Gozo Gozo lies 6 km (3.7 miles) off the coast of northern Malta. It is noticeably greener, more peaceful, the streets are cleaner and the coast is quieter. The Island has also a number of historical sites, forts and breath-taking panoramas, as well as one of the archipelago's best-preserved prehistoric temples, Ggantija. Gozo also possesses a nightlife and cultural calendar all of its own, with some great dining out.
A popular nickname of Gozo is the Isle of Calypso, derived from the location of Ogygia in the Greek mythological poem Homer's Odyssey. In the myth, the island was controlled by a nymph called Calypso who detained the hero of the story Odysseus there as prisoner of love for seven years; Gozo is infact thought to be modern day Ogygia.
Getting around Gozo presents no difficulty at all. All roads radiate from the capital, Victoria, and the signposting is excellent.

VictoriaVictoria (Rabat), is the capital city of Gozo, with a population of 6,425, the largest locality in Gozo. The name was given to the city in 1897, on the occasion of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee at the request of the Bishop of Malta, Mons. Sir Pietro Pace. However Gozitans still often refer to it by its old name, Rabat. It is the administrative centre, which includes also the main schools, the hospital, and the law courts, serving the island’s community.

MgarrMgarr holds the harbour where the Malta-Gozo ferry docks. The harbour is backed by flat-roofed houses on the hillside and the church of Our Lady of Lourdes built in 1888. To the left of the church is Fort Chambrai, designed by military engineer de Tigne in 1723. Work was started only in 1749 by the Knight de Chambrai, who was later to become Commander of the Galleys and then Governor of Gozo. This was the last fortification built by the Knights, and the only active service it saw was during the resistance to the French occupation of the islands in 1798.

XlendiXlendi is a popular tourist resort situated in the south west of the island of Gozo. The name is probably derived from the word "xelandion", a type of Byzantine vessel which may have anchored in the port. The church here is dedicated to the Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel.

MarsalfornMarsalforn is a village on the North West coast of Gozo. It is the most popular tourist resort on Gozo and is well served with hotels, restaurants, bars and beaches. Up until the seventeenth century, before the development of Mgarr Harbour, Marsalforn was the principal seaport of Gozo.

Ramla BayRamla Bay is located at the bottom of a rich and fertile valley just beneath the village of Xaghra. Ramla Bay has a splendid stretch of orange sand with blue waters. In view that it is the only sandy beach in Gozo, it draws Gozitians and foreigners in large numbers during the summer months. Beach facilities include cafés, water sports and sunshades. Locals often refer to this beach as the "Ramla il-Hamra" - 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.

FontanaFontana, a suburb of Victoria, took its name from a spring at the bottom of the road leading to Xlendi. People began to inhabit the area because of the abundance of fresh water and in the 16th century, an arched shelter was built over the spring for the convenience of people washing their clothes.

GharbGharb is the westernmost village in Gozo. On the road from Victoria to Gharb there is an aqueduct built by the British in the early 1840s to carry water from Ghar Ilma to Rabat. The parish church of Gharb is one of the most architecturally perfect churches of Gozo and was based on the designs of Francesco Borromini’s Sant’ Agnese in Piazza Novana, Rome. It is dedicated to the Visitation of the Virgin Mary to Elizabeth.

KercemKercem is the village closest to Rabat and its name is probably derived from that of a family living in the area in the 15th century. This fertile valley is one of the most picturesque in Gozo and it is further embellished by a charming spring dating back to 1698.

NadurNadur is spread over the top of a tale-flat hill. The monumental church of the Saints Peter and Paul, completely covered in marble, was begun in 1760 but the façade and aisles were built later, at the beginning of the 20th century. Nadur is famed for the grotesque and impromptu Carnival which takes place here in February each year.

San LawrenzSan Lawrenz takes its name from an old chapel that stood in the area from around 1575. The village church, dedicated to Saint Lawrence, was built in 1888 and lasted 9 years, on the site of the old chapel. San Lawrence houses the Gozo Crafts Village. From the village square one can take the road down to Dwejra Bay where there is a well preserved watch tower dating back to 1652, built to guard the then-famous medicinal plant which grew on Fungus Rock. This is one of the towers that the Knights of St. John erected during the 17th century.

CominoComino is the smallest inhabited island of the Maltese archipelago with a grand total of 2 permanent inhabitants. Comino is famed for its Blue Lagoon which offers crystal clear turquoise waters with white sandy bottom offering swimmers a paradisiacal place to enjoy the tranquillity of the island.

Comino was for a long time uninhabited and was used by corsair pirates as a resting place until in the 17th century the Knights of St. John constructed the Santa Maria Tower to secure the island. It is set in a very impressive location on a cliff top and seems more like a midsize fortress until you approach it and realise it's rather small. The island has served as an exile for errant Knights, a prison for spies, and a defensive garrison during the world wars.

Comino also offers a hotel which is open to the public from April to October and caters mostly for overseas visitors on all inclusive package tours.