Archaeology handicrafts and science and technology sites to visit Gozo & Comino

Qbajjar's outdoor saltworks date from the Roman era of the Island. They are located west of Marsalforn.

You will already be able to enjoy its tiny sandy beach, with shallow waters, ideal for children and where you can take a dip after a drink or lunch in one of the surrounding restaurants. You can also go up the road to the left of the cliffs to find a privileged observation point on the rocks and take your place to attend one of the most beautiful shows on the island, the sunset being reflected on the small sailing boats that have come to anchor. A promenade is set up to enjoy the surroundings.

This is one of the obligatory passages for anyone travelling to Malta and, a fortiori, to Gozo. Ramla Bay known in Maltese as "Ramla I-Hamra", i.e. the red sandy beach and is one of the most beautiful unspoilt beaches on the island. It is reproduced on many postcards and is also the regular setting for many fashion magazine photos. Reddish sand and very soft, very wide beach allowing crowds to gather there in summer. Roman ruins are buried under the sand, and the Calypso Cave overlooks the west side of the beach. One has to go back to the Roman Empire to find traces of a marble and stucco decorated villa built on this site. Surrounded by hills on both sides, the sandy path on the east side of the hill leads to Calypso Cave, a natural cave that tradition associates with the capture of Ulysses during seven years in theOdyssey. Also visible is a statue of the Virgin Mary erected in 1881 in the middle of the bay.

Advice. It's best to wear special non-slip shoes if you want to enter the water because a good series of stones cover the first few meters. Toilets and showers are at your disposal, to the right of the cafés where you can have a drink and a bite to eat when you leave the beach.

During the summer, many musical events are organized on the wasteland overlooking the beach, even allowing festival-goers to camp there. An experience to be tried.

Although Ramla Bay and its beautiful beach are very close, there is no direct coastal road leading to them. Marsalforn does, however, have a pretty little cove where you can rent chairs and umbrellas. Old villas, built in the 1950s by wealthy Maltese, make the area around the marina even more charming.

You can stroll down to the quieter, less crowdedQbajjar Bay.

From here, continue westwards, on foot or by car, to discover the coastline sculpted by the Romans and transformed into salt flats. These are still in use today, and are harvested between May and September. Gozo salt is renowned for its finesse and high magnesium content. Seen from above, the salt pans resemble a large mosaic of yellow, orange, white and silver. Narrow vertical shafts (be careful!) pierce the rock. Garages have even been dug into the cliff. It's not easy to swim here, as access to the sea is difficult. It's a pity, because the water here is an incredible blue.

One of Gozo's most secret bays. Whether you jump in or go down step by step, you'll enjoy a gentle swim in clear, deep water, ringed by rocks on either side of the landscape. At one time a refuge for the galleys of the Knights, at another a port of embarkation for Gozitans taken prisoner by the Ottoman Empire in 1551, Mġarr ix-Xini is steeped in history. Take advantage of the stroll to take a tour of the knights' watchtower, built in 1661 and open to the public. For lovers of the deep sea, come and admire not far from the surrounding cliffs and caves, the wreck (deliberately sunk) of the Xlendi ferry. For the record, almost the entirety of Angelina Jolie's 2015 film By the Sea, starring Brad Pitt, takes place here.

Driving down the brand-new road, the view over Comino is breathtaking, and the salt marsh coastline is picturesque. Hondoq Ir-Rummien, a small beach of sand and pebbles and crystal-clear sea, is one of Gozitans' best-kept secrets. Hondoq Ir-Rummien is also popular for snorkeling and exploring the many caves in the crystal-clear, clean water. The only drawback is that a car is required to visit this beach, which is accessible from the village of Qala.

Access via Xaghra: cross Il-Pergla above Ramla Bay, lost on a moor where acanthus, oleander and acacia blossom. From the small parking lot, go to the viewpoint at the entrance to the cave: the view over Ramla Bay and the valley is superb. The terraced crops, separated by low walls, form an immense mosaic with pieces of different patterns and colors. A 20-metre walk leads to the small, low, cold cavern, which is a real disappointment: a ten-metre gut that ends in a dead end. But it was here, in the bay of Ramla in the north of the island, that the poet Homer stranded Ulysses, who fell in love with the nymph Calypso, mistress of Ogygie (the name Homer gave to the island of Gozo). Calypso held her prisoner for many years, until Athena, moved by the hero's plight, dispatched Hermes to the island to convey Zeus' order to let Ulysses go. With a heavy heart, Calypso must comply. There are underwater remains of an ancient fort built by the knights in the ^18th century. By scanning the sea from the shore, you can make out the shape of the fort. The purpose of this strange construction was to block the progress of enemy ships, making it easier to attack them with mortars dug into the rock.

