Gozo

Gozo - inside Ggantija

Gozo

Gozo is the second largest of the Maltese Islands with a population of around 30,000. The Gozitans live on an island only a third of the size of Malta and live a much slower pace of life than their neighbours. The main industries are farming and fishing.

Because of the smallness and relative quiet of the island, the tourist industry seems more exclusive than Malta. Gozo offers a tranquil base from which to explore all the Maltese Islands.

Gozo provides some excellent walking, great coastal scenery and some of Europe's best diving. Archaeological remains, such as the megalithic temple of Ggantija and the citadel in Victoria provide great historical interest. The island's churches are, well, enormous - many looking more like cathedrals than parish churches. There are some excellent restaurants making good use of local produce and fish.

In Greek mythology, Gozo was thought to be the home of the nymph Calypso who held Odysseus in her spell for 7 years until the God Zeus demanded his release. The Phoenicians probably called the island Gwl - the name used for their sailing ships. Later, the Greeks translated the name to Gaulos and the Romans modified it to Gaudos. Under Spanish rule this became Gozo. The inhabitants call it Ghawdex (pronounced ‘ow-desh’).

Gozo - from the Citadel

The main town of Gozo is called Victoria, although the Gozitans tend to use the older Arabic name of Rabat. The town is dominated by the Citadel, a walled castle area. The town centre is It-Tokk, a large square. Victoria is the place to buy food and antiques or watch life go by.

Getting to Gozo

British Airways and Air Malta provide regular scheduled flights to Malta. There are frequent ferry connections to Gozo and car hire is economic and easy to arrange.

• Maltese Islands
• Gozo

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