Mnajdra stands on the south coast of Malta, on a bare limestone cliff above the sea, and it is among the oldest buildings in the world. The temples date from the fourth millennium BC, earlier than Stonehenge or the pyramids, and were built by farmers using stone tools. Haġar Qim, a short walk uphill, belongs to the same complex. The nearest towns are Qrendi, a village of a couple of thousand, and Żurrieq and Siġġiewi a little further.
The ride in is a lesson in Maltese geography. Narrow roads run between dry-stone walls and prickly pear, with rough tarmac, sharp bends and frequent patches of grit. Traffic on the island drives on the left, and in the villages it moves slowly and unpredictably. Away from the coast the land is a patchwork of tiny fields, and the sea shows up suddenly, a hard blue line, as you come over the last rise. Wind off the Mediterranean can be strong at the cliff edge.
What makes Mnajdra special is its alignment. The southern temple faces the rising sun, and at the equinoxes and solstices the light enters through the doorway in precise ways, hitting particular stones. Whoever built it was watching the sky closely, and the careful curves of the walls and trilithon doorways show real skill. Below the site you can see Filfla, a small uninhabited rock island that was once used for target practice and is now a bird sanctuary.
Fuel is available in Siġġiewi, Żurrieq and across the island, since nothing on Malta is far from a station. The site has a visitor centre, with shade provided by a large tent-like structure, and there is a cafe nearby. Summer heat is serious, so go early or late. In winter the cliffs can be windswept and wet, but the place is empty and more atmospheric. Bring a layer, and give yourself time to stand quietly and look at the horizon.