The experience of Gozo – unique in the world

Gerald Fenech

Malta’s sister island of Gozo has long been described as a gem waiting to be
discovered and once you discover it, there’s no stopping one from going back
regularly. The charm of it is in its quaint beauty, the peace and quiet, the rich
archeological and historic heritage and the genial good naturedness of its people.
Let’s take a short tour on what one can do upon arriving by ferry from Cirkewwa
and setting foot on the island at the port of Mgarr.

As one drives up the steep hill where the imposing Gothic chapel of Our Lady of
Lourdes stands you almost immediately reach the village of Ghajnsielem. In Maltese
this means ‘spring of peace’ and it gets its name from the abundant water springs
which used to dot the area. Sadly most of them are now no more but there is a lot
to admire in this village especially the intricately built baroque houses as well as the
sizeable parish church dedicated to Our Lady of Loreto. One often bypasses
Ghajnsielem when visiting Gozo but a short walking tour will certainly set the tone
for a delightful start to your sojourn.

As soon as one leaves Ghajnsielem, the next village on the way is Xewkija which
gets its name from the particular flora which was also prevalent in days of yore. It is
quite large and undoubtedly its finest feature is the hugely imposing parish church
designed by famed postwar architect Guze Damato and offering the most imposing
view from its rooftop. One can also go down to the valley of Mgarr-ix-Xini which
splits Xewkija from Sannat where a small bay offers an oasis of tranquility and
peace.

After visiting Xewkija you may choose to go to Sannat or take the main road to
Victoria, the capital city which is also known by the Arabic name of Rabat. The
capital is full of activity and has become perhaps slightly too commercialized but its
beauty is undoubtedly prevalent in its stunning architectural edifices amongst which
one must visit the Citadel, a gloriously fortified town within the city, the two main
churches dedicated to St George and St Mary as well as other places of interest
such as the Banca Giuratale close to the ‘It-Tokk’ pjazza and the winding streets and
alleys behind the church of St George.

Leaving Victoria one can choose to visit the lovely village of Kercem with its popular
little hamlet Santa Lucija or can take the newly built road leading to Gharb, Ghasri
and San Lawrenz. Kercem is another peaceful farming village with some stupendous
scenery if you take the country road which eventually leads you to the popular
‘Ghadira ta’ San Raflu’ or ‘Ghajn Abdun’, the former a large freshwater lake and the
latter a supposedly miraculous spring. The church is also of interest as it is designed
in a rotunda form and has some beautiful artistic work on the inside. The rustic
farmhouses and dwellings which permeate the landscape are also worth pondering
over for a while.
The national heritage trust Din l-Art Helwa also has some interesting properties
which are a must visit in the areas of Kercem and Dwejra which is reached after
passing through San Lawrenz. Going inward away from the rocky coast to discover
hidden verdant valleys, one can discover the beautiful baroque fountain known as
The Great Fountain (1698); in Lunzjata Valley.

It is located just below the Church of St. Gregory and is approached from the
entrance arch into the valley, only a short distance from Rabat( Victoria) on the
road to Kerchem. This popular landmark has also recently restored by Din l-Art
Helwa - viewable at all times.

If one chooses to motor out of Santa Lucija and take the road which leads to San
Lawrenz and then down the country lane to the coast, one discovers the
magnificent Dwejra Tower which is located just above the world famous Azure
Window and the aptly titled Inland Sea. This tower is opened jointly by Din L-Art
Helwa and Naturetrust Malta. Din l-Art Helwa holds the Tower in guardianship while
Naturetrust is the NGO responsible for the Dwejra Heritage Park in which it is
located. There are fabulous views from its roof and Dwejra itself is an area of
enormous geological and scientific value which is recognised internationaly, with its
inland sea, its Fungus Rock Islet and the Azure Window. Standing on the roof of
Dwejra Tower is to be on the extreme Northern Westerly point of Malta. Mario
Gauci, who attends at the Tower, can be seen making chain mail during the
weekday openings and his armour has now reached a weight of 25 kilos! This
Tower in its exposed location, had been badly eroded by the elements and Din l-Art
Helwa saved it from dilapidation in 1997.

The Università of Gozo, the then ruling body on Gozo, funded the building of the
Dwejra tower, completed it in 1652 and paid for its bombardier to man it. However
he did subsidise his salary by selling salt from the salt pans in front of the tower!
The Tower is 12m square at the base and its walls are 3.5 metres thick consisting of
two courses of limestone filled with rubble. On the first floor is a guardroom from
where a flight of steps leads to the roof where the powder store would have been
kept. During the reign of Grand Master Lascaris, it was armed with 3 pounder guns
but although still in use in the 18th Century it was never involved in any attack.
During the Second World War it was used as an observation post.

Ghasri is another lovely little village which is famous for its strikingly located
lighthouse which can be reached at the top of the hill known as ‘Ta’ Giordan’. The
village of Zebbug which is located close to Ghasri is at the top of an imposing hilltop
and the view commanded from the square is truly unforgettable. Here one can
savour the lush, verdant greenery on the slopes as well as the view of Marsalforn in
the distance if you take the rather bumpy but spectacular country road better
known as ‘Ghajn Melel’ which eventually takes you to Marsalforn proper just by the
salt pans as well as the small white hill known as ‘Il-Qolla l-Bajda’. The former quaint
fishing village which has been transformed into a busy and vibrant tourist area is
perhaps the most popular and well known village in Gozo. It is dotted with fine
restaurants, offers wonderful views of the sea and has several areas where one can
enjoy bathing in summer.

Another resort which is reached after leaving Rabat and Fontana and which has also
grown exponentially over the years is Xlendi. This is a true paradise in every sense
of the word with its magnificent bay and picturesque caves as well as opportunities
to sit back and enjoy the cuisine which is typically Gozitan. There are also several
landmarks such as Carolina’s Cave, ‘It-Tarag tal-Qassissin’ and the imposing tower
which is also being restored at present. Although it is relatively small, its population
has increased substantially especially in the tourist months so it’s quite busy at this
time of the year but nothing beats looking at the spectacular sunset which is a daily
occurrence as the golden rayed ball sets peacefully in the west.

There are a lot of other places to visit in Gozo such as the larger villages of Xaghra,
Nadur as well smaller ones such as Gharb, Munxar and Qala. However this trip is
designed for those who wish to discover the different sides of the island whilst
keeping away from the more traditionally popular locations. Later on Skylife will
deal with the locations where one can find certain chapels which are gems in their
own right and which are truly unique in the design and frequency as well as
location. However we hope that this trip will get you started in the appreciation of
Gozo as an island of dreams and history speaking out of its stone.