Comino Island Loop, Malta
Welcome to Comino Island, a very small island halfway between the islands of Malta and Gozo. The island is only inhabited by a handful of people and is host to several boat trips a day from the mainland which encourage tourists to come and see the natural beauty of the island.
Named ‘Comino’ after the flowering plant of cumin which grows wild here amidst other wild vegetation, herbs and flowers, the entire island is mostly an undeveloped rocky wilderness home to jagged cliffs, a few sandy beaches, deep caves and some hidden coves. It is just 2km long by 1.6km wide and has no tarmacked roads.
The uninhabited status of the island gives it a wild feeling and if you are lucky enough to visit in the shoulder seasons you will combine great weather with less people and feel as though you are the only people there!
Start/end point: Blue lagoon ferry terminal
Average duration: 2-3 hours
Distance: 10km loop
When to go: Year round (Malta can get very hot during the summer months of July & August so be aware of this and carry lots of water; there are no water stops on the route)
Difficulty: Easy - wear trainers or sturdy shoes
Maps/Info: The walk is not signposted but there are trodden pathways which are quite easy to follow around the island, if unsure, keep the sea on your left and you’ll end up back where you started!
All trails provides an in depth guide of the walk here: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/malta/ghajnsielem-u-kemmuna/comino-loop
The hike:
Starting the walk from the Blue Lagoon ferry terminal is the easiest place, as it’s where everyone that comes to the island gets dropped off. We chose to do the loop clockwise, but it can be done in either direction.
You immediately have to climb up several sets of rocky steps to get up onto the clifftops, which gives you a panoramic view of the sea, the beach below, the dusty rocky land of Comino and the nearby islands of Malta and Gozo. Continuing on clockwise on the walk, you will see several bars, fruit stalls and traders around this section but after walking about 5 minutes out of the Blue Lagoon area you will find that seeing other people is rare and a sort of calm quiet settles where you can only hear your footsteps in the dusty path.
The route cuts across the first outcrop directly to San Niklaw (Saint Nicholas) bay where there is an operational hotel; this means that one section of the walk was inaccessible due to boundary fences - but no worries, simply walk around them. The path is fairly flat for a while until it starts to lead you on a gentle descent towards Santa Maria bay. One of the highlights of the walk for me, this gorgeous arced bay provides protection from the sea and offers calm waters, perfect for a mid-walk swim. The beach was empty when we visited and I much preferred it to the Blue Lagoon. The water here reflected kaleidoscopic colours of blue which I couldn’t describe even if I tried to. Stay for a short while, take lots of pictures, enjoy the calming secluded environment before continuing on your way.
Santa Maria Bay
The next thing to ogle over is just around the corner; head up the path leading away from the bay and towards the Chapel of Our Lady's Return from Egypt, also known as Saint Mary’s Chapel. First mentioned on a map in 1296 and ravaged by pirates numerous times, it is unknown whether the church standing today was built on the exact site of the historic church but it is considered likely since no remains of a historic chapel have been found nearby.
The exterior is large and painted white, but the paint has been worn and coloured from the weather, so it appears more a sand-washed ivory. There is a large archway on the top of the church where three bells sit. The interior has high ceilings and the main painting shows the return of the Holy family from Egypt. It has an altar and three statues depicting the Virgin Mary, the Sacred Heart and Saint Joseph.
The bells atop Saint Mary’s Chapel
Continuing on your way after a quiet moment of reflection inside the church, the path leads you on to the cliffs above Saint Maria’s caves and diving site; not much of this can be seen from up high but you may see boats arriving here filled with diving tanks and people keen to scratch beneath the surface of the water and visit the reefs which are teeming with life.
The next few kilometres are sparse of monuments or points of interest, which invites you to soak up the rurality of the walk and the absence of vehicles, people and noise in this quiet corner of the world. Seize it, for it is yours for the length of time that you are on this walk. The east side of Comino is what I would consider as it’s most wild side. There are no drops down into sandy bays or beaches to get to, instead you are atop a high cliff with dramatic outcrops, caves, and edges that look razor sharp.
As we were walking this lonely and empty wild side of the island, we came across a crumbling building with one wall still standing firm. Upon it, vivid and unexpected art had been painted. It clashed violently with the colours of the land, sea and shrubbery but somehow felt as though it belonged on the island. After pausing a while near this creative work, we continued on the path.
As you come around to the south side of the island which you started on, you will see 18th Century St Mary’s Gun Battery. Restored a few years ago by Din L-Art Helwa to it’s original state it showcases one of the defence systems of the island, with canons and artillery placed around the site, pointed seaward at approaching enemies. You can enter the battery and look out over the sea, imagining as you do so the thousands of others who have stood in this place before you.
Tom and I on St Mary’s Tower
Back to the well trodden path, heading westward now towards where you started, you can’t miss the startlingly huge St Mary’s Tower, also known as the Comino Tower. A large bastioned watchtower built in 1618 by Grand Master de Wignacourt. The tower formed part of a system set up to faciliate defence and communication between Mdina (the ancient city of Malta) and the Cittadella in Gozo. The tower was used by the Armed Forces of Malta until 2002. The views of islands and sea from the tower are striking and a must-see if you visit Comino. If you’re visiting on a hot day the altitude here also presents you with a lovely breeze!
After leaving the tower, it’s about a 15 minute walk back to the Blue Lagoon where you started the walk. Enjoy an afternoon of swimming, sunbathing and drinking cocktails like we did before heading back to your hotel on Malta or Gozo. You deserve it!
