THE ISLAND OF

Gozo

Sa
S
allttp
pa
an
n W
Wa
allk
k

IIn
nttrroodduuccttiioo nn

A ssuu nn ssee tt aatt RReeqqqqaa PP ooiinn tt

A

This circular walk starts and ends at the open market of

Victoria the main town of the island. From here the walk
proceeds to the breathtaking Sara valley. After visiting
Gozos oldest basilica, the walk continues to Wied ilGasri, a valley which is flanked by high cliffs and ends
in the open sea.
Next is Reqqa point, where you will see traditional salt
pans employed to produce crystal salt through the
evaporation of sea water. After reaching Xwejni Bay the
walk proceeds to the next bay - Qbajjar Bay, where
resting facilities, restaurants and public conveniences are
available.
Leaving Qbajjar behind, by means of a dusty road, the
walk takes you amid the beautiful Gozitan countryside and
valleys. Passing by the water courses you will have the
opportunity of observing the diverse flora and fauna
associated with these unique habitats. The walk then
continues back to Victoria.
TT h
hee ssaall tt ppaann ss aatt XXw
weejjnn ii bbaayy

A route map found in the centre pages of this booklet,

together with several stone plinths located along this route,
which will help you follow along, offering the best
opportunity to truly appreciate the island of Gozo.
Distance: 12 km
Time:
5 hrs

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Enjoying nature

TT h
hee W
Waallkk
his walk starts at Pjazza Assunta
Victoria, the main town of
Gozo. In the past, the city was
known as Rabat, an Arabic word
meaning the city. The name Rabat
was changed to Victoria in 1897 on
the occasion of Queen Victorias
Silver Jubilee. The locals still prefer to
call it Rabat. Victoria is in the very
centre of the island. All roads and
bus routes lead to and from Victoria
towards other localities.

T in

Assunta Square is popularly known

as Savina Square. Some very old
houses stand close to the chapel the
main landmark of this square.
Historians disagree on the origins of
this chapels name. Nowadays, it is
known as Savina chapel but some
historians assert that the original
name was Sabina. However, the

name of the church has nothing to do

with Santa Sabina, as it is dedicated
to the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin.
The chapel could have acquired its
present name from the owner of the
land on which it was built.
Leaving Savina square behind you,
follow the road that passes by the bus
shelter. Keep to this main road,
which takes a narrow turning to the
left. This road is called Saint Ursula
Street. After a few paces, take the
first turning on your right. The walk
proceeds down Triq l-Imgallem
which is dominated by the views of
Gelmus hill to the left and the
towering mass of the Citadel to the
right.
Ta Gelmus the hill on the lefthand side of the road, is a flat-topped
hill mostly composed of the reddish
1

Sa
S
av
v iin
na
a C
Ch
ha
ap
pe
ell

The present chapel was built during the early 20th

century. However the original chapel mentioned in
the notarial deeds of the 15th century stood near
Rabats outer fortifications. The old chapel was
dismantled in 1900 and a larger church was built
and inaugurated in 1904 by Cardinal Domenico
Ferrata. After being enlarged in 1913, it was
reopened as the Church of Perpetual Adoration.
The church is open in the morning and late
afternoon. The style of the interior is elegant, with
some fine stonework around the main altar-piece
depicting the Nativity of Our Lady and showing the
new fortifications of the citadel, just after completion
in 1622. The faade of the chapel has a central
niche, featuring a statue of Christ holding out a
chalice in his right hand. A flight of stairs leads to
the parvis enclosed by iron railings.

soft sandstone, one of the softest

sedimentary types of limestone
present on the island. Continuous
erosion breaks down the soft
sandstone into golden sand.
The road eventually levels out as you
arrive at the crossroads, at the end of
Triq l-Imgallem. At this point turn
left
into
Triq
Wied
Sara (1). Keep walking along this
narrow road, which is reminiscent of

Sa
S
av
vii n
na
a C
Ch
ha
ap
pe
ell

a not-so-distant past when people

rode on horseback.
Along this road you may also
appreciate the blended harmony
between past and present expressed
through the rehabilitation and stylish
conversion of old farmhouses. Once
the houses give way to the open
countryside the road takes you over
a bridge across Sara Valley. This
valley is not a permanent fresh water
course, as its water supply dries up
during the hot summer months.
However, during winter and spring,
when water flows through this valley
it teems with a wide variety of flora
and fauna.
Along this route you will be able to
catch a distant view of the Aqueduct
that used to convey water from Gar
Ilma to Victoria during the British

