One of the lovely surprises for first time visitors to our island is discovering how rural the island is. The gently rolling landscape, with green fields, winding lanes, hidden valleys and coves is dotted with villages. Here you’ll find Gozitans going about their daily life pretty much as they’ve done for decades.
The pace of life on Gozo is relaxed and very welcoming to visitors. Many of Baron Holiday Homes’ self-catering properties are located in or near to Gozo’s villages – offering the perfect way to appreciate the authentic character and flavour of village life on the island.
A short stroll into the village and you’ll soon be sampling the delicacies from the local bakery or cafe. Then go for a wander through the alleyways to admire the local buildings and the ornate churches (every village on Gozo has one). And if you’re spending summer on Gozo you may be lucky to experience a local festa, complete with street decorations, parades and fireworks.
If you’ve enjoyed a holiday on Gozo before you know exactly what we’re talking about. A Gozo holiday can be an opportunity to slow down and appreciate the beauty and character of our gorgeous little gem of an island.
In this first guide we take a look at four villages in the north and western areas of Gozo. Each has it’s own distinct character and is worth visiting. You may even be tempted to book one of our lovely Baron Holiday Homes in one of these locations.
First – A note about the Maltese Language
As you go around Gozo you will see lots of Maltese language signs. You can get a bit of an insight into the language in our blog post Talk Like A Local. However, there’s no need to worry – making yourself understood is very easy and Gozitans are always very friendly and happy to help visitors.
It’s nice to make an effort to speak to the locals though, so here are some useful words and phrases:
Bonġu (pronounced ‘bon-joo’) means ‘good morning’ – and more generally ‘hello’ up to midday
Ċaw (pronounced like the Italian ‘Ciao’) means ‘goodbye’
Jekk jogħġbok (pronounced ‘yeck yawj-bock’) means ‘please’
Grazzi ħafna (pronounced ‘grat-see huff-na’) means ‘thank you very much’
Iva (pronounced ‘ee-vah’) means ‘yes’
Le (pronounced ‘leh’) means ‘no’
Titkellem bl-Ingliz? (pronounced ‘tit-kel-lem blin-gleez’) means ‘Do you speak English?’
Kerċem
Lunzjata Valley, the countryside near Kerċem, Gozo. Photo credit: visitgozo.com
The tranquil village of Kerċem (pronounced Kerchem), lies to the west of Gozo’s capital Victoria, and on the road that takes you to Gozo’s dramatic Dwerja Bay (Dweryuh). The quaint hamlet of Santa Luċija is close by with its man-made pond St Raphael Lake (L-Ghadira ta san Raflu).
Kerċem is surrounded by beautiful rolling countryside. There’s easy access for walking or cycling in the fertile and picturesque Lunzjata Valley with its numerous freshwater springs. And you’re not far from the resort of Xlendi Bay and our stunning western coastline, which can be explored on land and by sea.
Uniquely on Gozo, Kerċem has two patron saints (all the others have just one) and therefore holds two annual festas – in March for Saint Gregory and in July for Our Lady of Perpetual Help. In April every year the village also hosts the Għadira Fair – a traditional family event with music, food, and pony rides.
Baron Holiday Homes in Kerċem:
Pool Area of Dar it-Torri, one of our holiday properties in Kerċem
We offer seven restored properties for rent near Kerċem, including Dar It-Torri holiday home – a 300-year old stone Watch Tower converted into a 6-bedroom property with amazing views.
Għarb
The imposing National Shrine of Ta’ Pinu, Gozo. Photo credit: Baron Holiday Homes
Għarb (pronounced arb) is the oldest settlement on Gozo with Neolithic origins. It’s located on the north-western side of the island nestled among green fields and pastures.
The road along the Weid il-Meilah valley takes you through some lovely countryside and on to the sea, where you can explore the Weid il-Meilah Window, a natural arch carved by the sea.
Għarb is traditionally known as a centre for skilled craftsmanship – from blacksmiths and lace makers to artisan cheese makers. You can find out more about Gozo crafts at the nearby Ta’ Dbeigi Craft Village, which features artisan workshops and a museum of traditional village life. The Tal Massar winery is also worth a visit.
