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As my days in Gozo draw to an close, I’m filled with the bittersweet emotions that often accompany me on my nomad journey. Sadness at leaving a place I’ve grown to love, mixed with excitement for the new adventures ahead.
I’ve been in Gozo for three months, the second longest I’ve lived anywhere since I dived into this lifestyle in January 2015. Despite the fact that my accommodation caused me more stress and anxiety in the first two months than pretty much any other place I’ve stayed (though my house in the mafia district of Catania, Sicily, came close), there are many things I’m going to miss about this charming little island.
Top of my list is the deliciously warm, sparkling Mediterranean Sea, always in sight on an island this size, along with my daily dip in picturesque Xlendi Bay. Then there’s the magnificent, rugged coastline dotted with caves and gorges, and the warm, friendly Gozitan people. So it seems fitting that the last photo essay I’ll post from Gozo celebrates all three things.
This mini photo essay comes from a sunset cruise I took around the coast of Gozo with Adrian Borg, his fabulous boat, Vitamin Sea, and a group of friends, a mixture of locals and other travellers.
(In case you’re wondering, there are things I won’t miss. Fresh in my mind is the giant cockroach I chased around my flat last night, while wearing only trainers and a head torch and waving a broom like a mad woman. And the pervy old men, who in Xlendi all seem to be called Charlie…)
Vitamin Sea
Adrian’s been sailing around the coast of Gozo since he was 11 years old. He knows every rock, every cave, and exactly where to take people to see the perfect sunset. His passion for this coastline is obvious, his beaming smile matched only by that on the face of his lovely mum, Melina.
Gozo’s Unique Geology
As we zoomed out of Obajjar Bay, my smile stretching from ear to ear as we skimmed the waves, our attention was drawn to the strange formation on the edge of the bay. I’ve found a few explanations for this. The best I can offer is that it’s a qolla – an odd-shaped hillock. Over the years, sand and gravel washed into a limestone cave. The limestone gradually wore down, leaving behind the perfect imprint of the cave.
Along the way, Adrian poked the boat into a number of tiny caves and gorges to show us his favourite secret spots. In the photo below, we’re in the dramatic Wied il-Ghasri gorge. Don’t attempt this unless you know the coast – we coasted in without our engine to avoid the rocks just under the surface.
Gozo’s dramatic cliffs have a gorgeous honey-coloured glow in the late evening sun.
Hand’s up, this picture isn’t my best – no tripod, in the dark, on a boat… But I had to include it because look at the colours inside this cave!
We covered half the island on our sunset cruise in Gozo. Our end point was Dwejra, once home to the famous Azure Window. Here we navigated through a very narrow opening to the inland sea, a small inland saltwater lake.
Sunset
As we pottered back around the island, sharing wine and beer, swapping stories, and sampling delicious local fruits, we were treated to a magnificent sunset.
Adrian, who from this point onwards became known as Mr Smooth, took us into a cave that was perfectly positioned to watch the sun sink beneath the horizon. Glass of wine in hand, we toasted the sunset. To some it was an unmissable opportunity…
Goodbye Gozo, you’ve been wonderful!
For info, this is not a sponsored post. I met Adrian via friends and he kindly invited us for a sunset cruise as a treat. But it was such a fabulous evening, I wanted to spread the word.
Visiting Gozo
I loved Gozo. It’s much quieter than Malta, less built up with wonderful nature, and it’s very easy to get around. The main tourist areas are Xlendi (where I stayed) and Marsalforn, thought there are good accommodation options across the island. Check out Airbnb (if you haven’t signed up before, you can get a discount off your first stay by signing up with my link), and look on Agoda for the latest hotel prices. See TripAdvisor for reviews of hotels and other accommodation.
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