Malta Road Trip: Dingli Cliffs, Rabat
Destination: Dingli | Rabat, Northern Region, Malta
Travel Period: November 2018
We had a 5-day holiday in Malta and during our stay, we rented a car as it was easier for us to travel from the airport to the center in our own private vehicle. We also planned a 2-day road trip around the country. Given that Malta is small, we managed to see many places in just one day which is really good.
The Dingli Cliffs.
Beautiful traditional rowhouses with colourful balconies.
Our first-day road trip was a visit to the Dingli Cliffs, Rabat, Mdina, the ancient capital of Malta, and St. Julians.
We started our day a bit early than normal and had breakfast at Caffe Cordina followed by a visit to the Grandmaster's Palace located just across. Because the palace is small we were quickly done.
We went back to the hotel and jump into the car for the road trip. We are excited to see Malta beyond Valletta!
The weather was slightly grey with on and off rain showers. We were hoping that the showers would stop by the time we arrive at the first destination. It's a gamble but hoping is what you can only do. Below are some pictures of the wet roads as we maneuvered our way out of the city to our first stop in Dingli.
Here we are approaching Dingli Cliffs. There were not many signs on the road but we followed the route from Google Maps. We arrived on this narrow road and on the left-hand side, you can clearly see the steep drop to the sea.
Below you can see the Dingli Cliffs.
The 220 meter high cliffs form a 12-kilometer natural rock wall on the south coast of the country. They are beautiful to see but they are best seen and experienced I believe from a boat on the water. But we came in a car so we can actually only see a part of it.
These jagged cliffs remind me of the cliffs in Sagres, Portugal that I visited in 2005. That is a long time ago.
From the distance I could see someone walking on one of the farmlands and I notice that he was carrying something long. I zoomed in the camera to see what it is and he was carrying a rifle. This could be a hunting terrain and the last I would want is a stray bullet.
In a hike in Zuid Limburg 2 weeks ago, Dutchman and I passed by on the walking trail an epitaph. The area was on the edge of the forest and open farmland. The epitaph said that a young boy caught a stray bullet on the same spot. Such a waste of young life.
Here is a more up and closer view of the stunning cliffs. It's beautiful.
Delphi and moi made a little walk to see the cliffs closer. But not too far because it was super windy. I was worried the wind could knock us down and we would come rolling down the cliffs with no quick help on sight. So we didn't go too far away.
Below is a picture of our cute Peugeot rental car. In the nearby area, we saw a production facility for explosives.
There is not much here to do except to admire the cliffs. I have heard of free walking eco-tours offered by a local group, the Cliffs Interpretation Centre. You have to give the guide some tip though. Well, we have seen what we came for. Delphi and I are ready to go to our next destination.
So here we are on our way to Rabat which is located next to Dingli. Below is a picture of Rabat as we approach the town. Our main destination is actually Mdina but since Rabat and Medina are so near each other, literally next door, we decided to check out Rabat first.
We also found out that parking was a nightmare in Mdina and for this reason we parked in Rabat. It's just a few minutes walk and we could take the time in Rabat to explore and enjoy it as well. All is good!
The narrow streets of Rabat... lots of one-way streets here.
This is a beautiful row of mansions with traditional balconies in colour. I checked Google Maps and saw that some of these houses have swimming pools, one of which is big and stately.
Just across the lovely mansions is this old structure which we later found out is the St. Dominic's Priory. It is a church and a convent. We actually followed a sign outside that there is a Christmas Market here but when we stepped inside we saw none, except an impressive courtyard hall with arches and an inner garden with a fountain in the middle and filled with orange trees with fruits.
We proceeded to hit the streets of Rabat, searching for the main square. While walking around we noticed the typical traditional wood window balconies. They are so distinct and locals love to paint them with their own colour. We also saw a number of rundown villas that are scheduled for renovation. It made me ask myself if I want to live here, in a renovated villa of course. I will park that thought for now if you don't mind.
Then finally we found the main square of Rabat! Well, after the help of Google maps, haha. It's not really a square but an intersection with a little plaza of the St. Publius Church that is the main edifice in the middle of it. There are many cafes, bars, restaurants, bakeries, and stores around the plaza and church.
Perhaps the busiest place here is the Parrucan Confectionary and Bakery just on the corner across the church. There are always customers lining outside to try the traditional Maltese delicacies.
This rundown villa on a main street is about to be renovated. There was a building permit outside the door which was interesting to have it put up on public. Perhaps it is a local requirement to post it openly for the public to see.
The villa looks very dreamy and enchanting. There is no car access from the main street so it could only be at the back.
The next post is our visit to Mdina, the ancient capital of Malta.
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Happy Travels! Enjoy Life =)
Happy Travels! Enjoy Life =)
