Gozo Magazine
64
Issue 2 Summer/Autumn 2013 Win Free Flights Your Guide To - Accommodation - Culture - Eating Out - Shopping Beaches - Getting Around - Property - Weddings - Diving - Adventure What’s in your ‘My Gozo Guide’ CULTURE Explore the best of what Gozo has to offer from Historical monuments, fortified cities, temples, caves and museums. EATING OUT Gozo has some fantastic places to eat, from seafront bistros to rustic country restaurants specialising in home cooking. MINI GUIDES Victoria Xlendi Marsalforn Xaghra Nadur Gharb/Dwejra www.mygozomagazine.com * * * * * * Island Guide & Maps
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MyGozo is a magazine about Gozo that will appeal to both tourists and locals alike. It is packed full if useful information to make your stay on the Island even better.
Transcript of Gozo Magazine
Issue 2 Summer/Autumn 2013
WinFree
Flights
Your Guide To - Accommodation - Culture - Eating Out - ShoppingBeaches - Getting Around - Property - Weddings - Diving - Adventure
What’s in your ‘My Gozo Guide’
CULTUREExplore the best of what Gozo has to offer from Historical monuments, fortified cities, temples, caves and museums.
EATING OUTGozo has some fantastic places to eat, from seafront bistros to rustic country restaurants specialising in home cooking.
MINI GUIDES Victoria Xlendi Marsalforn Xaghra Nadur Gharb/Dwejra
www.mygozomagazine.com
*****
*
Island Guide & Maps
mygozo magazine 4
....................................................................................................................................................Contents ‘’We came for the weather and we stayed for the people.
They are what makes Gozo so special’’Charlotte, French Native, Owner of Organika, meet the local, page 29
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8. History, Discover the history of Gozo from it’s megolithic heritage to today.
9. Museums, Gozo has some excellent museums showcasing Gozo of yesteryear.
10. Natural Beauty, No visit to Gozo is complete without a trip to The Inland Sea and Dwejra.
12. Church Life, Gozo has a total of 22 Churches, from small chapels to Basilicas, Gozo has them all.
14. Festa Time, If you are on the Island during the summer months, DO NOT miss a local Village Festa if one is happening.
16. Postcards, Our readers have sent in photos of their Gozo, includ-ing Capers and The Salt Pans.
17. Our Gozo, All of the latest news and views from the Island including a book review of The Cross.
20. Day Out, Take a trip away from the beaches and head To The Magro Food Village, see how local crafts and foods are made as well as a visit to their Ketchup plant.
25. Recommended Dining, Gozo has plenty of fantastic bars and restaurants to dine in.
Win Free FlightsWith Ryanair
28. Victoria,, Gozo’s Capital is a bustling City, discover the old streets, markets and The Citadel.
32. Xlendi, Discover Xlendi Bay, a picture post card seafront resort, full of great restaurants and the perfect place to hire a boat.
38. Marsalforn, Gozo’s premier tourist resort, discover where to eat, drink and sleep.
41. Gharb/The Inland Sea, Visit Dwejra, The Azure Window, Gharb Folklore Museum and Ta’Dbiegi Craft Centre.
42. Mgarr, The entry to Gozo has some fantastic restaurants, grab a bite to eat and watch the ferry’s come in and out.
44. Xaghra, One of Gozo’s most picturesque Village’s, visit the square for great bars and restau-rants.
46. Nadur, Gozo’s largest village has a lovely square and views of the Island to die for.
48. Accommodation, From hotels to farmhouses, Gozo has plenty of accommodation options available to suit all budgets.
54. Weddings, Gozo, the fairy tale wedding destination.
56. Getting Around, Hire a car, rent a bike, book a chauffeur driven airport transfer, explore the Island.
58. Diving, Gozo is a premier diving destination, find the best places to dive and get tips from the experts.
62. Adventure, Gozo has plenty of adventure activities from speed boats to rock climbing and kayaking
63. Map of Gozo, Find you way around the Island
Total Guide Mgarr Ix Xini
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mygozo magazine Page 425
Bar & RestaurantFliegu
Fliegu, which means ‘’The Channel’’ in Maltese is the vision of Tony and Vanessa Grech who appreciated the opportunity to create not only a great dining experience but also one with a view. With an unrivalled position offering fantastic views of The Gozitan Countryside, Mgarr, Comino and Malta, diners are treated to a menu of local and mediterranean cuisine as well as a full pizza menu cooked in their Italian, wood burning pizza oven. For wine connoisseurs Fliegu has over 100 different local and foreign wines to taste, all avail-able to view in their walk in wine celler. Open for lunch and dinner daily, or if you feel like a relaxing drink whilst taking in the view, everyone is welcome to experience Fliegu.
WE AREHEREx
MgarrTo Victoria
NadurQala
How To Find Us
Ghajnsielem
For Reservations Call: +356 2155 0055Triq L’Mgarr, Nadur
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From Top Luscious pool at The Hotel Ta’Cenc & Spa in Sannat (48); Postcards from Gozo, Lady tending to salt pans (16); Win �ights to and from Malta with Ryanair, www.ryanair.com
Hi and welcome to the 2nd Edition of My Gozo magazine, your definitive guide to what’s happening, what to do, where to eat and drink and where to go on The Calypso Island, which is the nickname given to Gozo. In this edition we have an action packed agenda with some new features including Postcards from Gozo, a showcase of Amateur photographers, Our Gozo - news and review section and definitive guides to diving around the Island. We have extended town/village guides with interviews from the local community and a definitive restaurant guide. Plus for a chance to win FREE FLIGHTS with Ryanair enter our competition.
For first-timers to the Island there is plenty to see and do, whether you are a culture vulture or an adrenelin junkie there is something for everyone, The Island has some outstanding restaurants and you won’t taste fresher seafood anywhere in the world.
There are some great new additions to the Gozitan dining and entertainment scene. Lucky Jack’s, Gozo’s first bowling alley is now open in Victoria, 23Twelve, sister restaurant to the Boathouse in Xlendi is a welcome addition to the Xlendi scene, Fliegu, open in Nadur has views to die for of The Gozo Channel and Ristorante Il Gambero @ Hotel Calypso is sure to get the taste buds flowing.
For culture vultures Gozo is home to a new museum in St George’s Square, Il Hagar. If you fancy buying a property on the Island, pop into The Captains Table/Moby Dives in Xlendi for a chat with Mark as they have some great studios and 1/2 bedroom apartments for sale.
Happy Holidays
Editors Welcome
CompetitionFor this edition we have teamed up with Ryanair to offer 3 lucky readers 2 return tickets to/from Malta. To be in with a chance of winning all you need to do is answer the following question...
What is the nickname given to The Island of Gozo ?
Answers to: [email protected] Duffy, Editor
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Get Involved !Add us as a friend on facebookFollow Us on Twitter: @MyGozoDrop us an email:[email protected] our forum at www.mygozo.com
About Me
Hotel Ta’Cenc & Spa
Gozo Salt Pans By Chris & Terry Camilleri
My name Is Mark Duffy and I have been visiting ‘’The Calypso Island’’ since 1987 when my parents
made their first unknown visit to this beautiful Island and we haven’t looked backed since. I was lucky enough to get married on The Island in 2010 and have some great Gozitan Friends. The Island is very close to my heart.
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Front Cover 2013 - An Alleyway in The Citadel in Victoria, a visit to Gozo is not complete without a visit. To receive a free copy of next years mygozo magazine or to advertise please drop us an email to [email protected]
From Our Twitter FeedWe asked our twitter followers what their favourite places to visit were on Gozo........
San Blas Bay; secluded beach, warm crystal waters, hidden gem @jbsho
Blue Lagoon, Comino; hire a boat and cruise around, there is even a mobile ice-cream seller @si82
St George’s Basilica; goregeous square, beautiful Church, check out the roof ! @sarahjo
Xlendi; it’s my favourite place in Gozo, in fact I love everywhere on Gozo but Xlendi Bay takes me back to be being 11 years old @Leehollins1
Xatt-L’Ahmar; get away from the crowds, great diving spot @maltabob
mygozo magazine Page 6
The Island of Gozo is a historical monu-ment in itself, wherever you go on Gozo you are reminded of Gozo from yesteryear. The History of the Island dates back to 5000BC when local farmers from Sicily made the short hop across the Mediterranean sea. It is thought that they made their home in caves close to the village of San Lawrenz. The temple period saw the building of the Ggantija Temples (3600-3000bc), still intact today they are widely recognised as the world’s oldest free standing structure and are certainly worth a visit. The Bronze Age was a relatively quiet period for the Island and this continued through the Phoneician/Carthaginian and Roman periods until the Arabs occupied the Island between 870 and 1127. The Arabs left a lasting influence on Gozo, none more so than the Gozitan name of the Island, Ghawdex. 1127 Saw the beginning of European dominance when Roger The Norman freed the Island from the Arabs. Between 1127 and 1530 Gozo was ruled by a series of feudal Lords whose sole intention was to maximise revenue in the form of taxes. On the 23rd March 1530, The Island was occupied by the Knights of St John, a religious order originating from Jerusalem. During the early part of their rule, life on Gozo was not much improved from that of the Arab rule and in July 1551 things took a turn for the worse when The Citadel in The Capital Victoria was put under siege by The Turks. The local population was caught off-guard and around 5000 people, the entire population, were enslaved. This is considered to be a very traumatic time in Gozitan history and it took the Island many years to recover. Many of the slaves were sold off to foreign owners throughout the world. In order to repopulate the Island, people from Malta were encouraged to come over but it is thought people from Sicily also came over to Gozo. The French took possession of the Island on the 10th June 1798. It was very much a short lived occupation of the Island and The Gozitans regained control of their Island until 1800 when Great Britain took control over the Maltese Islands. Malta and Gozo officially became British Sovereign territory in 1813 and the rule
lasted until the 21st September 1964 when the Islands gained their independence. The Ministry of Gozo was established in 1987 and it acts as an executive function for the Island. Due to it’s central location, probably the best place to start your cultural tour of the Island is within the Citadel, which is the focal point of the Capital, Victoria. The Citadel houses a good number of museums that offer visitors the opportunity to see how Gozo was 300 years ago. The views from the top of the Citadel offer some of the best on the Island, don’t forget to bring your camera and pop into Cafe San Martino for a bite to eat and a drink.
Museum of ArchaeologyThe museum of archaeology is housed in the walls of the citadel within a 17th century building that served as a majestic town hall during the period of the Knights of St John. Exhibits on show include pieces from the Neolithic, Temple and Bronze age including relics from the Ggantija temples.
The Folklore Museum is housed in a series of medieval houses dating back to the 15th century. The museum holds a wide range of exhibits showcasing Gozo from a by-gone age and traditional methods used by the rural community.
The Natural Science Museum is located just behind the law courts and showcases a variety of collections, including fossils, Mineralogy, Marine Life, Botany, Ornithology and Insects.
The Old Prison dates back to the 15th century when the Knights of St John occupied the island. The walls of the cells and corridors in the old prison are covered with graffiti. It is considered as the largest collection of historical graffiti in one single place on the Maltese Islands.
Cittadella ticket (Gozo Museum of Archae-ology, Old Prison, Natural Science Museum + Folklore Museum)
Adults (18-59yrs) €8.00, Students (12-17 yrs) & senior citizens (60+) €5.00, Children (6-11 yrs) €4.00Opening Hours: MON to SUN: 9.00am to 5.00pm , Telephone: 21565988
Ta’ Kola Windmill is one of the few surviving windmills on the Maltese Islands. Located in the Village of Xaghra its origin goes back to 1725 at the hands of Manoel Foundation. Manoel Foundation charged itself with building up windmills to sustain the flour demand of the increasing popula-tion of Malta and Gozo. Ta’ Kola Windmill is a tangible example of rural economy and domestic Gozitan life during past centuries.
Address: - Bambina Street , XaghraOpening Hours: Monday–Sunday 09.00am–17.00pm. (Last admission 16.30). Closed on 24, 25, 31 December, 1 January and Good Friday
The Maritime Museum in Nadur is privately owned and has many rare and priceless exhibits, including authenticated timber from Lord Nelson’s ship, HMS Victory, the first US warship, Constitution, and one of Lord Mountbatten’s gold epaulettes. The collection was accumulated by Kelinu Grima, who spent 65 years gathering the maritime memorabilia. The museum covers three centuries of seafaring, from the elegant sailing ships of the past to more recent famous battleships.
Address: Parish Priest Street, NadurOpening Hours: Monday to Saturday: 9.00am- 4.45pm, Telephone: 21565226
The Pomzkizillious Toy Museum was created in the 1970s and belongs to a British couple who decided to exhibit their own toy collection, including outstanding antiques and unique items, in this small private museum. You can see traditional games of all types and materials from Malta and all over Europe.
Address: 10 Gnien Xible Street, Xaghra.Opening Hours: June /end of Sept :10.30am-1.00pm & 4pm - 6pm Mon - Sat
The Gharb Folklore Museum is a privately-owned museum and depicts daily life in Gozo of yesteryear. The museum is a showcase of traditional life and includes the printing press used for Gozo’s first newspa-per plus a collection of old tools and clothes.
Address: - 99 Pjazza il-Knisja, GharbOpening Hours: Mon to Sat: 9.00a.m. - 4.00 p.m.; Sunday: 9.00am - 1.00 p.m
TOTAL GUIDEHISTORY
mygozo magazine Page 8
Make your trip to Gozo truly memorable. Visit the Savina Creativity Centre and enjoy a free audio-visual experience on Gozo,
watch Gozitan crafts in the making and sample Savina delicacies.
Savina Creativity Centre, �e Magro Food Village, Xewkija, Gozo - Malta
www.savina.com.mtFrom Mgarr Harbour follow the main road to Victoria, until you reach the main roundabout. �en follow the signs to �e Magro Food Village
All visitors, past and present, cannot fail to be amazed by the natural beauty that is on offer at Dwejra, visitors are quite literally spoilt for choice with an array of geological master pieces domi-nating the landscape. The first thing you will notice as you are making your way down into Dwejra is the Azure Window, a spectacular natural rock formation featuring a natural arch. The stunning geography of the area was created hundreds of years ago when two limestone caves collapsed. It is easy to understand why film producers have produced several blockbuster movies on the site. For the divers amongst our readers there is a fantastic dive site called the Blue hole which can be found just in front of the Azure Window. The Blue Hole has been voted into the top ten European Dive sites and it is easy to understand why it is a favourite amongst divers. The hole consists of an underwater arch that once navigated leads divers into the open sea.
The Inland Sea, found to the right of the Azure Window is a beautiful natural lagoon, popular with swimmers and divers a like, a natural man made tunnel leads to the open sea and during the summer months it is possible to take a trip on one of the many fishing boats through the tunnel into the open sea. At time of printing a 15 minute boat ride cost €3.50. There is a sea-front café that serves snacks and drinks and the most wonderful homemade chips. The Inland Sea is a great spot for some leisurely swimming but take care when entering the water as it can be quite rocky, water-shoes are advised. Don’t forget to bring your snorkel and flippers.
As you leave the Inland Sea and head back towards the car park you will find the Chapel of St Anne, one of the newest chapels built on the Island, dating back to 1963. The feast of St Anne is celebrated on the 26th July.
In front of the Azure Window you will notice a large rock located just off the mainland. This is called Fungus rock and legend has it that the plants grown on it hold special medicinal powers. The Knights Hospitaller apparently discovered the fungus and used it as a styptic dressing for wounds and a cure for dysentery. The Knights so prized it that they often gave gifts of Malta Fungus to distinguished noblemen and visitors to the Maltese islands. Grand
Master Pinto decreed the Rock out of bounds in 1746; trespassers risked a three-year spell as oarsmen in the Knights' galleys. He posted a permanent guard there and even built a precarious cable-car basket from the rock to the mainland, 50 metres away. He also ordered the sides smoothed to remove handholds.
The number 302 bus runs between Dwejra and Ramla Bay (via Victoria) on an hourly basis between 05.39am and 22.39pm
The Ggantija Temples, a world heritage site, are found south of the Village of Xaghra. Ggantija, meaning giant in Maltese is a neolithic, megolothic temple complex dating back to c3600-2500 BC, making the temples more than 5500 years old. The temples were possibly the site of a Fertility cult; archeologists believe that the numerous figurines and statues found on site are connected with that cult. According to local Gozitan folklore, a giantess built these temples and used them as places of worship. Two temples make up the site, the southerly one is the larger, more older site and is in a better state than the northenly one. The temples are built in the typical clover-leaf shape, with inner facing blocks marking the shape which was then filled in with rubble. This led to the construction of a series of semi-circular apses connected with a central passage. Archaeologists believe that the apses were originally covered by roofing. The structures are all the more impressive for having been constructed at a time when no metal tools were available to the natives of the Maltese islands, and when the wheel had not yet been introduced. Small, spherical stones have been discovered. They are believed to have been used as ball bearings to transport the enormous stone blocks required for the temples' construction.
Ggantija is run by Heritage Malta, www.heritagemalta.org and Entry to the temples costs €5 for adults, €3.50 for 12-17 year olds and €2.50 for OAP’s. For the entry fee visitors also have access to Ta’Kola windmill located in Xaghra.
The number 322 bus operates between Marsalforn and Mgarr via Xaghra between 05.10am and 22.25 every 1.5 hours. The number 307 operates every hour between Kercem and Xaghra (via Victoria) between 05.47am and 22.47pm.
Dwejra
TOTAL GUIDENATURAL BEAUTY
mygozo magazine Page 10
Dwejra Ggantija
Calypso’s Cave is found a short distance from the Village of Xaghra and over looks the golden sands of Ramla Bay. The cave is named after the nymph Calypso. In the story ‘The Odyssey’, Odysseus was kept as a prisoner of love for seven years by the nymph Calypso, Calypso lived on an Island called Ogygia and it is believed that the Island being referred to as Ogygia was in fact Gozo. The view of Ramla Bay from Calypso Cave is nothing short of spectacular and is worth visiting for this alone.
Ninus Cave is a fabulous cave with stalactites and stalagmites located at the back of a private house on 15 January Street in Xaghra. The cave was discovered in 1888 by Joseph Rapa. Open daily between 8am and 18:00pm.
Not too far from Ninnus Cave you will find Xerri’s Grotto, an underground cave discovered in 1924 by the owners Grandfather who discovered the cave whilst digging a well. Further caves were found whilst the family were building an air raid shelter during the 2nd world war. Visitors can see stalacite and stalagmite formations including some interesting speleothems in the form of an elephants ear’s, a tortoise and a giraffe. Xerri’s Grotto can be found on Xerri Street. Opening hours, Mon to Sat, 09.00am to 18.00pm, entrance fee is €2.50.
Ta’Cenc and the Sanap Cliffs offer some wonderful coastal walks. The Ta’Cenc cliffs are the highest in Gozo at some 150m above sea level, the views from the cliffs are amazing, bring your camera, a bottle of water and put on plenty of sun cream. We recommend
starting your walk at the village of Sannat, head south past the left hand side of the Church and follow signs for the Hotel Ta’Cenc, take the country track to the south and then proceed to the west where the cliffs will take you to Mgarr Ix-Xini.
