Malta Blue Grotto. Blue Grotto in Malta
It was worth calling this part "About the blue grotto of Malta and how we did not see it." Rather, they saw, but only a very small part of it. 
So after noon, we had lunch in Valletta, before that in the morning there was a fish market in Marsaxlokk. But the soul requires adventure, success inspires, the promised rain is not to be seen. Ayda to the south, to the "blue grotto".
In general, in guidebooks, this place looks like this.
*picture taken from internet* (c) http://www.mmtaylor.net/Holiday2005/pages/Malta.1.htm
The point is that this wonderful natural grotto can be visited both from above and directly into the grotto to swim in boats, on which the enterprising local population will take you for a ride for 5-7 euros. It was impossible to miss the chance - let's go.
We reached the station again and waited a long time for bus 71, which was supposed to bring us to the grottoes. One approaches, the people begin to gather in it, but the driver says, “Dear. And I won’t take you to the grottoes, I have a special shortened route ... I can only ZyurrIkka .. and there you will wait for the 201st and it will already reach the Grotto.
Sat down and drove, got to Zyurikk. The city is notable for the fact that Festa was here the night before. Festa, which we did not get. The remains of the festa are visible throughout the city - flags, garlands, images of St. Catherine (in honor of which this festa was).
The city is dead. No, really. Some cars are driving along the road through, to the south. And in the city itself, empty streets, and flags, flags, flags.
Several Englishmen were traveling with us on the bus. Smiling, they stood with us at the bus stop and then went to photograph the facades of Zyurik's buildings with their long lens. 
Judging by the schedule, there were still 15 minutes to wait for the 201st. I also went to the side streets to take pictures. 
Banners during festivals are dominated by red and blue colors. In this case, the emphasis was on red. 
I return to the stop. 
The ubiquitous bus from City Sightseeing - Malta. It amuses me that there are already 3 competing offices in terms of these buses. Almost the same names and it's easy to get confused. 
The route for them all goes through Valletta, many sights along the way, then Marsaxlokk, the blue grotto, the megalithic temples of Hagar Kim and Mnajdra, and then the natural cliffs of Dingli.
Everything would be fine, but I have already looked at Valletta and Marsaxlokk, and a bus ticket costs 15 euros per person. And they go once an hour and finish at 15-00 on weekends. No matter how you look at it, there are only minuses, municipal buses win in everything except air conditioning.
We waited for the 201st. He was very cold. VERY. So cold that I almost caught a cold again, being sick from Moscow. We arrived at the Grotto. The bus drops us off and I see the sky darkened and overcast.
On the horizon, everything turns blue with a future thunderstorm. Thunder Island. 
But just leaving is not at all comme il faut, so a brief overview of the rocks and the sea around the grottoes. 
Sparse vegetation. 
Having taken pictures of the surroundings of the grotto, I understand that I no longer want to go down by boat to the Grotto for 7 euros for 25 minutes. There will no longer be fabulous blue luminous water, it will be blue-gray.
Boat parking. 
The impending bad weather does not prevent people from sunbathing and swimming. However, the beaches here are not very suitable for this - there are almost no sandy ones in Malta.
The sky is overcast and the penetrating rays of the sun, as it were, are signaling to us "get out of the way until it's poured in." 
Without wasting time on the road to the temples, we hurry home. We are waiting again for the 201st bus, which really goes back along the route to the Airport. He is also terribly cold. Everything, now I will catch a cold again for sure.
We arrived at the airport, exactly where the 201st was heading. And from there, not knowing any other way, we went on one of the express routes from the airport - to X2. There are about 5 such routes in total and they take tourists from the airport to the main settlements. Note to tourists - it's not even worth taking a taxi in Malta - express buses are equipped with luggage compartments and will quickly take you to the desired point.
The express took us through the stripes, through the university and the hospital, and then took us to the St. Julian area (local haunts). I remembered exactly from the map that he was walking past our hotel, but we doubted. Seeing familiar places outside the window, we switched to route 12, which definitely goes past us, and we drove on it.
