. Hagar Qim (Mighty Stones) temple is one of the best places to learn more about Malta’s Neolithic past.

In the south of the island, the ancient harbour of Marsaxlokk , studded with traditional Maltese boats, is always a colourful sight.

San Anton Palace is the official residence of the President of Malta. The chapel and the gardens surrounding the Palace are open to the public and are a haven of tranquility.

Without hesitation I would say that the most beautiful beach is not found in Malta but on the neighbouring island of Comino, a short boat trip away. The beach, known as Bejn il-Kmiemen and re-named the Blue Lagoon, has the most wonderful crystal clear waters. Unless you love crowds, avoid the Blue Lagoon between the months of June and September. The place comes into its own when it can be enjoyed in relative solitude. Comino itself is worth a visit and a walk around the tiny island offers the visitor the opportunity to explore its many cliffs and secluded coves.

PS if you enjoy reading about Malta, and feel so inclined, I invite you to click the badge at the top of this page and vote for this blog or follow the link here. Thank you.

The Best Places To Enjoy Sunsets

It’s almost June and summer is practically at our doorstep. Warm weather and mostly-cloudless skies are synonymous with Mediterranean summers  - perfect conditions for spectacular and fiery sunsets.The western coastline of Malta is, for obvious reasons, a great place to choose to watch the setting sun (if you’re into that sort of thing, of course). What makes this coastline even more suited to this particular activity, apart from its location, is the un-spoilt, natural beauty of this part of the island. Towering cliffs, plunging valleys, tiny coves, sandy beaches and all sorts of caves and inlets provide a quiet (depending on the season) and often romantic spot from where to watch one of Nature’s daily shows that we so often take for granted. The following is a list of my 3 favourite spots:

Dingli Cliffs

These mighty cliffs plunge 250 metres into the watery depths and are the perfect perch from where to watch sunsets. Weekend nights may be a bit crowded but during the week they are a haven for all those seeking a peaceful spot.

Ghar Lapsi (Lapsi’s Cave)

This little cove on the outskirts of the town of Siggiewi is a popular bathing spot with those that like rocky beaches. The best place to watch the sunset is not down in the cove itself but from the rocks that tower above.

Gnejna Bay (pronounced Jineyna)

Deserted in winter, this small bay is usually quite crowded during the summer months but, by sunset, most of the people will have already left, leaving a few stragglers, like myself, who prefer the beach at this time of day. As the sun gets lower in the sky, it moves to the left side of the bay and sets behind the rocks. The burn-off from the sun and the jagged silhouette of the rocks creates a wonderful play of shadow and light that I never get bored of looking at.

Wayside Chapels (4) – St Mary Magdalen

On a breezy day a couple of weeks ago, we drove to the little town of Dingli and then headed on towards the cliffs which drop vertiginously into the deep blue sea. The summer heat and drought has de-nuded the cliffs and, shorn of the short-rooted plants that grow in the garigue in the cooler months, their jagged edges look sad and forlorn, waiting patiently for the rain that will give them back life.

It is on these cliffs that the chapel dedicated to St Mary Magdalen is situated.

Three steps lead to a small one-roomed building. With the sheer cliffs behind it and the towns of Rabat, Mtarfa and Mdina in the distance, this chapel commands one of the most outstanding views on the Island.

 

I could not find much information about this chapel other than that it was built in 1640 to tend to the needs of the farmers that made a frugal living from the little terraced fields in pockets of soil on the cliff-face. During the winter months this area is a favoured picnic stop by many but, in summer, it is surrounded by silence and the gentle sighing of the wind.