Sea-Salt has been produced in Gozo for hundreds of years and it is a cottage industry that has been passed down families through-out the generations. The Gozo Salt Pans are found to the North of the Island just west of Marsalforn past Obajar Bay. These ancient salt pans are still worked by the locals during the summer, a simple process, high tides fill the salt pans; the sun evaporates the water leaving salt. The salt is then stored and processed within Caves that have been carved into the rocks. The salt can be purchased directly from the producer and you certainly won’t get any fresher salt than from here.
As you take the road out towards Ta’Pinu from Victoria you will come across The Old Aquaducts. They were built in the 19th Century and were used to carry water from Għar Ilma hill to a purpose built reservoir in Victoria. Building started in 1839 and finished in 1843 when the first water was available in a fountain in Sabina Square, in Victoria. Unfortunately the Aqueducts fell to progress in the form of electrical pumps but Għar Ilma hill is still renowned for it’s fresh water. The aqueducts come to life during the winter months when they are surrounded by lush green scenery.
TOTAL GUIDENATURAL BEAUTY
Calypso’s Cave
Aquaduct
Saltpans
Ta’Cenc Cli�s
mygozo magazine Page 11
Gozo is blessed with 22 churches in total, some dating back as far as the 15th century. Where ever you go on Gozo there is a church waiting around the corner and their beauty is not to be ignored. They are very much the focal point of Village life and the annual festa’s honouring the Church’s Patron Saint is an exciting time for Gozitans and tourists.
The Citadella, in Victoria was built between 1697 and 1711 and sits within the fortress of the Citadel. The church’s feast is celebrated on the 15th August each year and is dedicated to the assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Santa Maria, this is one of the biggest feasts held on Island. It is a baroque Cathedral designed by Lorenzo Gafà, the Maltese architect who also built the Cathedral of Mdina. It is said that it lies on the site where a Roman temple dedicated to Juno once stood. It is most famous for the remarkable trompe l'oeil painting on its ceiling, which depicts the interior of a dome that was never built.
The Basilica of Ta’Pinu is Malta and Gozos most popular place of pilgrimage. Legend has it that prayers said in the chapel saved Gozo from the plague. Numerous miracles and acts of God have been mani-fested at the Basilica. The origins of the Shrine of Our Lady of ta' Pinu are relatively unknown. In 1575 the apostolic visitor Pietro Duzina was delegated by Pope Gregory XII to visit the Maltese Islands. In his pastoral visit to the church, he found that it was in a very bad state and he ordered the Church to be closed and demolished. When demolition began the workman broke his arm while striking the first blow. This was taken as an omen that the chapel should not be demolished. The church was the only chapel on the island to survive Duzina's decree ordering the demoli-tion of other similar chapels. Pinu Gauci became the procurator of the church in 1598 and its name was changed from "Of the Gentile" to "Ta` Pinu", meaning "Of Philip". In 1611 Gauci offered money for its resto-ration. It was rebuilt, with a stone altar erected and investments for liturgical services provided. Gauci also commissioned the painting of the Assumption of Our Lady for the main altar. This was done in 1619 by Amadeo Perugino. In 1883, Karmni Grima was walking past the now run down church and heard a voice asking her to recite three Hail Marys'. Over the follow-ing years miracles were attributed to the grace of Our Lady of The Assumption to whom the church was dedicated.The works for the new church began on 30 May 1922, to be consecrated on 31 August 1932. It was built in a neo-romantic style. Inside the church there are 6 mosaics, 76 colored windows and many ex-voto. The
bell tower is 61 metres high. Pope John Paul II celebrated mass on the parvise of the shrine during his visit to the island of Gozo on 26 May 1990. On 18 April 2010, when visiting Malta, Pope Benedict XVI donated and placed a Golden Rose in front of the devotional image of Our Lady Of Ta' Pinu which was brought over from Gozo to Malta for this special occasion. The Pope invited everybody to "Pray to Her under the Title Queen of the Family"
St George’s Basilica situated in Victoria is a beautiful church, found in St George’s Square it was originally built in the 1670s. A new façade was built in 1818 due to damage done during an earthquake.The dome and the aisles are of recent construction (1930s and 1940s). There are several works of art in the church which include the painting of the dome and ceiling by Gian Battista Conti of Rome and other paintings and sculptures by Mattia Preti, Giuseppe d'Arena, Stefano Erardi, Alessio Erardi, Francesco V. Zahra, Giuseppe Calì, and contemporary Alfred Camill-eri Cauchi and John L. Grima. The titular statue of St George was carved from solid wood by Pietro Paolo Azzopardi in 1838 and is the first titular statue on the island. The area over which the church is built is of considerable archaeologicalinterest, with evidence of activity dating back to at least to the Roman period. The parish celebrates two feasts during the year: 23 April, the official date celebrating the death of the martyr, and the third Sunday of July, when the solemn festivities in honour of Gozo's patron saint are held.
The village of Xewkija is dominated by its Rotunda Parish Church, dedicated to St John the Baptist. It became the first parish outside Victoria on 27 Novem-ber 1678. The church was initially built thanks to Bishop Michael Molina, who after visiting Xewkija decided that the local villagers deserved at better place to pray and attend mass. The church is capable of housing 3000 people, the population of the Village. The church is the largest on Gozo and was built by Maltese stone and was designed by Josepth D’Amato. The current church was completed in 1952 and replaced an older Church that occupied the site. The Feast is celebrated on the 24th June each year. The rotunda dome is 75 metres high making it one of the largest in Europe.
Other Notable Churches can be found in the Villages of Gharb, San Lawrenz, Ghasri, Zeebug, Xaghra, Nadur, Ghajnsielem, Sannat and also on the Island of Comino.
TOTAL GUIDECHURCH LIFE
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mygozo magazine 4
Ta’Pinu
Xewkija
Xaghra
TOTAL GUIDECHURCH LIFE
mygozo magazine Page 13
TOTAL GUIDEFESTA TIME
TOTAL GUIDEFESTA TIME
Any visitor to Gozo is sure to return with photos of fireworks and religious ceremonies taken during one of the many religious festivals that take place throughout the year. If you are lucky enough to be on the Island whilst a feast is taking place then you are in for a real treat. Gozitans take their village feasts seriously and rivalry between the different patron saints is some-thing akin to that of two local football teams, T-shirts are worn depicting the colour of the feast and during the Feasts there is lots of singing and celebration. The Village’s really do look their best during Festa time, Churches's are lit up and shown in their full glory and flags and banners adorn the local houses. During Festa time it is a great opportunity to taste some real Gozitan/Maltese products including savory and sweet dishes. Feasts have been taking place on the Island for hundreds of years and are held to celebrate the Patron Saint of the Town/Village, each Parish celebrates at least one feast during the year. The highlight of any feast is normally a fireworks extravaganza and Gozo knows how to put on a fireworks show to rival any in the world. Two of the largest feasts on the Island are held in Victoria where in July, The Feast of St George is celebrated and in August when the feast of Santa Maria takes place. Both of these feasts are a cacophony of sound and colour. The St George's feast takes place this year on the 21st July, there are various activities which take place in around the Parish during the day including horse racing, music by the renowned La Stella Band Club and the carrying of the statue of St George into the beautiful basilica around 10pm. The feast of Santa Maria, is celebrated on the 15th August every year and celebrates the The feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, due to the long weekend this is one of the more busier feasts and many Maltese pop over to enjoy the long weekend. The feast is celebrated throughout the weekend and activities include horse racing up Republic Street. This date also see's the Islands celebrating the anniversary of the arrival of the Santa Marija convoy vessel which arrived in Malta on the 15th August 1942 carrying much needed food supplies to the war damaged islands.
Gozo Feast Calendar - 2013
26-May St. Paul, Munxar02-Jun Corpus Christi, Ghasri 09-Jun St. Anthony, Ghajnsielem10-Jun Corpus Christi, Ghasri 16-Jun Sacred Heart of Jesus, Fontana 22-Jun Our Lady of Pinu, Ta’ Pinu 23-Jun St. John the Baptist, Xewkija 29-Jun St. Peter and St. Paul, Nadur 07-Jul The Visitation, Gharb 14-Jul Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Kercem16-Jul Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Xewkija21-Jul St George, Victoria 28-Jul St. Margaret, Sannat 04-Aug St. Joseph, Qala 11-Aug St. Laurence, San Lawrenz 15-Aug The Assm of Our Lady, Victoria18-Aug Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Xlendi 25-Aug The Assm of Our Lady, Zebbug 01-Sep Our Lady of Loreto, Ghajnsielem02-Sep St Gregory, Kercem 08-Sep The Nativity of Our Lady, Xaghra15-Sep Our Lady of Graces, Capuchins, Victoria 13-Oct Patronage of the B. V. Mary, Ghasri 20-Oct Jesus of Nazareth, Xaghra08-Dec Immaculate Conception, Victoria08-Dec Immaculate Conception, Qala10-Dec Our Lady of Loreto, Ghajnsielem15-Dec St Lucy, Kercem
mygozo magazine Page 15
Visiting a Village Festa During Your StayOn The Island Is a Must
POSTCARDSWhy not get involved with the next edition of MyGozo and send us your best pictures of Gozo and the stories behind them. Send them with a pic of yourself to [email protected]
Before departing on this trip, I read that capers thrive on the
island of Gozo. I was hoping I would be able to harvest some and take them home, but was afraid I would be visiting too early in the season to find any ready for harvest. I am so happy I was wrong!
The caper plant thrives in stone walls and rocky crevices, and disdain rich earth. A cliff of limestone sends the capers into a fit of ecstatic growth, which is exactly where I discovered them while on a walk looking for wild rosemary to flavour a soup I was preparing.
Capers have a history stretching back to Pharaonic times. Tightly rooted in a wall crack or rock crevice, it bushes out gallantly during the most arid months of the Mediterranean summer. Small buds, closed tight as fists, spring daily from the long shoots, opening eventually into exquisitely delicate white flowers with violet pistils and stamens which last no more than 24 hours and look like butterflies at rest. They then leave behind a stem with a tiny seed pod that will grow into a caper fruit.
Teri Hardy, from California, is a passionatecook, photographer and traveller, she spent 2 months visiting Gozo in 2012 and has planneda return trip in 2013
Growing Capers
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As we’re writing this account, a northwesterly wind is occasion-
ally reaching severe gale force at times. It is a fact that we just experienced the second highest March windspeed since 1970, and the weather for the previous three months was drier and windier than usual. For some individuals wind is irrelevant, for others it is make or break. Going through our photos we came across this particular photo showing a woman fighting against the elements in order to earn her living. When it comes to salt extraction, we are lucky if we have a double and sometimes a triple harvest. The salterns are filled with water round the beginning of May, and then the salt is collected first at the beginning of August and again at the beginning of September. If the good weather holds, there is a third harvest at the beginning of October. In mid-September 2012, weather conditions were volatile and the salt harvest was threatened.
It is said that people act out of love or fear – either to realise a positive reaction or else to avoid a disaster. This photograph depicts the looming disaster and how it was avoided. And the positive reaction? You do not need us to provide it. You taste it at your tables..
Chris and Terry Camilleri, reside in Xaghra and offer all kinds of photographic services on Gozo. www.chris-camilleri.artistwebsites.comTel: +35699557702
Salt Pans
.....................................Whilst on Gozo make sure that you take a trip to The Salt Pans located west of Marsalforn whereyou can see how sea salt is gathered and harvested, you can even purchase some to take home.
Capers are an extremely versatile ingrediant and the taste of a fresh caper is a joy to beholdWhilst on Gozo you can purchase hand ripened capers fresh from local farmers..
mygozo magazine Page 16
Our GozoThis edition’s news, views and discoveries....................................................................................................................................................
Visitors to Gozo are in for a treat following the opening of a new museum in St Georges Square, Victoria. Heart of Gozo, Il-Hagar Museum was inaugurated in February this year and is the first purpose built Museum on the Island. Il-Hagar is a showcase of histori-cal and artistic artefacts that have been made available to the public after years of being hidden from view. The museum was built in collaboration between Fondazzjoni Belt Victoria, a cultural group established to create a cultural identity for Gozo and St George’s Basilica.
The name Il-Hagar is the name given to the medieval town of Gozo and the museum not only displays artefacts and historical objet d’art but also holds art exhibitions as well as local cultural events.
Visitors to the museum will see pieces of art that were restored and conserved by the company PrevArti of Mosta who were responsible for the restoration of
three paintings. These are the seven-teenth century painting St Cajetan by an unknown artist, together with two eighteenth century works, namely the Holy Trinity by Enrico Regnaudand The Virgin of Light by Gio Nicola Buhagiar.
As well as restoring the paintings, the museum also houses sculptures that have also been restored. The works selected were the statues of the Risen Christ by an unknown artist, the Veronica attributed to Saverio Laferla, and Ecce Homo by Carlo Darmanin.
The Museum is located in St George’s Square to the left of the BasilicaHeart of Gozo is open Tuesday-Sunday between 11am and 7pm, Adults €5, Children €3, Family Ticket €10.
Gozo is blessed with some stunning Churches and a new addition to the Gozitan Church architectural landscape is the St Cecilia Chapel in Ghajnsielem, a medieval Chapel which has been
restored to it’s past glory. The chapel was originally built in 1615 and func-tioned until 1644 when it closed and was neglected over three centuries. Baron Group, The Ministry of Gozo and Eco-Gozo joined forces to restore the chapel and the result is a stunning space that does the old chapel full justice. The restoration work included new wooden flooring, lighting and the planting of endemic plants. The outer walls were re-built and the roof restored using traditional methods.
Through the eco-Gozo scheme for NGOs, the Ministry for Gozo is financing 38 projects implemented by 37 organi-sations with a total amount of €1.24 million. Projects address various sectors ranging from renewable energy, to cultural, social and environmental aspects in various Gozitan localities.
St Cecilia Chapel can be found between Ghajnsielem and Xewkija close to the helipad just off the road to Victoria.
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Heart of Gozo, Il-Hagar Museum
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Our Gozo News
mygozo magazine Page 18
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Malta and Gozo have been awarded 3rd place in ‘The Best Diving Destina-tion Of The Year Award’ in The Interna-tional Diver magazine, making the Islands the favourite place to dive in the Mediterranean. This is great news and see’s the Islands maintaining their hold on the European diving market....Keep it up !
Gozo has recently been voted the 6th best Island to live on in Europe in the 2013 Travellers Choice Awards based on feedback from users of Trip advisor.
Congratulations to Nadur Youngsters who are the new GFA Football Champi-ons 2013 winning their 11th Title in the process.
TV Watchers, look out for the BBC and Discovery Drama called The Whale, which is being �lmed on Gozo. Charles Furness stars as Nantucket seafarer Thomas Nickerson and Jonas Armstrong plays �rst mate Owen Chase The Whale is based on Herman Melville’s, classic, Moby Dick.
Book Review
The Cross, George Gauci.....................................................
George Gauci is a writer and also works in the tourist industry. Originally from Qormi in Malta, George has lived on The Island of Gozo for the past 15 years. George’s debut novel is called The Cross and tells a poignant story about a family and their life on the Maltese Islands.
You have to be determinedAnd disciplined to write a book
When did you start writing and what inspired you ?
I hadn’t actually thought about writing a book until a chance meeting with an author about 10 years ago, he was impressed by some of my own life, especially when I recalled the events that had taken place on the day I was born, my upbringing and the way I spoke about the Maltese Islands.
Why is the book called The Cross ?
I always wanted to call it 'The Cross' because I feel that everyone has some kind of cross to carry through their lives. As we know, life is not easy and for some, life is harder, but if one takes life one day at a time and through belief, keeps hoping that tomorrow things might change for the better, then that day will come. Later on I decided to put the Knights of St. John cross on the front cover for a lot of reasons. The eight pointed cross is the Maltese
Cross. In the story, this cross, which is actually a pendant, is a very important object in the story.
Have you got the writing bug and do you intend on writing a sequel ?
I think once you have the writing bug it is very difficult to stop writing, the second book is always the hardest but there will be a sequel to The Cross but that will be the 3rd book in the trilogy, I am currently busy writing a second book.
What advice would you give to an aspiring author ?
You have to be determined and disciplined to write a book. I say that one cannot rush a story. One has to feel the story and get to live the characters he has written about. He has to make them become real. If they become real to him, then they will also become real to the reader.
Our Gozo News
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The Leone Philharmonic Society, based at The Aurora Theatre in Victoria are this year celebrating their 150th Anniversary. Celebrations run from April to November and include The Main Event on The 12th October, when the opera Falsta� by Giuseppe Verdi will be performed.
Baseball enthusiasts can now partici-pate in their favourite game, Gozo’s �rst baseball team, The Għajnsielem Redcoats now participate in the Malta/Gozo Minor Baseball league and the sport is proving popular amongst people of all ages.
Gozo could soon have it’s own cruise liner terminal. Prime-minister Joseph Muscat recently announced that the government will be launching an international expression of interest for the development of a new cruise liner terminal in Gozo
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Book Review
Sometimes the author has to scrap many hours of work because the story changes due to new ideas. This can be frustrating, but if the change is going to make the story that little bit more interesting, then at the end the author will be very satisfied. When the last fullstop is put down, the author gets a lot of satisfaction. When it is printed and he has the book in his hands, he feels great pleasure. When the author sees people reading his book and enjoying his work he is fulfilled, as his dream has now become a reality.
Who would this book appeal to ?My book was written for all the Maltese and Gozi-tans, those living on the islands as well as those abroad, especially for the million and more second and third Generation Maltese and Gozitan descend-ants, in places like Canada, Australia, England and America. I want them to know where they come from. It reaches every reader. They learn about the Maltese culture before World War Two and what the
islands went through during World War Two and after. The book will also appeal to tourists who are looking to learn more about the Maltese Islands and life on it.
Has the feedback been positive so far ?I get compliments daily by the readers I meet. They are all very happy with the story and they say it touches them in different ways. My Canadian born niece wrote; 'The story is excellent and amazing. It led me through such a wide range of emotions. It made me laugh; it made me cry. It made me feel so proud to be Maltese.'
At the time of printing The paperback edition will be out on sale at all major bookshops on Malta and Gozo by the end of June. Those who want a signed copy can email George [email protected] (Postage charges where applicable).
George and his publisher Je� Murphy are currently preparing the book for adaptation to a screenplay hopefully with the support of the MFC.
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...................................................................Archaeological Walks on Gozo, written by Lenie Reedijk, has been designed to allow he visitor to the Island to enjoy both the beauty of the landscape and it’s rich archeological heritage, in particular that of the phases before the Christian era. Gozo possesses an adundance of interesting archaeological sites and features, some of which are among the most famous in the world.
The book is available in all main bookshops on Gozo and Malta and in The Archaeological Museum (Casa Bondi) in The Citadel.