In the evening, a downpour began with a thunderstorm, the equal of which I have not seen in my life. Lightning every second inside the clouds and rain like a bucket. At first there was a feeling that a lantern broke down at a construction site next door and blinked once a second. It turned out to be lightning over the sea - it became clear when the thunderstorm moved into the sea. An amazing phenomenon.
The result of the day - we visited the south of the island, seeing Marsaxlokk with a fish market and a technically blue grotto. I did not see temples made of stones, but in return we saw a lot of Valletta (which was in the plans for the next day).
It's supposed to rain tomorrow...
Beautiful landscapes of Europe and Croatia interesting places - two integral concepts. Europe has always been famous for its beautiful landscapes, but there are very unusual ones on the map of this "old woman", I would like to tell you more about some of them, located in the southwest of the Balkan Peninsula, in Croatia.
Croatia - a small country that is part of the European Union, has in its tourist arsenal more than 1500 islandslocated off the coast of the Adriatic Sea (see "Croatia beach holidays, new places"). It is here that the main natural pearls are hidden, not always well known among travelers.
Plitvice lakes
If you want to see unique natural scenery, check out Plitvice Lakes National Park. It will leave a lasting impression.
These unusual places in Croatia are included in the list of the most beautiful natural attractions in Europe. Most of the photographs showing the natural charm of Croatia show landscapes depicting the Plitvice Lakes.
The park consists of 16 interconnected closed water bodies located in the form of a natural cascade, surrounded by complex forest and mountainous terrain. Unlike most marine national parks in Croatia, the Plitvice Lakes are remote from the sea coast, they are located in the mountains and are surrounded by three mountain peaks: Mala Kapela, Plesevica (Pljesevica) and Medvedak (Medvedak).
Plitvice Lakes is another object on the list of interesting places in Croatia, this is a remote place to get there, you can organize a bus trip from the cities of Zadar (Zadar), Zagreb (Zagreb) and Split (Split), which are quite easy to get to, in these cities there are international airports.
There are also private bus and taxi routes - Zadar-Plitvice Lakes, but places must be booked in advance. To make things easier, ask the hotel receptionist or your local travel agency for help. So you can organize a day trip to the Plitvice Lakes National Park.
Moving around the picturesque natural expanses of the National Park is quite simple - you can use an electric boat that departs along different sightseeing routes every 30 minutes, or travel by panoramic railway. by train, which also runs on several routes, starts at 8.30 am and departs every 30 minutes.
Price: high season on the Plitvice Lakes - from July 1 to August 31, during this period the ticket price (one-day visit) for an adult is 180 Croatian kuna (Kuna, HRK), the equivalent of 23 euros.
From April 1 to June 30 and from September 1 to October 31, the price of a one-day ticket for an adult is 110 Kuna (HRK), from January 1 to March 31 and from November 1 to December 31 - 55 Kuna (HRK). Children under 7 years old - admission is free, from 7 to 18 years old - 0.5 ticket price for an adult.
Working hours: the park is open daily, including holidays and weekends. Working hours from 01.10 - from 7:00 to 17:00.
Address: Nacionalni park Plitvička jezera, 53231, Plitvička Jezera, Croatia, tel. +385 53 751 015.
Where to stay: Hotel Jezero, Hotel Plitvice, Hotel Grabovac (Grabovac), Hotel Bellevue.
blue grotto
Blue Grotto - "that unusual place in Croatia has another name - the Blue Cave (Croatian - Modra špilja). What is Blue Grotto? This is a huge sea cave glowing with blue light at certain times of the day (as experts say , from 10:00 to 13:00).
It is located in a small bay Balun, east of the island of Bisevo (Bisevo), in the Adriatic Sea. The natural feature of the original underwater entrance to this cave allowed it to be seen only during diving, when the swimmer penetrated through natural openings below sea level. In 1884, another entrance was built, this time for boats.