FF iirr eew
wo
or
rk
ks
s s
se
e tt o
offff d
du
ur
rii n
ng
g a
a llo
oc
ca
all ffe
es
s tt a
a

GOZO C
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WA
A LL KK SS

TTa
a`` G
Gee llm
m uuss H
H iillll iiss m
maaiinnll yy cc oom
m ppooss eedd ooff ss aann ddsstt oonnee

era. Distant views of the Citadel and

the surrounding hills can also be
admired from this point.
On
reaching the outskirts of the village of
Gasri the road opens like a three-

pronged fork. The route continues

along Triq il-Knisja where you will
see a curious niche set on the left
hand corner of this road.
Moving straight ahead, along this

TT h
hee C
Ciittaaddeell
The Citadel is one of Gozos architectural and historic focal points. Its origins are lost
in time. The earliest cultural remains discovered so far date back to the temple period
circa 3500 BC. The first written reference to a fortified city on Gozo dates back to
1241 and subsequently the Citadel was occupied by a succession of foreign
conquerors. The present structure of the Citadel dates to the early 1600s
when
the Knights, during the time of
Grandmaster Wignacourt, rebuilt the
Citadel as we see it today. The locals
used to seek shelter in the citadel during
the night. In fact until 1637 all Gozitans
were required by law to spend the night
within the Citadel walls. A drawbridge
provided the only entrance, while a ditch
surrounded the citadel or Castello as it
was known at the time.
TTh
h ee m
myyss tt eerr iioouu ss aann dd ss iillee nntt C
C aasstt eell lloo

TT h
hee G
Goollddeenn CCaallff
Legend has it that gold was extracted from the golden sands found at Ta Gelmus hill.
This in turn gave rise to the common belief that a golden calf still lies hidden
somewhere. As legend has it, Sidor, a hardworking farmer, toiled from dawn to dusk
in order to eke out a poor existence for himself and his family and often dreamt about
finding gold. One day his wish came true. He literally struck gold when he found a
golden calf. After he had polished and secured it in his sack, he hurried to Calogero,
the village goldsmith. The latter could not believe his eyes but after the initial surprise
he lost no time in working out a plan to get hold of the priceless golden calf.
The gleaming calf had aroused Calogeros greed and Machiavellian ingenuity. He
explained to Sidor that he could not keep the treasure that the farmer had unearthed
in his fields as the Grandmaster had decreed that such valuable items were the
property of the treasury of the island. In an apparent show of generosity and sympathy
Calogero gave some money to the unsuspecting Sidor in exchange for the golden
statuette. Calogero concluded that by taking responsibility for the statuette, the
goldsmith would be sparing Sidor a lot of needless trouble. Sidor went back home,
unaware of the fact that he had just been taken in. When Sidor told his wily wife
about the whole affair, she was furious and after hearing how her husband had been
tricked, made sure that the Grandmaster heard about the story. Calogero continued
to protest his innocence but was imprisoned for life. He died without revealing the
location of the golden calf.

road, you will arrive at a rectangular

square dominated by Gozos oldest
Basilica and a statue of Our Lady.
A row of white and pink oleanders

flank the road. From spring until

autumn, this row of oleanders offers
a spectacular show of massed
flowers.
This church, which

Ann O
A
Olldd N
N iicchhee
When it was built in 1773 this niche probably
stood undisturbed in the midst of the open
countryside, a good distance away from human
habitation. The niche depicts an angel visiting
Our Lady. Its architectural design is worth
noting. A stone balcony that lies in front of the
niche stands on three stone pillars, set apart from
each other, creating a symmetrical three
dimensional design.
It is believed that in the past this niche attracted
numerous pilgrims. The holy rosary was recited
near this niche and followed by a sermon
delivered by a priest from the balcony. Some
local historians believe that this niche formed
part of a countryside chapel, which was
abandoned and fell into ruin.
4
TT h
hee A
Annnn uu nncciiaatt iioonn

