Just imagine taking a jaunt to Calypso’s Cave, where the nymph Calypso held Odysseus as a prisoner of love for seven years in Homer’s epic Odyssey. How about taking to the waters in the Blue Lagoon or gazing in awe at the Crystal Caves of Comino? Malta’s neighbouring islands of Gozo and Comino are full of history and wonder. I recently travelled to the Maltese islands with Insight Vacations, on their 6-day Easy Pace Malta premium guided tour. It offers the winning mix of guided sightseeing and flexi-time, allowing you to ample opportunity to personally discover and savour the destination’s treats, at your own leisure.  

Soulful views at Xlendi Bay. Photo / Supplied

I jumped at the chance to take an optional excursion to Gozo and Comino, delivering a power-packed day of adventurous delight.  The ferries depart from Sliema, zipping you across to Gozo’s main harbour within 45 minutes. Our first stop was at blindingly beautiful Xlendi Bay, sandwiched between stunning dramatic cliffs and the Il-Kantra Valley. There’s a gorgeous old watchtower overlooking the port, built by the Knights of Malta in 1650, to help repel pirate raids. Prior to that, when the Ottoman Turks attacked the Maltese Islands, they completely wiped out all the inhabitants on Gozo and Comino. If you’re up for it, climb the enormous flight of steps cut into the rock face to enjoy a stunning birds-eye view of the surrounding area before descending into a natural cove known as Caroline’s Cove. These unusual steps were created in the 1880s to provide access to a private bathing spot for the local Augustinian nuns. 

From there, we tootled over to magnificent Victoria, Gozo’s capital city. The name was bestowed on the town by the British in 1887 in honour of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. However, older generations still refer to it by its Maltese name, Ir-Rabat. The town is crowned by the insanely antique Citadella, an ancient fortified city. Like a portal to the past, human settlement here reaches back 7000 years. However, it was first fortified during the Bronze Age approximately around 1500 BC, further developed by the Phoenicians and finalised into an Acropolis during the Roman Times.

Mike at the Citadella, Gozo. Photo / Mike Yardley

The massive defensive stone walls rising above the town were constructed by the Knights of Malta, to shield the villagers from Ottoman attacks. A monumental restoration project has revitalised the Citadella’s former glory, which now enjoys World Heritage protection. Within the Citadella, Gozo’s Cathedral of the Assumption is a masterpiece of architecture – a sublime 17th century baroque church famed for its outstanding trompe l’oeil ceiling depicting a dome that was never there. The Gozo Museum of Archaeology is also worth a nosey, to fully appreciate the astonishing span of settlement on this lofty Gozo hill.   

Beyond the Citadella, there’s a spunk and spark about Victoria as you stroll its cobbled lanes, watched over by a procession of saints, carved into building niches, at every turn. Have an idle browse around the shops, most of which sell traditional Maltese arts and crafts, from woollens and lace to blown glass and cheap souvenirs. Independence Square is the beating heart of town, buzzing with activity including a daily open-air market, eye-catching al fresco cafes strung around the square, and hole-in-the-wall street vendors selling pastizzi. The small square backed by St. George’s Basilica is another sumptuous spot to partake in coffee and pastizzi. These traditional savoury filo puff pastries are stuffed with either ricotta or curried mushy peas. Try both! 

A mouthful of Malta - Pastizzi. Photo / Supplied

If you have time, head over to the north coast of the island and check-out the viewpoint of Calypso’s Cave. On a calm day you can see the remains of an artificial reef extending into the sea, which was part of the defences built by the Knights of St John to prevent invaders landing on the beach. In theory, the enemy ships would run aground on the reef.  It’s a 30 minute walk from the village of Xaghra to the lookout. Geological activity has shut the caves to visitors due to fears of collapse, but you can still glimpse them from the lookout. These caves overlook the exceptionally breathtaking views of Gozo’s finest red sand beach, Ramla Bay. Many locals believe this is the cave that Homer refers to in The Odyssey. The story goes it’s where the stunning nymph Calypso retained the Greek hero, Odysseus for seven years as a “prisoner of love”. He was promised immortality if he stayed there with her after losing his ship. In the end, she let him leave and go back to his wife. Legend has it that she still waits for him! 

From Gozo, we proceeded across the vivid blue waters to the pint-sized island of Comino. This uninhabited island and its boundless scenic splendour is idyllic for snorkelling, swimming and sunbathing. It’s headlined by the irresistibly gorgeous Blue Lagoon, an unbelievably picturesque bay with an ethereal setting. The lustrous turquoise water is like liquid cellophane and the sandy bay is edged by a rocky terraces and lava outcrops, cascading down to the water.  The Blue lagoon featured extensively in Troy and The Count of Monte Cristo. 

Complete your Comino exploratory by tootling around the island to the equally dazzling Crystal Caves Lagoon, where a sequence of four spell-binding sea caves will gluttonously load you up with pics to feed the Gram. The first cave is the best of all, because its collapsed roof has formed a wide opening and rock arch, peering out into the Mediterranean. Welcome to paradise. 

The Crystal Cave Lagoon in Comino. Photo / Supplied

Experience the majesty and mystery of Malta with Insight Vacations. Easy Pace Malta is 6 day premium guided tour showcasing Malta's finest features, including the golden-hued fortress capital of Valletta, the Silent City of Mdina, the waterfront strip of Sliema with optional excursions to Gozo Island and beyond. Superbly guided with local experts enriching the sightseeing, you will fall in love with Malta. For best deals and dates to suit, https://www.insightvacations.com/en-nz/tours/easy-pace-malta  

Mike Yardley is our resident traveller on Jack Tame Saturday Mornings.