This magnificent lagoon is one of the most beautiful places for scuba diving in the world and once you get there you certainly find out why. In good weather you can ask the local fishermen or use any boat service to take you through the tunnel where you can see the caves and dramatic cliffs, and two other natural attractions – The Azur Window and Fungus rock.

Azure Window is the famous natural rock arch, which towers majestically over the coast. The Maltese people call this, about a hundred meters long stone slab, which lies on two pillars, Tiega Zerga.

Another natural attraction is Fungus Rock – a cylindrical block of rock. Fungus Rock is currently uninhabited, but in the 17th century it was an extremely important site, because there is growing the specific mushroom with the Latin name Cynomorium coccineum, which have medicinal effects. The mushroom comes from North Africa, and this is the only place in Europe where such mushrooms grow. This can help in the treatment of stomach problems and hemorrhoids. It was used as an aphrodisiac and diminished bleeding. It has powerful disinfectant effects.

Knights of St. John guarded this rare mushroom very carefully, and who tried to steal it, was often sentenced to death. Between a rock and the mainland there were ropes and the mushrooms were transported to the mainland by cable cars. Coast guard tower Qawra was built on the island just to protect this site.

Between the Inland sea and Azure window there is a small chapel of St. Anne which was built in 1963 on the original site of the old church. If you continue further to the south along the coast, you find the Crocodile Rock.

During the years there were too many tourists coming to see Dwerja Inland Sea in Malta which contributed to the degradation of this place and left an impact on the environment.
However this site is really unique and probably doesn’t have a competitor in Europe.

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Arta Caves have not just beautiful natural decorations, but also a rich history. The biggest natural attraction of the caves is 22 m high stalagmite. Caves are divided into several areas as called Inferno (Hell), Purgaturio (purgatory) and Paradisio (Paradise). The special lighting creates really magical and impressive look.

It is interesting that in the past the Arta Caves served as haven for pirates and smugglers. Among the most popular visitors of the Caves were such as Jules Verne, Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas and Sarah Bernhardt. Jules Verne’s even reportedly got the inspiration for his story “Journey to the Center of the Earth”.

Arta Caves are open all year round. From May to October, are open daily from 10 to 18 hours. From November to April is also open daily from 10 to 17 hours. Basic entrance to Arta Caves costs 11 €. Children under 6 are admitted free.

Tours of the caves takes about 30-40 minutes and are conducted in English, Spanish, French and German.

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