When planning a holiday, you want to see and do as much as possible, but you also want some time to relax. That’s what holidays are for, isn’t it? You’ve worked long and hard throughout the year and now it’s time to sit back and enjoy life as it was meant to be lived. That’s exactly why your next trip should be to Gozo, the second largest island in Malta. Life in Gozo personifies what it is to work hard while living life to the fullest. If ever there was an ideal destination for hard-working holidaymakers, it would be the Island of Gozo.
Life in Gozo
Gozitans are a hard-working, fun-loving, family-oriented people. Doesn’t that say it all? Whilst there are all the modern conveniences available in Gozo, Gozitans are dedicated and passionate about their work. You can still admire the harvesting of sea salt manually done as was was the tradition for countless generations, and you might lucky enough to witness the handmaking of lace, which is still practiced on the island.
However, as hard as they work, they take the time to enjoy life as it was meant to be lived. You will see that families are of supreme importance to Gozitans and central to family life is their faith. With 90% or more of the population being Catholic, there is always a festa to attend on the island. Most take place from May through September, but there are winter festivals as well such as Christmas and Carnival, where Gozitans go all out to celebrate these annual events.
A Little of This and a LOT of That
The only real ‘little’ thing about Gozo is the size of the island. Everything else is gargantuan by comparison. From the spirit and pride of the people to the national shrines, rich history, sunny beaches and spectacularly delicious foods, Gozo is a land of giants – figuratively speaking, that is! The sun and beaches of Gozo at the heart of the Mediterranean may be what originally attracted you, but the reason you plan a holiday here next year as well goes far beyond swimming, snorkelling, diving, fishing and boating. Nonetheless, a boat ride or chartered ferry between Gozo and the smallest island, Comino, are a wonderful way to spend a day on the lovely Mediterranean Sea.
Somehow, a holiday in Gozo makes you feel a part of the long and varied history that shaped this warm and friendly island. From the moment you arrive, you are welcomed as family, not as some tourist who will fill the island’s coffers. Rather, you will feel as if you belong. Upon returning home, holidaymakers remember the one thing that made them happiest was the way in which Gozitans treated them like members of their own families. It’s nice to get away, but it’s nicer yet to get away in a place where you are welcomed.
For the Ultimate Experience Book a Gozitan Farmhouse
The very spirit of the island calls for something more personable and that would be a stay in a self-catering farmhouse, Mediterranean style. Unlike farmhouses throughout Europe, these are not ivy-covered cottages with white picket fences. Farmhouses in Gozo are of Mediterranean design, what many would consider a villa if they had to describe what they were seeing. If a farmhouse is not up your street, then do not be dissuaded. Gozo offers a variety of accommodation facilities from the 5-star hotels, to the luxury boutiques and intimate B&Bs.
Whether travelling alone or with a group of friends, family or co-workers, Gozo is perfectly suited for a holiday home away from home experience. See new sights, visit new attractions, eat at some of the world’s finest restaurants but always remember, in Gozo, you are not a tourist. In Gozo, you are at home.