Lenie has now written a second guide called Exploring Comino and is also available in all main bookshops, it is also available in Italian. Both books cost €5.95
mygozo magazine Page 19
isiting the best of what Gozo has to offer isn’t all about beaches and cultural places of interest, In the Village of Xewkija you will find a company which has been at the heart of Gozo agriculture and food production for the last century. Magro Brothers are a name who are sinominous with food production on the Island and at their Xewkija Headquarters you will find The Magro Food Village where you will find a unique experi-ence of how local food is produced on Gozo, as well as artisan crafts at their Savina Creativity Centre and if you are lucky you might even bump into The Queen Of England and The Duke of Edinburgh...........
Magro Brothers was founded in 1916 by three brothers who set up a company which bartered Gozitan Agricultural produce on the mainland in Malta in return for household items that were needed on the Island of Gozo. The Brothers would venture over to Malta twice a week with their fruit and vegetables and would return with goods such as kitchen utensils which were then sold at Gozo’s largest market at Pjazza Savina, which at the time was the main market square on The Island.
Four generations of Magro Brothers have built up the company over the years into the largest food processing company in Malta today.
Magro Brothers business has been built upon Tomato Processing and the chances are that if you are a reader from the UK, Ireland, Europe, Africa and Australia then the tomato ketchup you put on your chips was probably made in Gozo. Throughout Gozo there are 300 farmers who produce Tomato crops for Magro under licence and over 10,000 tons of tomatoes are processed each year. Gozitan tomatoes are renowned for their juiciness and this is because they are grown in open field and sun-ripened. The cultivation of the tomato is still the largest farmed crop on The Maltese Islands and during peak harvest season, which is July and August, The Magro complex is certainly a busy place with tomatoes being proc-essed into pastes, sauces, juices and ketchups.
As well as the processing of Tomatoes Magro Brothers is also home to a cheese making.............
Left to right; Food scientist in the Cheese department, tradi-tional honey making, Maltese platter of bread, paste, olives
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TOTAL GUIDEFAMILY FUN
UNIQUE GOZO FOOD EXPERIENCE:.........................................................................
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The Magro Food VillageGet away from the beachesand museums for a coupleof hours and immerse yourselfinto real Gozitan food production
mygozo magazine Page 20
TOTAL GUIDEFAMILY FUN
and gourmet yoghurt facility, all of which are produced using traditional methods.
We would certainly recommend booking a Magro Food Village Tour, which are free of charge but subject to pre-booking. The tour will give you a unique experience in local food-making and crafts all under one roof.
The tour is a great learning experience and lot’s of fun is to be had along the way with the chance to sample local delicacies and the possibility during the summer months to see how a tomato is taken from field to can. At other times of the year you can see how ketchup is made for the export markets.
Gozo is famous for it’s cheese, also known as cheeselets and on the tour you will get to visit the Dairy Centre where you can see how the cheeselets are hand-crafted using centuries old traditional methods.
As part of the tour you will get to visit the artisan food-making facility at The Savina Creativity Centre where you will be able to watch staff delicately craft local products, including the infusion of oils and vinegars, the pressing of sun-dried figs, see how jam is made and sun-dried tomatoes. During this part of the tour there is an opportunity to sample the local delicacies.....
Top to Bottom; A local farmer harvesting his tomato crop, The Queen of England visiting Malta and The Duke of Edinburgh visiting Magro Brothers in November 2005
.....and beverages and make sure you leave some room in your luggage to take some goodies home with you !
As well as local food, At The Savina Creativity you will also get an opportunity to see how tradi-tional crafts such as lace-making and candle-making are still standing the test of time.
A tour of the food village normally lasts around an hour and you will be guided by knowledge-able tour guides who are on hand to answer any questions you may have.
If you are looking to experience something extra then why not avail yourself of an agro-tourism adventure where you can participate in hands-on cooking classes with professional local chefs. This is a great opportunity to make your own cheeselets, prepare infused olive oils and make some delicious jams. Traditional Gozitan recipe cooking lessons are also available. The classes/lessons are available at a fee and can be booked by calling +356 2155 6663 or by emailing [email protected], www.magro.com.mt
The Magro Food Village is located in the Village of Xewkija, follow the signs approaching Victoria.
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mygozo magazine 4
Metal Artist At WorkUK–born Jackie Roberts learned artistic metalwork at Edinburgh’s Telford College in Scotland; pursuing a passion for metal as a mid-life career change. Since moving to Gozo in 2001 she undertakes commissions, exhibitions and shows her work at select venues around the Maltese islands and in the UK. You can make an appointment to visit her home studio and workshop or see her work at Prickly Pear and Organika in Victoria or Gleneagles Bar in Mgarr. Jackie is also keen to pass on her skills and encourage others to enjoy working with metal. She offers ‘taster’ sessions in basic metalwork and more intensive courses tailored to individual’s interests and abilities, by prior arrangement.
Jackie was awarded a Malta Crafts Council prize for innovation and creativity in 2010 with her collection of Mediterranean marine life and in 2012 her second solo exhibition: ‘The Nature of Metal’ ran for six months in two of Scotland’s Royal botanic gardens. She also enjoys collaborating with other designer/makers in Gozo – most recently with textile designer Pat Holtom on a series of mixed media wall hangings.
Jackie’s work is inspired by the natural world, its land-scapes and creatures; also by cultural symbolism. Some pieces are realistic, some semi-abstract, others have a functional use. Jackie mostly works in copper, mild steel and brass using hand and power tools to cut, shape and mark, then brings out the metals’ natural hues by artistic burning with an oxy-acetylene torch; finally spraying with a protective layer of clear lacquer. Crossing the bounda-ries of art and craft Jackie uses traditional metalworking techniques to make imaginative, collectable, hand-crafted pieces. Because all the pieces are handmade each one is unique.
Jackie says: “I came to live on Gozo in 2001, drawn to the island by its unique charm and dramatic landscape. Inspired by nature and cultural symbolism my work may be functional or wearable, decorative, or simply fanciful. I often incorporate scrap metal, found objects and plant material into my work reincarnating what others have discarded. My designs cross the boundaries of art and craft, using traditional metalworking techniques to turn copper, brass and steel into contemporary hand-crafted pieces.
When I’m not bashing metal I enjoy walking with my dogs in the spectacular Gozitan landscape, gardening; chilling out with friends of all nationalities at the beach, on a boat round Comino, or over local food and wine by the sea during the summer and also enjoying live music sessions where I have been known to take the stage. Life is good on Gozo.”
My studio is centrally located at my house in Xewkija near the imposing St John’s Church and Rotunda. There are spectacular cliff-top walks around Ta’ Cenc or through the valley to Mgarr ix-Xini bay and its historic coastal tower.’’
Visits by appointment, studio/workshop in Xewkija, [email protected] M: (00356) 79562753 or find me on Facebook.
Jackie Roberts/Pat Holtom
Patrick Buttigieg the chef behind the multi - award winningPatrick’s Lounge, Restaurant & Steakhouse in Vicoria, Gozo Takes
time to enlighten us on The Paradox of Food & Wine Pairing
these days the business of pairing wine and food has slightly grown all too technical. First and foremost, the golden rule in dealing with
what wine to drink with what food, is to please yourself and drink whatever you feel is to your liking, whether it is Soave, Valpolicella,
Shiraz or a cold beer. Having said that, one should still followcertain general rules, for example, that Shiraz does not savour too
well at all with lemon cheesecake but works a treat with chocolate.
Harmony should always exist between food and wine. They should have similar intensities
-ing wine. There are many dishes with which the wine partner proves happily adaptable, depending on whether you prefer to drink white or red. Different cooking techniques open up different wine possibilities. Some say that a wine should be matched to the sauce rather than the meat. There is some logic in this, however a sauce in most cases should
An alternative approach is to marry the weight of the wine to the texture of the meat. A -
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or spring lamb as in any wine that has distinct roundness of contour from low or age softened acidity.
snapper together
emphatically doesn’t, but also that it is quite easy to overburden the
of a wine in this regard is its weight, the body and texture of it on the
with the likes of lobster and crab, are likely to stand up to a medium bodied constituted wine.
These are but a few pointers but present some simple guidance in making a wise choice when pairing food and wine. Something to keep in mind is that once you have established the basic principle of a match, that is, which particular style of wine goes with which par-ticular dish, you can always ring the changes on similar styles of wine from all over the world. You will doubtlessly even come up with successful combinations of your own be it
Patrick Buttigieg is the owner of the gastronic marvel, Patrick’s Lounge, Restaurant &
years, has published a book on their extensive and award winning wine cellar and con-tinues to satisfy even the most critical of foodies with innovative and tantalizing dishes
dining experience, Patrick’s is considered a “must have” for any visit to Gozo.
Patrick's Lounge | Restaurant | Steakhouse
Triq L-Ewropa | Victoria | Gozo | Malta
As the ferry slowly makes its way intoMgarr harbour, the smell from thePort-side restaurants really gets the tastebuds flowing and you just want to get offthe ferry and dive straight into a fresh-seafood platter, Mgarr really is the definitionof fresh fish. Husband and wife team Leliand Jane Buttigieg have been serving highquality food to locals and tourists alike attheir restaurant Tmun, for the past 25years. Aided by their son Paul, Tmun setshigh standards on the Gozitan food scene,ideally situated on the water’s edge, theteam at Tmun do not rest on their laurelsand constantly strive to improve thevariety of food they offer. The famousBouillabaisse soup for two is a must andcontains no less than 7 different varietiesof fish. The restaurants Asian cut pan friedlocal calamari has an exotic twist to it andthe team have a wide array of dailyspecials, including Sushi the last time Ivisited. Vegetarians are well catered forwith a fantastic choice of fresh local pastaand for meat lovers the herb crusted IrishFrenched rack of lamb comes with all ofthe trimmings. (Martinu Garces Street,Mgarr; +356 2156 6276). A few paces upthe hill, L'Ankra, recently taken over by theenergetic pairing of Gino and John Paul,continues to serve up a fine diningexperience. Their menu is rich and has anexcellent local feel to it, specialities includea delightful sea-food risotto, cooked toperfection. The Beef Carpaccio is tenderand it is obvious that only the finest cuts ofbeef are used in its preparation and forthose looking for a taste of Gozo thestarter platter of local meats, includingwild boar salami is a must. Pasta lovers arespoilt with a truffle ravioli that is well
balanced and light. Make sure you leavesome room for the deserts, homemadecheesecakes are the order of the day. (11,Shore Street, Mgarr; +356 2155 5656). If fish is your achilles heal then head to Seaview Restaurant, located on the sea-front in the heart of the harbour, it has been serving up great sea-food with a cracking view for two decades. (15, Shore Street, Mgarr; +356 2156 5541).
The Island's Capital, Victoria, does not failto deliver when it comes to offering highquality restaurants. The capital has someexcellent restaurants that are a must visiton your trip to the Island. Take yourselfback in time and while away a couple ofhours in the historic building that housesThe Restaurant, La Stanza, located in a oldbuilding that used to serve as part of theCitadel and was built by the Knights of StJohn. La Stanza is full of character and theview from the terrace offers anunobstructed view of the Citadel. I nsidethe restaurant you will find romanticenclaves and an historic inner terracewhere lunch and dinner are served. Themenu is very much traditional with amodern twist and the hosts Stephan andMelissa have created a warm and friendlyfeel to the place. The Octopus Carpacciostarter has a great kick to it and thelinguini with sea-urchin sauce is bothunusual and delightful at the same time. Ifyou find yourself dining with a fellowseafood lover, the seafood platter for twois a must. (56,Triq L-Imghallem, Victoria, +356 2155 8047). Nestled in a corner of
Independence Square you will find IT-Tokk, a restaurant that offers a great, well shaded terrace that overlooks the market below and also has commanding views of the Citadel, a great spot both day and night. IT-Tokk serves an excellent local Rabbit Stew, a staple dish on the Island, and the chef has the recipe down to a tee. The fish soup is also hearty and delicious and goes well with a slice or two of Gozitan bread. Vanessa and her team give every-one a warm welcome and service is quick and efficient. (IT-Tokk, Independence Square, Victoria, +356 2155 1213). Just behind Independence Square you will find a quintessential Gozitan Square which is home to St George’s Basilica as well as two excellent Café bars that serve top quality Gozitan dishes and snacks, Grapes Wine Bar and The Piazza Cafe. Both Grapes and The Piazza are owned by the delightful owner, Dione, who has created a varied day time menu including Gozitan Sandwiches, excellent meat and fish pasta.
Starting Point: MgarrFor Fresh Seafood anda view to die for
Next Stop: VictoriaCapital Foodie Heaven
RECOMMENDEDDINING GUIDE
Experience The BestOf Gozo’s Restaurants
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If you are lucky you may even get to see a wedding at St George's Basilica unfold in front of your eyes. (St George's Square, Victoria, +356 7947 3504). Head up the hill and into the Citadel, take the steps to the left of the court house, turn right and you will find Café San Martino, a new edition to the Gozitan landscape, the café/restaurant has a great roof terrace that offers superb views of the Island. The menu has typical Gozitan dishes including fresh salads and anti pasti plates with local Gozitan cheese's and meats and which is best served with a glass of local wine. The sunset views aresecond to none. For a red meat blow-out, avisit to Patrick's Tmun is a must. Patrick’sLounge and Steakhouse is a multiple awardwinning restaurant that sets the standard inMalta and Gozo. Chef Patron, Patrick, hasquietly built an establishment driven by arefined talent and a clear notion of style thatstretches far beyond the sanctuary of hisformidable kitchen. With a knack of staying at the forefront of the restaurant scene, Patrick’s consistently delivers freshness, yet confidence inspiring familiarity, in his cuisine and jaw dropping wine cellar. Steak is the house speciality and pride is taken in carefully seIecting perfectly marbeled prime cuts and aged beef. Other specials some-times include impressive chateaubriand for two, sumptuous Porterhouse Steaks, flavour rich USDA aged beef & delicate Kobe beef (Europe Street, Victoria, +356 2156 6667),www.patrickstmun.com. Lovers of Chinesefood won't be disappointed; Victoria is hometo Fu Hua, one of the original Chineserestaurants on the Island. Fu Hua also provides a take-away service (Fortunato Mizzi Street, Victoria, +356 2156 4666).
You could spend two weeks in Xlendi and still not have time to eat in every one of therestaurants found in this pretty seaside village. Take a stroll along the quayside to the left of the bay as if you are looking out to sea, climb a few steps and you will arrive at IC Cima. This restaurant has been going
strong in Xlendi for two decades now and its rooftop terrace is a must, the views down on Xlendi and the open sea are commanding and if you arrive early enough you will have the privilege of eating your meal whilst seeing the sun set. The menu offers a mix of Mediterranean and Gozitan and the food served is always of the highest quality.(St Simon St, Xlendi, +356 21558407). Backdown in the bay, The Moby Dick servesfantastic steaks and also has a full ChineseMenu as well, the sizzling chilli chicken comes highly recommended, and there is also a full range of pizzas and pasta dishes available. Look out for the daily specials and wine of the week. (Marina St, Xlendi, +356 21561518). A little further along from the Moby Dick you will find one of the newest arrivals on the Xlendi foodie scene, The Boat House. As the name suggests, this restau-rant is housed within an old converted boathouse and is full of character, it has an almost New England feel to it. The owners are seasoned restaurateurs and they certainly know how to put together amenu and please their customers. In 2012 The Boat House was awarded one of the top 40 restaurants in the Maltese Islands by the The Definitive (ly) Good Guide. Specialities include fresh fish and seafood, live lobsters and shell fish, suckling pig, Argentinean and Irish beef. A vast wine cellar of over 200different wines helps to ease your dinnerdown. (Marina St, Xlendi, +356 21569153). Reservations are recommended. Newfor 2013 is the sister restaurant to The Boat House, 23Twelve, which serve up the same high standards that have been set by Joseph and Rose. (Mount Carmel St, +356 21559315). Two doors away from The Boat House is a gem of a restaurant called Ta’Karolina. Tucked away in the corner of the bay, the restaurant is named after the cave it sits in front of. This restaurant is busy both day and night and it is easy to under-stand why. Joseph and his team run a well oiled machine and the kitchen consistently serve dishes of the highest quality. Sea-food is the order of the day here, the fisherman literally anchor right in front of the restau-rants doors and next to the restaurant you
will find fisherman’s huts where the netsare fixed after a tough day at sea. Ta’Karolinaalso serves up fantastic fresh pasta and meat dishes. (Marina St, Xlendi, +356 21559675). An extremely welcome addition to not only the Xlendi food scene, but also the Gozitan dining scene is the Sapana Indian restaurant. Gozo hasn’t had an Indian restaurant for over 20 years, but it has been worth waiting for. The team at Sapana know what a curry experience is all about and the menu serves up all of the Indian classics. The menu lives up to itsexpectations and the guys here certainly know their curries. The mixed starter platter is a must. (Rabat Rd, Xlendi, +356 21562100). Not all of the best restaurants are necessarily found on the sea-front, C-Seven serves an excellent variety of Mediterranean and local dishes and has daily specials including seafood Lasagne the last time we were there. If I could choose one dish from their starter, I would opt for the garlic mushrooms in a creamy but subtle sauce which are among the best I have tried. C-Seven also serve fresh fish, pasta and meat dishes as well as a good Pizza menu. If you are in hurry then their sister snack bar serves good burgers and the bar also serves excellent Crepes, just likethey are made in France. The pub section to the restaurant has a cracking cocktail list and they serve up a mean Mojito. (Rabat Rd, Xlendi, +356 27012242).The Pirates Galley, located on the waterside with a great view of the bay is a new addition to the waterfront and offers great value for money pasta, meat dishes, pizza’s, burgers and a mean breakfast. It’s a great place to set up and watch the world go by and watch divers enter the water beneath your feet. There is also live music at least once a week and is the perfect place to relax over a beer or two.
