PS. I was right about the churches though!
Getting there: FLIGHTS
Fly to Malta's International Airport from London Heathrow/ Gatwick in just 3-3½ hours. Most other UK airports will only add another 30 minutes or so to your journey. Malta is also served by numerous other large European airports and is very well connected.
We have found several websites who offer competitive fares where prices can start from as little as £50 + tax per person
Please do not hesitate to contact us for website link or further information and more details.
Useful travel informaton: TRANSFERS TO GOZO
For a stress free start to your holiday, we can organise private transfers from Malta airport direct to our apartment. Please contact us for a quote.
There is a public bus service from the airport to Cirkewwa where you can catch the regular Gozo ferry for €4.75 Euros (£3.60) per foot passenger.
The other option is to hire a car at Malta's airport. Car hire is amongst the cheapest in Europe, with prices starting from €18 (£14) per day.
Whichever mode of transport you choose, it is actually a scenic journey along the coast road and the ferry has excellent facilities including a magazine kisok and cafeteria. The total transfer time should not exceed an hour and a half.
Peaceful Gozo: With a population of just 25,000, consisting mainly of farmers and fisherman, Gozo and it’s inhabitants have a personality quite distinct from big sister, Malta. The countryside is much greener with steep fertile valleys fringing spectacular rugged cliffs that plunge down to reveal alluring bays.
WALKING
Gozo is wonderful walking country with plenty of well trodden tracks through the more famous of the islands landmarks such as Calypso's Cave or the Azure Window but also some hidden secrets such as the beauty and peace of the Lunzjata Valley and the tiny hamlet of Ghasri.
ROCK CLIMBING
For the adrenalin junkies, the Maltese Islands offer a varied and scenic playground for rock climbers of all levels. There is a comprehensive guide in the apartment cataloguing 21 areas on all 3 islands with 1,200 + climbs.
DIVING
Xlendi is an enviable base for diving with depths from 5m to 45m and sights from natural rock formations to sunken wrecks and reefs bursting with marine life.
Many people don't realise how stunning the islands still are in the autumn and even the winter – yes, we do get the odd cold spell and rainy day but also a lot of days with brilliant blue skies and sunshine. Off season it makes this area all the more magical ... less tourists to compete with and a more leisurely pace to be taken.
For water lovers, the islands offer some of the best diving in the Mediterranean. There is a wealth of choice for complete novices through to challenging wreck dives for the more experienced. Trial dives in the calm clear waters of Xlendi Bay are a great place to start and from the tender age of eight, children can take the Padi Bubblemaker course to introduce them to the world of scuba diving in a pool in less than six feet of water. In addition to the Mediterranean Sea and many beaches just a short drive away, there is windsurfing, sailing and kitesurfing. If you prefer a slower pace and a little more peace, you could try deep sea fishing, or take a leisurely cruise around the rugged coastline or just enjoy swimming in one of the many beautiful hidden bays.
We are on the island with the oldest freestanding Neolithic temples in the world; they make Stonehenge and the Pyramids look like new builds! Both Hagar Qim and Mnajdra are in the south of Malta but well worth the trip, plus you can also combine it with a trip to the famous Hypogeum, a vast underground burial chamber where over 7,000 human bones were discovered. The most intact temple is on Gozo itself; Ggantija (meaning Giant) was reputed to have been built by a local giantess.
Walkers, cyclists and horse lovers can explore the breathtaking local scenery – most of it so unspoilt … There are the caves of Xaghra , the nature reserve at Ta Cenc, numerous country walks where you can explore the island's unique flora, folklore and maritime museums, the busy market towns of Xaghra and Victoria, windmills, the craft village at Gharb, and a positive plethora of baroque churches!
Talking of food, there are many local delicacies to try. Seafood and shellfish are in abundance. Fish soups, home-made pizzas, aromatic fruit and vegetables, exquisite pastries, award winning wines and let us not forget the ice-creams! Hungry?
For those of you seeking a more tranquil and relaxing holiday, simply rest by our sparkling pool/in our spacious apartment or treat yourselves to a day at a local 5 star spa centre.
Take a day trip over to Malta on the regular ferry service and wander around the baroque modern day capital Valletta, peruse the delights of colourful Marsaxlokk and it's famous Sunday market; amble through the medieval 'silent city' of Mdina for breathtaking views or unwind in one of the award winning spas on the island.
If your idea of a good holiday is tranquility, magnificent unspoiled scenery, the best diving in the Med, superb food and the most amazingly friendly people plus a typical Mediterranean climate, then Gozo is a good choice!
