Malta is ringed with watchtowers, and a surprising number of them you can go inside. Ten of them are looked after by Din l-Art Ħelwa, the national heritage trust. They are staffed by volunteers rather than the state, so the hours are short and specific rather than nine to five.
Most of these towers open on the first Sunday of the month whatever else they do, so plan a tower day around that Sunday.
A few of the most popular sites cannot be entered without a booking.
The towers
St Agatha’s Tower, the Red Tower
It opens almost daily, which makes it the one to plan around rather than hope for. It stands on the ridge above Mellieħa with the whole north of the island below it, and the walk up is short.
Wignacourt Tower
This is the oldest surviving coastal watchtower in Malta. It was finished on St Paul’s feast day in 1610 and paid for personally by Grand Master Alof de Wignacourt. The Maltese architect Vittorio Cassar designed it. It was the northernmost defence post until the Red Tower went up in 1649, and it later served as a police station and a telegraph post. Entry costs €2.
Dwejra Tower
This tower stands above Dwejra on the west coast of Gozo, close to where the Azure Window used to be. Weekday hours only, which is worth knowing if you are in Gozo for a weekend.
Santa Marija Tower
This is the tower you see in every photograph of Comino. It normally opens at weekends and whenever the flag is flying. It is currently shut for restoration work, so treat it as a view rather than a visit.
Others worth knowing
Xutu Tower
It sits directly above the Blue Grotto landing, so it pairs with a boat trip rather than competing with one.
The White Tower
It stands out on the headland past Armier. Entry costs €2.50.
Torri Mamo
A fortified country house rather than a coastal tower, which makes it the odd one out and the more interesting building.
Santa Marija Battery
A gun battery in Comino that you can walk into without asking anyone. If you are already at the Blue Lagoon it is a short walk and it is empty while the bay is not.
Għallis and Qalet Marku Towers
Two small towers on the coast road, easy to see from the car or on foot and rarely open.
Before you set out
These sites are opened by volunteers, so an advertised hour is an intention rather than a guarantee. Din l-Art Ħelwa says so itself and asks people to check its Facebook pages for the current position before travelling. If you are crossing the island just to see a tower, check first. If it is a stop on a walk you were doing anyway, just turn up and take the chance.
All ten are looked after by Din l-Art Ħelwa, the national trust. Each tower has its own page with current opening hours on dinlarthelwa.org, including St Agatha’s Tower, Wignacourt Tower, Dwejra Tower and Santa Marija Tower on Comino.