Places to Visit in Gozo,What to see

What to see in Gozo

Despite the small nature of the island, there is a lot to see.

It is an island where time seems to have stood still. There may be de luxe hotels, farmhouses , wonderful small restaurants serving fish caught only hours before being served at the table, and a nightlife in summer to match the very best in Malta but it is all charmingly concealed in a magnificent and truly tranquil landscape.

Gozo is steeped in myth. Thought to be the legendary Calypso’s isle of Homer’s Odyssey, it’s a peaceful, mystical backwater. Baroque churches and old stone farmhouses dot the countryside.

Its rugged landscape and spectacular coastline await exploration. Choose from rocky inlets to red sand beaches or sail, snorkel, dive and fish. Gozo has some of the Mediterranean’s best dive sites.

But there’s more. Gozo comes complete with historical sites, forts and amazing panoramas. Plus one of the archipelago’s best-preserved prehistoric temples, Ggantija. Not to mention a nightlife and cultural calendar all its own, and some great dining out.

Gozo is where you can also get away to secluded privacy when you want to. Little wonder it has become known as an island paradise.

Besides the Citadel, and the Ggantija megalithic temples, one finds the equally impressive Inland Sea at Dwejra and Fungus Rock, where the Knights used to collect a fungus they believed to have medicinal properties.

Then there is the Azure Window, a stunning break in the rocky shoreline, Ta' Pinu Basilica which is a centre of pilgrimage, and the new church at Xewkija with one of the world's largest free - standing domes. There are small pretty villages on the hill tops and secluded places for swimming, and much more. Gozo is an island to be explored.

The Citadel, Victoria
This commercial hub with its street market (known as it-Tokk, in Independence Square) also contains the Citadel (known often as the Gran Castello or the Cittadella), an impregnable strategic point which owes its origins to the late mediaeval era, and which was re-fortified by the Knights of the Order of St. John to act as protection for the inhabitants.

Calypsos Cave Close to Xaghra and overlooking the red sands of Gozo's finest beach, Ramla l-Hamra, is Calypso's Cave, assumed by many to be the cave referred to by Homer in 'The Odyssey

Ggantija megalithic temples of Ggantija near the village of Xaghra are an outstanding example of the prehistoric monuments.

Dwejra:At the Inland sea you will find little fishing boats offering a little romantic boat trip through the cave and back.Fungus Rock At Dwejra on Gozo's southern coastline- superb natural phenomenon, the Inland Sea. A rare plant grew there and was for centuries kept under constant guard and anyone caught stealing it was instantly put to death.
The Azure Window On the top of two giant columns of rock, each with a diameter of about 40 metres, rests a huge ledge of rock measuring about 100 metres in length and 20 metres in height, forming a giant window

Ramla Beach- Gozo` s best sandy beach Ramla is Gozo's largest sandy bay and one of the most beautiful on the Maltese Islands. The beach here is of a deep, reddish-gold hue. The bay is surrounded by countryside and nestles below steep terraced hills and the mythical Calypso's Cave. There are no hotels or tourist developments nearby, but the beach side has several snack bars and cafes. The beach has its own landmark - a white statue of the Virgin Mary. Ramla is a superb spot to while away the hours - even in peak summer months, there always seems to be space on beach. In winter, you can find yourself alone. The area is excellent walking country. Swimming here is safe and the waters are clear and clean. There are some smooth, underwater boulders a few metres out in the central strip, but these are easily negotiated. On windy days, white surf rolling on the sand is an added attraction and fun for young bathers. The best approach to the bay is from Nadur or Xaghra, down a bamboo-lined valley. The road from Marsalforn, via Calypso's Cave, is rather steep and rough though it is passable by car. Of historical interest in the bay are some Roman ruins burried under the sand near the present-day cafes, and a 'fougasse' - a kind of primative mortar developed by the Knights which was fired from a rock-cut shaft to defend the bay during the 18th century