Walk Around Gharghur & Top Of The World

Spring is officially here and all I want to do is to be outdoors! The countryside is green and blooming, the temperature is just right and the sun is out most days! Loving this Mediterranean weather!

There are many beautiful places in Malta, hidden corners, narrow paths leading to amazing views. This time I didn’t have to go far. I just visited the neighboring village of Gharghur.

In this blog I would like to show you this amazing trek around Gharghur and Top Of The World. It took me an hour to walk around, with plenty of photo stops and 8kg of extra weight (by carrying my son). 🙂

This is an easy trek. Suitable for children or elderly. There are many benches so you can take regular breaks if needed. I’ve done this walk several times. Even with a pram. There were couple of bumpy parts where I had to ‘push’ a bit harder, but nothing impossible. Wheelchair might be a bit more challenging and I wouldn’t dare to comment since I’ve never done it myself.

This time I decided to park at the beginning of the ‘dead end’ road leading to Top Of The World (map with the exact location is at the end). Why? I know, I can park right at Top Of The World, but there is a really nice walk leading up to it. So I decided to do that. I’m sure, looking at the photos, you’ll agree with me, it was a good choice.

If you look carefully at the photo above, you can spot a wall. This is the beginning of Victoria Lines. Some call it the Great Wall of Malta and it is basically a 12-kilometre-long defensive line. Last year I took part in a trek alongside the Victoria Lines. You can read all about it here.

The Victoria Lines are a set of fortifications built between 1870 and 1899. Despite the fact that the Victoria Lines have been abandoned ever since their military significance faded about hundred years ago. However, there is still a potential that it could be developed into Malta’s prime countryside/heritage trail!

Continuing to walk, meeting couple of others walkers and soon reaching Top Of The World! One of my favourite view points on the island. There are plenty of benches for you to sit down and enjoy the stunning scenery. I never had a problem finding a seat.

I mean look at the views! Isn’t it just stunning? Beautifully green Malta during winter / spring months gives you the great balance of blue sea and green land. This is the time of the year to enjoy it! We might get maybe another month of this so take advantage while you can!

Leaving Top Of The World behind and continuing our trek. The road is becoming less smooth and more off-road. If you’re coming with a buggy that’s where you’ll need your muscles. I met couple of people on the way, but considering it was Sunday between 11-12pm there were very little people. Probably everyone was getting ready for their Sunday lunch. 🙂

If you follow the course of the road you will reach another view point in couple of minutes. This known as Ghal Ghar and it is reachable by car with number of parking spaces. Maybe a place for your next picnic? Or just pack a good book and enjoy a nice afternoon here.

As I’ve already mentioned, there are plenty of benches on the way so you can rest your feet or just take in the gorgeous scenery. Below you can see the continuation of Victoria Lines.

Malta during winter / spring months is perfect for outdoor activities. Especially treks in nature, sightseeing or just purely exploring the island. Yes, it is still too cold to swim, unless you’re a cold water swimmer, but that shouldn’t stop you from visiting the island during off season.

You might actually benefit more from a spring break than a hectic summer getaway, unless you are a beach lover of course. And believe me there is so much to see! If you are a nature lover, you should definitely check out my TOP10 walks around the Maltese Islands!

Here is a great highlight of this walk. This is a place of devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows. You might be wondering who is the person(s) behind this unique masterpiece. His name is Bertu Fenech. This fireworks manufacturer, together with his friend Karmnu Micallef, decided to turn a corner of his field into a place of devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows.

The niche with the statue of Our Lady of Sorrows and the replica of the Gharghur church was created from stones, pebbles and shells. When the construction was completed Mr Fenech organised a Mass in the field followed by a small feast. This feast then became a yearly affair. These two men have since passed away and the field was inherited by Mr Fenech’s nephew, Victor Camilleri, who proudly continues the tradition. If you want to read the full story click here.

Now is the time to go back to the village and slowly return back to the car. On the way I could not notice this unusual house with great number of flower pots. It’s lovely to see traditional Maltese houses like this one. I’m hoping that the construction craze that’s taking over Malta will stop soon and people will more concentrate on how to protect their heritage rather than destroying it…

When I reached this crossroad I had two options. Go left and return to my car or go right and check out the Għargħur’s parish church, dedicated to St Bartholomew. As you’ve probably guessed it I opted for option two. It’s worth the extra couple of minutes off the trek to explore it.

When you go back don’t miss this sign. This is where you can find the largest WWII shelter of the Gharghur village. It served as a refuge to our ancestors during the Second World War. These shelters were built manually! In some areas are connected to several houses. The sign states that the shelter was opened for visitors in 2013. However I don’t have any information if anyone can access it nowadays.. Anyone any info?

Below you can find a GoogleMap with the exact location of my starting point. This is where I left my car and started this trek. As I mentioned, you can drive in and get all the way to Top Of The World if you want to.

I hope you enjoyed this photo blog and found the information useful. Please leave me a comment if you did. I love them! Some encouragement that what I do is worth my time. 🙂 Thanks a million. xx