Around Sliema (in reverse) Malta 27 Aug 2018

Around Sliema (in reverse)
Malta
Distance 14.3km Climb 100m
Monday 27 August 2018

This was another walk we did on our holidays last year, Around Sliema, today we would be doing the walk in reverse. This is Walk 8 from the booklet Malta 10 Great Walks. If you would like a copy of the booklet then please follow the link.  The booklet gives a good description of routes and points out loads of interesting information. I am writing the basic details of our walks as it would be wrong of me to copy all of the information from the booklet. 

We jumped on the number 222 bus near our hotel and got off near Paceville. It only takes a few minutes to walk down through the streets to the beach, but we had to have a look in a few shops, so it took a little longer.

From St Georges Bay we headed to the north side of the bay climbed up hill on a side street, turning left onto the Triq Il Professur W Ganado, a short walk along the road and we had a great view over the Bay we also had time to find a Geocache.

Once found we returned to St George's Bay and started the walk from the booklet. People were already claiming their spots on the beach.

We followed the road eastwards as it climbed slightly, around the coast

Passed the grand looking hotel Westin Resort. At the end of the street we crossed over and headed towards the Portomaso complex with its large blue tower. Passing a modern church on our way.

At the complex we had a quick look through the arch at the marina below. Back on our route we crossed the road, walking through a small modern park onto a busy road, where we turned left.

This took us down to St Julian's Bay and the famous LOVE Statue.

After a few photos we moved off the route in the booklet slightly as we crossed the road and took some steps up onto the Triq il-Kibra.

My phone showed there was a Geocache in a nearby street, so we had a quick look for it. Unfortunately we did not find it. After todays walk I saw a note that the Geocache owner moved the cache to a more accessible location. We returned another day and found it.

Today though we returned to the promenade and continued south east around the bay. Across the bay we could see the large Church, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, with the Balluta Buildings nearby. We would be soon passing these.

Passing the Church, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, we followed the road to the corner and around the corner to the right. After a few meters the promenade opens a little, with trees and statues.

As the promenade follows the coast round to our left, we called into Independence Garden to collect another Geocache.

Continuing to the end where we stopped for a short break and drink at the café next to St Julian's Tower.

After our rest we returned down the promenade a little way then made our way through a few street to find the Geocache at the Sliema Scouts HQ.

Returning to St Julian's Tower we continued along the promenade. We could see people sunning themselves on the flat natural limestone at sea level, where we had walked last year.

This year we stayed on the promenade and saw the white shadows which are on the cover of the booklet.

The next feature is a low fort which was formerly Sliema Point Battery also known as Il-Fortizza, where the coast turns southwards.  

Passed Il-Fortizza, we could see across the bay, with Valletta and the Fort St Elmo.

Some interesting artwork.

We followed the promenade along the coast to the left, after a few hundred meters we turned right across the road. After a few turns left and right, we arrived at one of the entrances of The Point.

After the expensive shops we walked between modern apartment's up beside Fort Tigne. A lot of restoration work has taken place in the area.

We could see across the Marsamxett Harbour to Valletta. People were on the rocks below.

Parts of old defences where mixed with modern walls and paths. We took the walkway around the coast of The Point.

This took us under a raised walkway. We returned to the original promenade by the coast. Looking left, south, over Sliema Creek we could see Manoel Island.

We were now on The Sliema Strand.

We crossed the road to have a look into a few of the shops, opposite the Sliema to Valletta Ferry Jetty.

Eventually the promenade reached the narrow bridge that took us onto Manoel Island. A quick look at Duck Village before we crossed the road for some refreshment at a local café/bar.

Leaving Manoel Island we turned left. As we walked on, Lazzaretto Creek was to our left, where there were some expensive looking boats, yachts.

We continued on, passing The Royal Malta Yacht Club and down to The Black Pearl which is now a restaurant. 

We were walking westwards beside Msida Creek which was full of many different boats and sailing crafts. Over the road there are many Embassies from countries all over Europe and around the World.

 We soon arrived at Msida Parish Church The Church of St Joseph the Worker. 

Crossing the square at the top of Msida Creek we found a bus stop and jumped onto the first bus that took us back into Valletta. 

We had covered 14.3km with 100m climb. Arriving at the Valletta Bus Concourse we ran round to catch the number 42 bus back to our hotel. It had been another good walk from the booklet Malta 10 Great Walks. I would recommend checking out this link to anyone interested in doing any walking in Malta. 

More to follow

Boz North
Details correct at time of walking.

If you have enjoyed reading my walk or found it useful you may also like to read other walks I have done in Malta or other areas. Please check out the links on the right hand side.

Follow link to our previous walk in Malta The Battlements of Valletta (in reverse) 25 August 2018. 
Follow link to our next walk in Malta Qrendi and The Blue Grotto 29 August 2018.

The Battlements of Valletta (in reverse) - Malta 25 Aug 2018

The Battlements of Valletta (in reverse)
Malta
Distance 8.6km Climb 165m
Saturday 25 August 2018

Following a great holiday in Malta last year, we decided to return again this year. Last year we did a walk "The Battlements of Valletta" from a booklet "Malta 10 Great Walks". Today we would do much the same walk however we would do it in reverse, with a few little differences. If you are interested in obtaining a copy of the booklet please follow the link Malta 10 Great Walks. The booklet gives a good description of routes and points out loads of interesting information. 

