Gozo is certainly a must visit, when holidaying in Malta. Whether you are staying at a villa in one of the cute, picturesque villages, or a classic style farmhouse – Gozo is guaranteed to provide the scenery to make your IG feed glow, and you with it! So, here’s a list of 5 amazing places to visit when in Gozo.
1. Mġarr ix-Xini
Mġarr ix-Xini is a small natural fjord which hides a gorgeous sandy beach from the open sea. The bay was especially useful to fleeing pirates at the time of the Knights of St John. They would hide within its high cliffs, and escape from their pursuers.
This beach was also the famous location for the questionable movie directed by Angelina Jolie, starring herself and her co star Brad Pitt. For the movie they had constructed a huge villa in the fields overlooking the bay, which served as the star hotel.
2. Ramla Bay
Ramla is probably the star beach of Gozo. Its reddish golden sands have charmed and fascinated visitors and locals alike for millennia. This too boasts a famous A-lister visitor that left their mark on it. But this time it’s someone far more timeless and iconic. It is none other than Ulysses the lead character of Homer’s Illiad, who shipwrecked on the island only to be saved and nursed back to his strengths by the enchanting and impossibly beautiful nymph Calypso.
As famous and seminal the story is, it remains an amazing work of fiction and little to no real remnants of the tale exist. However general scholarly consensus exists that this is the place that inspired the story. So, make sure to visit and be part of one of the greatest legends ever told!
3. Ta’ Pinu Basilica
An architectural marvel and a must visit is Ta’ Pinu Basilica. It is a neo classical church built in the early 20th Century on the spot where a shepherd girl was believed to have been visited by the Holy Virgin. Whether a believer or not, a visit to this place is a must. And you will be in great company too, since it is a popular spot with tourists and Popes alike!
Opposite the church is a short trail up the hill, dotted with religious stops (stations of the cross) if that is something that interests you. The view from up there is worth the uphill hike, so it is greatly recommended.
4. Window in Wied il-Mielaħ
Not far away is Wied il-Mielaħ, home to the now steadily becoming famous rock hewn window. This window has become very popular following the sudden demise of her celeb sister, the azure window. The latter sadly succumbed to the waves in 2018. The window is a short, pleasant stroll down the valley, typical of these areas, featuring bright yellow rock and a pretty little stream in the winter months.
5. San Blas Bay
San Blas is a secluded paradisiac bay right beneath the village of Nadur. Its crystal blue waters and golden sands, enveloped in the lush Mediterranean country, is the stuff of postcards. The trek down the very steep hillside can be tricky and getting back up will require some determination, and skill. The agriculturally generous fields leading to it only add to the charm of the place.
Ideal for a lazy afternoon dipping your toes, or a cosy picnic on the beach, make sure to take plenty of sun protection in the warmer months as the beach offers little to no coverage.
Bonus: Ġgantija
The last of our list of 5 amazing places in Gozo, the crown jewel of the island, is Ġgantija herself. The temples sit proudly perched over the Xagħra hill. This is one of the oldest freestanding buildings in the world, dating back to 3,600 BCE, that is 5,600 years ago – making it older than Egypt’s pyramids and England’s Stonehenge!
We know little about its function, yet it is widely believed that it was a holy place of worship. Sadly, the people who built it did not leave any written records for us to decipher, placing them solidly in the pre-historical era. We know they came from Sicily as they brought with them volcanic rock which they used as rudimentary tools. Mysteriously, they vanished as unexplainedly as they arrived. The temples they left behind and that dot both islands, are amazing and certainly a must visit.
