It is a place where life moves at a gentler pace

Dingli offers a sense of calm; where past and present, nature and tranquillity, come together in perfect harmony. Visit this village on the western edge, where Malta touches the sky and silence meets the sea.

WORDS BY David Carabott

One sunny late winter morning, I found myself wandering through Dingli. Perched on Malta’s western edge, the village boasts the highest point on the island, 250 metres above sea level. The air was fresh and clean, a welcome contrast to the bustle of the busier towns. Ħad-Dingli, as it is called in Maltese, feels wonderfully remote yet full of charm and cultural heritage. I enjoyed strolling through the winding streets, admiring the townhouses with their colourful balconies, characteristic windows, niches dedicated to saints, and the small details that give each corner its own story. Dingli provides a sense of calm; it is a place where life moves at a gentler pace, lacking the noise and haste of larger urban areas. In essence, there are no traffic jams, no honking of horns and no frustrated drivers.

Halfway through my stroll, I met an old friend, David Vassallo, an architect and former local councillor. Together, we savoured a freshly baked Maltese ftira, round, crusty bread often filled with local ingredients, followed by coffee with a splash of anisette and the classic Maltese biskuttini tal-lewż, a delicious almond sweet. It was a simple pleasure that perfectly captured the warm, inviting spirit of the village and offered a taste of Malta’s rich culinary traditions. David then guided me around. I was particularly surprised to learn that he had written the lyrics for Dingli’s anthem, having won a competition when he was just 19. His architectural background also inspired him to lead countless projects dedicated to the restoration and preservation of buildings and structures of historical importance.

Tracing the past, Dingli has a rich and layered history. Archaeological finds reveal human presence since prehistory, and the area bears traces of the Phoenician, Carthaginian and Roman periods, including the Roman baths at Ta' Baldu tenement. Nearby, is the site of the lost medieval village of Ħal Tartarni dedicated to St Domenica, now mostly open fields. It was one of Malta’s original 10 parishes. Before World War II, Dingli was largely isolated, with life centred on agriculture.

The heart of Dingli The parish church, dedicated to the Assumption of the Holy Virgin, stands prominently in the heart of the village and has long served as a gathering point for the residents. Dingli was granted parish status in 1678. Almost three centuries later, the church was enlarged by architect Ġużè Damato, with major alterations carried out between the late 1950s and early 1970s. These included the addition of side chapels, bell towers and a new façade, giving the church its present distinctive character. Inside the church, I was immediately drawn to a beautiful wooden statue of St John the Baptist, a tribute to the patron saint of the Knights of Malta. Crafted in walnut and adorned with a polychrome decoration, the statue has a long history. It is almost certain that it was one of the statues on the Gran Carracca Sant’Anna, the renowned 16th-century warship that, in 1530, brought the Order’s Knights to Malta. It eventually found its home in Dingli after having been in various other sites.

Beyond the village In the surroundings, history also leaves its mark in intriguing ways. Passing by the enigmatic cart ruts junction, with its baffling parallel tracks carved into the rock, and visiting the nearby Għar il-Kbir cave, once used for shelter and storage, offered me a glimpse into Malta’s ancient past, reminding me that Dingli has long been a place where people lived and worked the land. Walking along the countryside in the village outskirts, I could feel the rhythm of rural life. Fields are carefully cultivated, a reminder of the generations of dedicated farmers who not only grew crops and raised livestock but also preserved traditions and protected the environment.

The cliffs of Dingli. From the centre of the village, it is only a short walk to the majestic Dingli Cliffs. As I approached, the landscape opened into a breathtaking panorama. The cliffs rise 253 metres above the Mediterranean Sea, offering unparalleled views of the terraced fields below and the tiny uninhabited island of Filfla in the distance. These cliffs have always been a place of wonder. In earlier centuries, they provided refuge from pirates as they are nearly impossible to scale, and today, they stand as a symbol of what remains of Malta’s wild and untamed beauty. I enjoyed a walk along the promenade that runs over the cliffs, feeling the sea breeze and taking in the vast expanse of blue in front of me. The paths are gentle yet dramatic, winding along the edge, with every step revealing a new perspective of the sparkling waters below. Along the way, I passed the charming chapel dedicated to St Mary Magdalene. Its small, serene presence is a quiet reminder of the village’s spiritual history. I paused to inhale the fresh air, allowing the tranquillity of the cliffs to invade me. Of course, I could not miss the Royal Cypher markers appearing along Dingli Cliffs. These features indicate that the land was once Crown property. The initials GR (Georgius Rex) refer to one of the sovereigns named George.

As the afternoon gently gave way to evening, David took me to some of the best-known sunset spots along the cliffs, where visitors often gather for unobstructed views of the horizon. I watched one of the most famous sunsets in Malta, a moment of pure magic. The sky blazed with hues of orange, pink and gold, reflecting on the calm waters of the Mediterranean. The cliffs were bathed in warm light, and the world felt impossibly still, as if suspended between land and sea. As day becomes night After admiring sunset, I returned to the village for a comforting and hearty dinner. The local cuisine, simple yet delicious, was the perfect conclusion to a day spent in one of Malta’s highly captivating corners. Enjoying a plate of traditionally cooked rabbit and a glass of local wine, I clung to the image of the fabulous sunset over the cliffs, the colours sinking into the horizon, a memory of a place where past and present, nature and tranquillity, come together in perfect harmony.

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