GOZO C
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W AA LL KK SS

Sppee cctt aacc uull aarr vviiee w

S
w ooff W
Wiieedd SSaarraa w
wiitt hh iittss aaddjjaacc eenn tt hhiillll ss

Goozzooss oollddeess tt BBaassiill iiccaa

G

dominates this valley, was built in 1739

on the ruins of an earlier one. Sixty years
later the church was placed directly
under the authority of the Basilica of San
Giovanni Laterano in Rome. The church
is dedicated to the Espousal of Our Lady,
the Madonna tal-Patroinju.
Leaving the church behind and walking
along the road, you will once again pass
by stylishly converted farmhouses.
Along this road, bordered by terraced
fields, you may notice the dry farming
techniques that are practised here. Dry
farming is the growing of a single crop
5

TTh
h ee ccooaatt ooff aarrm
m ss ooff tt hh ee O
Oll dd BBaass iillll iiccaa

per year relying solely on the winters

rainfall. Several rubble walls are
present to prevent soil erosion caused
by heavy downpours. You can also

TTee rrrr a
acceedd ffiieell ddss cchhaarr aaccttee rriiss ee G
G oozz iittaann ccoouu nntt rryy ssiiddee

TTh
h ee bbee llll ooff tt hhee O
Olldd BBaass iill lliiccaa

notice scattered field houses or

rather, dry-wall huts, that are used
for shelter, storage and as a resting
place by the farmers.
Eventually you will reach another set
of cross roads (2). Towering to the
right is the village of ebbu. The
road on your left leads to Wied ilGasri while the road straight ahead
leads to Reqqa point.
At this point you can leave the set
route and explore Gasri valley
before continuing the walk. In order
to do so, you may take the road to
the left and walk straight along it.
Gasri valley is a deep gorge-like

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valley with very high steep cliffs. This
valley follows a winding path that
leads to the open sea. A small,
secluded pebbly bay lies at the mouth
of the valley. Although it seems
inaccessible, a series of steps have
been cut into one side of the cliff face.
Leaving Gasri valley behind, TThh ee llaarr vvaa ooff tthh ee sswwaall llooww ttaallll bbuu tttteerr ffllyy
retrace your steps to the cross roads
and take the road straight ahead.
Walking along this road, the saltpans
As soon the road turns towards the
soon come into full view. For your
coast, you should be able to catch a
interest, a brief legend which
glimpse of the blue Mediterranean
narrates the origin of some of these
Sea. A number of African Tamarisk
saltpans is found on the opposite
and Bianca trees have been planted
page.
on both sides of the road,
as a result of a reforestation initiative.
Moving along the coast you may

TTh
h ee pprriiddee ooff ppiinnkk oollee aann ddeerr

TTh
h ee sstt oonnee ccrr ooss ss

TTh
hee W
Waattcchhm
m aakkeerrss SS aallttppaann ss

TTh
h ee ss ee aa dduurr iinn gg w
wiinn ttee rr ddaayyss

It is believed that a rich watchmaker who lived in

ebbu, owned a lot of property in Gozo. His avidity
was insatiable. At one stage the watchmaker decided
that there was a fortune to be made through the
production of salt. Therefore, one day he
commissioned some workers to build the saltpans by
digging them out in the soft coastal limestone.
However, filling the saltpans with saltwater proved
arduous as the sea level was over fifteen metres
below. As the ridged coastline is full of caves and
tunnels, he decided to dig a shaft down to one of the
tunnels. In this way when the waves hit the coast,
water would rush up the shaft and fill the saltpans
with sea water.

Having dug the shaft during summer, he waited for the winter months to see if the
idea would work. When winter arrived and the sea began to crash against the rocks,
water was forced up the shaft and filled up all the saltpans. However, the area where
he had dug his saltpans was composed of porous rock and the saltwater was absorbed
by the rock instead of evaporating. To make matters worse, when the sea was very
rough, the sea water spurted like a geyser and saltwater was sprayed over an area of
several kilometres, destroying the crops in the neighbouring fields. The farmers were
angered by this threat to their livelihood and decided to fill up the shaft with large
rocks.

Whh eenn tt hhee ss eeaa iiss vvee rryy rroouugghh ss eeaaw

W
waatt eerr ss ppuu rrtt ss ll iikk ee aa ggee yyss eerr aanndd ss aall ttyy w
waattee rr sshh oow
weerr ss tt hh ee aarr eeaa!!