Like last year, I feel it would be wrong of me to include all the historical and interesting information from the booklet on my blog so I am only writing of the walk we took. I would recommend this booklet to anyone interested in doing this walk.

We took the number 42 bus into Valletta from our hotel and started the walk from the bus concourse. Last year there had been a lot of screens covering a large area near the bus concourse, were there was worked going on. Today we could see that the work was now completed and the bus concourse opened up onto a large open area with the Tritan Fountain centre stage. It was stunning.  

We turned from the city and headed south west towards the Maglio Gardens and the Independence Memorial. There is a Geocache near here, I had found it on a previous day on our holiday.

Across the square we could see Middlesea House.

Walking right across the square, south west, we passed the cap stones of the former granaries and headed towards the parish church of Floriana, St Publius. A stage was being set up on the square, hence the scaffolding.

Continuing along the Triq Sarria we passed this impressive looking fountain. The Wignacourt Water Tower.

Following the road around to the left (south east) we passed the old folks home and came to the Lion Fountain and the Chick King café on the Triq Sant Anna, a very busy main road junction.

This was were we deviated from the book slightly and after working our way across the busy road we continued south east inside the walls. Passing through a few narrow streets until we reached an area where there was a view overlooking the Valletta Waterfront.

After a little while, looking over the walls in the area we turned north east, joined the It-Teigha and walked along to the Valletta Waterfront. Another Geocache is located on the Waterfront, although I found the place unfortunately the cache was not there.

Anne had to have a look in the gift shops before we left the Waterfront continuing north east onto Ix-Xatt ta' Lascaris.

Just before Lascaris Bastion we turned left, below the Upper Barracca Garden.

Where we took the steps, the very many number of steps up to the Upper Barracca Gardens, there is a lift but we ignored that. At the top we had a short rest and enjoyed the views across the Grand Harbour.

Looking across the Grand Harbour we could see the Three Cities and the Fort St Angelo.

Leaving the Upper Barracca Gardens we turned right and right again dropping down onto San Anton Anthony Street.

Down passed the British Hotel heading towards the Victoria Gate.

Once over the Gate we were near another Geocache, found a few days earlier.

There is a short climb up to the Lower Barracca Gardens. A short wander round the Gardens. Looking through the arches you can see the Siege Bell, part of the impressive World War Siege Memorial. 

Leaving The Lower Barracca Gardens onto East Street, we stopped for a rest and refreshments at a local bar, before continuing along East Street heading east towards the Siege Bell Memorial.

Looking north from the Memorial we could see our route down below the Battlements.

We followed the coastal road north passed The Holy Infirmary, now The Mediterranean Centre. On the corner we saw this powerful looking building. 

Returning a few meters we turned and walked down a flight of steps that led us to a small quay on the waters edge of the Grand Harbour. We knew from last years walk that this was an interesting stretch of the walk, we were walking along the edge outside the walls of Fort St Elmo.

At the peninsula on the steps leading to a bridge and a breakwater, I took a photo looking west along the northern edge of Valletta, Marsamxett Harbour.

From the steps we walked a stone road cut between high sided rock walls. Around the corner we could see that work was being made on repairing the massive walls. Last year along here we had seen small huts where families were staying. Today they were all empty, most of them behind scaffolding.

As our walk followed the curve of the land around St Elmo's Bay we passed the Jew's Gate. This was also currently shrouded in green covers and scaffolding.

A little further and our walk turns following the coast into Marsamxett Harbour. We noticed a number of strange natural stone sculptures.

Passed the water polo pitch.

Further along we passed the Sliema Ferry jetty, and took the path that climbed up towards the city centre.

Passing under the bridge, at the top of the bank the road turns left onto the Triq San Mark. We took the steps on our right, up Triq San Bjagju. After a steep climb the path led to a carpark, beside Hastings Gardens.

Looking across Marsamxett Harbour we could see the impressive Fort Manoel on Manoel Island.

We were in Hastings Garden, along here we passed another Geocache we had collected earlier.

Hastings looks a little bit weather beaten.

We left the Gardens and turned left down a street beside a fort known as St John Cavalier.

Reaching the corner we turned right onto Ordnance Street. It was a short walk back to the bombed out Opera House and Freedom Square. There is another Geocache near the Opera House we collected a few days earlier.

We decided to take a short walk back down Ordnance Street to a local bar for refreshment after a well done walk. We had covered 8.6 km with a climb of 165 m. It had been very warm. I would recommend anyone visiting Valletta to get one of these booklets. 

After our refreshments we had a short walk around the shops before returning to the bus concourse and the number 41 bus back to our hotel. 

Although we were tired we were looking forward to do another walk from the Malta 10 Great Walks booklet.

More to follow

Boz North
Details correct at time of walking.

If you have enjoyed reading my walk or found it useful you may also like to read other walks I have done in Malta or other areas. Please check out the links on the right hand side.

Follow link to my next walk in Malta Around Sliema (in reverse) 27 August 2018.