The best time to visit the Blue Grotto of Croatia is from 11:00 to 12:00, when bright sunlight easily enters the cave, making its Adriatic waters glow with an unusual blue color, and the stone vaults of the grotto shine with silver.
How to get there: the easiest way to get to the Blue Grotto is from the city of Split, from there you should get to the Croatian island of Vis by ferry, then use a regular bus or rent a motorcycle to get to the small fishing village of Komica. Local fishermen and guides are happy to organize a boat tour to the Blue Grotto of Bisevo Island.
There is another option - visiting the Blue Cave with an excursion from the island of Hvar. The sea distance that travelers cover during the excursion is about 70 miles. The details of organizing such a trip are described below.
Tour price: a one-day excursion with a visit to two more caves, in addition to the Blue Grotto, will cost around 75 euros (560 kunas).
The Maltese Blue Grotto is located a little south of Marsaskala, or rather in the southwestern part of the state, famous for its rocky coast, near the town of Zurriek. Not far from the grotto are the famous Dingli cliffs, whose height reaches 253 meters. The grotto got its name thanks to one British soldier who, having been here, decided that he was like two drops of water similar to the Grotta Azzurra, located on the island of Capri. In the tourist environment, this place is incredibly popular; on average, at least one hundred thousand people come here every year. In particular, this place is adored by fans of diving. In all its glory, the Maltese Blue Grotto could be seen in the sensational American blockbuster Troy.
The combination of sunlight and a chain of caves that reflect the phosphorescent colors of the internal flora and the extraordinary deep blue color of the sea give a special attraction to this truly natural wonder. You can get to the Blue Grotto only by boat from the town of Zurriek. Boats leave daily, but only in calm, calm weather, from 9 am to 4.30 pm. To get to the grotto, you need to swim for about 25 minutes.
Under a massive arch about 30 meters high, you can see a system of six caves, which were created directly by nature itself. The sky reflects the white sandy bottom, the sea water shines with cobalt blue, and the walls of the caves themselves give off purple, orange and green reflections of minerals. However, all this can be observed only at certain hours - from sunrise to about one in the afternoon. 
The sea water here has a rich turquoise color, which at the same time also casts pink and purple highlights from the coral walls. Moreover, if you dip your hand into the water, then it will also be pleasant to shine with a bluish tint. During the morning, the water gradually changes its color. The most successful here is the morning time, that is, the period when the sun's rays fall directly into the gaps of the grotto. The rocky vault itself and two more water surfaces on both sides of the grotto, combined with each other, make a truly grandiose impression. This fabulous picture is complemented by snow-white sand, actively participating in the play of sunlight.
Transportation of tourists to the Blue Grotto is carried out from the nearby town of Wied itz Zurriek on almost constantly plying motor boats during the daytime in exceptionally favorable (!) weather. Although not a cheap excursion, it is definitely worth the money. You can, in principle, get there on your own, but anyway, for this you will need to hire a boat or boat, and all this is money and time. 
Opposite the Blue Grotto is a small uninhabited island - Filfa, and not far from this attraction you can visit the Neolithic temples of Mnajdra and Hajar-Kim. Local authorities are trying to regulate tourist trips to the Blue Grotto so that no more than 25 boats arrive here during the day. It should also be borne in mind that even with the slightest disturbance at sea, all trips are canceled.
Boat tours to the Blue Grotto can be booked either through local travel agencies or on the official website - http://www.bluegrottomalta.com.mt/. A ticket for an adult costs 8 euros, for a child you will have to pay 4 euros. There is an observation deck above the Blue Grotto, which can be reached by a sightseeing bus or by regular routes No. 71 and 201.
...or the sea, rocks, sun, cacti.
