Gozo: Simple Joy in the Mediterranean

Malta’s partner island, Gozo, which we learned fittingly translates to joy, is a land of tranquility and simplicity. It’s a small island, measuring just over four miles across and 8 long and is a place where joy is indeed in no short supply… roam aimlessly on rural trails, discover seemingly innumerable ruins, and stumble upon one beautiful and extraordinary natural landscape after another. It’s all too easy to get sucked into the peace and simplicity we found on Gozo. The four days we had here was definitely not enough, but not sure a lifetime would be either.

The hypnotic sunrise in Gozo permeates you to the very core. It’s everything you hope for in a Mediterranean sunrise!

Mandy enjoys the 20-minute ferry ride between Malta and Gozo. (4.65€)

The harbor view as we arrive into Gozo.

The breathtaking Ta Cenc sea cliffs near the village of Sannat. They rise 470’ above the water. Gorgeous!

Another view of the sea cliffs. You can see two caves far below. Also in the area above the cliffs is proof of ancient settlers… numerous cart ruts can be seen which cut into the limestone rock and have been dated from the Neolithic Era, which began about 12,000 years ago.

This was the view from the terrace of our Airbnb ($24). We were able to see the sunrise every morning from our Airbnb hillside perch. A little slice of zen to greet the sun with morning tea and yoga.

Pictured, are the bizarre puzzle-pieced, and incredibly picturesque rock-cut Salt Pans of North Gozo island. These 350-year-old hand cut salt pans, which stretch about 3km along the coast, are more than just scenic. They are part of the centuries-old Gozitan tradition of sea-salt production that has been passed down within certain families for generations. During the summer months, locals can still be seen scraping up the crystals of salt. (visitgozo.com).

Walking amongst the salt pans.

We dreamt of sitting in one of these perfectly individual sized pan pools and feeling the waves crash upon us. But, The air temperature was simply too cold for us to take the plunge, and… to our embarrassment we also later discovered we had unwittingly bypassed a number of no trespassing and caution signs that said “keep out of the salt pans.” Oops.

Once collected, the salt from the rock pans were stored and processed in these small caves that have been carved into the coastal rock. This salt was often sold. Today, sadly, the caves seem to be more used as party and pissing caverns ?

Greg demonstrates the size of the caves.

The view near the salt pans as you gaze into the sea.

Another sea cave.

The pounding sapphire waves along the rocky cliffs have carved remarkable channels and chasms.

Wied il-Ghasri is a remarkable and secluded inlet with a tiny pebbly beach wedged between high cliffs. The view of the valley from the top of the cliffs is stunning. We only found this place by wandering down a rough coastal road… it’s hardly marked on the map! But wow what a gem! The outstanding natural beauty of Gozo will blow you away. Take your time, and wander around as much as you can… you never quite know what you’ll discover.

The lovely pebbly beach and sea cave inside the Wied il-Ghasri chasm. If the water were calmer and warmer this would be an outstanding swimming hole! Alas, not this day. Also, unfortunately, we found this truly gorgeous beach and shoreline disturbingly littered with discarded water bottles. Yes, this is where they end up when you throw them out… please everyone… there is too many plastic bottles in our oceans and seas already; reuse your water bottles or have a refillable one. We’re trashing our coastlines. Please!

This island is made for walking…here from the sea up to our village in Zebbug.

Grasshoppers could catch you off guard anywhere. This one, posing on a cactus, was longer than a middle finger!

We caught this sunset on the west cliffs overlooking the valley.

The only restaurant we’ve returned to twice on our travels. Surprise! It’s pizza. We got a full pizza and four glasses of delicious homemade Gozo wine for 11 €! Not that we had a choice. Although our village was big enough to warrant a church, two restaurants, a school, two salons and a local community, they failed to have a single grocery store—not even a mini market! The nearest was about a 30-minute walk.

Fortunately, they did have a produce man who came by on a truck weekday mornings honking his horn in the street to announce his presence. This healthy version of the ice cream man allows you to buy your fruits and veggies easily and cheaply. Fruit and veg home delivery… daily! Why don’t we do this in the States? It’s freakin’ brilliant.

On the west side of Gozo near Dwerja we found an incredible natural phenomenon. This body of water is essentially an inland sea, which connects to the Mediterranean sea through a cave system. This inland sea is commonly used for diving and touristy boat trips through the cave.

Ramla Bay Beach, blanketed in reddish-yellow sand, was the most beautiful beach we saw on Gozo. Although it’s stormed by tourists in the summer months, it was blissfully barren for us. And yes, we couldn’t resist plopping down for a nap!

A brief hike up from the beach is Tal-Mixta cave, which offers stunning views of the coast below.

The trail to the cave is well trafficked and provides a perfectly scenic spot for a picnic, barbecue, campfire, or even sheltered hangout… oh, and an ideal place to watch the sunset. We had it all to ourselves. To the right is the skylight exit to the cliff above. It was incredible!

On the cliffs above the cave.

This trail hugged the edge of the cliff. You can’t tell but the drop was nearly vertical!

And then we headed to…Bethlehem? That’s right, Gozo offers a lovely, large-scale, open-air reproduction of this Judean village and nativity scene. We were there a little too early to kick off Christmas season with them, but it was a very unique set-up. The man who ran it built it 11 years ago and plays the part of a wise man and shepherd.