RECOMMENDEDDINING GUIDE
Next Stop: XlendiWaterfront Dining
mygozo magazine Page 26
The Pirates Galley
Bar and Restaurant
Angelo AttardXlendi Seafront, Xlendi, Gozo
Tel: +356 9947 8119Email: [email protected]
Web: www.piratesgalleygozo.com
Live Music
Genuine Home
Made Food
Next Stop XaghraSleepy Gozitan Village
RECOMMENDEDDINING GUIDE
Walk into the Village Square in Xaghra and you could be walking back in time 100 years.Xaghra is one of the most beautiful villages on the Island and is also home to some quality restaurants. Breeze Restaurant, located on the square has been operating for three years and has built up a strong flow of loyal customers. The restaurant is family run and Rita and George, the proprietors, have worked hard to create an imaginative menu. The Mediterranean cuisine and vegetarian menu offer salads, fresh pasta, meats including duck, quails and local rabbit. The restaurant serve daily caught fresh fish, Gozitan Delicacies and Traditional food as well as Pizza. The black tagliatelle with seafood comes highly recommended. Nothing is too much of a problem for these guys and if there is something that you want that isn’t on the menu then the team will do their best to prepare something to taste. The Breeze menu is complemented by a large selection of local and foreign wines. Breeze is open every day for lunch and dinner but closed on Wednesday during winter months. (Victory Square, Xaghra, +356 21553044). Situated in between Victoria and Marsalforn, you will find Ta’Frenc, one of the most well known restaurants on the Maltese Islands and has won too many awards to mention. Ta’Frenc is an institution for real foodies who are looking for a fine dining experience and executive chef Mario Schembri and his team do not fail to deliver. Ta’Frenc is housed in an authentic old farmhouse and diners have the choice of dining in their own private dining room or on the beautiful terrace.As you walk into the restaurant you may notice a sweet smell in the air, this is in fact the new herb garden where both herbs and flowers are grown organically and used throughout the menu. The menu has a classic French feel to it and includes an a la
carte menu as well as various market menus that offer very good value. The fish soup is a must as is the Chateaubriand, if you have room for desert I highly recommend the Crepes Suzette, flamed at the table no less. Ta’Frenc is closed on Tuesdays. (Marsalforn Rd, Xaghra, +356 21553888).Located on the main sqaurein Xaghra, Rubble Bar/Restaurant, has been one of the main stays of the Xaghra food scene for a long time. Local regulars mix with tourists who are drawn to the bar for it’s relaxed atmosphere and a place where you can catch up with friends. The terrace has great views of the square and inside, the bar has an oldie worldie feel to it where you can feel a world away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. Don’t be fooled by the word bar inthe name, Rubble serves up delicious plates of local Gozitan delicacies, as well as excellent pasta, meat and fish dishes. If you are not feeling peckish then the bar serves great cocktails and has a large selection of wines available. The owner Audrey, will make you feel at home and service is always with a smile. Don’t be surprised if you are on your own and a stranger strikes up a conversation with you, it’s that kind of place where people are made to feel welcome. (Victory Square, Xaghra, +356 21563758)
Marsalforn is littered with restaurants and a little insider knowledge is required to helpyou make an informed decision. Il Kartell, with its prime location in the corner of the bay, is a must visit on a trip to Marsalforn.Testament to Il Kartells reputation is that you will be fighting with local Gozitans and Maltese who come over for the weekendfor a table, something which always a good sign in a restaurant. Manager Philip Spiteri, has carried on the traditional methods he learnt from his late Mother, Carmen. The lampuki pie, with the home-made sundried tomato paste is heavenly and is best served with a bottle of house wine from theirown vine-yard, Ta’Mena. The house specialities change on a regular basis, fish comes high on the menu, and why not, you can literally dip your toes into the water from your table. The menu has a great anti-pasti platter and all of the ingredients have been hand made over at the estate.
(Marina St, Marsalforn, +35621556918). For a taste of real Gozitan cuisine, head to Menqa L’Antika. Chef and owner Gordon Camilerri, has created awonderful ‘Gozitan’ menu that encompasses the best that the Island has to offer from a food perspective. The restaurants motto is ‘’evoking memories of Gozo’s earliestgastronomy and Gordon takes dinners back to his childhood with an array of dishes that are both authentic and unique to Gozo. The main ingredient that makes Menqa stand out is its attention to detail. For a starter we recommend the Gozo cheese, bacon & crusty bread kebabs with a sundried tomato dressing and for main the stuffed boned quail in a carob syrup infused jus. (Marina St, Marsalforn, +356 2730 0309).L’Aragosta located on Marina Street specialises in Locally Caught fish and throughout the day you will see Fisherman walking upto the restaurant with their catch of The day, you won’t get fresher fish than this anywhere. There is usually at least 4 different varieties of fish to choose fromCooked how you like it. From the terrace of L’Aragosta you can watch the world go by. (Marina St, Marsalforn, +356 2155 4138). If you fancy a beer or cocktail before or after your meal then the sister pub, Kyra’s Inn located next door has a wide range of beers and cocktails made to order.La Pulena, located on Il Menqa has been a main stay on the Marsalforn food front for the last two decades, the reason is Simple, the food is well prepared and it’s clear that passion is put into each dish that goes out to the customer. La Pulena serves delicious home made pasta, including freshly made baked ravioli topped with tomato, creamand parmesan cheese, and specialises in fresh fish and meat dishes. There is also anExtensive pizza menu available. Where possible La Pulena sources it’s menu locally,. (Marina St, Marsalforn, +356 2155 9777)
A new restaurant to The Gozitan foodie scene is Fliegu, which means The Channel in Maltese. Upon walking into the restaurant diners will be taken aback by the amazing views from both the dining room and the terrace. You are treated to magnificent views of Mgarr, Comino, Malta and The Gozitan Countryside. The menu us Mediterranean/local cuisine with meat and fish dishes with a twist as well as a full pizza menu cooked in their Italian, woodburning pizza oven. For wine conniseurs Fliegu has over 100 different local and foreign wines to taste, all available to view in their walk in wine celler. Open for lunch and dinner daily, or if you feel like a relaxing drink whilst taking in the view, everyone is welcome to experience Fliegu....For reservations call +356 2155 0055
mygozo magazine Page 27
Next Stop MarsalfornSeaside Delight
Next Stop NadurView To Die For
CAPITAL VICTORIA
Victoria, Gozo’s Capital City, otherwise known as Rabat to the locals, is a hustling, bustling City with a very busy feel to it during the day. Victoria wakes up around 6am when the local work force head for work and pop into the numerous bars for a coffee and Pastizzi, a simple, but delightful Gozitan pastry normally made of Cheese or Pea. One of the busiest bars is Tapie’s Bar in San Francisk Square, a visit to Gozo wouldn’t be complete without a visit to this truly local bar where you can sit outside and watch the world go about their daily business.
Shopping, Most of Gozo’s shopping is done in Victoria and there are three excellent shopping arcades, two found at the lower end of Republic Street and one at the upper end. The Duke Plaza, the newest plaza in Gozo, houses a large supermarket where you can buy everything from fresh fish to fishing rods, as well as fashion shops, restau-rants, bars and a Spa which has an in-door swimming pool. The Arkadia Centre, a little further down from the Duke also has a large supermarket, pharmacy, Mc Donalds and numerous UK High Street fashion shops. The original shopping arcade is located at the top end of Republic Street and has a large supermarket selling all essential goods. A daily market takes place in Independence Square, also known as It-Tokk, where you can buy anything from Sea-Bass to Sun Hats. Just behind Independence Square you will find St George’s Square which is home to a great shop called, Organika which sells lots of locally produced products, arts and crafts by local artists and organic products as the name would suggest.
For handcrafted jewellery we recom-mend visiting Prickly Pear Designs whomake their own pieces of jewellery as well as featuring work from local and international designers. Seewww.ppdjewellery.com for further details or visit their shop at 96 Triq San Gorg .
WHAT TO SEE AND DOA visit to Victoria, and Gozo,
would not be complete without a visit to the Citadel which dominates the capitals skyline. The Citadella is an historic fortified city. The Citadella is on Malta's tentative list of future World Heritage Sites by UNESCO, who describe it as a small fortified town. The area is known to have been first fortified during the Bronze Age approxi-mately around 1500 BC. It was later developed by the Phoenicians and continued development until, by Roman times, it had become a complex Acropolis. Up until the 18th Century it was the only fortified refuge against attack for the inhabitants of the island.
Within its walls lies a fine 17th century baroque Cathedral designed by Lorenzo Gafà, the Maltese architect who also built the Cathedral of Mdina. It is said that it lies on the site where a Roman temple dedicated to Juno once stood. It is most famous for the remark-able trompe l'oeil painting on its ceiling, which depicts the interior of a dome that was never built.
A new edition to The Gozitan Museum scene is IL Hagar, The Heart of Gozo, the museum is located in St George’s Square and the museum really bring out
the full glory of the Gozitan people.
Villa Rundle Gardens offer a green space within the heart of the City for Gozitans and Tourists a like to relax in a peaceful environment. The gardens are located next to the Duke Shopping Centre and they are named after the British General, Leslie Rundle. The gardens house exotic plants and trees from around the world and during Festa time it is home to competitions such as vegetable growing contests.
Victoria, and Gozo, are lucky to have two theatres, The Astra Theatre and The Aurora Opera House, both of which put on several Operas throughout the year, a popular event in the Gozitan cultural calander. Both are found on Republic Street. See individual theatres for show dates etc. .
A welcome edition to the Gozo enter-tainment scene is Lucky Jacks, the Islands first Bowling Alley. Located below the Downtown Hotel, Lucky Jacks is a great place for all of the family to spend a couple of hours, there is bowling, sport on tv, a bar and great food. It is open on weekdays from 5pm-11pm, and all day till late on weekends. Triq L’Ewropa, Tel: +356 2210 8000
Spa’s/LeisureIf you are looking for somewhere to really get away from it all and relax for a couple of hours then head to The Maluka Massage and Beauty Spa. Locted in the old part of town, Maluka offers a wide range of treatments and beauty massages. 73, Triq Santa Maria, Tel:+356 2156 5198.
mygozo magazine Page 28
WHERE TO EATFood enthusiasts will not be
disappointed on a trip to the capital, Steak lovers will feel at home at Patricks Lounge and Restaurant, for top quality Chinese head to Fu Hua, for lunch with a spectacular view Cafe San Martino, located in The Citadel is a must. In Independence Square where the daily market takes placed you will find IT Tokk serving great food and is right in the heart of the market. For great wings head to Lucky’s Bowling at The Downtown Hotel
INFORMATION
Tourist Information - The Malta/Gozo Tourist Information office is located at 17 Independence Square, opening hours Mon-Sat 9am-5.30pm, Sun 9am - 1pm.
Banks - There are two major banks located on Republic Street, Bank of Valletta and HSBC. The banks are generally open between 8.30am and 2pm Mon-Fri and between 8.30am and 12.30pm on saturdays.
Transport - The majority of the Islands traffic will pass in and through Victoria at some point during the day. The main bus terminus is located on Main Gate Street and is the main hub for travel around the Island. See www.arriva.com.mt for routes and details.
CAPITAL LIFE
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Ask The Local
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AccommodationThe 3 * Downtown Hotel located on Europa Street is Victoria’s Only Hotel. It is a 3* Hotel with comfortable rooms and modern facilities. There is also a splash pool located on the roof. Rooms from 40 euros per night. Tel: +356 2210 8000 - www.downtown.com.mt
Casa Mia Bed and Breakfast, located in the old part of town is a great choice for those people looking to immerse themselves into real Gozitan daily life. Casa Mia is brimming with character and each room has been lovingly restored to it’s past glory. Rooms from 35 euros pppn, Tel: +356 2730 0169
Gozo Village Holidays based in Victoria on Capuchins St have a wide range of high quality accommodation available accross the Island including 3 farm-houses in Victoria. Citadella, Giradu and Palazzino Cittadella farmhouses are all well located within Victoria and offer high quality fixtures and fittings. To view these farmhouses or view other accommodation the group has on The Island visit www.gozovillageholidays.com, Tel: +356 2155 7255. Email: [email protected]
Heart of Gozo, Il-Hagar Museum
French Native Charlotte has made Gozo her home for the past 6 years, she is the owner of Organika, a delightful shop in St George’s Square, Victoria.
I am originally from France and my husband and i were living in Scotland when we moved to Gozo 6 years ago and it felt like home after only 3 weeks!. We came for the weather and we stayed for the people. They are what makes Gozo so special. As it is a tiny island, you get to know
people everywhere you go and what used to be a burden like everyday shopping became a pleasure as you get to chat with everyone. It is also very safe and kids can be very independent. And obviously, the countryside is beautiful and it is really nice to go for walks after school. I appreciate this simple life, far away from heavy traffic, consumer society and individualism.
My favorite spot in Gozo is near San Blas Bay, where you can smell the orange blossom walking around the citrus and carob trees and admire wild flowers. My favorite café is café Real in Xaghra ‘s main square, they have the best homemade ice cream ! And our canteen is Mojo’s in Victoria as they always have great salads with fresh local products. When we want a special diner, we head off to Qala, at Il Wileg, a restaurant in a traditional farmhouse. The chef, Martin, grows his own herbs and spices in his garden.
mygozo magazine Page 29
Triq Repubblika Triq Fortunato Mizzi
Triq Il-
Kappuccini
Triq L-Ewropa
Triq
L’Im
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Triq Il-Wara S-Sur
Triq L-Arcisqof P.Pace
Triq Sir G.Borg Olivier
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alu
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Triq Anton Tabone
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Sabina Square
St George’sSquare
Victoria
Citadel
ToMarsalforn
ToXlendi
To Xaghra
To Mgarr
To Dwerja
To Sannat
Triq VajringaTriq M
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Triq il Kastell
Triq Kappilan Hili
Triq San Gorg
Triq Syr L.Camilleri
Triq Mejlak
Patri M M
agri
Dirjanu Lanzon
G.Vassallo
M.Preti
Bus Station
Triq Sir Adrian Dingli
The DukeShoppingCentre
ArcadiaShopping Centre
Independance Square
Food and DrinkAccomodation
Parking
Cinema
Bus Terminus
ATMShopping
Public Toilets
One Way
KEY
Restaurants and Bars
PoliceStation
Medical Centre
Petrol Station iInformation
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1. Cafe Jubilee2. Palazzo Antonin3. IT Tokk4. Grapes Bar5. Piazza Cafe6. La Stanza7. Il Panzier8. Patricks T’Mun9. Cordina Cafe Bistro10. Fu Hua11. Mc Donalds12. Ta’Rikardu13. Tapies Bar
14. Red Star15. Majii Wine and Dine16. The Clock House
18. Brookies19. Maldonado20. Mo’s 21. Citadella 22. Cafe San MartinoShops23. Organika
Patisserie24. Melissas Cakes
Real Estate25. Antonin Properties
Car Hire26. Mayjo27. Gozo Garage
Spa and Beauty28. MalukaEntertainment29. Lucky Jacks
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Triq Santa Marija
Casa Mia B+B
Tapies BarSt Francis Square
Victoria
where the locals meet IT TOKK
Patrick's Lounge | Restaurant | Steakhouse
+356 2156 6667 | www.patrickstmun.comTriq L-Ewropa | Victoria | Gozo | Malta
IT TOKK RESTAURANTIndependence Square, Victoria, Gozo
It-Tokk, local food co�ee & wine bar, is the central casual dining experience in Victoria, on the island of Gozo, for traditional Maltese food and much more. Situated on the picturesque Pjazza Independeza ( Independence Square), right in the heart of Gozo. we recommend that every visitor wanting to get a good taste of Maltese food comes round to It-Tokk at least once. Many return over and over again.
At It-Tokk we keep things simple. Our food is homely, our style casual and friendly, and our décor cosy, welcoming and unique. Our prices are moderate and you can literally spend as much or as li�le as you like. We open our doors at 10 am and serve food and drink all through the day and evening, so whether it’s for a hearty english breakfast, light fresh �sh for lunch, a late a�ernoon spicy bite of pizza with a glass of wine, or a hearty rabbit stew for dinner, you’re always welcome at Tony's & Vanessa's.
If you happen to be around on an event night (Carnival, St. George Feast, Santa Marija Feast, No�e Gozitana) then aim for a table on the beautiful roof terrace and watch all the events happening, while enjoying our delicious food. We do special menus for events like birthday parties, christenings, sta� parties etc.
.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................OPEN EVERYDAY FOR LUNCH AND DINNER FROM 10AM UNTIL LATE
FOR RESERVATIONS PLEASE CALL +356 21551213www.it-tokkrestaurant.com
XLENDI SEAFRONT PARADISE
Xlendi, is a picture postcard bay located to the south west of the Island and is a firm favourite amongst Gozitans, Maltese and Tourists a like. Many people are attracted to Xlendi due to the Waterside setting of the many bars and restaurants that line the quayside. There is also a small sandy beach and excellent sunbathing spots located around the bay and plenty of water sports activities to keep all of the family happy including canoeing, banana boats, pedalos and diving schools. Self-Drive motor boats can also be hired as well as fishing trips organised, see page ...Xlendi is home to over 20 restaurants that serve up fresh fish caught the same day, pasta, pizza, Indian, Chinese, and excellent meat dishes.
WHAT TO SEE AND DO As you would expect from a
sea-front location, everything revolves around the water in Xlendi, hire a boat from Xlendi Pleasure Cruises and explore the bays around Xlendi or venture further a field to Comino or around the Island. Xlendi is home to several large caves including St Catherine’s Cave and Carolina's cave. Carolinas is found on the cliffs on the right hand side of the bay if you are looking out to the sea. The cave was once the property of Caroline Cauchi, a wealthy woman from Victoria. In later years she founded the Augustinian Sisters on Gozo and donated almost all
of her land, including the cave and other land in Xlendi to the sisters. During the summer months the Sisters would reside in Xlendi and would bath in the cave that offered them privacy from other swimmers as it could only be reaches by private stairs. St Catherine’s Cave is located to the right of the bay, just as you are entering Xlendi Bay, it is a popular place for snorkelers and divers alike owing to the crystal clear waters found in and around the cave. During the 17th Century, people in fact lived around the cave and it received its name after a Church that was built above the site and the Saint whom the Church was dedicated to. Unfortunately the church is longer on the site. At the Head of the Bay you will find an old watchtower dating back to 1650, it was built on the order of Grandmaster Lascaris and stands 35 ft square at its base and 30 courses high. Although visitors cannot go inside the watch-tower, it is currently being restored, but it is well worth the walk, for sun seekers there are some fabulous bathing opportunities around the tower. The Watch Tower can be reached by follow-ing the coastal path to the left of the bay through the Kantra Valley and by taking the bridge that connects the headland to the land. Il-Kantra is a valley found to the left hand side of the bay close to the watchtower. The name Kantra derives
from Alcantara in Spanish-Sicilian. This is due to the odd shape of the valley that resembles a bow. Il-Kantra is home to many types of flora and fauna, these are allowed to flourish as the valley isn’t populated. The Watchtower is reached by a bridge built by the Knights of Saint John over the Kantra Valley. In 1955 During British rule of the Maltese Islands several emergency mills were built that were capable of producing flour for the Islands if a Cold War was to break out. One of these mills was excavated in the cliffs behind The Mount Carmel Church, in Xlendi, and is the only one left intact on Malta and Gozo. The excavation of the mill was a huge undertaking, cumulating in an entrance tunnel some 30 metres long, and a 3 storey chamber that housed the grinding and milling equip-ment, thankfully the mill was never put into use, but there are plans to restore the mill to its former glory as most of the original equipment is still inside.
