Gozo Holidays: an Overview

The island where Odysseus fell under the spell of sea-nymph Calypso has many attractions for today's luxury holiday seeker, and yet revels in relative anonymity as a tiny satellite island off the north-western corner of Malta. Comprising just 25 square miles, Gozo at first seems a staunchly traditional island, steeped in religious and clan ties. But there is more to the island than nostalgia. It offers some of the finest snorkelling and diving opportunities in the Mediterranean.

Aside from the superb snorkelling and diving, Gozo is the surprisingly vibrant nightlife with several lively bars and a couple of fun nightclubs as well. Add to all this a superb summer climate and some excellent restaurants serving delicious fresh seafood, and you have an extremely alluring and good value luxury holiday option. Furthermore, in the Kempinski hotel, this tiny island now has the biggest spa in Western Europe. Alternatively, Original Travel has a selection of beautiful farmhouse-villas with pools to rent in one of the quiet little villages that dot the interior.

Original Travel have long been fans of this secret Mediterranean gem, and can arrange kayaking to the red sand beach at Ramla Bay, or snorkelling at the nearby island of Comino. Gozo is also known for having some of the best diving in the Med. Clear and usually calm waters mean that visibility is typically in excess of 40 metres, and the wide variety of dive sites includes reefs, wartime wrecks and dramatic underwater scenery such as the submerged caves of the 'Blue Hole'.

On land, the interior of Gozo is well worth exploring on foot or on two wheels. As well as charming villages, the countryside is dotted with prehistoric sites - notably the Ggantija temples, which pre-date the Pyramids and Stonehenge.