Interesting places in Gozo:

Comino Island		Victoria (Rabat)
Dwejra		Cittadella
The Blue Lagoon		Teldrasill
Mgarr Harbour		Film location of Vicky the Viking 2009
Ta Pinu		Ġgantija Neolithic Temple, Xaghra, Gozo
Dwejra Bay		Visitors viewpoint
Ramla bay		Hotel San Andrea
Kempinski Hotel San Lawrenz		Downtown Hotel
Grand Hotel		Hotel Xlendi Resort & Spa
Nadur		Għajnsielem
Marsalforn		Ghammar Hill
Salt Pans (Salini)		Inland Sea
Il-Katidral

Gozo is an island of the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea, second in size to the island of Malta. In Maltese, the island is called GHawdex (pronounced �w-desh). Gozo is part of the country of Malta.

• If you happen to be in Gozo during your visit, then the rotunda church in the village of Xewkija is a wonderful spot to visit. The church was built in honor of St. John the Baptist (each village has a saint that they honor) and is the largest in Gozo.

• The Azure Window, the Inland Sea and the the Blue Hole all make going to the spectacular west coast of Gozo very worthwhile. The Azure Window is a cliff outcropping with a hole in the middle. The Inland Sea is a typically Maltese name in that it slightly exaggerates its size (Mdina is referred to as a city with its 400 inhabitants). It's actually a small lake connected to the sea by a tunnel about 20 meters long through the cliffs. In contrast to Xlendi and Marsalforn this place has been spared from development and makes an unusual and picturesque place to swim. The beach surrounding the lake is unfortunately made of pebbles but there are a few piers and terraces in front of the fishermen's boathouses one can also use. The Blue Hole is not a true blue hole in the geological sense but still makes an amazing spot to dive, having won awards as one of the most beautiful diving spots of Europe.

Itineraries

• If one only has one day, it is recommended to spend the morning in the Citadella of Rabat, have lunch there, in the cafe next to the cathedral, and spend the afternoon either at Ramla il-Hamra or The Inland Sea.
• With two days one can spend the second morning visiting the Ggantija temples and having lunch on the beautiful central square of Xaghra, and the afternoon at the swimming spot not chosen the previous day, bearing in mind that Ramla il-Hamra beach is very close to Xaghra and the Inland Sea closer to Rabat.

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The Azure Window
Made by chrisshots
Dwejra, Gozo, Malta It's wonderful to swim and snorkel through this! Wiki: The Azure Window (Maltese: Tieqa Żerqa) is a natural arch in the Maltese island of Gozo featuring a table-like rock over the sea. It is situated near two other famous natural landmarks - the Inland Sea, and Dwejra Bay. The stunning geography of the area was created thousands of years ago when two limestone caves collapsed. This and the nearby Blue Hole and Inland sea are popular scuba diving sites. Dwejra is a tourist village that belongs to the town of St. Lawrence, Gozo, Malta. Dwejra Bay is also part of San Lawrenz. The water of the bay is suitable for swimming, scuba diving, and boating. The Azure Window has been featured in films, such as Clash of the Titans (1981) at the 104th minute and The Count of Monte Cristo (2002) at the 13th minute. It can also be seen in the television miniseries The Odyssey (1997), and HBO's TV series Game of Thrones. The Azure Window was recently measured by surveyor Noe Ardanaz of The University of Edinburgh. The height was given as 22.54m, slightly higher than the previous unofficial estimates of 18 to 20 metres. The arch of the Azure Window is disintegrating, as large pieces of rock keep falling from the arch. It is expected that the arch will completely disappear within just a few years. The arch is in a dangerous condition and warning notices are placed to stop people walking over the top of the arch. Evidence of this can be seen when the images of the Azure Window as shown in Clash of the Titans (1981) are compared to the more recent images shown in The Odyssey (1997) and The Count of Monte Cristo (2002). The former images depict the Azure Window arch with a flat underside, whereas the latter images clearly show that a significant proportion the flat underside has since broken away. Once the arch has completely crumbled away, the Azure Window shall be renamed Azure Pinnacle.


