Five reasons to have a Gozo holiday this summer
As Christmas and the New Year celebrations fade and winter tightens its grip, why not start to plan your next holiday in the sun?
We think you’ll love our gorgeous little island of Gozo. Average summer temperatures on Gozo are around 25-27°C and we’re surrounded by the sparkling Mediterranean Sea. There are some lovely beaches and Gozo’s secluded coves and bays are perfect for swimming, snorkelling, and diving.
Summer is also Festa time, with villages all over Gozo taking it in turns to celebrate their saint’s days with music, dancing, food and fireworks. And music lovers will enjoy sampling everything from the Victoria International Arts Festival to open air rock concerts.
You'll find a full listing of all the summer events in the Give Me Gozobooklet, but we've chosen five great reasons why you should choose Gozo for your summer holiday this year.
1.Chill out on Gozo’s beaches or by your Baron Holiday Home pool
For most people, summer holidays mean relaxing and that often usually means spending time lounging by a pool, or on a sandy beach.
Luckily, all our Baron Holiday Homes have either a private outdoor pool, or access to a communal pool if you are staying in our Hillock Residences. So you’re never more than a few metres away from relaxation.
While the kids enjoy splashing about in the pool you can stretch out on a sunbed, read your book, listen to music, or just snooze. If you’re looking to really chill out then our In-House Serviceswill be of interest.
You can book massage and relaxation therapy sessions with our expert practitioners who will come to your Baron Holiday Home. And if you want a break from cooking we have a private chef who is happy to come and prepare dinner. Just let us know.
Gozo is known for its spectacular coastline but it also has some lovely safe beaches. Perhaps the best known is Ramla bay, a wide, red sand beach on Gozo’s north west coast, that was included in the Guardian’s ‘10 of the best beaches in Europe for families’.
Near to Ramla Bay is San Blas, a secluded little beach of red sand reached by a steep path down to the sea. Then there is Dahlet Qorrotbay where you can swim off the rocks and watch the fishermen’s boats.
The two main resorts are Xlendi, on Gozo’s west coast, and Marsalforn, on the north east coast. Both offer a wide range of water sports such as snorkelling, scuba diving and paddleboarding.
2. Make the most of Gozo’s beautiful turquoise sea
And talking of water sports… Gozo has a wide range of water activities you can try whatever your level of experience or ability. Our blog post From paddleboarding to diving - make the most of Gozo’s beautiful sea gives a good outline of your watersports options.
Gozo is one of Europe's best destinations for a diving holiday and offers world class sites to explore including caves, reefs and wrecks. Baron Holiday Homes can organise dives for our guests with a trusted local partner – just get in touch.
3. Join the locals and have fun at Gozo’s village festas
Summer in Gozo is the perfect time to experience the exuberance of our village festa season. Expect to see decorated churches, street parades, marching bands, food, fireworks, and maybe even some horse racing. It’s a great opportunity to see the traditional, authentic side of Gozo, and you’ll be made very welcome.
Most of our rental villas and farmhouses are located near to Gozo's villages. When you're booking your Baron Holiday Home, don’t forget to use the handy property searchfeature on our website. It will help you to find a property that best suits your needs in terms of location as well as size and price. All our property descriptions explain the distances to the nearest beach, restaurant, supermarket and bus stop.
The summer festa season on Gozo runs from the end of May to mid-September as individual villages across the island take turns to celebrate their local patron saints with a feast (festa), lasting up to five days. The schedule for 2019 is:
26 May: Festa of St Paul, Munxar.
9 June: Festa of Christ the Saviour, Għasri.
16 June: Festa of the Sacred Heart, Fontana.
23 June: Festa of St John the Baptist, Xewkija.
29 June: Festa of Saints Peter & Paul, Nadur.
7 July: Festa of the Visitation of Our Lady, Għarb.
14 July: Festa of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Kerċem.
21 July: Festa of St George, Victoria.
28 July: Festa of St Margaret the Martyr, Sannat.
4 August: Festa of St Joseph, Qala.
11 August: Festa of St Laurence, San Lawrenz.
15 August: Festa of the Assumption of Our Lady, Victoria.
25 August: Festa of the Assumption of Our Lady, Żebbuġ.
1 September: Festa of Our Lady of Loreto, Għajnsielem.
8 September: Festa of Our Lady of Victories, Xagħra.
16 September: Festa of Our Lady of Graces, Victoria.
4. Enjoy a dash of culture at the Victoria International Arts Festival
2019 marks the twenty-second year that Gozo’s capital has hosted the Victoria International Arts Festival. In that time the festival has grown in scope and reputation and it now offers music lovers a lively five-week programme of classical music, choral works, master classes, and talks with many free events.
The festival attracts more than 600 international and local musicians who help to fill Gozo's venues with lovely music every day. There are often more than 30 concerts every evening. Attendance is free as the festival is sponsored through a Cultural Partnership Agreement with the Government of Malta.
This year the festival runs from Wednesday 12 June through to Monday 15 July 2019. The full programme can be found on the VIAF website.
5. Let your summer nights be filled with music and dancing
However you’ve spent your day on Gozo, it’s good to have a change of pace and to get out and about in the cooler evening air. Fortunately, throughout the summer months, all across Gozo, you will find plenty of musical entertainment out under the stars - a great way to end your day.
Whatever your musical tastes, you’re sure to find something to enjoy. Here is a selection of events to give you an idea of what’s on offer:
July - September: Regular live entertainment from a variety of local and guest artists:
· Marsalforn Mondays
· Mgarr Fridays
· I Love Xlendi(Saturdays)
Friday 5 July: Hondoq by Night, Hondoq Bay, Qala
This lovely small bay to the east of Mgarr is the setting for this annual open air concert featuring local pop and rock bands as well as DJs. Music is augmented by twinkling lanterns and a special light show.
Monday 29 July: Opera vs. Pop Under The Stars,The Courtyard, Ministry for Gozo, Victoria
Featuring the Gozo Youth Orchestra, this concert has been running every summer for more than a decade. It presents a lively mix of operatic and classical music to pop arrangements of famous musicals and film soundtracks. For more information, contact: gozowindbandorchestra@yahoo.co.uk.
Saturday 3 August: DCapitals Live@Cittadella, The Cittadella Ditch, Victoria
Now in its fourth year, this popular open air concert has the spectacular backdrop of the Cittadella. DCapitals are a local big band and offer an eclectic mix of modern pop and rock song arrangements and feature a number of guest vocalists. For more information, contact: dcapitalsband@gmail.com
Monday 9 September:Stage & Proms By The Sea, Mgarr Marina
Gozo’s main harbour is the unique setting for this special annual concert performed by the Gozo Youth Wind Band, who sit on a floating pontoon in the harbour. The repertoire includes popular classical pieces as well as favourite musical songs. For more information, contact: gozowindbandorchestra@yahoo.co.uk.
And if you're holidaying with young adults, they may like to know that Gozo also has a vibrant nightlife scene. See our blog post Gozo nightlife to keep young people dancing.
Ask us for help
Baron Holiday Homes is happy to organise car hire, tours of Gozo, and special activitiesfor our guests. Just get in touch and we'll tell you all you need to know about walks near to your rental property, special events in villages nearby, and other local information.
Posted in Arts, Beach, Festa, Sports, Summer, Things to do, Watersports
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