San Anton Gardens

What makes it special

San Anton Gardens are the public part of the San Anton Palace estate in Attard. High walls enclose them, and inside run shaded walkways between fountains, ponds and formal beds. Exedrae, stone seating recesses, mark the points where the geometric walkways cross.

Look up as you go. Norfolk pines and araucarias grow beside trees from all over the world, some of them over three centuries old, with roses and bougainvillea in the beds below.

The water holds families of ducks, and there are fish ponds and orange groves among the planting. Peacocks roam the grounds freely.

The palace above the trees was built as a Grand Master's country house. It is now home to the President of Malta.

Visiting

There is a bus stop a few minutes' walk from the garden gates on Birbal Street in Attard, and the way in runs through ordinary Maltese streets.

If you drive from Valletta, allow roughly 20 to 25 minutes, depending on traffic. There is usually space to park at the garden entrance.

Inside, several walkways cross the garden with no set route, so take them at your own pace. From the paths, parts of the palace walls, terraces and tower show above the trees.

Tips

Pair the garden with Mdina. Buses heading there stop in Attard, so get off, walk the garden, then take the next bus on.

Based in Sliema instead? Attard is well served by buses from there too, so the garden works as a half-day trip on its own.