In the centre of the village is the magnificent Baroque Għarb Basilica, which in early July every year is the focus of the village festa celebrating The Visitation Of Our Lady.
And on the outskirts of the village is the imposing Basilica of the National Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of Ta' Pinu, an important location for pilgrimages. We wrote about the history of Ta’ Pinu in our blog post Ta’ Pinu – A Tale of Miracles and Pilgrims. As well as admiring the interior of the Basilica, you can also climb the pilgrim trail of Għammar Hill, opposite the church.
Baron Holiday Homes in Għarb:
Our gorgeous Dar Guz Holiday Home in Għarb, Gozo
We have three beautifully restored farmhouse properties for rent in Għarb: including Ponderosa, Dar Guz, and Ta Majsi. Each property has been designed to retain the authentic stonework and character of the original buildings.
Għasri
Għasri (pronounced as-ri) is the smallest village on Gozo and lies to the north east of Għarb, between two hills – Għammar and Żebbuġ. It is dominated by the Ta' Ġurdan Lighthouse, which stands at the top of Ġurdan Hill above the village. It’s well worth the steep climb to enjoy some magnificent views.
Even though it only has a population of around 500 people, the village still boasts a wonderful Baroque church – Corpus Christi – which gets beautifully decorated inside and out for the annual village festa in June.
If you like country walks and mountain biking then you’ll enjoy the beautiful valley of Wied il-Għasri. The steep sided gorge opens into the sea and there is a small pebble beach, creating a secluded inlet, ideal for swimming, snorkeling and diving.
Baron Holiday Homes in Għasri:
Lounge area at Levecca 2 in Ghasri. Photo credit: Baron Holiday Homes
We have 8 beautiful self-catering properties to rent in Għasri, including our flagship Hamlet complex of four neighbouring buildings. We’re delighted to add a brand new property to this list – Levecca 2, a charming 5-bedroom, 5-bathroom carefully restored farmhouse with a private pool.
San Lawrenz
Festa time for San Lawrenz, Gozo. Photo credit: Baron Holiday Homes
The charming village of San Lawrenz is found on the western side of Gozo, near to the spectacular coastline at Dwerja Bay. It is surrounded by three hills, including Gozo's highest point Ta' Dbeigi (195 metres).
Dwerja Bay is famous for its stunning limestone cliffs and unusual geological features including the Inland Sea and Blue Hole. These can be be explored on guided boat tours and diving trips, which we are very happy to help organise with our trusted local partners.
Until 1893 San Lawrenz used to be part of the parish of Għarb. The parish church was built by local people and is dedicated to Saint Lawrence, with a relic of the saint buried beneath its foundation stone. It’s well worth visiting San Lawrenz at festa time in the first week of August.
Baron Holiday Homes in San Lawrenz:
The Almonds Holiday Home, Gozo. Photo credit: Baron Holiday Homes
Baron Holiday Homes has three luxury rental properties in San Lawrenz. These are – The Olives, The Almonds and Dar il-Bahar.
Have you visited any of these villages? We’d love to hear your thoughts – why not post on our Baron Holiday Homes Facebook Page?
In part 2 of our guide to Gozo’s villages we’ll look at Qala, Għajnsielem, Xewkija and Sannat...
The Baron Experience
Baron Holiday Homes offers more than 90 fantastic rental properties on Gozo including apartments, villas and farmhouses, many with private pools. Booking your holiday with us is easy and we have a flexible booking policy with a low booking deposit – you only pay the balance 15 days before arrival.
Our guests can book with confidence as we offer a grace period. Our money-back guarantee means that you have up to 24 hours from your booking time to cancel a booking (as long as your booking is least two days prior to the arrival date) and will get a full refund with no extra fees.
We have more than 25 years’ experience of operating high quality holiday homes in Gozo and we also offer a great range of extra services and activities to make your holiday even more special.
Posted in Agritourism, Architecture, Cultural activities, Cycling, Family, Festa, Fun, In-house services, Language, Local, Local cuisine, Properties, Spring, Summer, Things to do, Traditions, Village life, Walk, What to see in Gozo
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