The church in Xlendi is dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel and dates back to 1868. On the first Sunday of Septem-ber each year a feast is celebrated in honour of Mount Carmel and it is a really enjoyable weekend to be in Xlendi. During the day water games are held in the bay, with the traditional 'gostra' a greasy pole that you have to climb to seize a flag, proving very popular.
mygozo magazine Page 32
Marin
a Street
Mount Carm
al St
Marina Street
Gostra Street
St Andrews St
St Simon Street
Il Ka
ntra Triq Il Qsajjem
Rabat Rd
Xlendi Rd
Bus Terminus
PoliceStation
To Victoria
Key
Food and Drink ATM Lodging Swimming ZoneParking Boat Hire
Bars/Restaurants1. Ta’Karolina2. Stone Crab3. The Boat House4. 23twelve5. Captains Table6. Pirates Galley7. London Lounge8. C-Seven9. Paradise
Accomodationa) Moby Dick Complexb) St Patricks Hotelc) San Andrea Hotel
10. Sapana Indian 11. Moby Dick12. St Patricks13. Ta’Nona14. Zafiro15. Churchills16. Il Terrazzo17. Ic Cima18. Da Manuel
d) Hotel Xlendie) Villa Xemkijaf) San Antoniog) Ulysses Aparthotel
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WHERE TO EATXlendi is packed with lots of
excellent places to eat, we recommend the following, Ic Cima, The Boathouse, The Moby Dick, Ta‘Karolina, Sapana Indian Restaurant, 23Twelve, C-Seven, The London Lounge, Zafiro and IL Terrazza.
NIGHTLIFELate night drinking can be found at C-Seven and The
London Lounge at weekends. Xlendi is home to The Captains Table, a pub which has live music on a regular basis throughout the year. Xlendi houses’ one of Europe's most picturesque nightclubs, La Grotto, which is perched on a cliff-side overlooking the Xlendi Valley. See www.lagrottaleisure.com for further details and entry prices. Above La Grotto is a smaller club called Club Paradiso which is open all year round and is operated by the same people as La Grotta.
INFORMATION
ATM's - There are two cash machines in Xlendi, HSBC and Bank of Valletta, both are located close to the main car park.Police Station - Xlendi Police station is located on St Andrews StreetBus - Route 306 operates between Xlendi and Marsalforn via Victoria, the first bus leaves Xlendi at 05.20am and the last one at 22.45pm
VILLAGE LIFE
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AccommodationThe 4 * St Patricks Hotel maintains a promi-nent position on the Xlendi sea-front and has rooms that offer a commanding view of Xlendi Bay. All rooms are air conditioned and the hotel has a rooftop pool, the ideal place to relax after a hard day in the sun. Tel: +356 21562951, [email protected], www.vjborg.com
The 3* Hotel San Andrea is a family run hotel that offers a warm welcome and sits in front of Xlendi Bay. All rooms are air conditioned and the hotel has an on-site restaurant. Tel: +356 2156 [email protected]
For 5* Self Catering accommodation look no further than the Moby Dick Complex located on the waters edge. All rooms are expertly
finished with plasma tv and wifi. The penthouse offers a great view of the bay and a large terrace to entertain in the evening.Tel: +356 2156 1518; [email protected], www.mobydickgozo.com
If you are heading to Gozo for a diving holiday then the Moby Dives Complex offers a home away from home and is located only a stones throw away from the sea. There is an on-site pub that has regular entertainment. Tel: +356 2156 4429, [email protected]
The San Antonio Guest House offers excellent value for money B+B accommodation and a fantastic pool. Tel: +356 2156 3555www.clubgozo.com.mt
Gozitan Christian Spiteri is currently studying at the University of Malta, he shares with us his love of Gozo and tips.
There are thousands of spectacular sights around the continents, but if you ask me, the best place is Gozo. To start with, where else would you consider leaving your children alone in the streets or by the sea? You don’t have to worry about that if you’re in Gozo! It’s one of the safest places in the world. Also, what if you like swimming or diving? Gozo is just the ideal place. And guess what? Our sea is among the cleanest in the world. What makes Gozo even more special is that it has its own language, which is a mixture of Semitic (Arabic), Romantic
(Italian) and Anglo-Saxon (English
When in Gozo, there are plenty of attractions you shouldn’t miss. If photography is your hobby, then you must visit the Azure Window in the picturesque Dwejra bay, which has been nominated as one of the seven wonders of the modern world. For a relaxing swim, then Ramla bay is the best. Furthermore, there are the Ggantija Temples in Xaghra, which are more than 5000 years old – older than the pyramids in Egypt. Lastly, Xlendi is a wonderful place to spend a relaxing evening while dining in one of the several restaurants along the seafront. There’s only one word to describe it: it’s perfect! If you’re a meat, fish, pasta, pizza lover, then Xlendi is the ideal place! I You can sit outside the bars and restaurants and watch the world go by, including the fisherman who bring in their daily catch.Gozo is definitely heaven on Earth!
mygozo magazine Page 33
Ta’Karolina Restaurant, XlendiThe Definitive(ly) Good Guide to Restaurants in Malta & Gozo 2013 Award Winner
"Where romance and memories are created, with delightful staff in a wonderful setting by the sea serving excellent food".
Marina Street, XlendiFor Reservations call, +356 2155 9675
Marina Street
Mount Carmal St
Marina Street
Gostra StreetSt Andrews St
St Simon Street
Il Kantra Triq Il Qsajjem
Rabat Rd
Xlendi Rd
Bus Terminus
PoliceStation
To Victoria
Key
Food and Drink ATM Lodging Swimming ZoneParking Boat Hire
Bars/Restaurants1. Ta’Karolina2. Stone Crab3. The Boat House4. 23twelve5. Captains Table6. Pirates Galley7. London Lounge8. C-Seven9. Paradise
Accomodationa) Moby Dick Complexb) St Patricks Hotelc) San Andrea Hotel
10. Sapana Indian 11. Moby Dick12. St Patricks13. Ta’Nona14. Zafiro15. Churchills16. Il Terrazzo17. Ic Cima18. Da Manuel
d) Hotel Xlendie) Villa Xemkijaf) San Antoniog) Ulysses Aparthotel
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1213
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SEVEN
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RESTAURANT
mygozo magazine 4
WWW.ULYSSESAPARTHOTEL.COM
Ta’Karolina Restaurant, XlendiThe Definitive(ly) Good Guide to Restaurants in Malta & Gozo 2013 Award Winner
"Where romance and memories are created, with delightful staff in a wonderful setting by the sea serving excellent food".
Marina Street, XlendiFor Reservations call, +356 2155 9675
Linking the love for the local produce and the legacy with the island of Gozo was the primary aspiration behind the setting up of this catering company, based on the Island of the three hills. Set-up in the year 2006, Connection Caterers served as a hub between the di�erent catering activities carried out by the same company. Since 2002, Philip Spiteri and George Borg ventured in catering for outdoor functions and due to its success, it needed a satellite kitchen besides the restaurant’s infrastructure. The addition of the cafeteria at the Duke’s Shopping complex in Victoria (Gozo) accentuated the need of centralising the kitchen of all these activities. Whether it is a wedding with a 3-�gure attendance, a dinner in a historical building, a co�ee break on a beach, a lunch in a remote place, a private dinner in a farmhouse or a corporate meeting in business premises, Connection Caterers are fully equipped to cater for your needs. The expertise of the head chef, George Borg is highly requested not only locally but also on an international scale, having represented his birth place numerous times out of our shores. Connection Caterers invests all its energy to give a personalised service to each function.
Weddings Private Functions
Special Occasions Corporate Events
Venues: Ta’Mena Estate, Countryside, The Beach, Farmhouses, Dwejra, Salt Pans, On A Boat etcTel: +356 9900 1965, +356 7900 1965, +356 2756 3297, Email: [email protected]
LIVELY MARSALFORN
Marsalforn is Gozo’s main summer holiday destination with many Gozitans and Maltese having holiday flats there. It is situated to the North of the island and is only a ten minute drive from Victoria. Marsalforn is a traditional fishing village and boats can be seen coming and going throughout the day providing fresh fish to the bustling restaurants.
Marsalforn is Xlendi’s bigger sister and during the summer months the prom-enades will be full of people and restaurants packed with locals and holiday makers alike. There are a wide range of restaurants to choose from, most situated on the sea-front. For youngsters there is an amusement park located in the car park and during the summer months it is possible for small children to take a ride on a donkey that operates along the promenade. Eating an ice-cream purchased from one of the excellent Galaterias is a great way to round off an evening.
There is a small sandy beach located to the east of the promenade, it can tend to get busy during the summer, espe-cially at the weekend, there are other bathing spots towards the west of the bay on the rocks towards the headland. Xwieni Bay and Obajjar Bay are located west of Marsalforn and offer good swimming and bathing spots as well as several bars and restaurants
WHAT TO SEE AND DOAs you approach Marsalforn from Victoria, you will probably notice
the lush green scenery that surrounds you, this is known as The Marsalforn Valley. The Valley is surrounded by several hills, the most famous being Tas-Salvatur (Our Saviours Hill) also referred locally as Tal-Merzuq Hill (Ray of Light). On top of the hill sits a large statue of Christ the Savior, this waserected in 1904 and sits proudly over Marsalforn.
Marsalforn is a composite word. "Marsa" is an Arabic word meaning `port` or `bay.` There is disagreement on the origin of the second part of the word - `forn` -. Forn means "a bakery" in Maltese, but it is highly improbable that this has anything to do with Marsalforn, for it is unlikely that a bakery would be built in an area with a small population. It is quite likely that this name, like that of other Gozitan ports, might refer to a type of ship. In that case it would derive from Liburna. an Illyrian type of a ship, which became livurna in Greek, and lifurna in Arabic. The name might also have been derived from forna, a word used by Gozitan fishermen to refer to " a cave hollowed out by the sea". There are several of these in Marsalforn, the best known being Ghar Qawqla `the cave at the steep hill`.
Marsalforns history dates back to Roman times and as recently as the
16th Century, Marsalforn was the most important port in Gozo. Food and supplies were imported from Sicily and passengers were able to board boats that took them to Licata in Sicily and further afield. Marsalforn was consid-ered so important during the reign of the Knights of the Order of St John that they considered abandoning the Citadel in Victoria and building a new fort that overlooked Marsalforn Bay. This plan never materialized as the plans were fought strongly by the Gozitan people. With the growth of Mgarr as a port, Marsalforn began to lose its importance on an economical front and was mainly inhabited by small fishing communities.
As you leave Marsalforn to the left of the bay you will come to the bay of Qbajjar, home to two very good restaurants and also home to a quiet shingle beach, a place to get away from the masses.
Just west of Qbajjar you will find the magnificent Salt Pans, where you will still find to this day families who make their living out of turning the salt from the sea into a product that is served on your table. The families still maintain the ancient traditions that their forefa-thers adopted. It is possible to purchase the salt directly from the source and also see how the salt is turned from the salt pans to the table.
mygozo magazine Page 38
To Victoria
Marsalforn
Pjazza San Pawl Triq
IX - X
ag
hra
Triq
il - Wie
d
Triq
ir - Ra
ba
t
Triq Lapsi
Triq
Tri
q S
an
ta M
ari
ja
Triq il
Forn
Misrah Sir Michelangelo Refalo Triq il-Port
Tri
q il
-Po
rtTriq il-Obajjar
3
456
7 8 9 10 1113 14
15
To Xaghra
Qbajjar
12
1. Otters2. Pierre’s3. Neptunes4. Il Kartel5. Ta Pennellu6. Pebbles7. Smiles8. IL Forno
Accomodationa) Hotel Calypsob) Lanternc) Maria Giovannad) Electra Hotel
9. Smugglers10. Dragon11. Simply Blues12. La Trattoria13. Bo-Jangles14. Electra15. Lantern16. Tang Cheng17. Arzella18. Murella19. Chez Amand20. Qbajjar Restaurant
a
b
c
d
Police Station
HotelCalypso
17
Food and DrinkAccomodation
Parking
Marina
Bus Terminus
ATMSwimming Zone
Boat Launch
One Way
KEY
Restaurants and Bars
18
19
21
12
16
1920
2223
25
24
26
2827
29
1. Qbajjar2. Chez Amand3. Otters4. Pierre’s5. Neptunes6. Il Kartel7. Unwind Bar8. Krya’s Inn9. L’Aragosta10. Dive Bar11. Ta Pennellu12. Marlene D13. Pebbles
14. Cafe Del Mar15. Smileys16. Glassbox17. Electra18. Bo-Jangles19. Il Forno20. La Trattoria21. Smugglers22. Murella23. Calypso24. Odyssey25. L’Antika
26. La Pulena27. Latini28. Beppes29. Lounge 2130. Arzella
Accomodationa) Calypsob) Lanternc) Giovannad) Electra
30
WHERE TO EATMarsalforn has over 25 restau-
rants, the majority of which line the sea-front promenade. With so much to choose from it is difficult to choose where to dine, we recommend IL Kartell, Ristorante Il Gambero @ Calypso Hotel, Menqa L’Antika, L’Aragosta, La Pulena, Chez Amand (Qbajjar), and Murella.
NIGHTLIFEFor late night drinking head to Mellos where there are some
excellent cocktail and great tunes. Murella Lounge Bar has a great atmosphere and often has live music and if you are looking for a real pub experience then head to BoJangles, a traditional pub serving pints, pub food and shows live football. If you enjoy belting out a few classics then the Piùtrentanove Lounge Bar holds Karoeke nights every Monday night during the summer, as does The Glassbox
INFORMATION
Supermarkets - There is a large super-market located on Triq IL Obajjar just up from the Lantern Guest House.ATM's - There is a bank of Valletta cash machine located on The Promenade next to the Dive Bar.Bus - Route 306 operates between Xlendi and Marsalforn via Victoria, the first bus leaves Marsalforn at 06.17am and the last one at 23.17pm
VILLAGE LIFE
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Meet The Local
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Accommodation
VILLAGE LIFE
The 4* Calypso HotelThe 4* Calypso enjoys a prominent location on the water front. With a beach in front of the hotel and a roof top pool this is a family friendly hotel, BBQ evenings are held on the roof and the hotel has an excellent on-site restaurant. Tel: +356 2156 [email protected]
The Lantern Guest House is a family run hotel that offers a warm welcome and sits in the heart of Marsalforn, yet in a peaceful location. All rooms are air conditioned and the hotel has an on-site restaurant. Tel: +356 2156 [email protected]
Maria Giovanna Guest House - a typical Maltese town house that has just been renovated. This romantic and elegantly
furnished hostel is situated in an excellent location in Marsalforn Bay. It offers a warm yet family atmosphere. It is located close to all amenities and the beach. Tel : +356 2155 [email protected]
Hotel Electra has been part of the Marsalforn landscape for many years, it continues to over great value rooms, all offering panoramic views of Marsalforn Bay. All rooms are air condi-tioned. There is also an on-site restaurant. Tel@ +356 2155 6196, [email protected]
Atlantis Lodge, located next to Atlantis Diving Centre and within walking distance from Marsalforn sea front All the guest rooms have an en suite bathroom, TV, telephone, free WiFi access and air-conditioning unit. Tel+356 2155 4685, [email protected]
Philip Spiteri runs IL Kartell Restaurant in Marsalforn and is Co-owner of Connection Caterers. He shares his passion about Gozo.....
I was born and bred in Gozo but when I was young my dream was always to travel and in 1984 I headed down under to Australia to start a new life. My heart however was always in Gozo and my passion in the food industry after being given a taste for the industry having worked at my cousins restaurant IL Kartell when I was young. I returned to Gozo in 1991 for a 6 week visit to catch up with family and friends and I soon realised that this was the place I wanted to be and eventually raise a family in a safe environment and I have been back ever since. Over the past 20 years I have managed to
establish two businesses, IL Gambero and together with my partner and head chef, George Borg, Connection Caterers Ltd, specialising in outside event catering., and I am currently opening Ristorante Il Gambero in Marsalforn Bay and another Restaurant is in the pipeline, namely Il-Barumbara at Mgarr Harbour near the Grand Hotel, whose main aim is to boost local and traditional products . I am a firm believer that we should use as much local produce in our menus and daily lives as possible, this is something that was taught to me growing up on our family farm, which is now an Agri-Tourism Estate, open to the public called Ta’Mena Estate. Ta’Mena produces it’s own wine as well as other traditional food like Olive Oil, jams, “kunserva” (sundried tomato paste), etc. I am proud to be living in Gozo, part of an island with a history of over 4000 years, believing in reviving and saving skills in traditional genuine methods, which makes Gozo, a place to experience......
mygozo magazine Page 39
At our family run restaurant you find the great service and healthy food comes first. We serve delicious home-made pasta and specialise in fresh fish and meat, thus providing a fine selection of dishes which cater for all tastes. Pizza also available.
Marina Street (il-Menqa), MarsalfornGozo, Malta
T: (+356) 2155 9777 M: (+356) 9942 0881
L’Aragosta Restaurant - Marina St - MarsalfornTel: (+356) 21554138, (+356) 21558438
Menqa L’Antika RestaurantMarina St, Marsalforn, Gozo
Tel: (+356 27300309) Mob: +356 79203623www.menqalantika.com
The main ingrediant which makes Menqa L’Antika stand out from the crowdis the attention to detail. From the decor to ambiance, to the new produceassessed day after day for quality by Chef Patron, Gordon Camilleri, resultsin an incomparable dining experience. The talented chef, whom throughexperience has tasted most Mediterranean and European fusions, has goneback to childhood bringing you the original immaculate taste of Gozo’s native kithchen while using The Island’s tasteful produce from limited space.This has contributed in the exceptional gastronomy of our earliest traditions..
Open daily for lunch and dinner
evoking memories of Gozo’s earliest gastronomy.......
GHARB, SAN LAWRENZ, DWEJRA
Gharb is a beautiful Village, located west of Victoria about a ten minute drive away. Gharb is one of the oldest Villages on the Island and derives it’s name from Arabic, although in Maltese it means ‘’West’’ and it is in fact the western most Village on the Island. Gharb started life as a small hamlet hundreds of years ago and was origi-nally populated by farmers who worked the fertile land. You can see it’s ancient roots in the centre of the Village where some houses have fine examples of decorated stone balconies. Gharb is quintessentially Gozitian and it’s main square, with the church dominating, has been the scene of many a postcard throughout the years. The village is home to many traditional Gozitan industries and is still home to traditional lace and cotton makers. The Parish of Gharb is the second oldest Parish on Gozo, the current church, built in 1699 is dedicated to the visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Elizabeth. The feast is celebrated on the 1st Sunday in July. Gharb lies amongst some of the most scenic countryside on the Island, particularly at Dbiegi, the largest hill on Gozo. San Lawrenz, Gharbs neighbour is also dominated by it’s Village Church and sqaure.
WHERE TO EAT
There are several options available in Gharb, Jeffries, located on Triq I-Gharb, has been a very amongst tourists and
locals for many years and serves high quality food in a traditional atmosphere, for reservations Tel: 21561006. Ta’Salvina, located on the main sqaure is is renowned for its local and Mediter-ranean cuisine, Tel: 2155 2505 for reservations. The Gharb Rangers FC Bar, located at 118 Triq il Knisja, is an institution in Gharb and has a fantastic roof garden where you can while away a summers evening. The bar serves excellent pizzas aswell as other well produced local dishes. In San Lawrenz you will find Tatita’s in the main sqaure and down the road at Dwejra you will find The Azure Window where diners can enjoy an unrivalled view of The Inland Sea. For reservations call +356 2156 6560
WHAT TO SEE AND DOGharb is home to several quirky
museums including, The Gharb Folklore Museum located on the main square. The Village also houses the Ta' Dbiegi Crafts Village, a must visit for any visitor looking to sample Gozo’s arts and crafts. In the limits of Gharb you will find the Basilica Ta’Pinu, see page.... for further details.Down at The Inland Sea you will find The Azure Window, Fungus Rock and as the name suggests, The Inland Sea. At The Inland Sea we recommend taking a boat trip from the shore, you get to go through the tunnel and out into the open sea to see some stunning scenery.
