Valletta Off The Beaten Path

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Recently redeveloped, the Tigne Point area of Sliema offers a quiet, traffic free walk along the coast, with the best views of Valletta in town. This is where Sliema juts out into the rough seas of the Mediterranean, so the breezes are fresh and cool. The walk is worth coming twice a day for, and best of all its kid friendly, with high fences, stone walls, and no cars. While they demolished the old barracks to make way from the shopping centre, hotels, cinemas and recreation areas, they left Fort Tigne, which you can visit on your walk around the peninsula.

Directions: Walk along Sliema promenade towards the sea.

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There's not really a lot to see in Sliema, but what exists in pretty dramatic and unmissable. The view of Valletta is the best, taking in the spire of St. Paul's Cathedral and the dome of the Carmelite church at the best possible angle. When the sun shines its softened light from the west about an hour before sunset, this is the perfect time to be here and take pictures. It makes the ideal place for posing, and you'll find many people doing just that.

Directions: Take bus 12 or 13 from Valletta to the Sliema Ferries stop, or one of the stops before, and just walk.

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With the some of the best views in all Malta, Sliema is a town sitting across the water from Valletta rising up onto a small hill. Here is one of the most affluent regions in the country, and a popular residence for monied Maltese. While the sea front is awash with shops, restaurants and hotels, behind this facade the place feels comfortably lived in. It felt more like a real town to me than St. Paul's Bay, St. Julian's, or even Valletta.

There's not a lot to see, apart from the amazing walk along the waterfront, but it's a great place to stay.

Directions: Buses 12, 13 and 15 run here from Valletta.

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The historic kitchen garden of San Anton Palace are newly opened to the public.
The garden, has supplied the palace with vegetables since the time of the knights. A large area had been in shambles for quite a long time, before it was decided to restore these gardens to how they were, and open them to the public.

The garden now has modern paving, new garden furniture and modern, artistic lighting for the trees.
There is a playing area and animal pens for a variety of animals including Shetland ponies, donkeys, ostriches, emu, cranes and goats, which children can enjoy.

The gardens, accessible from opposite the rear entrance of San Anton Palace – near Villa Bologna – are open daily between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and 5 pm. To 9 p.m. There is no break during the weekends.

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As with many Palaces I have visited, this one also has a row of Aviaries in which there were Parrots. It seems these are popular pets as well as Cats, I came across many of them in the gardens.!

Many of the trees in the garden have been planted by visiting Heads Of State in memory of their stay in Malta. The gardens also contain an orangery. It was the duty of Governors to give baskets of oranges grown in the palace gardens, as gifts at Christmas time. Take a look at the massive Moreton Bay Figs, probably 300years + old. Lots of the Trees and Shrubs in the gardens have been brought to here from all around the World, and many have Plaques which signify their ceremonial or commemorative status.
Events are hosted in the gardens every year including the Annual Horticultural show, open air theater and other performances held in the open air courtyard.

The gardens are open all week from 7.00am till 6.00pm in summer and till 5.00pm all other months of the year.
Entrance is free.
From the capital, Valletta, take the number 40 bus, if you tell the driver you want to visit san Anton gardens they should

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My first photo, is of the Palace Swans waiting for their pond to be cleaned and refilled with water for them. No pretty Swan Pond photo for me, just some men busily at work. This Pond has been here for quite a while, with only Duck's as residents until 1923, then the Swans were introduced.

Another pond is named "The masks pond" as in the centre are three masks, stone pillars and a fruit basket. This was sculpted in 1982 to adorn the then newly-constructed pond.

The Diana Pond is a new addition, only added in the 20th century, and has a stone statue of the Roman deity Diana, goddess of Nature.

The Eagle's Pond was built in 1620.

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Infront of the Palace, is the largest open area of the gardens. Even though the area is all paved, it still has plenty of colour because of the dozens of pot plants in flower. It was as pretty as a picture!

In this area, is where the bronze busts of the British monarchs, George V and George VI on marble plinths. Semicircular steps lead to the palace forecourt. On either side of the steps, were many potted annuals in full flower in each pot, it looked gorgeous! Not only that, but old Urns were full of flowers too!
A marble plaque on the palace's facade lists the country's past presidents, and a niche here houses a statue of Venus, the Roman goddess of Love and Beauty.

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Even thought the Palace is the official residence of the President of Malta, the San Anton Gardens have been open to the public since 1882, and can be visited for FREE.

There a couple of entrances to the gardens, and both are only a short walk from the bus-stop. We entered through an archway in the thick high perimeter wall and into a little piece of paradise.

The gardens are laid out in a formal style, and each section has an information board describing what you are seeing.
It was peaceful in here! So nice walking underneath some shade on a hot day, viewing sculptures, ornamental ponds, families of ducks and swans, flowers, shrubs and exotic plants, some that have been here hundreds of years.

On entering the gardens, I first saw the floral clock, really a lawned clock!

GARDENS OPEN....7am till 6pm between June and September.
7am till 5pm during the rest of the year.

ADMISSION IS FREE

Attard is halfway between Valletta and Mdina so easy to reach by car.
OR
Take Bus number 54 from Valletta or local routes 106,109 and 202.
The Sightseeing Bus also calls at Attard.

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