Malta's green corners and wild coast
5 parks and reserves to visit, from the garrigue and cliffs of Majjistral in the north-west and the wooded valley of Buskett to the wetlands of Ghadira and Simar and the headland of Xrobb l-Ghagin in the south.
Majjistral Nature and History Park
Malta's first national park, free and open all year: clifftop garrigue, boulder screes, shearwater colonies and Knights and British-era ruins on the northwest coast.
Buskett Gardens
Malta's greenest corner: a Knights-era woodland of holm oak, Aleppo pine and orchards in Wied il-Luq, open at all hours and best for autumn raptor migration.
Ghadira Nature Reserve
A seven-hectare wetland behind Mellieha Bay where around 140 migrant bird species stop each year; free entry with hides and volunteer help, September to May.
Xrobb l-Ghagin Nature Park
A headland park near Marsaxlokk run by Nature Trust Malta: open garrigue, working salt pans, an 18th-century tower and views to Delimara and Munxar cliffs.
Simar Nature Reserve
A restored reedbed and pool wetland at Xemxija, St Paul's Bay: herons, kingfishers, water rails and chameleons, free entry with volunteer help, September to May.
Plan a walk through Malta's open country
Check each park page for trail lengths, the season, entry rules, and how to reach the trailhead.