First published: 17/09/13.

Allison Vies

Hal Saflieni Hypogeum

Hal Saflieni Hypogeum (Inscribed)

Hal Saflieni Hypogeum by Luis Filipe Gaspar

I left the Hypogeum with mixed feelings. It is a really interesting place that shouldn’t be missed when in Malta and there is no doubt about its outstanding value. Parts of the underground temple gave me a fantastic picture on how the over ground megalithic temples must have looked like. The restriction to 10 people per group is reasonable. The audio guide is very helpful. As I usually travel on short notice, a reservation online was not an option (tour booked out until 27 October when I arrived 14 August). So I much appreciated they sell 20 tickets a day for the following day in Valletta’s Museum of Fine Arts. The museum opens at 9am. Better be quick if you want a ticket as the tours sell out soon. What caused the mix feelings were the entry fee (now 35 EUR when buying in Malta) and much more that I didn’t have a chance to take a picture. I had to hand over my real camera at the entrance and my cell phone camera was not good enough for an illegal picture of the dimmed lighted areas. Further, the temple itself is quite small and not one bone or artefact was left inside. The place was not difficult to find. It’s signposted and you’ll get a map from the museum. There are parking lots close to the nearby church. Further, the Tarxien Temples, which belong to the Megalithic Temples of Malta WHS are within short walking distance, which gives you the opportunity to visit another WHS while waiting until the tour to this WHS begins.

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