Day 5

The trail from Il-Manikata towards Popeye Village feels less like a simple coastal walk and more like stepping into the quieter soul of Malta. Away from the honey-coloured cities and bustling seaside cafés, the landscape here opens into a windswept world of limestone cliffs, dusty trails, and low stone walls that seem to guide you gently towards the sea. The Mediterranean appears suddenly and dramatically at every turn, impossibly blue against the pale earth, while the scent of wild thyme and salt hangs in the warm air. 

As the route enters Il-Majjistral Nature and History Park, you quickly understand why this stretch of coastline became Malta’s first national park. The area protects rugged cliffs, garigue landscapes, rare endemic plants, and centuries of rural heritage spread across nearly untouched terrain. The name “Majjistral” itself comes from the northwestern wind that constantly shapes this coast, carving the cliffs and carrying waves against the rocks below.

Walking here feels wonderfully elemental. There are no forests or alpine peaks to distract you — only open horizons, rocky paths, and the endless conversation between land and sea. 

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The terrain is marked by pale limestone, crumbling clay slopes, and patches of hardy Mediterranean vegetation that somehow survive under the fierce Maltese sun. In spring, tiny wildflowers emerge between the rocks, adding soft colours to an otherwise rugged and sunburnt landscape. 

Il Birgu

Originally, the plan to defend the Grand Harbour area from the northwest of the island involved erecting three strong forts at strategic places. That said, after building these forts it was realised that they were not well connected, though the Dewjra Lines were built. They are low-lying in order to prevent the advancing enemy from spotting them and were deployed with different types of artillery.

The paths wind across wide plateaus where the only sounds are seabirds, distant waves, and the crunch of limestone beneath your shoes.

Small hidden coves appear beneath the cliffs, and on clear days you can spot the island of Gozo rising softly from the horizon. The coastline here was shaped over thousands of years by erosion, with softer blue clay collapsing beneath limestone layers to create dramatic rock formations and secluded bays.

Further along the route stands Għajn Żnuber Tower, a lonely limestone structure overlooking the sea. The tower dates back to the nineteenth century and once served as a rural lookout and anti-smuggling post. Restored in recent years, it now quietly watches over the protected coastline much as it did decades ago. Standing beside it, with Gozo faintly visible on the horizon and waves crashing below, it is easy to imagine sailors, soldiers, and farmers using this same vantage point long before modern hiking trails existed.

The highlight for many walkers is the distant glimpse of Popeye Village tucked inside Anchor Bay. From above, the colourful wooden houses look almost unreal against the turquoise water below.

What began as a film set for the 1980 Popeye movie starring Robin Williams somehow survived long after filming ended and became one of Malta’s quirkiest landmarks.

Built using thousands of wooden planks imported from Canada and the Netherlands, the village today feels equal parts film nostalgia and seaside fantasy.

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There are also traces of history hidden quietly across the park. Ancient cart ruts cut into stone, old farmhouses, corbelled huts, wartime structures, and forgotten shelters all appear unexpectedly beside the trail. 

Some date back centuries, others to British military occupation during the twentieth century. Malta’s strategic position in the Mediterranean meant these cliffs were once carefully watched, defended, and used by generations who depended on the sea both for survival and protection.

Farmers still work small plots here, often growing vegetables, olives, or keeping goats close to the coast. It creates a lovely contrast: the wilderness of the cliffs meeting the slow rhythm of rural life.

The sea itself constantly steals attention on this route. Depending on the light, the water shifts between deep sapphire, turquoise, and silver.

The starting point of the three Villages stroll starts at the Three Villages Bar. In The past there would have been just field paths linking one hamlet to another, linking the various fields and neighbours. Now, the narrow streets have completely changed the space distribution.

It is the kind of route that reminds you how beautiful simplicity can be: just a dusty path, the Mediterranean stretching endlessly ahead, and the feeling that for a few hours, life has slowed down completely. 

The circular route from Il-Manikata through Għajn Tuffieħa and Ġnejna Bay is one of those walks that captures the raw, untamed beauty of western Malta almost immediately.

The road leads further to San Anton Palace and Gardens

 With every step, the landscape feels both dramatic and calming at the same time — wide open skies, rolling hills, and endless sea stretching towards the horizon.

One of the most striking features of this route is the unusual clay landscape surrounding Għajn Tuffieħa. The steep grey slopes, shaped by centuries of erosion, create a scene that feels almost otherworldly compared to the rest of Malta. During the wetter months, the hills turn green and soft with vegetation, while summer transforms them into dusty golden ridges beneath the intense Mediterranean sun. The winding paths across these slopes make the hike feel adventurous without ever losing its peaceful atmosphere.

Nexxar

There is also a deep sense of history hidden within the landscape. These coastlines were once watched carefully for pirates and invading fleets, and traces of Malta’s defensive past still linger in old paths, terraced fields, and distant watchtowers. Farming communities have shaped the hills for centuries, adapting to the harsh terrain and dry climate with remarkable resilience. Even today, the route feels timeless, where nature and local life continue to exist side by side much as they always have.

Filfa was previously much larger than it is today. Thousands of years of sea waves pounding on it and heavy naval or air target practice by the British resulted in a large part of it being destroyed.  Due to the fact that a huge amount of unexploded artillery was left in the shallow waters surrounding Filfa, fishing is prohibited on its coast. Visitors are not allowed on Filfa except for educational or scientific purposes.

In 1813. while the plague ravaged the Maltese Islands, a Żurrieq familiy left their home and went to live on Filfa to escape the horrors of the plague - not a bad decision at all consifering that the final death count was about 4500 (5% of the total population of Malta and Gozo)

And in that negotiation, there’s a kind of quiet confidence. Tirana doesn’t rush to redefine itself completely, nor does it cling rigidly to the past. Instead, it absorbs change gradually, filtering it through its own experiences. What emerges is something layered and complex—a place where modern ambitions and inherited values don’t cancel each other out, but continue to shape the city side by side.