GETTING AROUND GOZO

With a population of around 4,000, Nadur is Gozo's 2nd largest City with a proud reputation as Gozo's Festival City.  The name Nadur means `look out' in Maltese as Nadur hilly position provided an excellent viewpoint to spot any unfriendly navy ships or pirates raiders.

The Gozitan village of Nadur is the World's Carnival City 2005 as the host of the largest annual gathering of Carnival Cities sponsored by the FECC. The grotesque and macabre Carnival in Nadur is a unique experience and for the 5 days of Carnival it becomes one of Europe's biggest spontaneous events. Nadur is also well known for its village festa and Easter Holy Week Last Supper Exhibit.

 The parish church of St Peter and St Paul was designed in 1766 and is a mix of baroque and 19th century. The facade and dome make it one the most grand and monumental of Gozo's churches.

 The landmark Kenuna Tower was built as a telegraph link between Gozo and Malta.
 

Ir-Ramla Bay can be reached through Nadur. This is Gozo's largest and prettiest sandy bay. Nadur also includes the coastal area of San Blas, and Dahlet Qorrot - both are small coves perfect for snorkeling.

DAHLET QORROT BAY
Take the road from Nadur it's narrow and windy but worth the drive.
"The cove is used by a small number of fisherman who have turned some caves into boat houses and storage areas for fishing gear. ..The water in the cove is deep and as clear as crystal. Not too many people visit the cove since there isn't a beach and there are no amenities.... Steps have been hewn out of the rocks on the east side of the cove. "maltagozo.com/bdahlet

SAN BLAS BAY
San Blas Bay is one Gozo's undiscovered and unspoiled gems.  A fertile valley sweeps down into a small but magnificent sand beach. The valley is very rich and many fruit trees grow in the small terraced orchards. Although there are some small signs pointing the way to the bay, reaching the beach is not easy. This small almost deserted bay can be reached via the town of Nadur by a very steep and bumpy track about 600ft or 185m long.
maltagozo.com/bsanblas.html

Ir-Ramla Bay

Ramla Bay has been voted by international travel journalists as one of the finest beaches in the Mediterranean. Gozo's longest and best red sand beach offers splendid views, a summer snack bar, water sports, sun beds and umbrellas

Maltese people often refer to this beach as the "Ramla il-Hamra" - the Red Sandy Beach. The are around the beach is quite interesting and provides some very rich historical treasures. Amongst these are the Roman remains close to the beach as well as the famous Calypso's Cave at the top of the cliffs on the Western side of the beach. " maltagozo.com/bramla

FOOD & DRINK
Anthonys Wine Bar Restaurant Pizzeria
Cuisine: Italian and Local 20/21, Madre Gemma Camilleri Street situated in the heart of Nadur village in a quaint square behind the church
 Martin's Diner
Cuisine: Gozitan  Overlooking the Mgarr Harbour and enjoying spectacular views of both Comino and Malta

Rabokk Pizzeria
81, St. Peter's & Paul's Street, Nadur, Gozo
Tel: (+356) 2155 8337

opposite the church is Rabokk Pizzeria

At sunset, the maskarati (people wearing a mask and clothes to disguise themselves), used to come out into the streets, shouting, whistling and doing things which would be regarded as strange, during the normal days of the year. Sometimes, they used to throw sweets, while those who could afford them, used to throw sweet almonds. At those times, the streets of Gozo used to be poorly lit. This helped in encouraging these maskarati to put aside their habitual shyness and throw themselves along with the others, enjoying the outraging happiness

 Nadur by visitmalta

• The Unique Carnival at Nadur [by Peter Paul Buttigieg]

• The Nadur Carnival [by Sonya Sultana]

• The Traditional Nadur Carnival [by Dr Mario Saliba]

• It's Carnival Time at Nadur [by Joseph Zerafa]

Does it anything goes for Nadur Carnival 2006? Fr Joseph Rapa, Nadur.  asks the http://timesofmalta.com

EASTER

The annual Cena tas-Sinjur (the Lord’s Supper) is organized every

the Last Supper Exhibition.