Little sister of Ramla Bay, this magnificent wild beach of red ochre sand enjoys a strategic position. At the northern tip of the island of Gozo, the waters are transparent and the landscape of rare beauty. Much less frequented by tourists because of the 400 m difference in altitude to be made on foot. It is dominated by the Ta'Sopu Tower erected in 1667 to watch over the bay, which did not prevent French troops from approaching the island nearby in 1798. Ideal for a picnic or to rent kayaks to explore the surrounding caves.

Located 9 m deep, this cave is full of stalagmites and stalactites. Discovered in 1923, it is used by the family during the Second World War as an underground shelter.

The village of Xaghra is perched on a high porous limestone plateau. The infiltration of rainwater has created caves, discovered quite by chance, by digging wells for two nearby houses. One of the family members will show you this cave, 24 meters long and 18 meters wide, located below the house. It was one of their ancestors who discovered it in 1888. He will reveal its existence only three years after he first entered it. During the visit you will discover beautiful stalagmites and stalactites.

An impressive overhang of almost 120 m above sea level is also an important bird sanctuary (almost 1,000 breeding pairs of Cory's Shearwaters and 300 pairs of Yelkouan Shearwaters). In the rock, the prehistoric chariot tracks may be those left by the machines that transported rocks to the island's temples. The scented scrubland is particularly pleasant in this part of the island. The Ta'Cenc, one of the most beautiful Maltese hotels, is located in this sumptuous setting.

Glassware factory, with the ever-impressive spectacle of glassblowers at work. But don't be surprised: the craft village is a real tourist magnet!

One of the most picturesque spots on the island. Daħlet Qorrot is reached from Nadur. This fishermen's haven lies at the foot of the northern cliffs in a cove whose waters are almost as clear as the blue lagoon... The charm of this place is due in no small part to the colorful doors of the fishermen's storage areas carved into the cliffs.On the way back, stop off to see an ^18th-century windmill and the church of Qala, known as Santa Marija tal-Blat and surrounded by fields that bloom beautifully in winter. Away from the crowds, the place to be.

Anthony and Marisa have a passion for wine in them. Independently and with a lot of work, they have managed to revive the family's old vineyard. Today no chemical herbicides are used and they try to work in the most natural way possible. Their wines are the result of their efforts. After booking in advance, you can visit their estate in a spectacular setting. At the end of a tour of about an hour and a half, there will be a tasting of 4 wines, accompanied by bread and cheese from Gozo.

It's the little sister of Azur Window, the Gozitanian Etretat that collapsed on March 8, 2017, less visited than it was but really worth the detour. You will get there after a stunningly beautiful walk through the "Salt Valley", located north of Gharb. In the spring, the landscape is green, with a small valley and then a fjord with a huge stone arch. This arch is accessible only on foot and will be the occasion of a great moment of calm. It is also a place for diving.

Gozo is often referred to as the island of three hills, a nickname due to the fact that when you arrive from Sicily, only three are visible (in fact, there are many more). Tas-Salvatur is visible from the Victoria citadel, and the statue of Christ the Redeemer (in the style of Rio de Janeiro's Corcovado) surrounds this rocky promontory with a number of legends, and a strong spiritual appeal. According to some, black smoke rose from the top of the hill, suggesting the presence of a volcano, a rumour formally denied by geologists. According to others, God punished the inhabitants of Gozo and the island was swallowed by the waters before a ray of light escaped from this hill, hence its first name: Tas-Merzuq (light: merżuq).

Most interesting is the statue of Christ the Redeemer(Salvatur), erected in 1904 to replace a wooden cross originally erected. The first statue didn't stand up to the elements and was replaced by another, struck by lightning in 1960... Imagine the shock for these very religious inhabitants. Pieces of the statue are still scattered across the small mountain. Now, a monumental reinforced concrete statue stands atop the island, protecting all inhabitants from the elements...

Founded in 2014, the first Maltese beer brewery was born thanks to the initiative of the D'Imperio family after they visited the Maltese archipelago for the first time in the late 1990s. This beer, with a bottle designed by the architect and interior designer Marco Preti, is now part of the Maltese landscape. You can visit this brewery with Andrea. On a very playful way, it lasts a big hour and ends with very good tastings... An activity to do with the family!