ACCOMMODATION
San Lawrenz is home to the 5* Hotel Kempinski and Spa, as
you would expect from a 5* Hotel the standard is very high. The hotel is home to 3 very large swimming pools, includ-ing an indoor one, spa experiences and several excellent restaurants serving high quality international food. See www.kempinski.com for further details
Gozo Village Holidays have a great complex called Village Ta’Sbejha which is located in the village of Gharb. Ta’Sbejha offers self-catering apart-ments with patio or terrrace overlooking the pool. It is ideal for large groups. See www.gozovillageholidays.com for further details.
INFORMATION
Supermarket - There is a supermarket just as you approach the entrance to San Lawrenz village, there are also some general stores located around the main square.
Bus – Route 305 runs between Sannat and San Lawrenz via Gharb. Route 302 runs between Nadur and Dwejra via Victoria. Route 311 runs between Victoria and Dwejra
i
KempinskiHotel San Lawrenz
Ta’DbiegiCrafts Centre
Gharb
Triq L-Gharb
Triq IL Knisja
Triq Frangisk Portelli
Triq San Lawrenz
To VictoriaTo Dwejra
Triq Wied Merill
Triq IL MadonnaTal Virtu
Triq it - Trux
Fren
c ta l
-Gh a
rb
Triq Ta’Sdieri
Triq Il Willeg
7
DwejraThe Inland Sea
San LawrenzDulu
ri Law
renz
Food and Drink
AccomodationParking
ATMKEY
Restaurants and Bars Accomodation1. Je�ries2. Rangers Bar3. Savina4. Tatita’s5. Azure Window
6. Hotel KempinskiMuseums7.Gharb Folklore
Museum
5
4
3
2
1
6
Gharb Folklore Museum,
mygozo magazine Page 41
MGARR GATEWAY TO GOZO
Mgarr, Gozo’s port, is the gateway to the Island. As the ferry makes it way slowly into the harbour, Gozo’s beauty is immediate; Mgarr is a picturesque fishing village that hasn’t really changed much throughout the years. One of the most immediate sights will be the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Loreto that sits high above Mgarr and is actually in the Village of Ghajn-sielem, it is a gothic style church and was built 1924. In 2011 the church received a set of 8 new bells with the largest weighing 5.5 tonnes. Ghajnsielem celebrates its annual feast on the last Sunday in August.
As you would expect from a major port the main activity in Mgarr revolves around the fishing industry and the harbour is full of fishing vessels, large and small. There are no beaches in Mgarr but just around the corner to the east, you will find Hondoq Bay, a shingle beach that offers good swimming facilities. Comino is a short distance across the water from Mgarr.
WHERE TO EAT
Diners are spoilt for choice with an abun-dance of high quality restaurants in Mgarr. As you would expect, fresh sea-food is the order of the day but there are top quality restaurants serving a la carte food including Gozitan, Mediterranean and Chinese food. We recommend IT-Tmun, the sister restaurant to Patricks Tmun in Victoria, it serves fusion and international cuisine. Tel: 2156 6276 for reservations. Also highly recommended is L’Ankra, located on Shore St specialises in excellent Italian food, Tel: 2155 5656 for reservations. Seaview Restaurant is a great spot for lunch or dinner and watch the boats coming and going. Tel: +356 2156 5541 for reservations.
HISTORY/SIGHTS/WHAT TO SEE AND DO
Ferry services have operated between Gozo and Malta as far back as 1241 when the fishing industry was firmly established on the Island. As the fishing industry grew, so did Mgarr and communities begun to spring up around the vicinity of the harbour, especially more towards the hillside areas. The actual port area didn’t see any develop-ment until 1841 when a breakwater was built to provide extra protection. Through-out the 20th and 21st century the breakwa-ter was extended several times and in 2008 a new ferry terminal accommodating 600 passengers and 200 cars was finally completed at a cost of €9.3 million. The new ferry terminal now allows the larger cruise ships that would normally visit Malta to stop on Gozo and allow cruise passengers a chance to see what Gozo has to offer. There are now plans to further develop the area with the creation of the Zewwieqa Water-front, transforming parts of the port that are not in use into a family oriented space including restaurants, open spaces and restaurants.
Sitting above Mgarr Harbour to the left is Fort Chambray, an old historic city located within a fortress. Built over 250 years ago during the reign of the Knights of St John, the fort was initially built as a replacement to the Citadel in Victoria. There was also a thought that building the fort would increase trade between Gozo and Malta. The Fort was only ever used once for military purposes, in 1798, during Gozo's defense against the revolutionary forces of General
Bonaparte. Several British regiments were stationed at the fort during the Crimean and First World Wars but fell into disrepair during the 20th century. Fort Chambray is now being developed into a luxury village community of apartments and villa’s with communal pools and opens spaces. See www.fortchambray.com for further details.
ACCOMMODATION
Accommodation -The 4 * Grand Hotel sits above Mgarr and offers
commanding views of Mgarr, Comino and Malta. Rooms are well laid out and the hotel has a fantastic pool which has great views of Comino and Malta. For reserva-tions see www.grandhotelmalta.com for further details.
INFORMATION
ATM – There is an ATM machine situated at the ferry terminal.
Trips to Comino - Check out Xlendi Pleasure Cruises who offer shuttles and trips to Comino and around Gozo. See www.xlendipleasurecruises.com
Supermarket - There is a supermarket on the hill on the left hand side as you leave the harbour.
Bus – Route 301 runs between Victoria and Mgarr and coincides with the ferry timeta-ble. The first bus leaves Victoria at 05:30am and the last bus 23:05. The first bus leaves Mgarr at 06:15am and the last bus 23:25pm.
i
Triq iz - Zewwieqa
Triq Martino Garces
Triq l - Im
garr
Triq ix - Xatt
Triq ManoelDe Vilhena
Triq SantAn
tnin
Triq il - HamriMgarr
Triq
Mar
tino
Gar
ces
To Nadur
To Qala
To Victoria
1
2
3
4 5 6 8 9
10 11
12
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7
14
10Ferry Terminal To Malta
FortChambray
Food and DrinkAccommodation
Parking
Marina
Bus Terminus
ATMSwimming Zone
Boat Launch
One Way
€KEY
Restaurants and Bars
1. Country Terrace2. Gleneagles3. Il-Kcina Tal-Barrakka4. Ta Paulo5. Horatios Tavern6. Manoels7. Tmun
8. Da Luigi9. Monkeys Fist10. Seaview11. Al Porto12. l’Ankra13. Huan Yuan14. Porto Veccio
Accommodation14. Grand Hotel
14
Tmun
L’Ankra
GrandHotel
€
mygozo magazine Page 42
‘’Food was great , the owners lovely and very helpful . We are frequent Gozo visitors and this was possibly the best meal there. In the docks, so interesting outlooks. Great choice of wines‘’ April 2013, London, UK ‘’Got to be one of the best restaurants on Gozo for both quantity and quality. Great food, sta� and company. The freshly made prickly pear sorbet is divine - a great accompaniment for any meal. The restaurant also serves local dishes and fresh �sh’’ May 2013, Sydney, Australia
Read what Some of Our Diners Are Saying About Us
Located in the picturesque harbour of Mgarr, Tmun, has been setting high standards on the Gozitan food scene for the last 25 years. Husband and wife team, Leli and Jane, joined by their son, Paul, have justi�ably been rated one of the best restaurants on the Island year after year. The family set high standards and constantly strive to improve their menu with new twists to modern classics. Tmun regulars as well as Leli and Jane all have fond memories of their original restaurant in Xlendi but since 2008 the restaurant has took up residence in Mgarr harbour where diners can relax in a more modern environment whilst literally dipping their toes into the sea. Sitting outside Tmun, enjoying a beautifully prepared meal whilst watching the local �sherman bring in their catch is a joy to be-hold. Tmun is renowned for it’s seafood, as you would expect due to the location, but also serves excellent meat and vegetarian dishes. The wine list is
Tmun, Mgarr, Triq Martinu Garces, Mgarr, GozoOpening Hours: Mon-Sun, Lunch 12.00:14.30,Dinner, 18:30-22:30, closed on TuesdaysFor Reservations call; +356 2156 6276Email: [email protected]: www.tmunmgarr.com
XAGHRA CHARMING VILLAGE
Xaghra, located to the North East of the Island is the second largest Village on the Island with a population of just over 4200 people. The village is perched on a high hill and has great views of much of the Island including Ramla Bay. In Maltese, Xaghra means ‘’wilderness’’, a term relating to its location on top of a hill. Many people believe that Xaghra was one of the inhabited parts of Gozo, and looking at the architecture of the village and its surroundings it is easy to understand why. The focal point of the Village is the Church, dedicated to the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The church that stands today was built in 1815 and the church is covered in marble throughout. The Village feast is celebrated on the 8th of September and if you are on Gozo at the same time, a visit to the feast is a must. In the weeks prior to the village feast, the Xaghra Youth Centre organise the annual Xaghra Youth games, an annual event that revolves around the history of the village, Gozo and Malta and includes horse racing, the building of the Ggantija Temples, The Great Siege of 1565 and other events. If you are on Gozo around the 22nd August the games are a great family event.
Xaghra is home to a good number of museums and historical monuments including Calypso’s Cave, The Ggantija Temples, Ninu’s Cave, Xerri’s Cave
and Ta’Kola Windmill, you could quite easily spend a day in Xaghra.
For food lovers Xaghra is home to some excellent restaurants. Rubble Bar located on Victory Square serves both lunch and dinner and has a fantastic menu with a good variety of local delicacies as well as some excellent steaks. Inside Rubble you will find an old style bar that has a really friendly and welcoming environment. Breeze Restaurant serves excellent local and mediterranean food, including daily specials and a good choice of vegetar-ian food. They specialise in pasta dishes and the seafood pasta is a must. Tel: +356 2155 3044 for reservations. D-Venue, located on Victory square serves superb food including a wide choice of Gozitan and Maltese dishes, it also has live music. Look out for their themed nights that occur throughout the year. Tel: +356 2156 6542 for further details. If you are looking for something a little different, the Cornu-copia Hotel hold BBQ evenings around their pools throughout the summer, live music is also provided, contact +356 2155 6486 for dates and reservations. If you have a sweet tooth then we highly recommend that you visit Cafe Reale, located on Victory Square. They serve some amazing homemade cakes and pasteries
Xaghra is home to some of the best accommodation on the Island. From 4* Hotels to 5* Farmhouses the choice really is yours. If you are looking to stay in a hotel, yet still immerse yourself into Gozitan life then Xaghra is home to The 4* Cornucopia Hotel, built around an old converted farmhouse the hotel has real charm. For reservations see www.vjborg.com If you are looking for a home away from home, Bullara Gozo Homes have a selection of 5* farmhouses all located next to each other, a ten minute walk from the centre of the village. Each farmhouse is equipped with high quality appliances, wifi and everything and more you could wish for. To view their farmhouses visit www.bullaragozohomes.com. To view other accommodation in Xaghra Gozo Villa Rentals have some excellent choices, www.gozovillarentals.com
Bus – Bus route 322 runs between Marsalforn and Mgarr via Xaghra roughly every 90 minutes between 05:24am and 22:39pm
Shopping - There is a daily morning market that takes places in The Main Square in Xaghra that sells fresh vegeta-bles and fish. There is also a small supermarket located on Triq L’Ispiera
mygozo magazine Page 44
WHAT TO SEE AND DO
WHERE TO EAT
ACCOMMODATION
Triq Ta H
amet
Triq It Tigrija
Triq Marsalforn
Triq
l-Arcipriet Guzepp Diacono
Square
Triq
Jann
ar
Triq Ta Qacca
Xaghra
Triq Dun
Gorg Preca
Triq 8 Settembru
Triq Ta�a
T
ri q P
ariso
t
Triq John Otto BayerTriq Marija Bambina Triq Guzeppi Grech
Triq I -
Imqades
Tri
Farrugia
Triq Ta’Stellini
To Victoria
To Marsalforn
Victory1
3
4
5
Ggantija Temples
6
2
GgantijaTemples
Triq
Ta H
amet
Triq Ta�a
Triq 8 Settembru
Triq John Otto Bayer
Triq
I - Im
qade
s
Bambina Triq It Tigrija
Triq Marsalforn
Triq
Jann
ar
Triq
Mik
ielFa
rrugia
Triq Dun Gorg Preca
Triq
Paris
ot
Independance Square
Triq Ta Qacca
Triq
Ta B
ulla
ra
Triq
Gni
en Im
rik
Triq San Guzepp
XaghraTo Marsalforn
To Victoria
Food and Drink
Accomodation
ParkingKEY
Restaurants and Bars1. D-Steak2. Xi-Xi3. Oleander4. D Venue5. Co�ee Jubilee6. Breeze7. Rubble Bar
Accomodation6.Cornucopia11. Bullara Homes
Museums7. Ta’Kola Windmill8. Ninus Cave9. Xerris Grotto10.Toy Museum
Museum
CornocopiaHotel
Triq L’Ghejun
Triq Ta Karkar
Triq
Ta G
orf
Triq Gnien Xibla
Triq
TaGa
jdor
uTriq
Gha
jn Q
amar
Triq Il Knisja
Ta’Kola Windmill
NinusCave
Xerris Grotto
Toy Museum
1
2
34
5
6
7
89
10
6
7
AbrahamsSupermarket
11
Open daily from 9am-3.30pmand from 6.00pm until late.Closed on �ursdays
Experience the scrumptious selection of antipasti, salads, pasta, steaks and fresh �sh at Rubble Bar in the heart of Xaghra Square, where exotic local ingredients and mouth watering sauces come together in a symphony of �avours. We warmly welcome you to join us for a casual lunch or dinner where you will devour genuine food, at good prices and with stand out service. Or come along and simply chill out and relax with some friends over a few drinks or refreshing cocktails in a warm and cosy ambience.
Rubble Bar and Restaurant, Victory Square, Xaghra, GozoTel +356 21563758
RUBBLE BAR
Breeze Restaurant
www.breezerestaurantingozo.com85, Victory Square, Xaghra
Tel: +356 21553044
The friendly, family run restaurant offersa mediterranean cuisine and vegetarian menucomplemented with a local and foreign wine list
NADUR FESTIVAL VILLAGE
Nadur is Gozo’s largest village with a population of just over 5000 people. Nadur means ‘’lookout’’ in Maltese and comes from the Arabic word nadara. Perched on a high hill with commanding views of Comino and Malta it is clear why Nadur was an ideal spot to look out for unfriendly enemies.
Several watchtowers were built in and around Nadur , Ta’Kenuna Tower was built by the British in the 19th century and was used as a telegraph link between Gozo and Malta. From the tower you can see much of the Island and the views out towards the Comino channel are to die for. When the Knights of St John ruled the Island a tower was built by Grand Master Nicholas Cotoner and is known as Ta’Sopu tower. It is also called Dahlet Qorrot and San Blas Tower after the two bays it sits between.
During the 1960’s a lot people from Nadur emigrated to the US, Canada, Australia and the UK, many of whom have now returned to the Village and their allegiances to the countries they emigrated to are shown in the flags hung outside their homes.
Outside of Gozo, Nadur is probably most famous for it’s annual carnival that takes place in February during the 5 days that precede Ash Wednesday. The
carnival is known as the Grotesque or Macabre Carnival due to the outfits that are donned by the festival goers.Nadur is also home to The Nadur Wine festival. The dates for the Delicata Classic Wine Festival in Nadur this year, are 31st August, 1 & 2nd September, with a live concert by Airport Impres-sions on Saturday Night. Nadur also hosts a Christmas market that is a great spectacle and normally takes places on the first weekend of Decem-ber.
The focul point of Nadur is The Parish church which was built in 1760 and is dedicated to St Peter and St Paul. The feast takes place on the 29th June each year.
Nadur is home to the Kelinu Grima Maritime Museum. The beaches of San Blas Bay and Dahlet Qorrot are also reached via Nadur.
If you are looking to dine in a restaurant that has fantastic views of the Gozo Channel, Comino, Mgarr and the Gozitan country side then Nadur is home to a new addition to the Gozo restaurant scene, Fliegu. For reserva-tions call +356 2155 0055. There are several places to eat in Nadur Village itself, for those looking for a light snack in the form of a Gozitan Ftira or pizza we recommend the Maxokk Bakery for an authentic taste
of Gozo. They are located on St Jame’s street in the heart of the village. Gebuba Wine Bar, located on the main square is an intiment bar serving cocktails and wines from around the world. Rabokk located in the main square serves great snacks and pizza’s and is good value for money. For those looking for a la carte food head to Anthony’s, a wine bar and restaurant situated in a quaint square behind the main church, Tel: +356 2156 5369 for reservations.
Despite being Gozo’s largest village there are no hotels as such in Nadur, there are however a wide variety of farmhouses to choose from, see www.gozovillarentals.com for more information.
Bus - Bus route 303 runs between Victoria and Mgarr via Nadur every hour from 6am until 11pm.
ATM - There is a Bank of Valletta atm located in the main square.
Shopping - There are several grocery stores located around the main sqaure selling all household goods.
i
WHAT TO SEE AND DO
WHERE TO EAT
ACCOMMODATION
INFOMATION
Triq Borg GharibTriq il - Qala
Triq Sa
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Sant
Anton
in
SquareKnisja
Triq it-Torri
ta’Kenuna
Triq it-
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Triq it - Tigrija
Triq il - Qala Republic Triq San GuzeppTriq
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Triq Xandriku
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Nadur Main Square
Qala
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Triq
L’Imgarr
To Mgarr
To San BlasBay
To Ramla Bay
To Victoria
Gwann
To Xewkija
Main Square
Triq San Gakbu
Food and Drink
AccomodationParking
ATMKEY
Restaurants and Bars1. Maxokk2. Al Capone3. Rabokk4. Anthonys5. Ta’Kenuna6. Fliegu7. D-Bar
Museums8. Ta Kenuna Tower
Museum
Ta Kenuna Tower
1
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View from FlieguRestaurant, Nadur
mygozo magazine Page 46
mygozo magazine 4
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mygozo magazine 4
AccommodationDiscover The Best of Gozo’s places to stay
....................................................................................................................................................Visitors to Gozo are quite literally spoilt for choice when it comes to accommodation, the island has some excellent accommodation available and first time visitors are quite literally blown away by the choice available. Whether you are looking for a 5* Hotel or a quaint B+B, all budgets and tastes are catered for.
