Xemxija Heritage Trail

Very often we're so keen to travel abroad that we tend to overlook the beauty of our own country. However, if you just try to search what you can do, you can easily create a list of stuff that will keep your weekends packed while making you feel like a tourist in your own country. That's exactly what I did a couple of weeks ago when I stumbled upon the Xemxija Heritage Trail (you can easily google it and download the printable guide).

It's a trail along Xemxija's countryside, a northern seaside village in Malta. It starts off at the  place where a Roman road connected St. Paul's Bay with Mellieha. It is also known as the Pilgrim's route since, in the past, pilgrims used to trek all the way to Mellieha's shrine of Our Lady.

Along the route one encounters several historical remains from different periods, such as apiaries where bees were kept to produce honey, caves which served as a shelter for sailors or burial places, remains of dwellings for farmers, punic tombs, a grain silo which was later used as a well, an old carob tree, a Maltese Girna and a pill-box used under the British reign. All this is carefully labelled with interesting information about the history of each site.

Carob Tree

Girna

Cart ruts - remain a mystery as to who made them and for what purpose

Walking along this trail makes you realise how intelligent the Romans where at a time when they had no commodities as we are used to today. I was marveled at the way they created the Roman baths with cold, hot and lukewarm water as well as the road with a canal on the side to prevent flooding. 

You can also extend the walk by walking over to Mistra Bay, a secluded beach along the coast. If its too cold for a swim, sitting down on the beach listening to the waves splashing on the shore is just as nice to rest the weary feet before walking back to where you started off.

Overlooking Mistra Bay

Aleppo Pine trees grown in an unused quarry

The walk is not a long one and only takes a couple of hours, however, expect to take longer if you love taking pictures as it offers some great photo opportunities.

Selmun Tower

Photos: Chris Balzia