If you’re looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the busy streets of Sliema and Valletta during your stay in Malta, then the stretches of green landscape, and blue waters found in the quaint village of Żurrieq may be the perfect place for you.

A recent addition to the already iconic attractions of Wied iż-Żurrieq and Blue Grotto, is  Wied Fulija, offering uninterrupted sea views extending as far as Filfla.

Wied Fulija served as a landfill for 42 years until its closure in 1996. However, walking along the paved pathway at Wied Fulija today, there is no way of guessing that this was once a landfill. This area in Żurrieq has flourished and is bursting with wildlife following a landfill rehabilitation project of €4.5 million that WasteServ completed last year. Lined with shrubs and trees, this has become a highly sought-after area by people of all ages that go there to get away from the rigours of daily life to enjoy a nice stroll or to sit and watch the sun go down.

The two waste mounds that still contain around two billion kilogrammes of waste were recontoured at a safe angle, then covered with a subsoil and a topsoil and revegetated. Around 43,000 trees and shrubs were planted as part of this extensive rehabilitation including Maltese Everlasting (Helichrysum melitense), Olive-leaved Germander (Teucrium fruticans) and Golden Samphire (Limbarda crithmoides). A paved pathway, dotted with benches, was also created to allow access to the cliff’s edge.