When deciding where to stay on Gozo it can prove to be a difficult decision as many factors are taken into consideration, do you want to be close to the sea ? in the country side ?, hidden away from the hustle and bustle of daily life in a quiet village ? do you want to go half board, self catering etc. For those visitors looking for a room with a sea view, there a several excellent options available, The 4* St Patricks Hotel in Xlendi is located on the waters edge and offers commanding views of the beautiful bay, The St Patricks Hotel has a small rooftop splash pool and during the summer months holds regular special events on the rooftop. In Marsalforn you will find the 4* Calypso Hotel, located in the port, rooms offer great views of Marsalforn Bay. The hotel has a rooftop pool and during the summer hosts regular BBQ nights where live music is provided. Mgarr is home to the 4* Grand Hotel which has commanding views of the Gozo Channel towards Comino and Malta. The hotel has a large sized swimming pool amid peaceful surround-ings where guests can while away the summer days.
For Visitors with a larger budget and looking for a luxury stay then they need look no further than the 5* Hotel Ta'Cenc and Spa in Sannat. The hotel offers it’s own version of luxury and privacy. The Hotel is set in mature gardens and guests are left alone to their own devices, if you are looking for real privacy then Hotel Ta'Cenc and Spa is a must stay. There is an excellent Spa facility on-site offering full spa and body treatments, an ideal way to pass a few hours away and retreat from the sun. The hotel has it's own beach access and several swimming pools where you can laze around and enjoy a cocktail or two.
You could easily come to Gozo for a week or two and not want to leave the hotel.
For a taste of village life then head to the 4* Cornucopia Hotel, located on the outskirts of the Village of Xaghra. The hotel has a farmhouse feel to it and you really do get that ''away from it'' feeling, the hotel has two large swimming pools and hosts a twice weekly BBQ night during the summer months.
At the budget end of the scale you will find the 3* Downtown Hotel located in Victoria. Now the only hotel in the capital, it offers an excellent location from which to explore the delights that Victoria has to offer. Guests will find great value for money, the rooms are large and comfortable and the hotel has a rooftop splash pool if you fancy a dip.
Staying in a hotel isn't always to everyones
liking and Gozo has some excellent alterna-tives. One of these is to stay in a B+B and Gozo has several excellent B+B choices to choose from. Xlendi is home to the San Antonio Guest House, a intimate guest house with 20 rooms that has one of the best swimming pools in Xlendi. The rooms offer excellent value for money and the house is in a peaceful part of Xlendi. In Marsalforn a warm welcome awaits you at the Lantern Guest House, centrally located and a minutes walk from plenty of bars and restaurants it is an ideal choice for those with a lesser budget. Marsalforn is also home to the Electra Guest House and Maria Giovanna hostel both offering excellent value for money.
Other excellent B+B options include Mariblu in Xewkija, Lellux B+B in Qala, Dar Ta Zeppi in Qala, Casa Mia in Victoria, Poppetts Farm-house in Xaghra, Daydream B+B in Xaghra.
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Hotel Ta’Cenc & Spa
Our Top Hotel PicksHotel Ta’Cenc & Spa, SannatIf you are looking for total peace and tranquility during your stay on Gozo, look no further than the 5* Hotel Ta’Cenc. Luxurious rooms are spread throughout the beautiful gardens. Guests can enjoy a private beachwww.vjborg.com
Grand Hotel, MgarrThe 4* Grand Hotel sits above Mgarr Harbour and enjoys superb views of Comino and Malta. Rooms are spacious and include large terraces to enjoy the views from.www..grandhotelmalta.com
Calypso Hotel, MarsalfornThe 4* Calypso enjoys a prominent location on the water front. With a beach in front of the hotel and a roof top pool this is a family friendly hotel, BBQ evenings are held on the roof .www.hotelcalypsogozo.com
Hotel San Andrea, XlendiThe 3* San Andrea is set on the waterfront at Xlendi. Rooms are spacious and sea-view rooms offer superb views of Xlendi Bay. The hotel has an excellent restaurant.www.hotelsanandrea.com
St Patricks Hotel, XlendiThe 4* St Patricks Hotel, set on the waters edge at Xlendi Bay offers views to die for of the crystal blue sea located in front of the hotel. You can quite literally touch the sea from your balcony.www.vjborg.com
Cornucopia Hotel, XaghraHidden away in the sleepy village of Xaghra you will find the 4* Cornucopia Hotel. The hotel has a homely feel to it and the luxurious surround-ings will not want you to leave.www.vjborg.com
KempinskiA 5* Hotel the Kempinski is an exclusive hide-away resort in San-Lawrenz. The hotel offers a fantastic spa and three outdoor pools and all the luxury you would expect from a 5* hotel.www.kempinski.com
Downtown Hotel, VictoriaWell located in the Capital, Victoria, the 3* Downtown offers excellent value for money, rooms are large and there is a rooftop pool to cool down in.www.downtown.com.mt
Bullara Gozo Homes
TOTAL GUIDEACCOMMODATION
As an alternative to Hotels, Gozo has some fantastic self-catering options, from 5* sea-front apartments to 5* luxury farm-houses. Over the past 10 years there has been a real surge in the availability of high standard farmhouse accommodation on the Island and one of the newest farm-house developments is by Bullara Gozo Homes in Xaghra. Located a 10 minute walk from the bustling Village Centre, Bullara offer a choice of 5 luxury farm-houses, all housed in the same complex, which makes them a great choice for large groups all wishing to be within the same vicinity. Each farmhouse has been expertly finished with top quality furnish-ing and fittings yet the farmhouses still have the charm of Gozo from yesteryear with exposed beams giving real character. Pools come as standard, so does free wifi, cable tv, ironing board, hair dryer and washing machine, and for the fitness fanatics, free bikes, all nice little touches. If you are looking to sample Gozo village life then this could be the ideal option. For more info on Bullara's farmhouses visit www.bullaragozohomes.com; email: [email protected]
Xlendi is a picture postcard seaside village and it has some great choices of self-catering accommodation. The Moby Dick complex is located on the waters-
edge and offers unrivalled views of Xlendi Bay, from the balconies you can see the fishing men returning with their daily catch or watch the sun set with a glass of wine. There are a choice of 1 and 2 bedroom apartments, the latter ideal for families and there is also a luxurious penthouse that has a large terrace which is a great place to entertain. All of the apartments are fitted with high quality furnishings and as standard include free wifi and cable tv. For more info and to see further pictures visit www.mobydickgozo.com; email: [email protected]
Gozo is a divers paradise and The Ulysses Apart hotel offers divers a home away from home. Located a 1 minute walk from the sea, Ulysses Apart hotel forms part of the Moby Dives complex which also includes The Captains Table Pub, and includes an indoor training pool. There are a good choice of individual rooms, studios and one bedroom apart-ments, all come with mod cons including cable tv, wifi and air conditioning. The apartments include a fully equipped kitchen. If you would prefer to be away from it then Moby Dives also offer a choice of 2 bedroom maisonettes sleeping up to 5 people in a private residential complex called Ulysses Village, these are
located a 5 minute walk from the sea-front. See www.mobydivesgozo.com; email: [email protected]
Gozo Village Holidays have been provid-ing high quality self-catering accommoda-tion on the Island for the past 20 years. The company was started in 1986 by Ino Attard and Lino Cefai with a handful of Villas which has now grown into a major holiday company and they now offer a wide variety of renovated farmhouses, villas, apartments and the charming Villages of Tal-Fanal and Ta’ Sbejha. All these properties were designed to fit in perfectly with the atmosphere of the island of Gozo. Although the company has grown they still run a family-run business with a long-held passion for providing beautiful villas in the most picturesque parts of the island of Gozo. See www.gozovillageholidays for more info; email: [email protected].
Gozo Villa Rentals, have the most extensive rental property database on the Island offering stunning farmhouses, villas, penthouses and other self catering accommodation, to view their portfoliovisit www.gozovillarentals.com
villa rentals
The UK’s leading Gozoholiday rental provider forApartments, Farmhouses,Hotels and Villas
Tel +44 (0) 845 519 8242 Web www.gozovillarentals.comEmail [email protected]
Enquiries +356 2155 7255 www.gozovillageholidays.com
mygozo magazine 4
mygozo magazine 4
mygozo magazine 4
Getting Married in Gozo...
Gozo provides a unique setting for a wedding whether you’re local to the islands or visiting from abroad. We talk to bridal magazine and wedding photographer Matt “Hush” of www.weddingphotos-malta.com about the charms of a tying the knot on the Isle of Calypso.
If you ask anyone whose chosen to get married in Gozo, the attraction of the island as a wedding destination, generally fall under a few broad and probably quite obvious headings. The top of the list, in my experience from the numerous visiting brides and grooms we have photographed over these past years would include, the strong probability of good weather, the opportunity to celebrate outdoors, the romance of rustic charm and a Mediterranean back-drop and the overall experience in doing something
are other great reasons as to why Gozo is a perfect wedding destination, for example, tying in a mem-orable holiday/honeymoon as part of your wedding
from most wedding vendors, who will be only to happy to accommodate ideas – the only limitation is your imagination and of course budget. On the mat-
get more for what you spend, particularly if you plan your day alone or alongside a good, local to Gozo, wedding organizer.
“Gozo is truly
a jewel in the
Mediterranean”
although connecting with them from abroad may not always be the easiest thing to accomplish, so start with a date and establish the most important aspects of your day, research a little on the inter-
out who is at the top of their game with important features such as catering, photography, hair styling,
dots for yourself.
so many opportunities to create memories that will last a lifetime. From a photographic point of view, the abundance of natural light, rustic backdrops and country landscapes and seascapes is a dream set-ting for weddings and with our renowned laid back and friendly attitude your are sure to have a day to remember that will be cherished by yourselves and your guests for years to come.
Whether you are seeking a Catholic Mass in a
a small chapel or a civil ceremony at a unique -
gards to reception options, the possibilities for func-tions is endless, for example, a luxurious banquet at one of our 5 star hotels, a dream reception and party at one of the dedicated outdoor wedding venues or award winning restaurants or bespoke soiree at one of the numerous picturesque farmhouses.
Matt and the team of photographers at www.thisishush.com and www.weddingphotosmalta.com are available
to visiting couples. Contact: [email protected] | +356 2763 0443 | +356 9993 0443.
Getting Married in Gozo...
Gozo provides a unique setting for a wedding whether you’re local to the islands or visiting from abroad. We talk to bridal magazine and wedding photographer Matt “Hush” of www.weddingphotos-malta.com about the charms of a tying the knot on the Isle of Calypso.
If you ask anyone whose chosen to get married in Gozo, the attraction of the island as a wedding destination, generally fall under a few broad and probably quite obvious headings. The top of the list, in my experience from the numerous visiting brides and grooms we have photographed over these past years would include, the strong probability of good weather, the opportunity to celebrate outdoors, the romance of rustic charm and a Mediterranean back-drop and the overall experience in doing something
are other great reasons as to why Gozo is a perfect wedding destination, for example, tying in a mem-orable holiday/honeymoon as part of your wedding
from most wedding vendors, who will be only to happy to accommodate ideas – the only limitation is your imagination and of course budget. On the mat-
get more for what you spend, particularly if you plan your day alone or alongside a good, local to Gozo, wedding organizer.
“Gozo is truly
a jewel in the
Mediterranean”
although connecting with them from abroad may not always be the easiest thing to accomplish, so start with a date and establish the most important aspects of your day, research a little on the inter-
out who is at the top of their game with important features such as catering, photography, hair styling,
dots for yourself.
so many opportunities to create memories that will last a lifetime. From a photographic point of view, the abundance of natural light, rustic backdrops and country landscapes and seascapes is a dream set-ting for weddings and with our renowned laid back and friendly attitude your are sure to have a day to remember that will be cherished by yourselves and your guests for years to come.
Whether you are seeking a Catholic Mass in a
a small chapel or a civil ceremony at a unique -
gards to reception options, the possibilities for func-tions is endless, for example, a luxurious banquet at one of our 5 star hotels, a dream reception and party at one of the dedicated outdoor wedding venues or award winning restaurants or bespoke soiree at one of the numerous picturesque farmhouses.
Matt and the team of photographers at www.thisishush.com and www.weddingphotosmalta.com are available
to visiting couples. Contact: [email protected] | +356 2763 0443 | +356 9993 0443.
TOTAL GUIDE GETTING AROUND
Upon arrival at Malta Airport in order to get over to Gozo then you will need to take an airport transfer. Victory Garage (www.victory-garage.com) and Mayjo Car Rentals both offer direct and indirect airport transfers. The advantage of a direct transfer is that you are picked up directly from the airport and driven onto the ferry and straight to your destination in Gozo. With an indirect transfer you will be transferred to the ferry terminal where you will leave your driver and go onto the ferry as foot passengers, you will then be picked up by another company on arrival in Gozo. Cost wise there is a differ-ence, direct transfers cost circa €60 and an indirect transfer €35-40
Whether you enjoy exploring by foot, bike, car, boat, plane, or public transport, Gozo is one of the most accessible islands that you could visit. To get the best out of what Gozo has to offer we certainly advise hiring a car for at least a couple of days, expect to pay around €15-€25 Euros per day depending on make and model of the car. We recom-mend Mayjo Car Rentals (www.mayjocarhire.com), and Gozo Garage (www.gozogarage.com).
A great way to see the Island is by bus, unfortunately the Old Gozitan bus’s that used to be the character of the Island are no
longer in use but the bus system is now larger and a lot more reliable. Ticket prices are extremely reasonable, a 2 hour ticket cost €2.20, a 1 day ticket €2.60 and a 7 day ticket €12. For routes and timetables visit www.arriva.com.mt
Over the last couple of years Gozo has seen the introduction of several companies offering sightseeing tours on open top, double deck buses. The companies offer trips around the island taking in all of the sights and sounds that Gozo has to offer and they are a fun way to see the island. There are currently two companies offering this kind of service, The Malta Sightseeing Company, and The City Sightseeing Company. The service offered by Malta sightseeing departs from Mgarr harbour and visits the Maritime Museum, Savina creativity centre, the Ggantija Temples and Xaghra Windmill, Calypso's Cave, Marsalforn, Ta’Pinu Basilica, The Crafts Village, The Azure Window, Fontana cottage and Xlendi Bay. The tour starts and ends back at Mgarr harbour and passes by the Victoria bus station a number of times. Passengers can get on and off the bus at any time. Please see www.maltasightseeing.com or www.city-sightseeing.com for more details.
The Ferry service from Mgarr Harbour
operated between Gozo and Malta by the Gozo Channel Company is the lifeblood for citizens on the island. There are frequent ferry services between Gozo and Malta and the service operates 24/7. During the daytime the ferry operates roughly every 45 min between 06.00am and 21.00pm. Between 23.00pm and 05.00am the ferry operates roughly every 90 min. Ferry tickets for foot passengers costs €4.65, children, €1.15 and for a car and driver the cost is €15.70 return. Please note that tickets are purchased at Mgarr Harbour, Gozo. See www.gozochannel.com for further details.
Sporty readers can hire a bike and explore Gozo at their own leisure, renting a bike is a great way to see the Island and a company called On Two Wheels, based in Marsalforn rent out mountain bikes, mopeds and motorbikes. See www.ontwoweheelsgozo.com.
A great way to see the island which is fun and exhilarating is on a quad bike. Hiring a quad bike allows you to see parts of Gozo where cars are not permissible. Quad bike hire prices are as follows; three hours €45, 5 hours €55, 7 hours €65, 9 hours €75, if you hire the quad for two days or more the cost is €55 daily Please see www.gozoquadhire.com for further details
.............................................................................................................................................................................
Tel: +356 2155 1051, Mobile: +35699494054/+35699491771Email: [email protected]
www.victory-garage.com
Victory Garage, based in Xaghra, are a transport company who have over 30 years experience in the tourist industry. A family run business, Victory garage, provide a comprehensive 24 hour service including airport transfers, taxi service, chau�eur driven cars, sightseeing and guided tours, We can also o�er luxury two-bed roomed apartments and a magni�cent three-bed roomed farmhouses, with private swimming pool, situated in the picturesque village of Xaghra
Chau�eur Services Airport TransfersAccommodation
TOTAL GUIDE GETTING AROUND
.............................................................................................................................................................................
Tel: +356 2155 1051, Mobile: +35699494054/+35699491771Email: [email protected]
www.victory-garage.com
Victory Garage, based in Xaghra, are a transport company who have over 30 years experience in the tourist industry. A family run business, Victory garage, provide a comprehensive 24 hour service including airport transfers, taxi service, chau�eur driven cars, sightseeing and guided tours,We can also o�er luxury two-bedroomed apartments and a magni�cent three-bedroomed farm-houses, with private swimming pool, situated in the picturesque village of Xaghra
Chau�er Services Airport TransfersAccommodation
Airport Transfers (Taxi & Minivan)
Chau�er Driven ServiceMalta & Gozo Tours • Jeep ToursScooter Hire • Car Hire
Tel: (00356) 2155 6678 / 2155 1772Mob: (00356) 9989 0600 / 99802505
YEARS OFEXCELLENTSERVICE
OVER
49
Mayjo, a family run company, has been providing auto rental and airport transfer services since 1964 on Gozo and Malta, making it the first rental company ever established on Gozo and a household name on the island. Mayjo also specialises on low cost door to door airport transfers on a 24Hr basis. The company operates a personalised service and can take the traveller anywhere in Malta and Gozo by taxi or minivan depending on the number of people.
The dedication and commitment of the management team and support staff has been the basis of the company's growth, and today Mayjo operates one of the leading car hire and transport services on the island.
The secret of our success:We believe the main reason of Mayjo’s success story is in offering a value added and quality service while keeping prices low and with no hidden charges. Good service is given priority which has helped the company in building a solid reputation on the island and forming excellent customer relationships. Mayjo continues to strive to give the best possible personalised and professional service to all its clients.
Our promise:Mayjo care for the well-being of its customers and thus all cars are thoroughly checked and valeted before each rental. The fleet is routinely maintained and regularly serviced. Mayjo is environmentally conscious and provides low emission vehicles. 24Hr roadside assistance ensures our clients are promptly assisted.
Not just car hire and airport transfers:Mayjo not only provide car hire and transport services but has expanded in many other services to be able to meet the demands of a larger client portfolio which includes families, couples, individuals and large and small groups. We also work with many tour operators in order to suit the varying needs of today’s discerning traveller.
Mayjo will be celebrating its 50th anniversary in May 2014. The company would like to take the opportunity to thank its clients and employees for their continued loyalty, without which Mayjo would not be the success it is today.
Mayjo car rentals: Since 1964, �e number one choice of Car hire on Gozo!
BEGINNERS GUIDE TO:
Scuba-diving
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Have you ever wantedto take the plunge ? Tom Steiner van den Ouweelen and Audrey Cudel fromGozo Technical Divinghave all of the answers...
IS DIVING DANGEROUS ?Tom - Let’s be honest, Diving is not dangerous if you get the proper training and if you gain experience in between courses, there is no Zero to Hero formula, dive within you limits and don’t push them, choose carefully an experienced Diving Instructor. Cheap is for sure not good! Quality is something that you will have to pay and at the end it’s your safety that comes first. Of course accidents do happen, but Scuba Diving is a very safe activity in general..
