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Travel Destination Guide - Gozo
Gozo (Malta) 
Gozo Information
Slideshow of Photos
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A roughly oval island measuring about 8 mls by 4½ mls, Gozo is less developed, more fertile and therefore more rural than Malta, with green valleys and steep, flat-topped hills.
The slow pace and peaceful atmosphere recall a bygone era: picturesque little settlements dot the island, and the friendly but reserved people till the land and go about their daily tasks in much the same way as their ancestors before them.
All the villages are gradually expanding, however, especially those near the ports of Xlendi and Marsalforn. Although the pace is slower than Malta, the increase in day-trippers in summer makes driving on the narrow roads particularly hazardous.
The area caters for mid- to upmarket, those not seeking brash entertainment but preferring peace, beauty and a slow pace of life. The accommodation here ranges from smart 5-star hotels to simple guesthouses and self catering. Most of the are in a rustic style, albeit with all the modern comforts.
Locality:
Gozo is 4 miles north west of Malta, (it is ½ ml N of smaller island of Comino across the N Comino Channel. Reached by car ferry from Cirkewwa (Malta's most northern point) or from Pieta near Valletta). It is the most northerly island in the group of 3 inhabited islands (and 3 uninhabited) which form the Republic of Malta.
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Activities here include rock swimming and small beaches in fishing villages such as Xlendi and Marsalforn. There is a large, fine, red-sand beach at Ramla Bay. There are water sports available, but other beach facilities are very limited.
The capital, Victoria, has a good selection of local and tourist shops as well as a colourful, open-air street market. Craft "village" near San Lawrenz. Tourist and handicraft shops in Xlendi and Marsalforn.
During the daytime there are water sports, horse riding and walking. The nightlife here offers bars and a few discos, the larger hotels offer barbecues and entertainers.
There are plenty of choice of restaurants, from burgers to pizzerias, with a choice of quality harbourfront restaurants.
Gozo Suitability ProfileSun Snow Beaches History/Culture Romance Peace & Quiet Hustle & Bustle | Activity & Adventure Famous Landmarks Water Sports Natural Beauty Art & Architecture Family Entertainment Good Nightlife | Safari Plenty of Restaurants All Inclusive Hotels Luxury Accommodation Plenty of Shops |
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Population: 398.500
Languages: Maltese and English (both official)
Currency: Maltese lira
Currency code: MTL
Local Times:
Malta - Valletta
Country Dialling Code: +356
Voltage: 240V 50Hz
Electrical plugs:
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The five Maltese islands-Malta, Gozo, Comino, Comminotto, and Filflawith-have a combined land area of just 122 sq miles featuring narrow cobblestone streets, crowded with Norman cathedrals and baroque palaces. The countryside is littered with the oldest known human structures in the world. Malta is very good at selling its romantic past of Copper Age temple builders and crusading celibate knights, and it has used this image to crank up a formidable tourism industry. Not that the islands are overrun with highrise resorts - yet.
It has been said that the Maltese islands are the 'open air museum of the Mediterranean', offering 7,000 years or more of history to explore with numerous cultural, historical and megalithic sites unique in the world. The islands boast prehistoric ruins older than Stonehenge and the Pyramids of Egypt, and are steeped in the legacy of the medieval order of the Knights of St John, who used the island as their stronghold for defending Christendom.
The main island of Malta, covering just 95 square miles (246 sq km), is also a popular holiday destination because of its secluded bays and sandy beaches, washed by unpolluted clear blue waters. Set against the backdrop of the island's scenery and its honey-coloured stone buildings, Malta is alluring and fascinating.
Malta and its little sister island, Gozo, are not stuck in a time warp, however. The islanders enjoy life to the full, and the calendar is filled with summertime 'festas' with fireworks and revelry in every little parish in honour of the village patron saints, as well as the major carnival in early spring every year. The capital, Valletta, besides offering some awesome Baroque buildings and fortifications as its main sightseeing attractions, is bustling and bursting with restaurants and cafes. The island's compact size is also a plus for visitors; it takes no more than an hour to drive between any two points on the main island, and there is very little open space. The dense population means that the island is virtually one large urban area, with buildings occupying every inch.
Malta lies about 60 miles (97km) south of Sicily and 160 miles (257km) north of Libya, a strategic position in the Mediterranean that has made the islands a crossroads of history. The last occupiers were the British, who granted Malta independence in 1964, but the biggest and most unique influence was left by the Knights of St John, to whom the island was donated in 1530; the Knights reigned supreme over the island for 270 years, building magnificent churches and monuments to themselves.
Malta has its mysteries too, in the form of 30 prehistoric sites boasting massive Neolithic temples, considered to be the oldest freestanding stone buildings known to man. |
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Local Area Weather
Luqa, MALTA |
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27°C
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