Make the most of Malta’s wild, unique and eclectic landscapes with these 4 ideas for outdoor activities.
Malta is home to a natural environment of almost insolent beauty. However, it has the elegance to be visited all year round and to dazzle every traveller. And to make the most of it, there’s nothing like outdoor activities. Whether it’s hiking in the lush countryside, riding along the cliffs, soaring to new heights or galloping through the valleys, Malta has plenty to do to make the most of the scenery. Here are 4 ideas for outdoor activities in Malta’s most beautiful spots.
Hiking
Photo credit: ©VisitMalta
- 📍Whereto practice: Dingli Cliffs, Coral Lagoon, Gozo, Comino, Victoria Lines Trail, Rabat, Marsaklokk, Maqluba, Għadira Bay
- 💙 We like: slow tourism and privileged access to magnificent sites
If you’re wondering why you should choose Malta as your destination, our first answer is: hiking! This little rock has dozens of itineraries, each more spectacular than the last. They pass through a whole universe of vegetation, relief and scenery that is hardly believable. The north of the island is home to the Red Tower and Malta’s characteristic postcard landscapes.
Walks from west to east wind their way through the walls – ancient observation and defense walls. On one side, you’re in a flat landscape with a breathtaking view of the sea. On the other, in the Maltese countryside populated by farmers, shepherds and flocks.
Finally, tours to the south take you from authentic fishing villages to bays drenched in turquoise waters. Others cut through steep, wild landscapes, offering breathtaking views of the azure waters.
Quad bikes
Photo credit: ©VisitMalta
- 📍Whereto practice: Gozo
- 💙 We love: maximum thrills
Would you like to take a tour of Malta to admire its landscapes and experience some thrills at the same time?
Most quad excursions take place on the island of Gozo, an idyllic little confetti just a twenty-minute boat ride from Malta. Quad trails wind their way through secluded nooks and crannies, where only off-road machines can gain easy access. It’s on these rugged trails that quad biking really comes into its own: adrenalin guaranteed!
Some tours will take you to the Ghasri Valley, deep in the Gozitan countryside. This arm of the sea enters the land in a narrow valley. At the end of the valley, a small, little-frequented pebble beach reveals its charms. Ideal if you want to get away from the crowds.
Excursions last one day or half a day. Guests are usually picked up from the main city in which they are staying on Malta.
Climbing
Photo credit: ©VisitMalta
- 📍Where topractice: numerous climbing sites on the 3 islands: Malta, Gozo and Comino
- 💙 We like: a unique view of Malta’s landscapes
How about admiring the Maltese landscape from the air? A good adrenalin shot as well. Malta, with its unique typology, allows all types of climbing, sporting or otherwise, multi-pitch or traditional.
Clinging to the cliffs, you can enjoy a dazzling view of the warm blue waters of the Mediterranean, interspersed with rocky spurs and grove-capped ridges. Steep overhangs, slabs, vertical walls or steep caves: there’s something for every climber.
On Gozo, the climbing scene is booming: Mgarr ix-Xini (a winding canyon for all levels), Wied il-Mielah (a winding valley full of caves) and Sopu Tower (monoliths, tumbled boulders and huge isolated cliffs). While the calm green island offers classic routes, you can also try psicobloc (or deep-water soloing): a vertiginous form of climbing above the water.
On the main island of Malta, geology has also given rise to a wide variety of lines. Among the most popular sites: Wied Babu (a picturesque canyon), Ghar Lapsi (a series of cliffs and caves close to the sea), Mellieha Cave (an abyss with steep routes). Dingli Cliffs and Ghajn Tuffieha are two must-see spots.
The sandstone walls of the island of Comino are just as striking. Santa Marija Caves, for example, offer incredible opportunities for Deep Water Soloing. You’ll fly over lagoons, without any safety lines, on cliffs ripped open by immense caves.
Horseback riding
Photo credit: ©VisitMalta
- 📍Where topractice: beach at Mellieħa (Malta)
- 💙 We like: an experience as close to nature as possible, good compromise between all activities.
Each of Malta’s landscapes is different from the last: crystal-clear blue waters, valleys in infinite shades of green,ancient temples, picturesque villages and fortified towns. If it’s difficult to see all of it on foot, and quad bikes are too fast, there’s always horseback.
One of the most beautiful horseback rides starts at Golden Bay (beach in Mellieħa) and goes deep into Majjistral Park. Depending on when you return, you can even enjoy an incredible sunset at the edge of the cliffs.
You can also embark on a multi-day trek on horseback. A chance to combine the three islands of the Maltese archipelago (Malta, Gozo and Comino) and discover, step by step on your steed, the ochre stone of the Dingli Cliffs, the gentle way of life and long life of Gozo, the incandescent waters of the Blue Lagoon on Comino.
Still thirsty for adventure? Discover Malta’s best wreck diving spots.