Monday, June 18, 2012

Tarxien Temples and Malta's Beaches

Heading off on Sunday morning, we decided first to visit the famous Tarxien temples and then check out Malta’s beaches.


The Tarxien Temples date from 3000 BC and are just as spectacular as those we had seen earlier. We saw an elaborate Neolithic structure with decorated altars and some incredible carved figures. It was only rediscovered in 1913 by a farmer when he was ploughing his field.

We walked across to the Hypergaeum but as they only allow 10 people per hour to visit, it is booked a long time in advance. It is an underground burial site.

We drove up the beaches of the coast – St Julians Bay, Salina Bay, and St Pauls Bay. Serious money in the local real estate and pleasure craft. Nothing has been spent on the roads or parking. It was a nightmare. We did manage to stop a few times for photos. We cut across to the other side of the island to what are considered to be the best beaches but everyone else in Malta was there before us. Some very nice beaches, one even had sand.

Giving up on Malta’s beaches, we decided to head up to Gozo island, a day earlier than planned. The ferry trip was straightforward and we drove on through the outskirts of the capital to the beachside town of Marsaskala where we found a very nice 3 bedroom apartment right near the beach and have since enjoyed some very pleasant swims

                                          The fat lady statue at Tarxien.

Marsalforn waterfront.

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