La finestra azzurra / Azure window
Made by AndreaPucci
Malta, Gozo, Azure window, Estate 2009 L’Azure Window di Dwejra è uno degli spettacoli della natura più sublimi, a poca distanza da Inland Sea e Fungus Rock. Nella parte più estrema della scogliera, Azure Window diventa un’enorme porta d’accesso attraverso la quale è possibile ammirare l’immensa distesa del mare blu oltre la scogliera. Si tratta di uno dei meravigliosi anfratti più fotografati di queste isole, ed è particolarmente spettacolare nella stagione invernale, quando le onde si infrangono alte sull’arco di scoglio. Il mare intorno è molto profondo e di un blu molto intenso, da cui il nome Azure Window (“finestra azzurra”). Gli scogli presenti in questa zona sono ricchi di fossili di crostacei, a conferma del fatto che la maggior parte dell’isola era un tempo sommersa. Di fronte all’Azure Window ci sono “Blue Hole” e “The Chimney”, due dei luoghi più frequentati per le immersioni subacquee. The Azure Window is another spectacular natural landmark in Dwejra, along with The Inland Sea and Fungus Rock. The Azure Window at the end of the cliff, is a giant doorway, through which one can admire the blue expanse beyond the cliff. It must be one of the most photographed vistas of the Islands, and is particularly spectacular during the winter, when waves crash high inside the arch. The sea around is very deep and of a dark blue hue, which explains why it is called the Azure Window. The rocks in this area are encrusted with fossilized crustaceans, evidence that most of the island was once covered by water. In front of the Azure Window is the Blue Hole, and The Chimney, two of the most popular dive sites in Gozo.


Odysseus is held captive in an island by the nymph Calypso / Odiseo es mantenido cautivo en una isla por la ninfa Calipso.
Made by Armando Alvarez
...my heart is rent for wise Odysseus, that hapless one, who far from his friends this long while suffereth affliction in a seagirt isle, where is the navel of the sea, a woodland isle, and therein a goddess hath her habitation, the daughter of the wizard Atlas, who knows the depths of every sea, and himself upholds the tall pillars which keep earth and sky asunder. His daughter it is that holds the hapless man in sorrow: and ever with soft and guileful tales she is wooing him to forgetfulness of Ithaca. But Odysseus yearning to see if it were but the smoke leap upwards from his own land, hath a desire to die. As for thee, thine heart regardeth it not at all, Olympian!... Dialogue between Athene and Zeus in Homer's The Odyssey Rhapsody I ...se me parte el corazón a causa del prudente y desgraciado Odiseo, que, mucho tiempo ha, padece penas lejos de los suyos, en una isla azotada por las olas, en el centro del mar; isla poblada de árboles, en la cual tiene su mansión una diosa, la hija del terrible Atlante de aquel que conoce todas las profundidades del ponto y sostiene las grandes columnas que separan la tierra y el cielo. La hija de este dios retiene al infortunado y afligido Odiseo, no cejando en su propósito de embelesarlo con tiernas y seductoras palabras para que olvide a Itaca; mas Odiseo, que está deseoso de ver el humo de su país natal, ya de morir siente anhelos, ¿Y a ti, Zeus Olímpico? ¿No se te conmueve el corazón?... Dialogo entre Atenea y Zeus en La Odisea de Homero Rapsodia I


Say Ah! Moorish Gecko; Mgarr, Gozo
Made by foxypar4
This little chap let me get really close while I was waiting to photograph something else - at first I thought he was just a twig lying on the wall until he moved! Gave me quite a shock! English: Moorish Gecko Scientific: Tarentola mauritanica (Linnaeus 1758) Family: Gekkonidae Distribution: Much of the Iberian peninsular except north,most of northern Mediterranean sea coastal areas and north Africa These lizards are most active at night and have the ability to climb walls and even cling to ceilings. Their colouration can vary but generally it is a camouflage pattern of browns, greens and greys with rough dorsal scales giving them a spiked appearance. The body length can reach 9cm with the tail being equal to make a total of 18cm. (The male is larger than the female.) Often they are smaller than this and if the tail is damaged it may not be of equal length. As with most lizards they have the ability to eject a section or all of the tail in order to confuse predators. While the disconnected tail still wriggles occupying the predator, the gecko has a chance to escape with its life and regenerate a new tail over the coming weeks. They can live on rock faces, in trees, in log piles, drystone walls, barns and along side people in dwellings. Their food consists mainly of insects such as moths, beetles, caterpillars and spiders. They have adapted well to living next to humans as lights left on at night attract many moths which provide an ample food source.


Malta - Gozo - Ramla Bay Beachscene
Made by Darrell Godliman
As picturesque as it was it was simple too hot for our young girls to spend very long on the beach at Ramla Bay. You could see though why an increasing number of people head straight for Gozo for their summer holidays. From Wikipedia : Ramla Bay is located at the bottom of a rich and fertile valley on the northern side of the island of Gozo. The village of Xaghra, located on one of the hills of Gozo, overlooks this valley. It is about a forty minute walk from Xaghra to the bay. The Bay can also be reached from the village of Nadur. Bus service to the beach is extremely intermittent. The terraced walls built by the farmers give the valley an appearance of a quilt when viewed from the high ridges surrounding this valley. The beach is quite wide and sandy. It is a particularly golden-reddish sand which makes this beach different from all other beaches in Gozo and Malta. Its real Maltese name is Ir-Ramla il-Ħamra—the Red Sandy Beach. The area around the beach is quite interesting and provides some very rich historical treasures. Roman remains lie beneath the sand and the famous Calypso Cave overlooks the western side of the beach.


