Ta' Betta Wine Estates - Boutique Excellence

A 4-hectare boutique estate in Girgenti producing wines with personality and aging potential. The tasting room offers stunning views of Mdina and the Mediterranean coast. Vineyard picnics pair wines with artisanal charcuterie and cheese.

What to do there

4 things to do

1. 1 Climb the Hill That Overlooks 500 Years of Maltese History Adventure · Free

   At 200 metres above sea level, you'll understand why every conqueror — Phoenician, Roman, Arab, Norman, Knight — wanted this island. Turn north: Mdina's golden walls unchanged since the Normans rebuilt it in 1000 AD. Turn east: Valletta, whose foundation stone was laid in 1566 by Grand Master Jean Parisot de Valette. Turn south: the Mediterranean, and beyond it, Africa. The Saharan winds that sculpt this landscape also stress the vines below into making extraordinary wine. Park at Ta' Betta's vineyard gates on Taz-Ziri road, then follow the footpath southwest up the limestone hill to the Laferla Cross hilltop (15-minute walk). The hill climb takes 15 minutes to the 16-metre iron cross marking Malta's highest accessible viewpoint in this region — stand with your back to the cross and face the vineyards below.

   Backup: If the path is unclear, drive to the Siggiewi village cemetery of St Theodore (signposted from the village square) — the hilltop trail starts directly behind it.

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2. 2 Drink Wine Named After the Knight Who Saved Western Europe Wine · Price: moderate

   Every wine here is named after a Grand Master of the Order of St. John — the knights who made Malta what it is. Start with Philippe Villiers: a Syrah-Cabernet Franc blend named after the man who brought the Knights to Malta in 1530 after 7 years of homelessness, arriving on the flagship Santa Anna and receiving the silver key of Mdina (his wine scored 95 points). Move to Antonio Manoel — the Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon blend named after the 66th Grand Master who built the Manoel Theatre in 1731. Finish with Jean Parisot — the oak-fermented Chardonnay named after the Grand Master who repulsed 30,000 Ottoman janissaries in 1565 and built Valletta. The Wine Club Experience (€85/person) at Ta' Betta's exclusive tasting room (Taz-Ziri off Triq Blat il-Qamar, Girgenti) lets you taste current vintages compared to back vintages — appointment ONLY via info@tabetta.com or +356 7977 4477.

   Backup: If the estate experience is fully booked, Ta' Betta wines are sold at select Valletta wine shops and online at shop.tabetta.com — but you'd be missing the terrace view of Valletta's skyline and the Mdina silhouette, which is non-negotiable.

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3. 3 Find the Palace the Inquisitor Built — Then the Prime Minister Took History · Free

   In 1625, Inquisitor Onorato Visconti built Girgenti Palace as his summer escape from Valletta's heat — for 173 years, the men who ran the Maltese Inquisition (1574–1798) came here to rest, fed by the natural springs of Ghan il-Kbir that still irrigate the valley. When Napoleon abolished the Inquisition during his 1798 occupation, the palace became the British Lieutenant-Governors' summer retreat, then was abandoned, then restored between 1988–1990 as the official summer residence of the Prime Minister of Malta. Walk the Wied il-Luq valley path northwest from Ta' Betta (5 minutes) to see the long, honey-coloured building above the citrus groves. The chapel of San Carlo Borromeo on the grounds (built 1763) can be viewed through the gates, and the sweeping views of the citrus groves and Girgenti valley are worth the walk alone.

   Backup: If gates are closed, the valley walk itself delivers the views — the Girgenti Country Walk (12.5km, VisitMalta official route) passes the palace perimeter, through Buskett Gardens and on to Siggiewi village square. The full walk takes 4.5–5 hours.

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4. 4 Touch Tracks That Nobody Can Explain — 4,000-Year-Old Mystery in Limestone Adventure · Free · Optional

   Run your fingers along the grooves in the limestone — they go 60cm deep and nobody knows who cut them or why. Bronze Age? Neolithic? Medieval? The estimates span 4,000 years and David Trump called them Clapham Junction after London's most chaotic railway station. But there are no wheels that would fit these tracks, no animal that would pull a cart at this width (110–140cm between ruts), and some tracks run straight off cliff edges into the sea. Drive 15 minutes west from Ta' Betta to Misrah Ghar il-Kbir (GPS: 35.8520, 14.3982, near Dingli Cliffs, signposted from the Dingli-Siggiewi road). The site is free and open during daylight hours — walk the full network (20–30 minutes) to see all major rut groupings, with early morning providing the best low-light photography conditions.

   Backup: If you're short on time, do the 5-minute version: park at the signposted layby on the Dingli-Siggiewi road, walk 100m to the central rut cluster, touch the limestone, take the image home. Still worth it.

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Insider tips

• Vineyard picnics from 58-70 EUR include wine and gourmet platter

• The Jean Parisot chardonnay features jackfruit, fig, and vanilla notes

• Contact +356 79 774477 for reservations