Terraced House, B'Bugia

Birzebbugia is a quiet fishing port and small resort on the western side of Marsaxlokk Bay. Its population has swelled with the influx of workers employed at the nearby Malta Freeport and container terminal, with a population of around 12,915. The village is perhaps best known for the important archaeological sites on its outskirts. Ghar Dalam caves provide evidence of the earliest human activity in Malta, dating back to the Neolithic Period around 5000 BC. The caves also revealed fossilized bones of numerous animals such as dwarf elephants. This suggests that the Islands were once a land bridge to continental Europe. Other remains include those of a prehistoric temple or settlement, Borg-in-Nadur, which date from the Bronze Age. The payment was fortified with a large stone wall still visible today. Another cave to visit is Ghar Hasan, about 2.5 km along the road to Zurrieq. According to legend, it was used by a 12th-century Saracen pirate, Hasan.