Malta Rock Climbing, a Mediterranean Paradise

A climbing trip to Europe’s most southern islands always promises adventures, especially if your destination is Malta and Gozo, in the heart of the Mediterranean. This is one of the best exotic locations to visit for a winter getaway.

The Maltese archipelago is south of Sicily in the Mare Nostrum, a series of rocky islands with spectacular formations. There are dozens of crags on Malta and Gozo, with over 1,500 routes being listed in the guidebooks. The split is around 30 per cent of climbs are on Gozo and the rest in Malta. There are steep, short single-pitch climbs, and long multi-pitch routes. Gozo has a good selection of boulders, while both islands have several deep-water soloing locations. The climbs are found in caves, above the sea, along ridges and on random cliffs. Despite being so popular, few routes are polished, and most are well-protected. Thanks to their location, the climate is near-perfect in December and January.

Nearly half-a-million people live on Malta and Gozo, which has led to the boom of urban areas, but the smaller islands of Cominotto and Comino have few people living on them, which makes them perfect for rest-day visits. The port of Valletta, where you arrive, gives impressive views of old fortifications and Baroque churches. Malto has been a crossroads of cultures throughout history, with each generation leaving traces of their time there. When not climbing, you can go kayaking along the coast on crystal clear water or try the developed mountain biking trails.

Climbing started in Gozo and Malta back in the 1960s by the British Royal Air Force, which led to several bold trad routes. In the 1980s, climbers from France and Spain began to visit, which led to world-class sport climbs being established. Because of the blend of both styles, the islands offer a mix of trad and sport climbing on solid limestone. Island climbers have agreed that trad crags will remain bolt free, while sport crags will be fully bolted. It’s the best of both worlds if you enjoy plugging gear and clipping quickdraws.

Today, the community of local climbers, which includes the popular Malta Climbing Club, takes care of crag maintenance and the development of new areas. If you’re looking for somewhere that guarantees nice weather, great climbing and fun tourist attractions, then be sure to check out Malt and Gozo.

Malta: Blieqa Sector: Located on the southern coast of Malta, Blieqa has cliffs that overlook the sea, has big sea caves and deep inlets. It’s not far from the famous Blue Grotto. The wall is compact and vertical with short protruding sections, furrowed by a few short cracks. It has small holds, resulting in technical climbs, which require good finger strength and good footwork. The sector is divided into a main wall with eight routes and another with four. Due to the difficulty of the routes, this area is not suitable for beginners, and given the exposure, it’s recommended to come only during the winter months. The base is comfortable, but you need to be careful when descending the trail. Routes listed left to right with 1 to 8 located on the main wall, and routes 9 to 12 on the wall farther west.
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1. Fit Lizard 7a+ 15m
2. Fat Lizard 6c 16m
3. Seven Scars 7c 20m
4. Project 22m
5. Sand Castels 7b 22m
6. Sanperreo 7b+ / c 24m
7. Kenshino 7a+ 24m
8. North Star 6b 21m
9. Lock Down 6c+ 14m
10. Kamaleonte 6c+ 14m
11. Hatun Machay 6c+ 14m
12. Faint Call 7c 14m

Malta: Garden of Eden Sector: Another fun crag on the south coast of Malta. It’s a wide cave below a plateau on a tall cliff. It gives stunning views of the sea and is the best place to visit at sunset. The climbs are overhanging and have solid stalactites. The climbing is very three-dimensional and require good endurance. It’s ideal in December and January. Routes listed from left to right.
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1. Little Squirt 5c 6m
2. A Tukka bit further 5c 16m
3. Dragster 5c 18m
4. Tufa fis-sod 6b 18m
5. Hug the tufa 6a+ 15m
6. Tufa Baroque 6c 16m
7. Tufa Baroque direct 7a 12m
8. Tufa Taghna Lkoll 7b+ 12m
9. Tufa Tirtoghod 7b+ 12m
10. Skyhooked Simon 7a 12m

Gozo Island: Tower of Power: This area has a lot of untouched wildernesses, with tall spires, large boulders and vertical walls. The cliffs rise above the seas. The imposing spire of Tower of Power rises from mostly flat terrain, making it an eye-cathing feature. The climbs are vertical and technical, with the hardest found on a yellow face. Routes listed from right edge to left.
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1. Hippo Tosser 6a+ 30m
2. Rhino Chaser 6c+ 30m
3. Sopu Crack 6a+ 30m
4. A Tale of Two Budgies 7a 30m
5. A Tale of Two Budgies 6a+ 30m
6. Pegasus 7a+ 26m
7. Poseidon 8a 26m
8. Medusa 7b+ 26m
9. Perseus 7a 26m
10. Fire 7c 26m
11. Wind 7b 26m
12. Earth 8a 26m
13. Lembuba 4+ 28m

Climbing Associations

Malta Climbing Club: In operation since 2010, the club has hundreds of members. It’s a member of the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA) and a founding member of the European Union of Associations of Mountaineering (EUMA). They offer courses and internships, and maintain sports routes, retrofitting with titanium hardware. Find them at maltaclimbingclub.org.

Malta Rock Climbing Club: This club is Malta’s longest running, with members who’ve been with it for decades. They organize events and establish crags. Fin them at climbmalta.com.

Guidebook: Sport Climbing in Malta & Gozo is an updated edition by Simon Alden, president of Malta Climbing Club, Stevie Haston and Jeffrey Camilleri. The guide is detailed, offers a rich overview of the climbing areas and will help you find hidden cliffs.\

Climbing Gyms: There are two in Malta: Gebla Climbing and Sliema Scouts Climbing Wall.