Swimming is a must in Malta. It makes no sense to come to Malta in the off-season, when the sea is restless or cooled down. The warm and unreal blue sea is one of the main attractions of Malta. But here you need to know how to swim, because there are few classic beaches here. A standard beach in Malta looks like a steel ladder leading off a cliff into the abyss. No shoals or opportunities to go to the bottom. The depth in places for swimming here is from 3 to 10 meters. And there are very interesting "beaches", such as St. Peter's pool near Marsaxlokk, Blue Grotto Bay and Anchor Bay. In general, as such, I did not find a ban on swimming, somewhere outside special places, in Malta. That is, you can dive wherever you can get back to the rocks. And today we will go from Marsaxlokk along a rocky path to San Peter pool, then we will leave for the South of the island.
From Marsaxlokk to St. Peter pool bay can be reached by water taxi, but in windy weather it does not go. Because it's just a boat with a private grandfather, and he is afraid to go beyond the cape. We had to go on foot. And this is at least 40 minutes one way.
The senseless and merciless "architecture" of the Maltese outskirts. Why they do this I have no idea. It seems that there is no concept of building supervision, an architect and other bodies regulating this lawlessness in Malta.
We go on the navigator in the smartphone. All the same free offline OSMand with a preloaded country map. This is the so-called nature of Malta. Gardens left and right. Rocky desert areas. We are uphill, at least 60 meters. We must cross the ridge, which is visible from Marsaxlokk.
Let's look back. A kilometer and a half have already passed.
High heels and suede shoes are best not to walk here. Shales will also be uncomfortable.
After about 40 minutes we slowly came to our "beach"
This is how it looks from above. An appendix gnawed by the sea in yellow tuff with clear blue water.
In the morning it is quiet and deserted. Ihhuuu
The place is unique in its kind and very atmospheric. If you are confident in your abilities, feel free to dive. By the way, the glasses here will be very useful. The water is very salty. and there are millions of fish against the background of a white bottom.
Here is such a non-standard beach, which is worth the time spent. We allocated more than three hours to it with the road.
Posting without yourself is a waste of time. For the long memory. If anything, here are the coordinates of the pool: 35.833, 14.562
And then people came running. Mostly youth. Judging by how confidently they dived straight from the cliff into the center of the bay, they do it regularly.
After swimming, we head back in the heat. Salt corrodes the face. You will not find souls in Malta. Well, except perhaps in Sliema and St. Julians, among the glamorous spa hotels and casinos. But this is no longer about us.
Power plant pipes.
In the voice of D "Artagnan: - Prickly pear, prickly pear, opuuuuuunce ... By the way, the fruits are edible. Delicious. Something in texture reminiscent of gooseberries or overripe kiwi, only sweet.
Village paths in Malta. Every now and then, lizards dart over the stones.
Flowers, nature...
10 minutes we go along the normal road. Before descending to Marsaxlokk.
And here it is, Marsaxlokk, which I talked about in the first publication of the series.
It is for those hills that we will go to the Blue Grotto. There are the highest cliffs of the island. Height above sea level reaches 300 meters. The rocks themselves are 150 meters.
Gardens, orchards.
Maltese...no not a knight, Farmer!
Everything here is built from yellow tuff. Houses, sidewalks. It is mined in quarries and explosions are periodically heard.
After a hot road, we could not get past the little bar on the embankment. Chisk, one of the local beers. A fresh, pleasant leger produced by Farsons.
We look at Marsaxlokk for the last time. We will move to Bugibba, in the northwest of the island. In the meantime, we are waiting for the very south. And we need bus A119 + A201 bus transfer at the airport. And speaking of tickets. An e-ticket for the validator at the entrance to the bus costs 15 euros for 12 trips. Riga prices in principle. One ticket is good for two, you just need to withdraw the amount at the entrance twice. You can also buy from the driver at the entrance. Then two euros. I should note that we saved money with tickets, because we realized not on the first day that with a quick re-validation, the second ticket is not removed, the system does not have time. So they went ticking one for two. I do not call for anything, but there are no controllers in Malta, only a driver-conductor. Then you can probably figure it out...
We got off at the view point stop, which is one before the Blue Grotto itself. From here you have a great view of the sea and rocks. Somewhere 230 km to the right we have Tunisia, Libya straight, but further away.
