The Blue Grotto is located near "Wied iz-Zurrieq" south of the town of Zurrieq. Bus number 39 will take you there. If you have a car, the drive is worth it. The cliffs of the southern coast of Malta are very picturesque and offer some beautiful photo opportunities.

The Blue Grotto is a natural rock formation which has been carved out of the rock by the relentless pounding of the sea. A number of caves can be reached by boat from Wied iz-Zurrieq. The biggest cave is the Blue Grotto. This cave is quite deep.

The sea on the southern coast of Malta tends to be rough at times but the fishermen who ferry tourists and Maltese alike to visit the grottos are very experienced at handling the seaworthy Maltese boats ("Dghajes"). During the tourist season boats are constantly plying the waters between Wied iz-Zurrieq and the Blue Grotto. Each boat holds a small number of people. Even when the water is a little choppy, the experience is not to be missed.

The boats take the tourists to a number of caves carved into the cliff face. One of the caves visited is a small cave with a sandy bottom and usually people are given the opportunity to have a refreshing dip in the turquoise, emerald and blue waters of this cave. The Blue Grotto gets its name from the colour of the water close to the rock face.

When exiting the Grotto you can see the deep blue Mediterranean in front of you and then the small island of Filfla appears straight ahead. Filfla is uninhabited except for a unique species of lizards that live there. When Malta was a British colony, the island of Filfla was used for target practice by the British Armed Forces. The island is now protected under Maltese law.

There are a small number of buildings at Wied iz-Zurrieq. These are inhabited by local fisherman. There is also a small restaurant where you can get cold drinks, snacks, and a typical Maltese meal.

The scenery around this area of the island is breathtaking. The cliffs rise out of the blue Mediterranean and the froth of the waves as they hit the rock face can make for some excellent shots. There is not much cover from the elements here. The ground is rocky and only hardy shrubs survive.

Click here for a picture of the Blue Grotto taken from the top of the cliffs.

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