Hidden Malta Gems – Beaches, Caves & Quirky Villages

There’s so much to see and do when you visit Malta, but aside from the main attractions and historical landmarks you might expect, there are some hidden Malta gems that are well worth a trip.

Hidden Beaches In Malta

If you’re looking for a more secluded place to soak up sun and sea, you won’t be disappointed, Malta is an island of course, so is surrounded by coastline. Be prepared for some extra walking and perhaps a little climbing to get to these hidden beaches, and bear in mind that there aren’t many amenities, so you’ll have to take a picnic or just rough it a little; but that’s what enjoying nature is all about.

St Peters Pool is a beautiful rocky bay with just enough space to sun bath in between enjoying the clear blue water. It’s near the village of Marsaxlokk and can be reached by taxi. It’s popular with locals mainly, not tourists, so is much more relaxed than the main tourist beaches.

Fomm Ir-Riħ is an absolutely stunning bay with a small pebble beach surrounded by magnificent natural landscape – ledges of pebbles, sand and luscious greenery and white cliffs. The view from the top before you reach the water is breath-taking. You’ll need to climb down the steep ledges to get to the beach, but it’s worth every step.

Underground Malta Secrets

Ghar Dalam Cave is one of the hidden treasures of Malta and is a pre-historic one too. It’s not often that you get to walk around a cave and spot the bones of Ice-Age animals. If you have an interest in geology, ecology or environment then Ghar Dalam Cave and Museum will give you plenty to marvel at.

The Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum is an underground site of burial chambers with human remains dating back to 4000BC. Housed in a modern building, once inside, the complex system of chambers and tombs creates a unique feeling of being fully immersed in holy history. Only 10 visitors per hour are permitted to tour the conservation site, so make sure you plan ahead.

Quirky Malta

There are a few hidden Malta gems that aren’t widely publicised, because they’re a little too quirky and perhaps don’t fit in with Malta’s masculine identity of military and history.

Popeye’s Village is a lasting reminder of a film that flopped and was created for Hollywood. The brightly coloured wooden buildings were designed in the 1980s to look ramshackle and out of proportion. So far removed from the straight and hard stone lines of the modern City Gate or the baroque buildings of Valletta capital of Malta. The village was left to the locals whom have embraced its whimsy and turned it into a family theme park with play houses, Popeye characters, carnival games and stalls, and to keep the adults entertained – free wine tasting! Popeye Village is easily reached by bus or car from Valletta and Sliema.

Duck Village in Manoel is just as colourful but on a much smaller scale, designed for its feathered residents. The locals volunteer and take care of the birds at the sanctuary whilst adding their own possessions to the growing museum collection. Not just feathers, there’s fur too – in the form of guinea pigs and rabbits, although approach with caution ;)! Whilst there it’s however even more worth taking a stroll around Manoel Island where you can observe the majestic Fort Manoel and some breath-taking views of Valletta.