Għar Dalam Cave, South Eastern District Travel Guide

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Explore Malta's oldest prehistoric site, where Ice Age fossils and early human history come to life in a unique cave setting.

Għar Dalam Cave, or 'Cave of Darkness,' is a prehistoric site near Birżebbuġa, Malta, offering a glimpse into the island's ancient past. The cave and its museum showcase fossilized remains of animals and the earliest evidence of human settlement in Malta, dating back 7,400 years. Visitors can explore the cave's geological layers and examine skeletons of extinct species, providing a unique historical experience.

A brief summary to Għar Dalam Cave

Ghar Dalam Cave, Triq Ghar Dalam, Birżebbuġa, MT
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Tuesday 9 am-5 pm
Wednesday 9 am-5 pm
Thursday 9 am-5 pm
Friday 9 am-5 pm
Saturday 9 am-5 pm
Sunday 9 am-5 pm

From Eve

Know before you go

Hi, I'm Eve. Here are a few practical things to know before exploring Għar Dalam Cave.

Wear comfortable shoes as the cave floor can be uneven and slippery.
Visit the museum before entering the cave to better understand the site's history and significance.
Combine your visit with a trip to nearby Birżebbuġa or Marsaxlokk for a full day of exploration.
Check the Heritage Malta website for potential closures or updated visiting hours.

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Getting There

Public Transport

From Valletta, take bus route 80, 82 or 85 directly to the 'Dalam' bus stop, which is located right outside the Għar Dalam Cave and Museum. The journey takes approximately 10-25 minutes, depending on traffic. A single bus ticket costs €3.
Driving

From Valletta, follow the main road south towards Birżebbuġa. Għar Dalam is located approximately 10.5 km from Valletta. A large car park is available adjacent to the entrance. Parking is free.

Discover more about Għar Dalam Cave

Għar Dalam, meaning 'Cave of Darkness' in Maltese, is a 144-meter long cave located on the outskirts of Birżebbuġa, Malta. It represents one of Malta's most important national monuments, offering a unique window into the island's prehistoric past. The cave is a phreatic tube, formed by water erosion over millions of years.The cave is renowned for the rich fossil deposits of animals that became stranded and subsequently extinct in Malta at the end of the Last Glacial Maximum. The lowest layers, dating back over 500,000 years, contain the remains of dwarf elephants, hippopotamuses, micro-mammals, and birds, indicating that Malta was once connected to Europe. Above these layers, the 'deer layer' dates back approximately 18,000 years and contains deer remains. The uppermost 'cultural layer' reveals the earliest evidence of human presence in Malta, dating back some 7,400 years.Visitors can explore the first 50 meters of the cave, observing the different geological layers and the remains embedded within them. The on-site museum displays a remarkable collection of finds, from animal bones to human artifacts. The Joseph Baldacchino Hall features Victorian-style displays of ancient animal bones, while the George Zammit Maempel Hall provides a didactic presentation of the cave's history and the species found in Maltese Quaternary deposits. The museum also exhibits complete skeletons of modern animals for comparison.Outside the cave and museum, a garden showcases indigenous plants and trees, highlighting the ecological value of the site. Għar Dalam forms part of the Natura 2000 network of protected sites, due to its endemic cave woodlouse population and its use as a roosting site for the Lesser Horse-shoe Bat.