Gozo is home to some notable landmarks. The Ġgantija Temples, the Citadel, the Rotunda Church and places like Ramla l-Ħamra have not only been on postcards for years but covered by travellers in blogs and magazines. However, beyond the fame of the deserving sought-after spots, Gozo is also home to several well-hidden and curious spots. Some captivate the imagination, while others have peculiar characteristics and are imbued with historical significance. Some are still an enigma. Some need to be sought out, while others are right up the street, and you only need to look out for them.
Here’s a list of 10 whimsical, quirky and some even mysterious points in Gozo that you can look out for, possibly more ideas to add to the list of what to do in Gozo!
Ras il-Wardija Punic Temple
Overlooking the sea, right at the very tip, at a height of 120 metres, the Ras il-Wardija Punic Sanctuary offers spectacular sights of Xlendi and Dwejra. The sanctuary is located in San Lawrenz and the vicinity of Kerċem, on private land. Time has taken a toll on the place from Phoenician times, which was hewn out of the limestone rock. Many believe that this temple, excavated in the 1960s by Italian archaeologists, could have served as the first visible beacon for sailors after sailing out from Carthage.
Xewkija Water Pumping Station
On the way to Mġarr ix-Xini lies an eerie and abandoned water pumping station. Built during the colonial reign, the station was inaugurated in 1901. It extracted much-needed fresh water from the sea level water table for many years. The water was then transported to the water reservoirs at Ta’ Ċenċ and Nadur, supplying the Gozitan households. Today, the derelict tower and the valley are favourite jaunts for adventurers and climbing enthusiasts.
Għar Gerduf in Kerċem
Another curious spot located at the outskirts of Lunzjata Valley are the the much less known catacombs of Għar Gerduf. Dating back to Roman times, this burial site, which Gian Frangisk Abela, Malta’s father of historiography, even refers to in his writings in 1647 as a crypt located in an orchard. This cave comprises a series of arched recesses (dug out into the limestone) for burial purposes. While one can see this site from the adjacent street, a small visitors’ interpretation centre is planned for the future.
Gozo’s Roman Villa
Not many who swim at Ramla imagine an idyllic Roman villa and rural estate standing on the red sands. In Roman times, such estates were called ‘villa rustica’ and often incorporated olive tree estates. Whilst the villa remains that can be seen today are crude, this villa was once the epitome of Roman sophisticated living, complete with underground thermal heating, sauna, baths, including the cold bath, coloured marble floors, and mosaics.
Xlendi Valley Tower
Not to be confused with the recently restored coastal Xlendi Tower, the Xlendi Valley Tower is a much smaller, partially hidden and easy-to-miss tower in the valley of Xlendi. This rounded tower, which predates the Knights of St. John’s era, lies at the fork where Lunzjata Valley meets Xlendi Valley amid the terraced fields and rubble walls. The tower, visible from the road that takes you down to Xlendi, served as a lookout point when the village of Fontana was nonexistent and thus, the tower had a direct line of sight of the Citadel.
Dwejra Boathouses
There are two main parts of Dwejra: the Inland Sea and Dwejra Bay. Hiking out to Dwejra Bay, the area on the side of the Fungus Rock and the Dwejra coastal tower, one can discover the original slipways and boathouses carved out of the rock around the bay, an ancient sinkhole. These old boathouses in the cliff face are a unique scene to capture and behold.
Fougasses in Ramla l-Ħamra & Xatt l-Aħmar
A fougasse is a coastal defence mechanism that consists of a man-made hole dug at an angle of 45 degrees and filled with stones overlying a layer of gunpowder. The aim was to shoot at the enemy by sending a shower of rocks over the assailant that was close enough to shore. There were fourteeen fougasses in Gozo, and it is relatively easy to stumble upon two of them when exploring the eastern side of Ramla l-Ħamra or hiking around the shore beneath Fort Chambray at Xatt l-Aħmar.
Il-Barakka in Victoria
The main street in Victoria, Republic Street, was originally known by another name. To this day, the locals still refer to the street as It-Tiġrija, meaning the racecourse. This is purely because this street has been used as a racing course for horses since the days of the Knights. Close to and on the same side of the Astra Theatre, you can still see the terraced platform and arched verandah from where the prizes were distributed to the winners.
A French Medieval Cemetery
One mysterious and enigmatic site in Gozo is the French Medieval Cemetery, a location that today is home to the Don Bosco Oratory, situated next door to the Friary of St Augustine. The cemetery is said to be the resting place of the French clerics and nobles who lost their lives during the Tunisian Crusade of 1270. Gozo was the closest Christian ground where they could be buried. Their remains were brought over, and a cemetery was built. This consisted of several chapels in a small space. All this echoes legends of the Knights Templar, and some of the tomb slabs bearing coats of arms, insignia and Christian symbols (like the chalice and the cross) can still be seen at the Don Bosco Oratory in the Convent of St Augustine and the Gozo Museum of Archaeology.
An Amphitheatre on a Hilltop
If you do not climb the Għammar hill facing the Ta’ Pinu Sanctuary, you would have never imagined the amphitheatre at the summit. The surprising architectural feature, built to serve religious purposes, is a perfect spot to rest and enjoy breathtaking views of the islands. If you’re there at sunset, expect to be blown away by the experience.
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