First and only Good Friday exhibition in Gozo with life size figures of Jesus and the apostles - all work created by young Nadur artist James Azzopardi “We want people to come and experience and not just to see,” Mark Azzopardi, spokesperson said. "This Last Supper Exhibition is a path into biblical times harmonizing imagination, culture and history. For a few minutes we try to take the visitor into another land…” WHEN: exhibition is inaugurated on Palm Sunday and remains open till Good Friday  WHERE: annual Cena tas-Sinjur (the Lord’s Supper) is organized every year at the Centre for Christian Doctrine (MUSEUM) in Nadur maltamedia.com/last supper

 year at the Centre for Christian Doctrine (MUSEUM) in Nadur, Gozo. Hundreds of people from all over Malta visit this special room during the last week of Lent to experience the Last Supper Exhibition.

I-Imnarja FESTA (St Peter & Paul)  June 29 

The Azure Window a giant rock arch in the cliffs of the Dwejra coastline and the Inland Sea, a secluded pool of clear water and pebbly sand, sheltered by sheer cliffs.
 Nearby is Fungus Rock upon which, recorded since the times of the Knights of St. John, grows a very unique type of fungus with therapeutic properties. The Knights, in days gone by, would confer the collected potions upon fortunate crowned heads of Europe.
maltagozo.com/bdwejra.html

Dwejra Tower by dinlarthelwa.org  restoration work completed in'97

Basilica ta' Pinu, Malta's pre-eminent shrine to the Virgin Mary. Ta' Pinu islocated in the valley separating Garb and Ghammar . The basilica is isolated and except for a small one-story building on the road leading to the church, there are no other buildings. The church is surrounded by terraced fields and the deep blue Mediterranean is visible behind the basilica. On a hill just to the right of the basilica, there are white marble statues depicting the fourteen stations of the cross. The church dates back to 1920 and is built around a small, barrel-vaulted votive chapel which dates back to the sixteenth century.
The Image of Our Lady Ta' Pinu was crowned in 1935 by Cardinal Alessio Lepicier after a special Papal Decree of Pope Pius XI and Pope John Paul II in 1990, after Concelebrating Mass at the Shrine, he decorated the same Image by five golden Stars studded with precious stones. Many miracles of healing, have since been attributed to the intercession of Our Lady of Ta' Pinu.  In addition to being visited for its healing qualities, the Ta' Pinu shrine is sacred to sailors. Inside the shrine there is a corridor filled with paintings of shipwrecked sailors being saved by the Virgin Mary.
In 1883, a local woman, Karmni Grima heard the voice of the Virgin.
Karmni Grima Museum  her lovely house has been  delightfully converted into a folklore Museum. Gharb Road, Gharb Tel (+356)21556187 Opening hours; Winter: 8.30am - 16.30pm  Summer: 8.45am - 18.30pm Entrance: Free  maltagozo.com/tapinu.html
Folklore Museum
99, Church Square, Gharb (+356) 21561929
An old eighteenth century house, exhibiting various characteristics of local architecture, trades, crafts, food, costumes and local life.
http://www.gozo.com/core/museums/folkloremuseum/

Patron Saint:The Visitation of Our Lady (Mary) to her neighbour, Saint Elizabeth

Frenc Tal-Gharb Museum Frenc tal-Gharb Gozo's most famous faith healer, and an apostle of Our Lady of Ta' Pinu. His house has been converted into a historical and folklore Museum. Situated at 74 Rock Street - Gharb Tel (+356)21562384 Opening hours; October - June: 13.00pm - 16.00pm  July - September: 11.00am - 16.00pm Entrance: Free

Chapel of San Dimitri. According to legend, the small chapel was built on the cliff side by a woman whose son was freed from captivity by St. Demetrius.

"The village square, so quintessentially Gozitan, has become the view on many a postcard.