Oh, what a blue sea is here, what clear, bright water is here.
Here we decided to sail on a boat to the caves, to look at the blue of the sea. To do this, we need to go down to the boat station. There is one more stop at the square tower. From there we will go back.
Maltese forests...
Even though there is one stone around, it is still beautiful and exotic.
From the cliff I see how someone has already been taken to the Blue Grotto.
At the bottom of the boat ramp, on the left you will find the ticket office. A ticket to ride costs 8 euros.
We bought tickets and went to board the boat.
The boats leave one by one. You will hardly expect more than three minutes.
Well, let's swim.
The depth of the color of the water amazed me. Nowhere have I seen such inky blue water as here. I had a culture shock mixed with delight. It looks like the water was specially painted. Its transparency and white stone bottom are to blame.
We were taken to the caves, or as they call this place Blue Grotto.
And the grotto here is really blue.
In windy weather, no one swims anywhere, you yourself understand what the waves are doing here.
A beautiful place, I must say. A must to visit, as well as St. Peter's pool
Somewhere up there is the point from which we started the review, the so-called view point.
The grottoes are beautiful not only because of the blue of the water. The rock formations themselves are picturesque artifacts.
It is rather dark in the depths of the grotto. I didn't shoot there.
Eye of God.
It seems to be just a stone, but how bright and colorful.
The tour itself is not very long. In 30 minutes you will be returned to the pier.
We sail past the watchtower, of which there are more than a dozen on the island. Next to her, people are waiting for the bus. You probably don't need a car in Malta. The bus network is quite developed, and with the current free roaming, using Google maps, it is quick and easy to calculate the route and transfers at any point.
We decided to swim in the southern part of the country and went through the ladder into the depths of the bay.
On the other side, a quiet, cozy stone pier with stairs already familiar to us was waiting for us. Undress and fall into the water. After swimming, they sat down at the bar and tasted another Maltese beer. Interesting cream beer Blue label. First, a thick dense foam fills the glass and reverse cavitation begins. like Guinness. After about five minutes, the foam turns into a semi-dark beer. I definitely recommend. And the foam, by the way, will withstand a one-euro coin, it is so dense.
Watch tower. Considering Malta's military history, not a useless item.
Almost the entire south coast looks like this. High impregnable rocks. We did not go to other cliffs, going to ancient Mdina and Rabat. I will talk about them in the next series.
Malta is one of the smallest countries in Europe. The Maltese archipelago is located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Europe and Africa. 290 km from Malta to Tunisia (Africa) and 93 km to the island of Sicily (Italy). The Maltese archipelago consists of 10 small islands. The largest of them are Malta, Gozo, Comino. The largest island of the archipelago - Malta gave its name to the whole country. Its dimensions are only 27 km by 15 km.
The Knights of the Order of Malta and an island in the sea are the first things that come to mind when mentioning the country of Malta. In fact, Malta is an amazing state. On the islands - magnificent natural attractions surprise. Here, the mysteries of ancient civilizations, the Middle Ages, knightly romance, Arabic flavor and a piece of old England are mixed. You can feel this extraordinary atmosphere only in Malta. Well, did they fly?
Under the wing of the aircraft - Malta.
How to get to Malta:
- By ferry or catamaran from Sicily. Only 1.5 hours to sail to the Maltese port of Chirkeva.
All flight options can be selected here:
Inexpensive airport transfer it is convenient to order on this taxi The price of a taxi is fixed when ordering, they meet you with a name plate, adjust to your flight, help with luggage. Calculate the cost of a taxi, fill out the form below:
Car rental in Malta. Take advantage of the simple search service the most favorable rates among rental offices in Malta. Keep in mind that in Malta there is left-hand traffic, the steering wheel in a car is on the right side.
Where to stay in Malta:
Malta is a tourist country, there are a lot of hotels for different tastes and budgets.
- Malta hotels – from 20 euros per day
- apartments in Malta– from 25 euros per day
How to book hotels on the Booking website read
We wish you bright travels!
