A Winter in Malta #6 - Dingli Cliffs

Hey, fellow Steemians!

Before going to Malta we did a research on things to see and we expected to have our trip planned around old Mediterranean towns and long sandy beaches. We were pleasantly surprised when we discovered there are plenty of other natural wonders to see, too! You may have already read our post about Blue Grotto. However, what left an even greater impression on us were the Dingli Cliffs!

Our plan for the afternoon was to get on the bus (number 201), hop off somewhere around the cliffs, go hiking and find the perfect spot to see the cliffs. We ended up getting off near the weather station, close to Dingli town.

We noticed this area was pretty popular with both locals and tourists. There was a sidewalk next to the road where many people jogged, rode a bicycle or simply strolled. What better place to get your daily cardio than right next to the glistening sea?

Walking next to the road, we soon reached a tiny chapel, dedicated to Mary Magdalene. It was a very nice place to catch a break and take some photos.

Word of advice: if you find yourself visiting the cliffs for more than a couple of hours, be sure to prepare some food and drinks. One tiny truck parked near the chapel was selling souvenirs and some drinks, but other than that, you’re on your own. Luckily, we had some potato chips and cookies to keep us going but we were dying for a sandwich, not to mention a decent meal.

From this point on, there was no sidewalk so we continued our walk through the shrubs and rocks. It may sound like a nuisance but it was fun and not difficult at all. Besides, the space between the cliffs and the road was no wider than ten or twenty meters so it was impossible to get lost.

The views around here were great but still not good enough for our taste. We knew there was more to it.

The cliffs break the shore into two ‘levels’. The upper one is where we and the road were. The lower level went on downhill until the cliffs turned vertical. We wanted to get down there and see the best views possible but we kept running into posted signs telling us it was private property so we didn’t want to push our luck and waste the rest of daylight trespassing and disturbing local people. On the other hand, we were positive there must’ve been a spot where we could get a better view of the cliffs. We pressed on, hoping for the best.

Walking for some time, we finally reached a widening that kind of turned into a promontory. It looked promising so we went there and our wishes came true. As we jumped over a few rocks, we got to a hidden stone terrace with an amazing view of the cliffs.

We weren’t the only ones there but there was plenty of space for everyone to find their corner and take photos of the sunset and the cliffs.

We also took out our tripod and rusty old GoPro to try and capture a time-lapse. Hope you’ll like the result!

The name Dingli may sound a bit funny but believe us, this place is no joke. Rising high from the water, this natural wall provided a perfect defensive structure against potential attackers. Guess the Maltese Knights used it pretty well to their advantage. The actual name may have come from Sir Thomas Dingley, a member of the Order who owned this piece of land, centuries ago.

Waiting for the sun to set we gazed at the sedimentary cliffs, noticing the layers stacking upon each other. It took millions of years but the result is stunning.

Pro-tip for those planning a visit: Getting to this spot is actually easy. All you have to do is take the bus 201 and get off at the station called Zuta (you can even ask the bus driver, they are generally very friendly and helpful). From there, just head directly toward the sea (no more than a couple of minutes). Try pasting these coordinates to Google Maps if you want to get a better feel: 35.8416994,14.3986476. Or you can visit steemitworldmap.com and find this post. It’s pinned at the exact spot we’re talking about.

When the last ray of light disappeared beneath the horizon, we packed our stuff and headed toward the nearest bus station. We would’ve lingered for a little more but the approaching clouds and wind promised a colder night. Still, we couldn’t help but occasionally look back at the scene. Just to get it better imprinted in our memory…

Thanks for reading! Hope you join us for the next post!