"holiday-malta.com/resort/gozo/village/gharb

Marsalforn the former fishing village on the north coast  has developed into Gozo's most popular sea resort.Venture to the north west and you will find the bays of Qbajjar and Xwejni, much quieter for swimming.

maltagozo.com/bmarsa.html
"enjoy the sounds of the waves hitting the pebbly beach. The smell of the sea water and the cool breeze adds to the atmosphere making this quite an enjoyable experience. The air is fresh, and although the promenade can get crowded on warm summer nights, you can still get the feeling of being away from it all."

QALA

Qala is located on the eastern tip of Gozo, two miles from Mgarr. and also reached from Nadur. Farmland surrounds the church and most well-known landmark, an 18th century windmill

Qala church dedicated to the immaculate conception but known as Santa Marija tal blat (St. Mary of the rocks). This Church faces Comino and it is said that it was built so that people of that island would follow mass from across the straits when rough weather precluded a priest from going there.

Dahlet Qorrot a small cove directly north of Qala, you can see traditional fishing boats rocking in the clear blue waters.
 www.maltagozo.com/qala.html By: Wilfred L. Camilleri.

Lady of Victories: The present village while it became a parish in 1688, its church was only built in the mid 19th century. This is one of the most beautiful on Gozo with a richly-decorated interior, gilted sculptures, Italian marbles and paintings.
 
The village also has two unusual museums: a Toy Museum
 Ta' Kola Windmill a wheat-grinding windmill still in working order. It has been fully restored and houses a collection of agricultural and domestic artifacts from centuries

xaghra.com/ gozo.com/xaghra

Good Friday Procession

 
 Ta' Xerri and Ta' Ninu, are two curious cave grottos, both of them beneath private houses but open to the public. The grottos have remarkable stalactites and stalagmites.

Calypso's cave, of mythical fame, also lies within Xaghra in the cliffs.  Look out for the unforgettable view from Calypso cave overlooking the beautiful and distinguished red sands of Ramla Bay on the northeastern coast.
The myth seems to have deep origins: as long ago as the 3rd century B.C., the Greek scholar Callimachus said the nymph lived here in a cave on the north of the Island. calypso by gozo.com  

Ggantija Temples
Two temples built next to each other, are the most impressive of the islands' temples. These temples are the most visited site in the Republic and are recognized by The Guninnes Book of Records as the oldest free standing in the world.
Dating from 3600BC, they are huge, round stone-built structures set on abarren hillside overlooking the Gozo Channel.

 
This is the planet's earliest temple built by piling huge rocks on top of each other . They did not have nay carving or decoration. Later temples, such as the one at Hagar Qim, in Malta were made of huge stones fitting in very closely together and ornately decorated. Carving was done with only very primitive flint and obsidian tools

Situated at Xaghra Tel (+356)21553194 Opening hours; Winter: 8.30am - 16.30pm  Summer: 8.45am - 18.30pm Entrance: Lm1.25
Ggantija Temples

Patron Saint : Saint John The Baptist

The Dome of Xewkija,  is the 3rd or 4th largest in Europe and one of the biggest in the world yet, for most Gozitans, it is not quite big enough; the intention was to exceed the dimensions of the Mosta Dome in Malta, which it succeeds in height but not in diameter.

Ta’ Pinu the pilgrimage church is noteworthy

xewkija by holiday-malta.com

The seven-story hotels, which frame the little cove of Xlendi, haven't detracted from this inlet's natural beauty. Have lunch on the terrace and a dip with the locals in the pale green water.The shingle beach , rocky shore and clear waters are good for swimming and the caves and rugged reefs provide ideal conditions for snorkeling and scuba diving.

• xlendi.com/
• holiday-malta.com/resort/gozo/village/xlendi/
• maltagozo.com/bxlendi.html

Chapel Of St. Roque St Roque is considered to the protector of those suffering from the plague. This chapel was built in 1592 during the first bubonic plague epidemic to hit the Maltese Islands. It also houses a museum showing the achievements of various Zebbug personalities. preserved through the work of www.dinlarthelwa.org

"Their religious values are untarnished, as judged for example from the high priority given to the maintenance of street  niches. " 
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