GOZO C
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D EE W
WA
A LL KK SS

TTh
hee ggoorrggee aatt W
W iiee dd ll-- G
Ghh aassrr ii

come across several enthusiastic

anglers who use a mixture of old and
new fishing techniques. Fishing is a
very common pastime in Gozo. After
Easter, the site is the haunt of divers.
The area offers very pleasant and
eye-catching underwater scenery and
life. It is also a favourite venue for
those who seek the cooler seaside
locations during the hot summer
evenings and hold barbecues with
their friends and families. In fact
there are a few sign posts that warn
people not to hold barbecues near
the saltpans and to keep the area free
of debris or waste, as this negatively
affects the quality of the salt
produced.

TT h
hee ss oouu tt hhee rrnn ddaaiiss yy

The next stop is Xwejni bay. This

bay owes its name to the Maltese
word xini, which means galley. A
telephone box can be found along
the road. This site consists of a bay
and a rocky coast made of
globigerina limestone with its typical
pattern of erosion. At some points
the area is covered with both upper

G lloobbiiggee rriinn aa lliim

G
mee ss ttoonn ee iiss qquuiitt ee SSoofftt

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The saltpans of Xwejni Bay

coralline limestone
coralline limestone.

and

lower

The bay has a shallow reef and a

pebbly beach and is very popular
with practitioners of all types of water
sports including swimming, scuba
diving and fishing. A slipway is also
present, where you may come across
fishermen preparing to put out to sea.
The traditional fishing boat, known
as the luzzu, is made of wood and
typically
brightly
decorated.
According to local ancient traditions
the eyes painted at the bow
(representing the eye of Osiris) are
meant to protect the fishermen when
out at sea by keeping them out of
harms way.

12

FFii ss h
hiinn gg iiss aa ssppoorr tt tt hh aatt iiss ee nnjjooyyee dd bbyy aa nn uu m
mbbeerr ooff llooccaall ss

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W AA LL KK SS

Xwejna Bay as seen from an elevated point

On the eastern side of the bay one

can note a small outcrop called
Il-Qolla
l-Bajda.
The
area
underneath this hill is full of rock
pools usually inhabited by glass
prawn. From Xwejni you can
continue to walk straight ahead until
the road forks. Take the road to the
right. In the distance you can see the
Qolla l-Bajda battery, on the spur
of land that separates Xwejni from
Qbajjar bay.

IIll--Q
Qoo llllaa ll--BB aajjddaa BBaatttteerr yy
This battery was built in 1716 and was
mounted with six guns. During World
War II it served as observation post
No. 5. Later in the 1980s it was rented
out to a private enterprise that converted
the battery into a disco. This battery is
one of the only two remaining batteries
on the island; the other is located in
Qala.

A ccrr aabb rree sstt iinn gg iinn aa ccrr aacckk ffoouu nndd iinn oonnee ooff tt hhee rroocckk ss
A

TT h
hee O
Olldd BBaatttt eerr yy

13

IIll --Q
Qoollll aa ll-- BBaajjddaa

Qbajjar bay is a very popular area

with both tourists and locals. In fact,
quite a few restaurants and bars have
mushroomed in order to service the
visitors needs. Walking along this
coastal road you will soon reach a
junction. The walk continues straight
ahead. Public conveniences are
located a little way up the road to the
left.

TTh
h ee ccllee aarr aann dd ccll eeaann w
waattee rrss ooff XXw
weejjnn ii BBaayy

Soon, the plateau upon which the

village of ebbu stands comes into
view to your right, while the conical
pointed hill you can see to your left is
known as Il-Qolla s-Safra or the
yellow rock. This hill is made up of
sandstone that gives it its golden
appearance. It is documented that
another hill known as Il-Qolla lamra (the red rock) stood just
below the ebbu plateau; however,
it disappeared completely as a result
of intense natural erosion (3).
When this dusty road winds to its
end, take a right turn and then turn
left after a few metres. Once again
you may notice many terraced, dry
farmed fields flanking the winding
bumpy cart track. One of the main
functions of rubble walls is to prevent
soil erosion caused by heavy
downpours. This track offers a
distant panoramic view of the
Citadel, distinctly perched upon its
hill.

14

TTh
h ee ee nnddee m
miicc G
G oozz oo H
Hyy oossee rriiss

GOZO C
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WA
A LL KK SS

Qbbaajjjjaarr BBaayy
Q

The hill with the statue of Christ the

Saviour on top, is a curious landmark
and is known as
IlMeruq also referred to as
Tas-Salvatur (of the Saviour).

