Gozo

World : Europe : Mediterranean Europe : Malta : Gozo

Gozo is in Malta.

Cities

Other destinations

  • Ramla i-Hamra is arguably Malta's finest beach. The name means red sands, referring to the beautiful reddish colour of the sand. The bay is completely spared from development, and thus the beach remains relatively uncrowded. This site also claims to be where Calypso's cave is, the cave referred to in Homer's Odyssey.

Understand

One sometimes gets the sense that Gozo is how Malta should have been. With the exceptions of Marsalforn and Xlendi, it has been largely spared from short-sighted overdevelopment, the traditional way of life and society has survived better, and the land has been maintained better giving more fertile ground. Buildings and houses on Gozo are mainly done with natural materials, as opposed to many of the concrete and breeze-block constructions on the mainland.

History

Gozo's history is intimately linked to Malta. It shares its megalithic culture, and with the Gigantija temple, it is officially home of the oldest structure on the planet. Interestingly, Gozo in medieval times was inhabited in a manner the same as Malta, with Mġarr and Victoria/Rabat being to Gozo what Vittoriosa and Mdina are to Malta: the main port and the main settlement with citadel and surrounding suburbs. The inhabitants of Gozo were, in medieval times, required by law to return to the Citadella in the evening to spend the night there to prevent corsairs from abducting them. These measures were proven to be necessary when, in 1551, the Turks tried their first invasion of Malta. When they failed, they attacked Gozo and took the entire population off in ships to sell them into slavery.

Talk

It should also be noted that if you do learn some Maltese, there are different dialects throughout different parts of the country. People on Gozo speak Maltese with a slightly different accent from the main Maltese islanders, and people from the village of Xewkija have a different dialect from the people on the rest of Gozo and Malta.

Like the mainland, English is also an official language of Gozo.

Get in

There is the ferry from Ċirkewwa on Malta to Mġarr, Gozo's main harbour. It departs every 45 minutes in the summer and almost as often in the winter. The trip there is free, but going back to Malta costs Lm2. One can also take a helicopter from the airport, but this is a bit pricey compared to the Lm1.50 for a bus ticket from Valletta to the departure point of the ferry at Ċirkewwa and the free ferry crossing. There are plans to build an international airport on the beautiful and unspoilt Ta Cenc cliffs of this tiny island, but hopefully someone will realise that the main airport, which already stretches across a third of Malta itself, is more than enough.

Get around

  • The bus system is possibly even more antiquated than on Malta proper, with plenty of the same quaint 50's style buses to take you around at a leisurely pace. The schedules are a bit limited though so be sure to check the times. The taxis are more friendly and laid back than on Malta and if you're tired upon arrival at Mġarr, the 1 Lira taxi fare often offered to Victoria is actually worth it for once.
  • A car is probably the best option if one has a busy schedule. If not, hitchhiking is a nice way to get around.
  • Even on foot, if no one picks you up, many of the distances are negligible.

See

  • If you happen to be in Gozo during your visit, then the rotunda church in the village of Xewkija is a wonderful spot to visit. The church was built in honor of St. John the Baptist (each village has a saint that they honor) and is the largest in Gozo.
  • The Azure Window, the Inland Sea and the the Blue Hole all make going to the spectacular west coast of Gozo very worthwhile. The Azure Window is a cliff outcropping with a hole in the middle. The Inland Sea is a typically Maltese name in that it slightly exaggerates its size (Mdina is referred to as a city with its 400 inhabitants). It's actually a small lake connected to the sea by a tunnel about 20 meters long through the cliffs. In contrast to Xlendi and Marsalforn this place has been spared from development and makes an unusual and picturesque place to swim. The beach surrounding the lake is unfortunately made of pebbles but there are a few piers and terraces in front of the fishermen's boathouses one can also use. The Blue Hole is not a true blue hole in the geological sense but still makes an amazing spot to dive, having won awards as one of the most beautiful diving spots of Europe.

Itineraries

  • If one only has one day, it is recommended to spend the morning in the citadella of Rabat, have lunch there in the cafe next to the cathedral, and the afternoon either at Ramla i-Hamra or The Inland Sea.
  • With two days one can spend the second morning visiting the Gigantija temple and having lunch on the beautiful central square of Xaghra, and the afternoon at the swimming spot not chosen the previous day.

Do

  • Diving!
  • Out of the busiest areas and outside the high season, hitchhiking is easy here and can lead to unexpected social interactions and changes to one's plans.
  • Gozo boasts one of the most remarkable churches on the archipelago, situated at Ta'Pinu, which was visited by Pope John Paul II in 1990. A record of his visit is situated at the rear of the church.

Eat

As Gozo is the breadbasket of Malta, the ground is more fertile, and the place is more rural. Therefore there is more fresh produce to be had. One should definitely try Gozo's own cheese, Gbejniet. This cheese is lovely when had fresh, but also nice when cured with pepper and vinegar.

Drink

Stay safe

Gozo is safer than Malta - crime on the island is so low that there is reportedly only one part-time police officer on the island who mostly looks after traffic offences.

There is a strong current on the northern shore, so caution when swimming is advised.

Respect

The residents of Gozo are called Gozitans and will be offended if you refer to them as Maltese.

Get out