The magical Blue Grotto Malta

Spoil Yourself To A 20-Minute Boat Trip To The Magnificent Grotto

Blue Grotto Malta is located on the southeast of the island. A destination visited by around 100,000 visitors a year.

This location is highly popular due to the grotto caves which can be accessed only by a boat. There is a 20-minute boat trip that is worth taking.

Apart from the boat trip, this location is very popular for diving and snorkeling. 

What You Need To Know About blue grotto malta

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The entrance to the Blue Grotto Malta cavesPhoto By Silvija Copak (@silly.silvi)

Visitors Information

  • Located on the outskirts of Zurrieq.
  • It is free of charge to roam around the village and explore.
  • Boat trips to Blue Grotto Caves leave from here. Fee is applicable (more below)
  • The trip is not wheelchair accessible, but you can roam around the village with a wheelchair.
  • The boat trip takes around 60 minutes.
  • Easy parking available at car park.
  • Stunning diving spots where you can scuba dive too.
  • A few cafes and restaurants where you can have a good meal and also take fresh fish.
  • A public garden where you can walk and rest. Children can also play and enjoy themselves. It is advisable that children are not left unattended as there are some dangerous areas in the garden.

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Blue Grotto Malta Caves and Opening Times

Boat trips are done everyday, always depending on the weather.

Boat service trips schedule

  • Summer time: 09:00 to 17:00
  • Winter time: 09:00 to 15:30

Blue Grotto Malta Ticket Prices: 

  • Adult: €8.00 each
  • Child: €4.00 each

How Do I get my boat trip tickets?

  • There is an ticket booth just before boarding where you can purchase your tickets.
  • An attendant will be there where he will give you the tickets.
  • The office is located half way down the ramp before arriving to the boarding area.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you swim in Blue Grotto Malta?

Yes you can. Most people swim near Wied iz-Zurrieq. You have be careful as there will be the boats doing their round trips to the Blue Grotto Caves.

What to do in Blue Grotto Malta?

The Blue Grotto is mainly the boat trip to the caves but there is a small place where there are a few restaurants and a couple of shops.

What is the Blue Grotto boat trip price?

Adult: €8.00 each

Child: €4.00 each

What restaurants are found at Blue Grotto Malta?

Check out our guide to the restaurants at Wied iz-Zurrieq.

Where is Blue Grotto located in Malta?

The Blue Grotto Caves are located at Wied Iz-Zurrieq which is at the south of the island. It is very close to Hagar Qim and Mnajdra temples.

How to get to Blue Grotto By Bus

If you are renting a car it is very easy to arrive to Blue Grotto Malta. One can always have a GPS which will help them arrive at their destination.

Below are the details of many popular locations from where people catch the bus to Blue Grotto. Most locations require a change in bus route to arrive at the destination.

You will also find the Blue Grotto Malta map location including the various bus stops mentioned for those who are not yet familiar with Malta.  

Valletta Terminus to Blue Grotto Malta bus

  • Bus Number - Route 74
  • Time duration 30 minutes
  • Stop at Panorama bus stop
  • 10 min walk, down the hill to blue grotto

St. Julian's, sliema, paceville and gzira to Blue Grotto

First you must get to Valletta from St. Julian's by catching one of the following bus numbers. 

  • Route 13 - Every 20 minutes
  • Route 13A - Every 20 minutes
  • Route 14 - Every 30 minutes
  • Route 15 - Every 30 minutes - This route starts from Sliema Ferries
  • Route 16 - Every 30 minutes

When arriving in Valletta after catching one of the above bus numbers, you must catch the following bus directly to Blue Grotto

  • Stop at Valletta Terminus then catch route 74 to Blue Grotto Caves.

Marsaxlokk to Blue Grotto Malta

First you must get to Valletta from Marsaxlokk by catching one of the following bus numbers. 

  • Route 81 - Every 30 minutes
  • Route 85 - Every 60 minutes

After arriving at Valletta Bus Terminus you must find and take the following route to Blue Grotto.

  • Take route 74 to Blue Grotto Malta.

Tips about route 74

  • Route 74 does not stop directly near the Blue Grotto but you will need to stop at Panorama bus stop
  • Due to that, you will have a 15 minute walk down a hill to the Grotto village.
2 locals pulling up a traditional fishing boat at Blue Grotto Malta

Mdina to Blue Grotto Malta

Catch the following bus from Rabat terminus.

  • Route 201 - Every 60 minutes
  • Blue Grotto Bus Stop: Grotto

Bugibba to Blue Grotto in Malta

First catch the bus from Bugibba bus terminus to Rabat bus terminus.

