Gozo & Comino

Gozo and Comino
Gozo and tiny Comino provide a tranquil haven for a tempo and scene change.

The charm of Gozo is apparent the moment you arrive there. Greener, more rural and smaller than Malta, life on Gozo moves at a leisurely pace. The rhythms dictated by the seasons, fishing and agriculture.

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In winter and spring, the Island is covered with flowering herbs and lush crops. In summer, it’s awash with oleander, bougainvillea and geranium.

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

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

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

Cittadella & Victoria
All roads in Gozo lead to Victoria, or Rabat, as the local people call it. Almost the moment you arrive in Gozo, you see its Citadel rising steeply above the surrounding countryside. The impressive bastions command a superb view of the Island.

For centuries the Citadel served as a sanctuary from attack by Barbary corsairs and Saracens. At several times in Gozo's history, its population was taken into slavery by these raiders. When the threat subsided after the Great Siege, a prosperous town grew up below the Citadel.

Victoria is not just the geographic heart of Gozo, it is also the centre of everyday activity. It manages to combine the bustle of its market and shops with a relaxed and sociable atmosphere. It is a great place to watch the Islanders go about their day, especially when the main market square, It-Tokk, comes to life.

Browse around Victoria's market and narrow winding streets and you'll find everything from delicious fresh produce, cheeses and wines, to antiques, craft goods, fishing nets and knitwear. The town also has a thriving cultural life all its own, with some surprising attractions ranging from opera to horse races in the main street on festa day.

Comino
The tiny isle of Comino, only 3.5 km2, is the perfect hideaway. Romantically named after the cumin herb once grown here, Comino is the perfect retreat. Carefree and a water sports paradise.

Here, the colours of Malta are at their most vivid. The Islands’ main attraction is the Blue Lagoon, a sheltered inlet of shimmering aquamarine water over white sand and a popular day trip by pleasure and sail boat. The Lagoon is excellent for snorkelling. Linger on Comino once the day trippers leave, and you’ll find yourself on the ultimate in secluded islands. As the sun sets, Comino will seem your notion of a typical desert island.

Comino is worth a visit all year round. In winter, it is ideal for walkers and photographers. Without urban areas, or cars, you can pick up the scent of wild thyme and other herbs. Cumin still grows here, self-seeded from the time it was cultivated. With the clear warm seas, water sports enthusiasts will find Comino paradise. The isle has some excellent dive sites.

Comino has one resort hotel which is ideal for those wishing to linger a while on Comino. It offers a range of water sports' options. See Where to Stay for details.

Comino has been put to different uses over the centuries by the various rulers of the Maltese Islands. It was inhabited in the Roman period, but did not have much significance until the Knights arrived. It then had a dual role: of hunting and recreational grounds; and as staging post in the defence of the Islands against the Ottoman Turks.

The Knights built the imposing St Mary’s Fort in 1618, a landmark for miles around. The Island had proved a useful base for pirates operating in the central Mediterranean. The fort was slow in arriving though, some 200 years late in fact. Back in the middle ages, the Islanders had petitioned their ruler, then the Viceroy of Sicily, to have Comino defended. The Knights also built a small chapel on Comino, at St Mary’s Bay.

The Knights were more interested in Comino as a hunting ground. Though stark and barren today, it seems the Island was home to wild boar and hares when the Knights arrived in 1530. The Grand Masters went to great lengths to ensure their game on Comino was protected: anyone found breaking the embargo on hunting could expect to serve three years as a galley slave.

After the Second World War, Comino remained a backwater until its fortunes revived with tourism in the mid-1960s.