Stairway to Heaven
Made by bazylek100
The Old Citadel or Kastelli lies upon the likeliest strategic vantagepoint of Victoria, the capital city of Gozo, an island of the Maltese archipelago. It defiantly dominates the town's skyline as intended by military architects of the day. The Citadel has been the centre of activity of the island since possibly Neolithic times, but is known to be first fortified during the Bronze Age approximately around 1500 BC. It was later developed by the Phoenicians and continued into becoming a complex Acropolis by Roman times. The north side of the Citadel dates back to the Aragonese domination period, while the south flank, overlooking Victoria, was re-constructed under the Knights of St. John, namely between 1599 and 1603. This was close to the epilogue of Gozo's darkest period, when for quite over a two centuries, marauding Turks alongside with Berber corsairs continuously harassed and pillaged the Maltese Islands. For this reason, until 1637, the Gozitan population was required by law to spend their nights within the Citadel for their own safety.


The rocks, beckoning me
Made by blurredfoto
I see the ghosts of navigators but they are lost As they sail into the sunset they’ll count the cost As their skeletons accusing emerge from the sea The sirens of the rocks, they beckon me [Ghost of The Navigator ~ Iron Maiden] We're back home after a couple of days spent on Malta's sister island, Għawdex, a name which the Brits could not pronounce and converted to Gozo. It was great fun and Matti and I got to wear our Halloween wizard's hat too! I captured this at Xwejni Bay just before driving towards the ferry back to Malta. It's an HDR from 3 long exposures and it is also somewhat more saturated than I meant it to be I really appreciate the well-wishing comments on the last image posted on my birthday. You are such great flickr friends! [Explore #6 and Front Page on 2 Nov 2008]


Gozo At Night: Basilica of Saint George
Made by Charles .E. Attard - PhotoGozo.com
Here is a photo for all the Georgie fans out there. This photo was taken last Saturday at the Square of Saint George. The photo was taken after four pints of beers, so, not bad...haha. People devoted to Saint George celebrated their festa a few days ago. Locals associate this feast as the mid-point of summer, as it is the second out of the four major feasts; L-Imnarja (Nadur's feast celebrated on the 29th of June), San Gorg (the first major feast of Victoria celebrated around mid-July), Santa Marija (the second major feast of Victoria celebrated on the 15th of August) and Il-Vittorja (Xaghra's feast celebrated on the 8th of September). Charles .E. Attard - www.charleseattard.com


Malta - Gozo - Xlendi - Colourful Luzzu
Made by Darrell Godliman
I'm back, and can you guess where I've been for the past week ? Malta was somewhere I've always wanted to go as I've always seen many great photos of the colourful boats, old buses and grand Architecture. You'll have to be the judge as to whether I've met the challenge. From Wikipedia : A luzzu (pronounced like lwtsw in Maltese) is a traditional type of fishing boat from the Maltese islands. Traditionally, they are brightly painted in shades of yellow, red, green and blue, and the bow is normally pointed with a pair of eyes. These eyes may be the modern survival of an ancient Phoenician custom (also practiced by the ancient Greeks); they are sometimes (and probably inaccurately) referred to as the Eye of Horus or of Osiris.


29-06-03 Gozo
Made by Lexiphanicus
Festival of Light, Town Square, Nadur. Most intricate and articulated set of fireworks I've ever seen. Bit of a messy composition this and I was going to crop the heads out at the bottom, but actually it adds to the craziness of the pic. They have no notion of health and safety in some parts of the world and if you are reckless enough to go and stand directly under the fireworks, then no one will stop you. Quite refreshing if you live in a country where tthe hand of the State wraps everything in cotton wool. Certainly adds to the excitement! On second thoughts, maybe I should edit the heads out? The shapes and colours would on their own would have something of an abstract quality


Azure Window.
Made by Tilly Lilley(Home again!)
The Azure Window is a 50 metre high rock arch in the Dwejra Point cliffs. The sea has worn a hole through a narrow headland forming the window called it-Tieqa in Maltese This area is spectacular at any time, but rough seas make it even more spectacular. In rough weather keep well above the high water line. The arch is in a dangerous condition because large pieces of rock keep falling from the arch of the Azure window it is estimated that the arch will disappear in a few years. Warning notices are placed to stop people walking over the top of the arch. Now is the time to take photographs of this landmark rock formation before the Azure Window is renamed the azure pinnacle.