Wiill dd aarrtt iicchhookkee fflloow

W
wee rr

numerous
damselflies
and
dragonflies engage in courting
rituals. The maidenhair fern is present
in sheltered areas along the banks.

This track eventually catches up with

the main road linking Victoria to
Marsalforn. On reaching this road,
turn right and walk straight on
towards Victoria. Take the first side
street on the left side of the asphalted
road leading to Victoria. This country
road passes by one of the most
picturesque valleys of Gozo.
Here you can observe the rare sharp
rush and the southern reed-mace that
grow abundantly by the banks of this
valley. Fauna associated with fresh
water courses is also found in this
habitat.
Here the life cycle of the painted frog
can be studied in full, whereas the
II ll-- Q
Qooll llaa ll --H
H aam
mrraa

15

IIss --S
Saall vvaattuu rr -- tt hhiiss hh iill ll ggiivv eess tthh ee iim
mpprree ssss iioonn ooff aa ssm
m aall ll ddoorr m
maann tt vvoollccaann oo

Walking along the valley you can see

a large vineyard that flanks one side
of the country lane. The presence of
black plastic pipes in the adjacent
fields show that drip irrigation is now
being used to water the crops.
Il-Meruq ~ Some locals believe that
this hill is an extinct volcano. However,
the rock is not sulphurous and its
limestone formation shows that it never
was a volcano at all. In 1901 a large
wooden cross was placed on the very
top of the hill. This was replaced by a
stone statue of Christ the Saviour, which
is how this hill became know as IsSalvatur (The Saviour). The 38-foothigh concrete statue that replaced the
crumbling cross was made by the
renowned Gozitan sculptor Wistin
Camilleri.
16

Several
tree
species are also present along the
valley banks (4). The aleppo pine,
evergreen oak and the rare white
poplar are among the tree species
present in this area. When the
country lane comes to an end, a
footpath on the left leads to the main
road linking Victoria to Marsalforn
Bay.
As you walk uphill towards Victoria,
the large white building to the right is
the friary of the Capuchin Fathers.
This church is dedicated to Our Lady
of Graces. The site was previously
occupied by another chapel that was
first dedicated to St. Julian, then to St.
Agatha and finally to the Nativity of
Our Lady. It is said that one of the
secret tunnels used as an escape

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route from the Citadel led to this very
site, until it was closed by the
Capuchins.
The walk leads you uphill until you
reach the main cross roads in
Victoria. To your left a stone cross
and a fountain can be seen. The
stone cross is similar to the many
crosses scattered all over Gozo, the
purpose of which is still debated. The
fountain by the wall was installed in
1881.
It has recently been restored as part
of its stonework had crumbled as a
result of erosion. In the past, this
fountain served as a resting and
drinking place for the donkeys and
horses of those people coming to
Rabat from the outlying areas.
Turn
right
and
walk
up
Republic Street until you reach
Independence Square, the main
square of the town. Independence
Square was formerly known as
It-Tokk.
The word It-Tokk is
derived from an old Arabic word
meaning an open space or meeting
area. Many civil and social activities
take place in this square.
Every morning this square houses an
open market, where all sorts of
objects, ranging from clothes to
souvenirs, are sold. A large bronze
statue of Christ stands on one side of
the square. It was unveiled by Queen
Elizabeth II in May 1954 to

TTh
h ee bbll uuee ffll oow
wee rr ooff tt hh ee bboorraaggee

commemorate the Gozitans who

were killed during the Second World
War.

