One day in Gozo

I start my tour around Gozo at the Ta’ Ċenċ cliffs, located on the southeastern coast of the island. This is one of the must-see places in Malta. From a height of over 130 meters, you can admire an amazing panorama of the Mediterranean Sea.

A little further, you can admire an equally spectacular landscape at the so-called Sunset Cliff.

To get to know the island not only from the perspective of the cliffs, it is worth visiting the capital of Gozo – Victoria, also known as Rabat. Victoria boasts interesting monuments and architecture. The main tourist attraction is the Il-Kastell citadel. Walking along the defensive walls, you can admire picturesque views of the surrounding towns. Within the citadel, there’s also the historic Cathedral of the Assumption.

The old town is a labyrinth of narrow streets with houses adorned with interesting details. At the nearby market, you can find traditional Maltese products, handicrafts, sweets, and fruits. Local restaurants serve excellent Maltese cuisine.

An absolute must-see is Dwejra Bay, located in the western part of the island. Here you can see impressive cliffs and interesting rock formations. Until recently, you could also admire the Azure Window, known from the Game of Thrones series. Unfortunately, in 2017, it collapsed due to strong winds, depriving Gozo of one of its main attractions. Currently, you can still admire the so-called Fungus Rock, also known in Malta as “Il-Ġebla tal-Ġeneral” (General’s Rock). It has an interesting history.

Fungus Rock owes its name to a unique plant collected here by the Knights of Malta. It’s a dark brown, club-shaped, parasitic plant (Cynomorium coccineus) growing up to about 18 cm in height. Although it originates from North Africa, Fungus Rock is the only place in Europe where it can be found. In the times of the Knights of Malta, it was believed that its extract had strong healing properties. It was used to dress wounds because it stopped bleeding and prevented infections. Moreover, it was also supposed to cure dysentery, ulcers, and even venereal diseases. The plant was very popular, and its market value was high.

When the Knights of St. John discovered it growing on a rock in Gozo, they knew they found a real treasure. A rope was stretched between the land and the rock, and collectors were transported back and forth on a small, one-person cable car. Moreover, in 1637, they built the Dwejra (Qawra) fortress to protect this precious medicine. They even cut down the rock slope to prevent access to the top of the rock.

Next to it, there’s another attraction – the Inland Sea – a lagoon connected to the open sea by a tunnel carved into the 100-meter Dwejra cliff. The tunnel is large enough for local fishermen to organize boat trips through it. Until recently, this reservoir was used by fishermen for fishing. Nowadays, due to the large number of fish, it is an attractive place for diving.

An interesting sight is the salt pans located in the northern part of the island near Marsalforn. These are shallow rectangular basins carved at the edge of the sea, which are flooded with seawater. As it evaporates, salt is formed. The northern part of Gozo is an ideal place for this type of production, which was known here since Roman times. Limestone rocks are found here, which could be shaped in any way. This traditional method of obtaining salt is still used today.

The salt pans are adjacent to the Qolla l-Bajda Battery, which was built by the Knights of Malta in 1715-1716. I will write more about this place soon, in a post dedicated to abandoned places in Malta.

Marsalforn is also known for the peculiar statue of Christ the Redeemer (Tas-Salvatur), located in an open field. It was built in 1970 on top of a hill. At the foot of the hill, there’re farmland fields that effectively prevent a trip to the top.

A break in sightseeing is best taken at Ramla Beach, which is one of the most beautiful on Gozo. There are ruins of an abandoned hotel here, which I will also write more about in another post.

On the way back, it is worth visiting a town Xagħra where you can see the historic Ta’ Kola Windmill. The windmill was built in 1725 on the initiative of the Knights of Malta. At that time, many such objects were built to encourage the local population to produce flour. Inside the windmill, there’s a museum of rural life.

From the port of Ċirkewwa, located at the northern end of Malta, ferries regularly run to the port of Mġarr on Gozo. The ferries are operated by Gozo Channel Line and depart approximately every 45 minutes. The entire crossing takes about 25 minutes and is also available for cars. Prices are affordable: the transfer of the driver and car costs €15.70, while passengers pay €4.65 (prices from 2024). More information can be found here.

Gozo is a place that impresses both in terms of history and nature. Although it’s smaller than the main island of Malta, it surprises with its unique landscapes, monuments, and interesting architecture. The history of this place is told by nature itself. The salt pans are a reminder of ancient salt production, and Fungus Rock tells an interesting story of the use of natural medicine.