Day one:
Having landed at Malta International Airport, either catch the ferry to Gozo or fly by helicopter.
On arrival collect a hire car and check into one of the island’s three five-star hotels or drive to a typical Gozitan self-catering farmhouse.
After settling in drive to the northernmost tip of the Maltese islands to the popular resort of Marsalforn. Lining the waterfront is a string of restaurants and bars.
Day two:
The first stop is a visit to the oldest free-standing temple in the world – Ggantija temple in Xaghra dating back to around 7,000BC.
In the same town are the Alabaster Caves with their colourful stalactites and stalagmites.
For an afternoon swim drive to Ramla Bay. This is the largest sandy beach on Gozo, famous for its red sand. Close to the shoreline are the remains of fortifications built in the middle of the 18th century by the Knights of St John to stop enemy troops landing in the bay.
Day three:
Head for the capital of Gozo – Victoria, known as Rabat in Maltese. The first stop should be the Cittadella, a fortified ancient city that overlooks Victoria and the whole of Gozo from its hilltop position. This strategic and impregnable place dates back to medieval times. Inside the citadel is the 17th century cathedral and a handful of museums: the Cathedral Museum, the Museum of Archaeology, the Folklore Museum and the Arts and Crafts centre.
Have a hearty lunch to give you the energy for a walk. Log on to www.visitmalta.com where three walking routes are outlined. Maps are available from the tourist information office in Victoria.
Day four:
Take a day trip to Comino, the tiny island between Malta and Gozo, an ideal site for those who love the sea and all manner of water sports. The Blue Lagoon isn’t just a wonderful place for swimming but also one of the most stunning sights of the Maltese islands. There are no cars on Comino, just one hotel (open in the summer months only) and a rocky landscape dotted with patches of wild flowers and fragrant thyme.
The XVII century watchtower was built to protect the channel between Malta and Gozo from pirates. The tower featured in the latest film version of The Count of Monte Cristo.
Day five:
No tour of Gozo is complete without a visit to Ta’ Pinu Basilica. This is a place of pilgrimage – on June 22 1883, Carmela Grima heard the voice of Our Lady inside the old chapel. One of her friends claimed to have heard the voice too, so they decided to build a bigger and more beautiful church in honour of the Virgin Mary. The old 16th century chapel has been integrated into the new building.
Before heading home, stop off at Dwejra on the west coast to marvel at the Azure Window and discover the beautiful ‘Inland Sea’.
Did you know?
Overlooking Ramla Bay is Calypso’s Cave where, according to legend, the nymph Calypso seduced and kept Ulysses a ‘prisoner of love’ for seven years.