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The Blue Grotto
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A few years ago, Wied iz-Zurrieq (Zurrieq Valley) was a busy fishing port, but the tourist trade from Malta holiday-makers turned the place into an embarkation point for the Blue Grotto.
This graceful sea inlet is the mouth of a deep gorge. It looks like a miniature fjord. The blue-green water and wild rocky landscape have made the 'valley' a popular haunt for swimming and sunbathing for locals and Malta holiday-makers alike.
Nowadays, Wied iz-Zurrieq is alive with colourful dghajjes (boats) riding on the swell and ferrying passengers to the Grotto. A number of snack-bars and souvenir shops on the higher ground contribute to the lively aspect of this pleasant seaside spot.
Wied iz-Zurrieq can be reached by a good road, 2.5km downhill from Zurrieq.
The Blue Grotto is an unspoilt, popular beauty spot, and a geological curiosity, consisting of a natural arch and a deep sea cave formed in the rock-face of the surrounding cliffs. The adjoining sea, varying in hue from turquoise to deep blue, is distinctly clear.
The cave, or grotto, which is about 50 metres long, is best seen in the morning on sunny days when the sun shines directly and lights up the dark, cavernous interior. Reddish corals in the brown sea-grasses and the glittering waters heighten the enchantment of the place.
The spectacular arch drops from the cliff-top to the sea in front of the cave. Stalactites hanging from its lofty roof add lustre to the quaint rock formations of the massive arch.
Visitors to the Blue Grotto are ferried in small boats, seven or eight at a time, from Wied iz-Zurrieq. They are taken inside the grotto and also to several other caves on the opposite cliff side. The round trip takes 25 minutes - a few moments that Malta holiday-makers will never forget.
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