A sshh oorrtt ccuu tt tt oo tt hhee CC iitt aaddeell

A

17

Ouurr LLaaddyy ooff G

O
G rraacceess C
Chhuurr cchh
The main altar piece of the church
depicts Our Lady of Graces, and a
procession entering the church. This was
painted by the artist Stefano Erardi. Up
to 1968 the Cathedral chapter used to
come in procession to the church every
second Sunday of January.
This
procession was held in honour of a vow
connected
with
the
repeated
earthquakes that shook the Maltese
islands on 11th January 1963 and
TTh
h ee C
C hh uurr cchh ooff O
Ouu rr LLaaddyy ooff G
Grraaccee ss
caused a great deal of damage. Many
Gozitans vowed to visit the church and hold thanksgiving services in honour of Our
Lady.
The tabernacle on the high altar is made of Gozitan alabaster brought from the village
of ebbu. The crucifix over the altar of the third chapel to the left, is claimed to be
miraculous and has considerable artistic merits. It dates back to the 17th century and
it belonged to a rich man from Messina in Sicily. One day the residence where it was
housed caught fire and everything was destroyed except for the crucifix. On another
occasion the crucifix was on a schooner travelling to Syracuse, when a terrible tempest
broke out. The crew made a vow that if they survived the tempest, they would donate
the crucifix to the inhabitants of the place where they landed. The place happened to
be Malta, so it was donated to Our Lady of Victories Church in Valletta. Then it
changed hands and it was given to Canon Aguis de Soldanis who in turn presented it
to the Capuchin friars. Below this crucifix lies the body of St. Fortunatus Martyr. The
body of St. Facundus lies in the opposite chapel whereas Fra Baskal, who hailed from
ebbu lies buried in the crypt of the church.

The Banca Giuratale, (the large

baroque building standing at the top
end of the square), was built by

Grand Master De Vilhena in 1 7 3 3 .

It served as the official premises of the
islands administrators of the time.
Nowadays the building houses the

A PPrroo pphheettiicc D
A
Drreeaam
m

18

There is also a legend associated with the coming of the

Capuchins to Gozo. The Capuchins were offered three
different sites: St. Dominica Church, Tal-Inbra and the
present site. On one of their visits to inspect the sites, they
went to the Church of Our Lady of Graces. A mysterious
woman went up to them and started shouting that they were
the friars she used to see every evening entering the church.
The friars pointed out that the place was not occupied by
friars; however, the woman continued to assure them that she
was telling the truth. Taking this to be Divine Intervention, the
friars decided to opt for the present site.

GOZO C
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N TT RR YY SS II D
D EE W
WA
A LL KK SS

TTh
hee ss ttoonn ee ccrroossss aann dd tt hhee ddrriinn kkiinngg ffoouu nntt aaiinn

Victoria Local Council and the

Department of Information. At the
opposite end of the square facing this
building stands St. James Chapel.
Leaving Independence Square and
walking straight ahead is Pjazza
Assunta, the starting place of this
walk.

II ttee m
mss ffoouunn dd iinn tthh ee ooppee nn m
maarrkkee tt aatt tthh ee PP jjaazzzz aa ttaatt --TTookkkk

Stt.. JJ aam
S
m eess C
Chhaappeell
The present chapel is not an old one. The
original chapel stood near the Citadel,
which after being severely damaged
during the Turkish invasion of 1575, was
rebuilt in 1740 on the present site.
Unfortunately, in 1979 it had to be pulled
down again, due to damage caused to its
foundations during excavations that were
needed for the public conveniences
located at the other end of the square. It
was further damaged when the shops
underneath the church were being
enlarged. The chapel was rebuilt and
reopened in 1997.
In front of the church lies the zuntier a
Maltese word meaning parvis. It is a
feature common to most chapels on the
island and is usually enclosed by a low
wall or iron gate. The chapel is open
every morning and afternoon. The main
altarpiece dates back to 1742. A painting
on the left wall of the chapel represents St.
Theresa of Avila and St. Rosa of Lima
while on the right-hand side a niche
houses a statue of Our Lady of Sorrows.
19

TT iip
ps
s F
Fo
or
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Th
he
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Ro
oa
ad
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Hike only along the set route. Fields are privately owned so do not take
any short cuts.
Do not climb over rubble walls; they are easily damaged.
Do not leave any litter; dispose of all litter in the dustbins found along the
route.
Respect the privacy of people living along the walk.
Do not trample upon or pick any flowers and plants; take only
photographs.
Do not widen any trails by foot, this would damage the habitat through
increased erosion.
Do not throw any stones or other objects in the valleys.
Avoid walking or cycling close to the cliff edges. Sudden gusts of wind can
be dangerous to the unsuspecting hiker.
It is advisable to tackle the route in broad daylight. Therefore when
planning your walk, allow time for stops, resting, photographing etc.
Bird trapping and hunting are practised in the countryside. There are,
however, strict regulations determining areas where such activities are
permitted and times of the year where no such activities are allowed.
The following table depicts typical average weather conditions including temperature, hours of
sunshine/day, rainfall and sea temperatures. Walking conditions are most favourable during
the months of January, February, May, November and December.