Malta or UK?
Made by Renown
Something of a grab shot, as the bus made it out of Xlendi and up the ferocious climb before we could set up. 'Chancu' Supreme Travel's ECW bodied Daimler Fleetline COY 002 heaves itself up the last part of the incline from the delightful seaside village. The picture could almost have been taken on Llandudno's Great Orme scenically and weather wise! It appears that all the passengers have taken refuge downstairs, no one braving the elements upstairs by this stage. It's a testament to these buses that in spite of their advancing years, they still put in daily service on this unbelievably demanding circuit. Certainly as far as I'm concerned, well worth another go.


Azure Window
Made by Light Student
Explored #266 on January 29, 2009. The Azure Window is perhaps the Maltese archipelago's most spectacular natural landmark. It features a table-like rock over the sea, is one of the most photographed vistas of the Maltese Islands, and its particularly spectacular during winter when waves crash high inside the arch. The Inland Sea, Gozo, and Dwejra Bay, were created millions of years ago when two limestone caves collapsed. This and the near by Blue Hole and Inland sea are popular scuba diving sites. Dwejra is a tourist village that belongs to the town of St. Lawrence, Gozo, Malta. (source: Wikipedia) Please feel free to add your comments...


Ex London Swift, Gozo.
Made by Renown
After an allegedly unhappy career in and around the British capital, many London area AEC Swifts escaped to Malta and achieved long service lives albeit in some cases much modified. Perhaps the least so were a group operated by the Maltese Ministry of Education which always proved a little illusive and hence interesting to track down. This one I happened upon by chance whilst hanging around the main cross roads in the centre of Victoria on the neighbouring island of Gozo. I'll leave it to those with a better knowledge of such things to inform us of it's former identity and whether it (or the remains of) survive. The picture was taken in 1994.


Azure Window
Made by Sigurd66
Este arco natural de cien metros de altura se ha creado en la costa de Gozo (cerca de Dwejra) a lo largo de miles de años de erosión por las olas y el viento. Es tal vez el paisaje más famoso de la isla y ha atraído la atención de varias productoras. ------------ This 100-metre high natural arch, hollowed out of the Gozo coastline at Dwejra by thousands of years of wind and waves, is perhaps the island’s most famous landmark and has attracted the attention of several film-makers. www.visitmalta.com/azure-window?l=8


Waiting for the tide of change
Made by blurredfoto
Change is one thing, progress is another. Change is scientific, progress is ethical; change is indubitable, whereas progress is a matter of controversy. [Bertrand Russell (1872-1970), British philosopher, mathematician. repr. In Basic Writings of Bertrand Russell. Philosophy and Politics, ch. 50.] The World needs a change in direction and its leaders need to make progress on several key issues which have plagued humanity over the last century or so. Together with the overwhelming majority of Europeans, I welcome today's events as a bold step in the right direction.


Sunrise Over Gozo
Made by Charles .E. Attard - PhotoGozo.com
On Monday and Tuesday, I spent over 24 hours running around the island of Gozo and taking photographs of this lovely island. This project was for a client of mine, which I should be presenting my work to my client today. This photo was taken on Monday, at Hondoq Bay. I went down to Hondoq at around 5:30AM, waiting for the sun to rise. Managed to get my shot around 6:15AM. Now with hundred of photos taken during this shoot, expect quite a few posts of Gozo. Charles .E. Attard - www.charleseattard.com


Let me reach, let me beach far beyond the blue sea
Made by blurredfoto
From the deep sea of clouds to the island of the moon, Carry me on the waves to the lands I’ve never been, [♫♫ Orinoco Flow ♫♫ ~ Enya] The Azure Window at Dwejra (Gozo, Malta) is one of the most photographed sites in the Maltese islands and understandably so. The beauty of the site never ceases to amaze me. Now that I caught the photography bug I just had to put in my own HDR interpretation of this great classic. [Explored #18 and Front Page on 3 Nov 2008]


How long will it last?
Made by blurredfoto
I thought it would last my time The sense that, beyond the town, There would always be fields and farms... [Philip Larkin (1922-1986), British poet. Going, Going.] With a mere 316 sq. km of land and a population of just over 400,000 (and thousands more uncounted visitors) Malta is in the 8th place in terms of population density. There are just too many built up areas in Malta and it is actually quite an achievement that we can still see open terraced fields like the ones in Sannat featured in this image. [Explored #332 on 8 Nov 2008]


Azure window- La Ventana azul- DWEJRA- GOZO
Made by mgeroneslu
2007- Gozo island AZURE WINDOW- DWEJRA- GOZO ISLAND LA VENTANA AZUL- DWEJRA- ISLA DE GOZO. Boat trips from the little jetty take the visitor out to the open sea through a natural tunnel in the cliffs. Once through the tunnel the cliffs rise majestically out of the water and the boatmen wander slowly around a number of caves, which dot the coast. The various dramatic rock formations, coves and drop-offs have earned Dwejra the reputation of being among the best dive-sites in the Mediterranean and undoubtedly the best the Maltese Islands offer.