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST ?Audrey - A try dive costs around 40-50 euros depending on the diving school. It’s a good first underwater experience, a sensation dive which gives one the basics of diving. So as to become a certified diver, one needs to complete a first level certification with one of the existing diving organizations such as PADI, CMAS, SDI, BSAC, SSI, etc… they all basically provide a first training experience covering the safety rules of diving, the equipment management and buoyancy basics allowing a diver to go down to 18-20m depth once certified. The duration of the course can vary depending on the organization and the diving school from 4 up to 5 days and the cost including the equipment, the manuals and certification can go from 300 up to 400 euros average.
WHAT IS PADI ?Tom/Audrey - PADI is the Professional Associa-tion of Diving Instructors, it’s actually the biggest dive organisation on the planet. They have books in many languages and very good material and they offer all types of courses from Beginner to Advanced , Technical and Instructor courses..It was created in 1966 and counts nowadays about 100 000 professional members, 5000 dive centres in 175 countries. PADI Instructors deliver certifications from beginner level up to instructor trainer (course director) level in the recreational and technical diving activities through a variety of courses, specialties and other programs. Most of the courses are supported in 20 languages including manuals, videos and well-structured training sessions. Its powerful marketing worldwide make a lot of beginner divers ask first to do their “Padi Open Water” without knowing what PADI is
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO LEARN ? Audrey - A try dive requires about half a day including the diving equipment presentation and the practical session. A first level certification such as PADI Open Water or CMAS* shall require about 4-5 days depending on the number of students and each student’s ability to cope with this new environment. The training includes both a theory part and practical applications first in shallow water (5m maximum)which are then repeated during open water sessions (max
18-20m) until they are successfully achieved. The practical applications cover a range of topics reviewed throughout the theory such as diving physics, physiology, environment, equipment and safety drills.
DO ANY MEDICAL CONDITIONS RULE PEOPLE OUT ?Tom - You need to be fit that’s for sure, not an Iron Man or Iron woman but be fit, know how to swim, you will have to do a swim test for the first level. The best is to go to a Hyperbaric Doctor and have a full examination to know if you are fit to dive or not. Any medication or health problem has to be checked prior enrolling a course, it’s for your own safety and the safety of your Instructor. There is a very good Hyperbaric doctor on Gozo.
WHAT ARE THE DANGERS FOR A CASUAL DIVER ?Audrey - A casual recreational diver is exposed to a variety of dangers which can be partly controlled. Being fit both in the body and the attitude we have facing the dive we are about to make is the first advice I would give to any diver. It means one should not dive if tired, sick, stressed or under any kind of medication or drug influence. It also means that one should be aware of the equipment he is preparing to dive with, its own limits in regards to his experience and the environment he is about to explore compared to his diving experience: when was the last time I have been diving? Am I familiar with this environment? Are the weather and water conditions good enough? Am I familiar with the local diving regulations and the expected dive profile (depth, current, visibility, temperature)? Did I plan this dive? The marine life is hardly ever a danger to the diver as long as he respects the environment not touching anything. The dangers mostly come from inexperienced divers who intend to go beyond their limits.
FAVORITE PLACES TO DIVE ON GOZO ? Tom - For me Billinghurst and Reqqa Point are the best dive spots of Gozo, but they all have something magic and something different. Wrecks are beautiful, caverns and caves as well. Gozo has is the perfect place where any diver of any level will find what he searches for .Audrey - Gozo offers a variety of dive places with different profiles in terms of depth, topography, entrances...such as drop offs, caverns, wrecks. The place is unfortunately no longer so famous for marine life which has been taken away those past years. However, underwater photography lovers will still enjoy a range of macro life and groups of dentex, tunas, barracudas, groupers depending on the season.As a technical diver and depending on my mood, I love to go and explore the south wrecks of Gozo with an adapted configuration and gas mixes so as to extend my bottom time there. I am also keen on Inland Sea which offers an amazing visibility down of the drop offs and a variety of cracks to explore. One of my favourite places is
located north: Billinghurst Cave. To be covered fully, this cave should only be explored with a redundant configuration (Sidemount or Twinset) according to me. It is full of life and even though a part of it collapsed, when I am exploring the inner structure of it, I have the feeling that when the sea level was much lower thousands of years ago, it must have been a man-made temple, quite similar to the Hypogeum place in Malta.
YOU RECENTLY SET UP A BUSINESS ON GOZO, WAS IT EASY TO DO ?. Audrey - After living in Egypt, I assumed that one setting up a business in Gozo should expect to benefit from most of the existing European ad local regulations. In reality this assumption is both true and false: getting accustomed to the way things work on the administrative side and all the expected paper work is not always so easy and requires a lot of support and patience. However having a reliable system also supports the business set up through steady regulations and a business environment strongly supported by the MTA (Malta Tourism Authority) invest-ments and the PDSA (Professional Diving School Association) consortium for diving activities both in Gozo and Malta. They both emphasize on the common work and communication between dive centres on the islands and abroad from a marketing point of view. The investments made to create a friendly diving environment (facilitate dive sites accesses through signs, road and ladders, multiply projects such as additional artificial wrecks, …) and attract more divers definitely helps. From a local aspect point of view, all the people we have been working with so far: builders, accountants and other dive centres on Gozo, have been very supportive and friendly.The tips I would give to a foreigner looking to buy a business in Gozo is first of all to be patient. Second thing, I would strongly suggest that he gets a good accountant to support him with the way taxes, VAT, and all financial aspects work when having a business in Malta. Last but not least, I would suggest that he keeps on chasing companies he expects to work with. Gozo is a busy island where most of the people have two or three jobs at the same time and it is not always easy to schedule when work should be completed.
DIVE SCHOOL
Tom and Audrey from Gozo Technical Diving....................................................................
mygozo magazine Page 58
TOTAL GUIDE WATERSPORTS
If you're reading this then the chances are that you are attending one of the many diving schools that are available on the island. Gozo is a very popular destination for many European, and in fact global divers and is known throughout the world as an excellent diving location with many caves, reefs and wrecks to explore. There are some excellent diving schools throughout the island and all of the diving schools on the island of Gozo adhere to the highest safety procedures. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced diver there are courses available for all levels. Diving is possible all year round and underwa-ter visibility is more than 30 metres.
One of the main advantages of diving in Gozo is that many of the dive sites are accessible from the shore. The dive schools on the island are generally led by well-qualified multilingual instructors who have many years experience of diving around the shores. If you are new to diving there are a few legal
requirements that have to be taken into consideration. The youngest age that you can dive is 10 years old and under 18’s will require written a parent or consent. Most of the courses on the island offer beginners courses which generally consist of 1 to 2 hours of actual classroom based teaching on equipment and safety procedures, you will then normally be introduced into shallow waters were you will practise breathing in the water and you would then usually dive for around half an hour in the sea. Expect to pay about €45 for a beginner's lesson, although cost will vary from school to school. All diving schools also offer more advanced and longer courses, including CMAS, BSAC and PADI qualifications and also the opportunity to rent equipment for more experienced divers who hold the relevant qualifications to dive unaccompanied.
Gozo has some excellent dive sites these include Billinghurst Cave, the Blue Hole and Chimney, Coral Cave, Crocodile Rock, Double Arch Reef, Fessej Rock, Fungus Rock, Reqqa Point, San Dimitri Point, Ta’Cenc, Wied-Il-Ghasri, Xatt l’Ahmar and Xlendi Cave and Reef.
Over the past 15 years several ex Gozo Channel Ferries have been scuttled around Gozo and provide an excellent artificial reef for divers. The MV Xlendi was originally scuttled in 1999 in the waters off IX-Xatt, just to the West of Mgarr. The MV Xlendi sits on the bottom of the ocean, some 40 metres deep and what makes it fascinating to divers is that it is positioned up-side down. In 2006, MV Xlendi
was joined by two more ships, The Comino Land and The Karwela.
If you don't fancy donning a wet suit there are some excellent snorkelling sites located throughout the Islands and we highly recom-mend the Blue lagoon on Comino, Mgarr-IX-Xini, The Inland Sea and San Blas Bay.
A great way to see the island is by hiring a self drive motor-boat. It is possible to go around the island in a day, and is a great way to spend a day in the sun, take a picnic and enjoy the scenery. Xlendi pleasure cruises offer self drive boats out of Xlendi Bay. They have various boats available is available, booking is available on the pier in Xlendi as well as at their booking office in Marsalforn . They also offer boat trips to Comino and around the Island, The Gozo Princess, please see www.xlendipleasurecruises.com or contact them on 0035699478119/2155 9967 for further details. Canoes, pedalos and trips on a banana boat can be booked via Lewis, once again at the pier in Xlendi. Lewis can be contacted on 0035699427917. A stay on Gozo would not be complete without a trip to the blue lagoon on Comino.
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It may be Dark ... It may be Deep ...
... but It does not have to be on Air
BEGINNERS GUIDE TO:
UnderwaterPhotography
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Have you always wonderedwhat it’s like to take the perfect shot beneath thesurface ? expert Pete Bullenhas all of the answers...
It's easy to take photographs underwater; taking good photographs is harder but it still isn't rocket science. Even "cheap point and shoot” compact cameras are capable of taking good shots within their limitations. The more expensive/bigger the cameras are, the fewer the limitations. Of course this is a big generalisation but it broadly holds true, especially when added to a large budget, but the basic skills are the same regardless of the size of the camera and all over the world, people are taking award winning shots with relatively inexpensive compact camera setups. Most people who take cameras underwater periodically get good or even great shots, the problem is that they rarely understand what they did differently on that occasion to the poor or mediocre results that they usually get. In consequence they keep clicking away underwater in the hope that a few of their shots will be good enough.
Rules are there to be broken; but you have to understand what the rules are before you can break them successfully so if you would like to take more good shots and fewer poor ones then here are a few of my rules/tips to get you started.
1. Set your camera up in a clean dry area before you get to the dive site or onto the boat. Wind, waves, dust and other people can all contribute to a kinked or contaminated Do ring seal that will cause a flood and ruin your camera. I almost never open my camera again after setting it up until the end of the day when I've finished diving.
2. Enter the water carefully. Wherever possible I get someone to hand me my camera once I'm in the water, or I clip it off to the boat hanging in the water and collect it once I'm in and safe. If that isn't possible then I try to protect the camera by raising it up as I enter with a giant stride so that the camera's impact with the water is as gentle as possible. I also keep lens caps in place until I'm ready to descend.
3. Always get yourself sorted before checking the camera. Far too often I see people jump into the water and as they bobble back to the surface their heads are in the water checking the camera for leaks. A leak can ruin your day but a kit problem that sees you unable to control your buoyancy can ruin much more. So get yourself buoyant and stable, finns on and safe before worrying about the camera.
4. Negative, positive or neutral ? This is always a matter of personal preference but I like my camera to be slightly negative, however, the important word there is “slightly”. Whilst I always have my camera secured to a D ring on the left side of my chest, if I let go of my camera I don't want it floating up in front of my face or behind my head but I do want it only slightly negatively weighted so that holding it isn't going to give me wrist strain by the end of the dive.
5. Taking photographsRAW or JPEG, white balance or post processing ? The more advanced cameras generally offer a choice of formats and if so I always choose RAW and sort out white balance on the computer afterwards, this gives me one less task underwa-ter to worry about. If the camera I'm using doesn't have a RAW option then I white balance every time I ascend or descend more than a couple of metres or move from a well lit to a darker area or vice versa.
6. Choose your subject and stick with it, if you find a cooperative cuttlefish for example, why just take a couple of quick snaps and move on ? Take your time, approach it slowly and gently and keep taking photographs until you are confident that you've got the best shot you can air, buddy and safe diving conditions allowing.
7. Remember your buddy. It's easy to get so wrapped up in taking photographs that you forget/neglect your buddy so plan the dive accordingly. I've found the best way is for two photographers to dive together and share the load, while one is taking photographs the other can be observing, modelling, keeping an eye on the photographer's fin tips and even lifting them off any innocent coral, looking for other subjects in the immediate area, acting as safety diver etc. then they swap roles.
8. Be aware of the environment. Whether you are taking photographs of reefs, wrecks, fish or macro subjects, they look best if they are as you found them, knocking coral off, kicking up the vis, disturbing an animal to get the perfect shot is not only unforgivable but it's self defeating, for example many fish like to sit close to the bottom facing into the current, so getting a close up shot including the eyes generally involves being upstream of them. Any sand or debris that you kick up through careless fin positioning or poor buoyancy control will drift down to the fish and ruin your shot. So if you can't get the shot without doing some damage move on, there will always be other chances.
9. Control your buoyancy. A good diver doesn't need to lie on the bottom or reef to get the shot, be prepared to invert, hang upside down and shoot from that angle, it's easy to turn the photograph back the right way once it's on the computer but you need good dive skills to achieve this.
10. Shoot upwards, getting below the subject and shooting upwards is key to getting good shots of most subjects, off the top of my head I can only think of a couple of subjects that look best shot from above but in the main, whether you are photographing a wreck, a fish or a nudibranch being below the subject works best.
11.Think about what you want your photo-graph to say, are you trying to show a fish in it's natural habitat ?, create a piece of art for your wall ? or illustrate the natural colours of some-thing for an article? In other words tell the story!
12. Get the background right. Always think about the composition of your shot and this starts with getting the background right. The best shot in the world of a well camouflaged scorpion fish will just be a blurred mess if you have failed to separate the fish from it's background unless you intended the shot to demonstrate how well some fish hide themselves. If you would like help with your underwater photography then please contact me. I could write pages on each of the points above and many more besides. I'm happy to offer my thoughts on equipment and problems just drop me a line through my web site www.oceanfoto.co.uk or by email [email protected]. You can also find me at The Captains Table, Moby Dives in Xlendi
Pete Bullen is a professional underwater photographer who lives on Gozo where he shares his passion for the undersea world and coaches and guides underwater photographers. If you would like any professional photographs then do not hesitate to contact Pete at the email above.
UNDERWATER SHOTS
mygozo magazine Page 60
TOTAL GUIDE ADVENTURE
The Maltese Islands are a paradise for adventure lovers from Kayaking to Climb-ing, Biking to Hiking almost anything is possible. Spoiled by the sun surrounded by crystal clear waters and a unique landscape Gozo offers a perfect all year natural playground. With its Mediterranean climate adventure activities are possible all year round with the winter months leaning towards land based activities and the summer months water based activities. Kayaking is a great way to explore Gozo’s diverse and varied coastline with its caves, hidden coves and picturesque bays and beaches. With Comino only a ten minute paddle away it is the best way to see the islands taking your time to enjoy the water from a different perspective. Gozo is naturally rocky and is a hidden treasure for climbers with its numerous inland crags that are rarely visited by tourist to it's stunning sea cliffs offering long multi-pith climbs for the more experienced climber. There are bolted sport climbs that are suitable for beginners up to experienced climbers and the island now boasts the longest roof climb in the world, bouldering, traditional climbs and deep water soloing in the summer months are also well developed. Making Gozo a destination that can only grow in popularity for climbers.Gozo’s national symbol is the three hills
and even though the highest point on the island is no greater than 450 meters above sea level there are a great number of cycling routes that offer a wide range of challenges. They lead through quaint villages, along quiet roads, peaceful hills, rough seaside tracks, picturesque valleys and historical sites. Hiking is one of the most relaxing and rewarding activities as Gozo has a special charm. If you are looking for peace and quiet there are a number of walks that take you along the tops of cliffs and winding valleys with stunning scenery and local treasures. During the winter months the island is lush and green covered with wild flowers and scented herbs, this is also the time to enjoy the bustling life of Victoria or explore one of the most diverse histories in Europe with its temples and archeological abundance. During in the summer the island is more arid but walking along the coastline and beaches one can take the opportunity to cool down in the sea swimming and snorkeling. If you are active the island will keep you entertained for weeks and if you take the time to explore it will reveal years of history and beautiful locations. If you are visiting for only a short period then we would recommend contacting Gozo Adventures who offer an authentic and exilerating way
to experience the best that the Island has to offer including activity tours, kayaking, eco tours and climbing and abseiling. Tel: +356 99994592. www.gozoadventures.com
Victor Muscat horse riding offer a unique and adventurous horse riding experience through the hills and valleys of Gozo. Riding on horseback is a unique way to see the island. We advise contacting victor at least two days before you wish to ride to avoid disappointment. Victor also offers courage to most of the island we can sit back and relax and experience the hidden beauties of those are aboard one of their stylish carriages. For further details please see www.vmcarriages.com for further details.
Gozo pride Tours offer a selection of tours that will give you a good taste of what the Island has to offer. Their Jeep and Quad Bike Safari’s are able to reach places that are not accessible by coaches or mini buses, taking shortcuts through the country-side giving you the chance to take dramatic photographs and see breathtaking scenery. Gozo pride tours run from Monday to Saturday and price includes transport to and from accommodation, ferry tickets (if coming from Malta) and lunch. They offer half day and full day packages. Please see www.gozopridetours.com for further details.
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ACTIVITY - ADVENTURE - EXPERIENCE
Sea KayakingPaddle Gozo and Comino’s coastline by kayak and discover the islands stunning scenery from a di�erent perspective. Visit sea caves, secluded beaches and picturesque inlets. Half day €45, Full day € 65 pp including a picnic lunch.
Activity ToursExplore areas of the island that are rarely visited by choosing from two of the following activities to try in one day: *Climbing & Abseiling *Swimming & Snorkelling * Hiking *Biking. Tour €65 pp including a picnic lunch.
Climbing & AbseilingIf you are looking to climb or abseil on Gozo then look no further! Our experienced guides will take you to the best locations on the island to suit your experience and ability. Half day €45, Full day € 65 pp including a picnic lunch.
Eco ToursDiscover more about life in Gozo by meeting local people at work and at play. Learn about daily life, past traditions, and sample local food. Tour €75 pp including a restaurant lunch.
7 Triq Sant Indrija, Victoria, Gozo, VCT 1250 O�ce: (00 356) 21 564 592, Cornil (00 356) 9999 4689
www.gozoadventures.com - [email protected]
• Half Day Boat Trips Around Comino With 2 Swimmimg Stops At Crystal Lagoon, Blue Lagoon & Caves• Boat Charter With Skipper • Half Day Around Gozo & Comino (Blue Lagoon) • Fast Power Boat Trips
+ 356 9942 7917 • + 356 9945 2349 • + 356 9911 1909 • + 356 2155 1909On All TripsBuffet Served on board (optional)Free use of masks on boardTransport from your hotel/accommodationSee brochure for further details
www.xlendicruises.com
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mygozo magazine Page 63
keeping Gozitan culinary traditions alive !
visit us to watch food in the making & free food sampling
the magro food villagexewkija, gozo - [email protected]
+356 2155 6663
From Mgarr Harbour follow the main road to Victoria, until you reach the main roundabout. Then follow the signs to The Magro Food Village
GOZO FERRY TERMINAL
XEWKIJACHAPEL
TO VICTORIA
MAINROUNDABOUT GHAJNSIELEMHELIPORT
MAGRO FOODVILLAGE
