natural wonder
Blue Grotto, Malta
Series of sea caverns on Malta's southern coast where sunlight creates a luminous phosphorescent blue glow on the water.
3 km · about 5 min drive
EuropeMaltaSafi
Safi
Safi, Malta · Europe
About Safi
Safi works well as a base: 5 minutes from Birżebbuġa, 3km from Blue Grotto, Malta.
Safi is in Malta, with about 2,300 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Birżebbuġa, about 4 km away.
Safi (Maltese: Ħal Safi) is a village in the Western Region of Malta, bordering Żurrieq and Kirkop. The population of Safi was 3,324 in July 2024. This included 1,714 males and 1,610 females; 2,985 Maltese nationals and 339 foreign nationals.
The formation of the village, as known today, goes back to the Punic-RomanRead more
period: the Ta' Ġawhar Tower, a round Punic-Roman tower in the village, was probably built at the time of the Punic Wars. The village of Ħal Safi is surrounded by four other major villages. Farmers and peasants used to interact on their way back home from work. After a niche was erected, people began to settle, a new village started to form and expanded over the years.
In 1417, the village was already recorded as being named Ħal Safi. According to 1419 records of the Standing Army (id-Dejma), between eighty and ninety people were considered as village residents. The job occupations of the period were based on primary economic functions, mainly rearing animals and agriculture.
The origin of the village's name is uncertain. Some historians believe that the name derived from the pure (Maltese: safi) air of the area, others insist it is due to its similarity to the City of Safi in Morocco, and others say the name came about since none of the residents were contaminated during an epidemic infection that hit vast zones in Malta. However, the most considered-reputable origin is that the village is named after a family with the surname Safi, as with numerous other Maltese Villages, especially those beginning with Ħal such as Attard, Balzan, Luqa, etc. The coat-of-arms, a horizontal light-blue stripe on a silver background, and the motto, Sine Macula, emphasize the meaning of the village.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Safi?
Within an hour or so of Safi: Blue Grotto, Malta (3 km), Megalithic Temples of Malta (4 km), Ħaġar Qim (4 km), Mnajdra (4 km).
Where is Safi?
Safi is in Safi, Malta, about 4 km from Birżebbuġa.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 2,280
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Malta
- Region
- Safi
- Timezone
- Europe/Malta
- Coordinates
- 35.8331, 14.4849
Tags
Worth the detour from Safi
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
ancient ruins
Megalithic Temples of Malta
UNESCO-listed prehistoric temples including Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra, among the oldest freestanding structures on Earth.
4 km · about 5 min drive
ancient ruins
Ħaġar Qim
UNESCO-listed megalithic temple complex from about 3600 BC on a ridge above Malta's south coast, with a visitor centre and car park.
4 km · about 5 min drive
ancient ruins
Mnajdra
Prehistoric temple group aligned to solstice sunrises, sited on a slope above the sea a short walk downhill from Ħaġar Qim.
4 km · about 10 min drive
landmark
Marsaxlokk
Fishing village on Malta's southeast coast lined with painted luzzu boats, known for its Sunday fish market and waterfront restaurants.
5 km · about 10 min drive
ancient ruins
Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum
The world's only known prehistoric underground temple: three levels of chambers carved into living rock around 3300-3000 BC, with red-ochre spirals still on the ceilings. Only 80 visitors a day are admitted; book weeks ahead.
5 km · about 10 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Upper Barrakka Gardens
Terraced garden on Valletta's bastions overlooking the Grand Harbour and Three Cities, with a daily saluting battery firing.
7 km · about 15 min drive
castle
Fort St Angelo
Bastioned fort at the tip of Birgu commanding the Grand Harbour, central to the 1565 Great Siege and now a museum site.
7 km · about 15 min drive
Driving roads near Safi
- Right hereUpper Barrakka GardensTerraced garden on Valletta's bastions overlooking the Grand Harbour and Three Cities, with a daily saluting battery firing.
- Right hereDingli CliffsMalta's highest sea cliffs on the island's west coast, with a clifftop road, chapel and open views towards the islet of Filfla.
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