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Malta: Day 8: Temples, Towers and Beaches around Manikata

Malta has one of the best climates in the world and enjoys over 3000 hours of sunshine every year which makes it perfect for a holiday during any month. Although it was quite cold in december this year, Nada and me still went cycling and we visited many interesting places like Ta' Ħaġrat Temples, Torri tal-Ġnejna, we swam in Għajn Tuffieħa Bay and also found some interesting geocaches.

Previous days of our trip to Malta: Day 7, Day 6, Day 5, Day 4, Day 3,  Day 2 and Day 1.

Green part of Malta

Around Wardija 

 

Busietta Palace entrance was closed

The Skorba temples has a series of megalithic uprights (one of them 3.4m high)

 

The people at Mġarr had been for a long number of years requesting that their small village church should become their parish church as they were too far away from Mosta. Their wish was granted in 1898 and immediately the people started building their present church which was completed in 1946.

 

The church is dedicated to St. Mary and has a unique oval dome that is one of the largest in the world. Funds to build this church were collected from the sale of more than 300,000 eggs, and a huge number of poultry and animals.

 

Ta' Ħaġrat Temples in Mġarr are amongst the most ancient religious sites on Earth. The larger Ta' Ħaġrat temple dates from the Ġgantija phase (3600–3200 BC).

 

Zammitello Palace is a 19th-century Victorian countryside villa. Francis Sant Cassia, the owner of the building, was murdered there in 1988.

 

Nada on proper country road

 

Amazing day for photographing and cycling

Ġnejna Bay

Torri tal-Ġnejna also known as Ġnejna Tower or Lippija Tower was completed in 1637 as the first of the Lascaris towers.

View back to the inland

Tower with the bay

Riding along the coastline

Il-Karraba

 

We parked our beasts and climbed to the top of Il-Karraba

View from Il-Karraba

 

Enjoying beautiful landscape

 

Time for lunch

 

Climbing time

Should I go?

 

Swimming in december

 

Għajn Tuffieħa Tower was completed in 1637 as the second of the Lascaris towers. It was built on the site of a medieval watchpost. It was originally armed with a ½-pounder gun, and its garrison consisted of a captain and three men.

 

Solving the brewery mystery

 

Exploring the Majjistral Nature and History Park, Malta's first natural national park.

 

In Majjistral park, you can also find cart-ruts, rubble walls, farmhouses, tombs dating back to the Classical period, caves and a number of "giren" that were used by hunters for storage and shelter.

 

The area is mostly composed of Blue Clay, the rock layer sandwiched between the Globigerina limestone and the Upper Coralline Limestone. Being one of the softer rocks, clay erodes easily with the action of the elements, collapsing limestone structures and leaving a stretch of scattered boulders.

 

We explored everything

Paragliding - maybe next time.

 

Dinner time

Mountain biking in Malta #2

GeoCaches found (all received a visit by trackable items "Norway", TB6QQTT, "Der Kleine Maulwurf", TB61FZ4, "The Green Man", TB7DXE4, "gran san bernardo", TB84C9J, "De reiziger", TB6R4VV and "FarmtagZ klompendans", TB6BAG2 until one was dropped off):
- Wardija Countryside Walk #5, GC497E3
- Ta' Hagrat Temples, GC1QDPQ
- * Malta Holiday * Vaganzi f‘Malta *, GC71FGQ
- Brother Marcus' Beer Quest, Mystery, GC78XCJ, where I dropped off trackable item "The Green Man", TB7DXE4
- Bonus - Marcus' Secret Stash, Mystery, GC7CKPG
- Fear of Falls, GC778VK