Zurrieq-Siggewi

There are two types of unspoilt: the lovingly-restored and the as-it-actually-comes. Malta's eccentric charms are something which bypass a fairly large number of its visitors: partly because many of them fail to stray beyond the everything-with-chips conurbations round the sand beaches of the north, and partly because the Maltese have never particularly subscribed to the Make Poverty Picturesque school of thought. Those who can tune out, or assimilate into their aesthetic, the grand tradition of building walls with whatever you have to hand defunct fridges, tractor tyres, bits of dead car, oildrums love Malta with a passion that profoundly confuses those of more refined tastes. The reason is this: this tiny dot in the Mediterranean has, as well as clifftop views out over its tiny satellite island, Filfla, toward the African coast that rob one of breath, is blessed with more culture in a smaller area than practically anywhere else on earth. You never know when you're going to stumble over a Neolithic temple that makes Stonehenge look like a pile of stones, a rococo village church that in any other country would be a cathedral, a remnant of the Romans, the Arabs, the Knights of St John, the British Empire

This walk along the South coast from one of Malta's best villages, takes in a splendid collection of varied delights: two temple complexes, two sets of sea-caves (one only reachable by boat), a delightful rococo chapel and blue Mediterranean views that bring tears to the eyes.

Wear strong, supportive shoes Malta's Lower Globigerina limestone is hard on footwear and ankles take plenty of water, a hat and sunblock. In high Summer, the heat is merciless. Allow plenty of time for gawping/flinging yourself into the sea at the Wied iz-Zurrieq/Ghar Lapsi.

The Maltese partly rely on winter storms as rubbish-clearance in isolated areas, which makes the coast quite littered in late summer/Autumn; route from Ghar Lapsi to Siggewi leads past a quarry and a desalination plant.