Sunday plans sorted! The stunning gardens of Villa Frere opening to the public this weekend
Villa Frere was built by British diplomat John Hookham Frere.
Are there any gardens in Malta as beautiful as those of Villa Frere? Probably not. Thankfully the usually closed gardens will be open to public this upcoming Sunday, 5th March!
The blissful silence in the gardens of Villa Frere is broken only by the lapping of water in the ponds, birds chirping and insects buzzing among the blooms, making this the perfect way to spend your Sunday.
Villa Frere was built by British diplomat, poet, scholar, and philanthropist John Hookham Frere, after the demise of his wife in 1831, as a means of comfort for his grief.
The garden was built directly opposed to the Msida Bastion Cemetery, where his wife was buried.
The villa eventually became a hub for a numerous number of well-known Maltese figures,most famously Mikiel Anton Vassalli. Apparently, Frere and Vassalli used to meet here and discuss ways in which they could establish Maltese as a written and taught language.
Unfortunately, this romantic story and Villa Frere’s Garden faded away with Frère’s death in 1846. The site fell into neglect until forty years later when the villa became the residence of Captain Edward Price.
The captain was a notable garden enthusiast and thankfully gave life back to the property, earning it the title of a botanic garden. The place became a prominent attraction, both to locals and foreigners.
Today, just over a third of the original area survives (including the house), yet the mystique and beauty is nonetheless still there.
NGO Friends of Villa Frere has been working hard to protect what remains and to restore the gardens back to life.
The gardens will be open between 9:30am and 5pm with donation of €5 that will go directly to the continued restoration of the garden. Children can go in for free.
Entrance is through St Luke’s Hospital in Pieta and visitors can park inside the St Luke’s hospital ground behind Karen Grech hospital.