Għar Dalam
Malta's earliest site of human activity: a prehistoric cave with Ice Age fossils such as pygmy elephants and hippos, plus a small museum.
Għar Dalam, meaning “dark cave,” lies near Birżebbuġa in the southeast. It is a limestone cave about 144 m long, and visitors can walk about 50 m into the front section along a path. Deposits inside preserve Ice Age animal fossils from hundreds of thousands of years ago, including pygmy elephants, pygmy hippos and giant dormice. They also contain pottery shards left by the first farmers to reach the island around 5900 BC. Malta's prehistoric “Għar Dalam phase” takes its name from this site. The museum at the entrance keeps old Victorian-style display cases filled with rows of animal bones and teeth, full of historic character. It is managed by Heritage Malta and is generally open daily from 09:00 to 17:00. Entry costs about €5–6; check the official website for current prices. It is about 3 km from Marsaxlokk and reachable by bus. It is often combined with the fishing village and St. Peter's Pool as a half-day trip.
Opening hours
About 09:00–17:00 (check Heritage Malta website)
Nearby sights
- Marsaxlokk
- St. Peter's Pool
- Tarxien Temples
- Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum
- Birgu (Vittoriosa) & the Three Cities
- Fort St. Angelo
- Upper Barrakka Gardens & Saluting Battery
- Lascaris War Rooms