Lower Barrakka Gardens, Valletta, Malta

I tend to get a little defensive whenever anyone says anything even remotely negative about Malta, but even I can admit that we are lacking in greenery and nature on this little island. It's no surprise considering the conditions and the climate and the lack of space on this tiny little rock.What really annoys me is when people say there is simply no nature in Malta. Right, there aren't rolling hills, forests spanning the space of a small town or fields of wheat to be run through, but there are plenty of lovely little parks and gardens for people who look for them.

Nature in Malta: Lower Barrakka Gardens in Valletta

One such beautiful garden is the Lower Barrakka Gardens in Valletta. It's small but it's breathtaking. It was one of the first parts of Malta I saw and seven years later it still takes my breath away. It's surrounded by the unparalleled views of the Grand Harbour and the open Mediterranean sea. On days where the sky is cloudless and the sun is shining you'll be surrounded by shades of blue that you've never seen before and will never forget.The walls are surrounded by two seater benches offering the perfect viewpoint for a cold drink and to soak in the scenery. Then you can take a stroll around the small gardens and enjoy green palms and flowers and bushes of so many colours. The garden is well maintained and remains beautiful for most of the year, even in the hot, dry summers where most of the island ends up scorched.  The seating, the public bathrooms and the surrounding food and drink trucks make for a very comfortable day out and the garden and it's landscape will go some way to satiate your thirst for nature in Malta.