Top photo by Nick Bugeja
For many people, the words “a summer holiday on Gozo” are likely to conjure up images of long, hot summer days and sparkling blue Mediterranean sea. Perfectly true, of course.
But there’s also a lot more to Gozo in the summer and this blog post aims to reveal some of the many activities that bring our lovely island to life between June and September every year.
Family fun – from festi to arts and crafts
28 May – 17 September: Village festi season on Gozo.
Promo video for the feast of St. George in Victoria held between 10th – 16th July
Throughout the summer months on the Maltese Islands villages take turns to celebrate their patron saints’ feast days with a unique mix of religious observance, parades, music, food, fireworks, and sometimes horse-racing in the streets!
Wherever you’re staying with us at a Baron Holiday Homes property, you’re sure to be close to some local action. Attending a village festa is a great way to experience the authentic side of Gozo. A full programme of Gozo’s village festi can be found at the Visit Gozo website.
Gozitans take great pride in their local villages and know how to celebrate properly! Don’t forget to sample some of Qubbajt – this is Maltese nougat and is enjoyed especially during village festas in the summer.
The Infiorata, or carpet of flower petals, Gharb, Gozo. Photo credit: www.gozonews.com
2 July: Infiorata, Għarb.
Inspired by an old Italian tradition, the Infiorata is a colourful carpet of fresh flowers arranged in thematic designs laid in front of the parish church by a team of local volunteers, including children. The event is part of the village celebrations for the feast of the Visitation of Our Lady to St. Elizabeth.
22 July: Marsalmuzajk – Mosaic Festival, Marsalforn.
An evening of hands-on mosaic activity along the Marsalforn harbour front. Starting at 8.00pm you can join mosaicist Mary Portelli and students from the Gozo College who will be making mosaic tiles for a set of public stairs.
5 August: Gozo Ceramics Festival, Xlendi.
A unique opportunity to watch local artists create ceramic pots and art. Live demonstrations from 7.30pm of many different techniques from throwing a pot to firing in a kiln.
Get a taste for local food and wine
For those interested in getting an authentic taste of locally produced Gozitan food and wine there are several special summer events on Gozo which present opportunities to sample delicious local cuisine:
17 June: Bis-Saħħa Wine Festival, Santa Luċija Square.
An annual festival of local wine, food and live music. Starts at 8:00pm and entrance is free.
28th June: Farm to Fork, Xewkija.
This annual event held at the Gozitano Agricultural Complex, provides an interesting insight into local food production and features food stalls, live music from local bands, children’s entertainment, and a traditional dinner in the main square.
18 – 20 August: The Delicata Classic Wine Festival at Nadur.
Popular annual event where you can sample some award-winning Gozitan-made wine, plus some great food prepared by local chefs and restaurants, and live music.
25 – 26 August: Antonin Under the Stars Wine Festival at Ramla.
OMarsovin will be holding a wine event in the picturesque wine estate- Ramla Valley Estate. The event will bear the name of Antonin Under The Stars, a name which takes after the award winning wine Antonin Blanc, made from grapes grown from the very same estate.
The event will celebrate the grape harvest for vintage 2017, whilst also giving patrons the opportunity to taste the wines produced from this Estate including the latest addition to our premium range, Blanc de Cheval. The event promises to be a night of premium wines in the company of great musical entertainment in the magical surroundings of the vineyard under a starlit sky.
Music and cultural events on Gozo
Summer in Gozo is also a time for musical and other cultural events on this small island. Music lovers are treated to everything from classical, opera and choral works to jazz, pop and folk.
Our previous blog post Live Music On Gozo To Get You Into The Swing Of Summer details the range of different music events on the island, from the Victoria International Arts Festival to the ever popular open-air concert Opera vs. Pop.
In addition, throughout the warm, dry summer evenings in July and August, you’ll find local musicians and bands performing all over Gozo – an annual event known as Summer Nights.
Make a wish on The Tears of San Lawrenz shooting stars
The night sky seen above Dwerja Tower, Gozo. Photo credit: www.gozonews.com
After spending a lazy – or active – summer day on Gozo, it’s a pleasure be out and about in the relative cool of the evenings gazing up at the night sky. Gozo is a great place to enjoy star gazing, with limited light pollution to spoil your view of the Milky Way, especially if you get our of the villages and head towards the coast.
August is a particularly good month for watching the night skies as this is the month to see the Perseid meteor shower, when the Earth travels through debris left behind in 1992 by the Comet Swift-Tuttle. In 2017, the Perseids will be visible from mid-July to around 24 August.
On the Maltese Islands, the Perseids are commonly known as the Tears of San Lawrenz and many people like to make a wish when they see them. So, how about packing refreshments and heading up to the 17th century Dwerja Tower, on the west coast cliffs of Gozo for a midnight picnic?
The experts recommend the peak time for seeing meteors (or shooting stars) will be the night hours of 12 – 13 August, when dozens of meteors should be seen every hour, despite a bright waning moon.
Ask us for help
Baron Holiday Homes is happy to organise car hire, tours of Gozo, and special activities for 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 Activity, Family, Festa, Fun, Heritage, Things to do
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