  • Route 186 - Every 30 minutes

Then catch the following bus from Rabat terminus to Blue Grotto.

  • Route 201 - Every 60 minutes
  • Blue Grotto Bus Stop: Grotto

Malta International Airport to Blue Grotto

Catch the following bus directly to Blue Grotto

  • Route 201 - Every 60 minutes
  • Blue Grotto Bus Stop: Grotto

Tips About Bus Route 201

  • This is the only bus that takes you directly to the Blue Grotto village.
  • This bus leaves from Malta International Airport and Rabat Terminus.
Where Is Blue Grotto Malta On The Map
Tourists disembarking the boat after a trip to the caves

Blue Grotto Malta Tour

Why choose this tour?

A lovely enjoyable excursion to see two of the most popular locations visited by tourists.

The magnificent Blue Grotto caves. Ride a small motored Maltese fishing boat which takes you to the stunning sea caves. The water is so clear and blue. Well worth a visit. The trip takes 25 minute in all.

Then proceed to the lively fishing village of Marsaxlokk. admire the colourful Maltese Luzzu fishing boats. Visit the market along the shore.

What is included with the price?

  • A visit to Blue Grotto and Marsaxlokk fishing village
  • Pickup and drop-off from accommodation in an air conditioned coach.
  • Professional local guide

What is excluded with the price?

  • Boat trip to Blue Grotto Caves (Ticket of boat trip can only be purchased from the ticket office at Blue Grotto)
  • Gratuities
  • Food and drinks

How long is the tour and when does it operate?

  • This is an extended half day morning tour and lasts for approximately 5 hours. The tour operates only on a Sunday all year round.

How do I book this tour?

  • First select the date you would like to attend this tour. 
  • Second select the number of adults (€28) or/and children (€12) which will be attending the tour.
  • Enter 'maltainfoguide' in the coupon box to get a 5% discount
  • After you have selected the dates, click book now.
  • You will then have to fill up a form with necessary details.- Enter you payment details then click Confirm Booking.
BOOK NOW

Secure payments guaranteed

Enter 'maltainfoguide' in coupon box to get 5% discount.
eTicket (mobile ticket) is available.

Information about Blue Grotto Malta You Might Want to know about

The best time to visit is in the morning when the water normally shows numerous shades of blue. Inside the caves you can observe various mirrored colours from the underwater flora. Other areas show various dark shades of blue.

In this area of Malta there are no Zurrieq hotels. All of the accommodation is concentrated on the other side of the island. At the same time, being such a small island, it is easy to arrive on the other side of Malta.

Filfla Island

The rocky coastline along this area is very high and the sea is very deep with a dark blue all the way. The view from this area is fantastic with open seas, very high cliff sand picturesque rock formations. From this point you can see Filfla, the little island located 5 kilometres out at sea which is now a protected bird sanctuary.

When one proceeds down to the inlet bay you find the boats waiting for visitors. There you find fishing boats beautifully painted called a dghajsa. This is the location from where you buy the tickets for the boat trip to the caves. These trips operate weather permitting. Do not forget your camera as you will be surely disappointed if you do not take a picture.

Wied iz-Zurrieq bay entrance with a fantastic view of the small island of Filfla

Um El Faroud Blue Grotto Diving Spot

Diving in Blue Grotto Malta, Wied iz-Zurrieq is one of the main locations. Here you find Um El Faroud which is a 10,000 ton Libya tanker which was scuttled off the coast of Wied Iz-Zurrieq as an artificial reef and a diving site since 1998. Here you will encounter squid and barracudas. We suggest that you dedicate a holiday in Malta specifically as a diving holiday in Malta.

If you are keen on diving here you find the wreck of Um El Faroud. It is a well visited under water wreck. This location also offers a dive to the west reef and caves. Another one to the east. Further up from this site a few kilometres away there is another bay called Ghar Lapsi where it is also visited for an enjoyable dive. Read further about these three dives.

Tourists heading back from a trip to Blue Grotto Malta caves

A little history about Blue Grotto

The Blue Grotto Malta started to get its name in the early 1950’s, when the British army personnel located in Malta at the time, used to ask the local fisherman to take them for a boat trip to the Blue Grotto sea caves.

British soldiers stationed here during the 1950's, knew that the Malta Blue Grotto is very much like the Grotta Azzurra in Italian, meaning the blue grotto of Capri, that it deserved to be named the same but in English. It was literally translated in English from Grotta Azzurra. The island of Capri is located off the Gulf of Naples in Italy.

By time it became so popular that the fishermen started to offer this service to tourists and locals alike.

The Blue Grotto Malta is an attraction for all the family.

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