Buskett Woodland

Why practise here

Visitors picnic in the shade of the trees here, unlike the open coastal spots in this list. Buskett is listed as a bird sanctuary, and a 2021 report says hunting is illegal there. No source describes the ground under the trees, so check it before unrolling a mat.

Getting there

Start: Bus stop Il-Buskett - Buskett, or the parking on site.

Surface: In 2019 the lower paths were reported well kept and pushchair friendly as far as the bridge, but not beyond. Another site reports rocky paths that can be slippery.

Transport: Bus routes 52, 56 and 181 stop at Il-Buskett - Buskett, about 640 metres in a straight line from this point on map data.

Directions

What to watch for

• Rocky paths can be slippery.
• The valley has a seasonal watercourse.
• Illegal shooting of birds was reported just outside Buskett in September 2023.

Rules

• BirdLife Malta lists it as open at all hours, with parking on site.
• One guide says access is free, and asks visitors to stay on the paths and carry litter out.
• Verdala Palace is not generally open to the public.
• Contact ERA ([email protected]) before running any organised or paid class here, because this is a Natura 2000 site. Do not assume small groups are exempt.
• ERA's current page asks for at least one month's notice for groups under 50 and an environmental permit for 50 or more. Its published figures vary, so confirm with ERA.

Government-owned woodland, an Important Bird Area and a Natura 2000 site. It is also listed as a bird sanctuary.

Sunrise and sunset through the year

Calculated for this location, in Malta time. Cliffs and hills can hide the sun for a little longer.

What we haven't confirmed

• We haven't confirmed flat ground for a mat here.
• An official Buskett walk is listed with a distance and a time, but we could only see those in a search result, so we have left them out.
• We haven't checked the bird sanctuary boundary, so we can't say exactly where the hunting ban ends.
• We found no source on wind here.
• We found no source for quiet times. Buskett is very popular for walks and picnics, and hundreds arrive for Mnarja on the evening of 28 June.
• We couldn't open Ambjent Malta's Buskett pages, so we haven't confirmed any rules or permits it may set here.
• A government service books events in public gardens, but we couldn't open its page and don't know whether it covers Buskett or a yoga class.
• We haven't confirmed phone signal here.

Sources

• OpenStreetMap map data
• BirdLife Malta: Buskett
• Wikipedia: Buskett Gardens
• Malta Tina: Wied il-Luq walk, 2019
• Plizio: Wied tal-Luq
• EEA Natura 2000 map service
• Lovin Malta: autumn hunting illegalities, 2021
• BirdLife Malta: hunting season report, September 2023
• BirdLife Malta: 2025 hunting guide
• ERA: activities affecting Natura 2000 sites