20

FFa
acciilliittiieess
The route is suitable for pedestrians, horse
rides and pedal bikers.
Most of the route is accessible to small
vehicles servicing less able persons.
Before embarking on the walk you should
check the local weather forecast, as
sheltering from rain in the open countryside
is difficult. Carry a raincoat when the
weather is not stable.
After heavy downpours allow a few hours
to pass, before crossing any valleys.
The use of adequate hiking shoes is
recommended. Tread carefully when
route takes you over clay footpaths.
As most of the route is in the open
countryside it is advisable to carry a packed
lunch.
It is possible to buy food from Victoria and
Qbajjar.
Public conveniences are available at
Qbajjar.

U sseeffuull TT eelleepphhoonnee N
U
Nuu m
mbbeerrss

A tt yyppiiccaall ooll dd bbaallccoonn yy

A

Otth
O
heerr
U sseeffu
U
ull IInn ffoorrm
maatt iioonn
All rights reserved. No part of this
publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying,
recording
or
otherwise, without the prior written
consent of the copyright holder.
Enquires are to be forwarded to the
Malta Tourism Authority.

Em
E
meerrggee nnccyy aanndd rree ssccuu ee::

11122
1

Feedback or comments are welcome.

Email: info@visitmalta.com

PP o
ollii ccee SSttaattiioonn::

19911
1

Date of publication: March 2005

Am
A
mbbuu llaannccee::

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phhoonnee EEnnqquuii rriieess ::

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M
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mtt

19966
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11188 22
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211 55 66 11 44
2

Maallttaa TToouurrii ssm

M
mA
Auu tthhoorriittyy::

222 99 11 5500 0000

2

Goozz oo TToouu rriiss m

G
mA
A ssss ooccii aattiioonn::

211 55 66 5511 7711

2

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211 55 66 3333 4444

2

Text:
Etienne Micallef
Photos: Etienne Micallef
Map:
Andre Micallef Grimaund
Produced by the:
Malta Tourism Authoritys
Product Planning
and Development Directorate

Saallttppaann W
S
Waallkk
Trekking along this route, you will definitely come to appreciate how history, folklore
and traditions are intertwined within the context of the Gozitan countryside. This walk
offers you the opportunity to explore one of the smaller villages on Gozo, Gasri and
discover the secret of local salt at Xwejni, while rambling through characteristic hills and
valleys and enjoying the vast endless stretch of the Mediterranean Sea.

W aallkkss iinn tthhee sseerriieess ((iissssuueedd ttoo ddaattee))

W
TTa
a
uurr ddaann W
Waallkk

Baarriijjaa W
B
Waallkk

Passing through:

Passing through:

Garb - Wied il-Miela

Gasri Valley - Ta urdan
Ta Pinu

Barija - Barija Valley - Mtahleb

Tal-Vigarju Cliffs - Fiddien Valley
- Rabat

Daa lleett Q
D
Qoorrrr oott W
Waallkk

Giirrggeennttii W
G
Waallkk

Passing through:

Passing through:

Nadur - Dalet Qorrot Bay

Ta Griegel Valley - Qala

Buskett - Gar il-kbir Girgenti Valley

Siiewi - Il-Maqluba - Qrendi

Raam
R
mllaa BB aayy W
Waallkk

Maarr ffaa RR iiddggee W

M
Waallkk

Passing through:

Passing through:

Nadur - Wied Binemma

Ramla Bay - Ta amet

Gadira - L-Arax tal-Melliea Armier - Marfa - irkewwa Ras il-Qammieh

Saallttppaann W
S
Waallkk

Dw
D
weejjrraa LLiinneess W
Waallkk

Passing through:

Passing through:

Victoria - Sara Valley

Gasri - Gasri Valley
Reqqa Point - Xwejni

Marr - Binemma - Dwejra Lines

Speranza Valley - Mosta

Go
G
ozz oo C
Coouu nnttrryyss iiddee W
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ooff tt hhee ::
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Assss oocciiaattiioonn

TT hhee pprr oojjee cctt w

w aass llaauu nncchheedd ii nn 220000 22,, tthhee W
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Price Lm1.00