An island less travelled
ing for rain. We weren’t, of course, and happily enjoyed sunny weather of around 26C each day.
We stayed at Hotel Ta’ Cenc on the south of the island. Our bungalow was ideal; we never felt on top of each other and we adored the heated half-indoor, half-outdoor pool where we swam each night under the stars.
Our favourite restaurant on Gozo was Ta’ Philip in Ghajnsielem, close to the terminal where ferries dock from Malta. The cuisine on both islands has a splash of Lebanese and North African influence; the Maltese national dish is fenek, a rabbit stew, and there’s also imqaret, an Arabian-style pastry filled with dates and spices, and at Ta’ Philip we lingered over a delicious lunch, with melt-in-themouth baby goat roasted slowly in a wood-burning oven.
We also loved that, served alongside locally baked bread at the start of almost every meal, was a sun-dried tomato paste called kunserva. It was delicious enough to keep the adults going back for more and sweet enough to appeal to the taste buds of our ketchup-loving four- and seven-year-olds.
The Maltese people, who attach great importance to their cuisine, especially the inhabitants of Gozo, like to know exactly where everything comes from. Following their example, we visited a farm to see how proprietor Rikardu made the traditional hard goats cheese we’d eaten in his restaurant, Ta’ Rikardu, in the main town, Victoria.
Gozo is much quieter than Malta and small enough to cycle in a day. Visitors can also hop aboard a Segway to see the sights, or saddle up or have a carriage ride at the Dream of Horses rescue centre. We never encountered big crowds, although there were other sightseers at the landmark Azure Window — a 50metre high rock arch in the Dwejra Point cliffs. It’s one of the most recognisable locations on the island, used as the backdrop for Daenerys’s wedding scene in Game of Thrones.
Though there aren’t the golden expanses of sand of the Costas, there are hidden beaches and harbours to explore and clear waters to dive into. The 2015 film By the Sea was filmed in the bay of Mgarr ix-Xini, known forfo its dramatic, soarinsoaring cliffs.
While we were perfectlye happy on Gozo, the ferry trip to Malta takes only 25 minutes, so itit’s easy to pop bebetween the two. A visit to Malta’s capcapital Valletta is a mustmust, where there’s a real bubuzz. We also took a boat trip arounda the harbour in a traditional “dghajsa” — an elaborately styled rowing boat reminiscent of a gondola — a fantastic way to appreciate the city from the water.
Though the British influence makes eating out, shopping and getting around very straightforward — you may see a supermarket stocking Waitrose goods or high-street clothes shops you recognise — don’t be mistaken into thinking this is a Little England-on-Sea.
The people of Malta, and Gozo in particular, are proud of their culture and they will welcome you with open arms. The name Gozo means “joy” — and as such an excellent, accessible destination for families, I wouldn’t disagree.
Details: Malta and Gozo
Rooms at Hotel Ta’ Cenc start from €140 per room per night during low season and €196 during high season, B&B (tacenc.com). easyJet flies from Gatwick to Malta with prices starting from £36.49 one way (easyjet.com).
visitmalta.com