The olives are wonderful again, all nice and big and lush green. I picked them from the trees in bright sunshine during the last days of October. Now they slumber in airtight preserving jars – in a brine, which removes the bitter substances and preserves them naturally. I have to be patient for two or three months, then they are taken out of the salt water and marinated in a spice marinade of bay leaf, fennel, thyme, a little lemon flesh, garlic, salt and pepper plus Gozitan olive oil. Only then are they served, for example, with delicious Il-Ħobż tal-Malti, the Maltese bread, and fresh tomatoes. If you are on Gozo soon, you will see the many olive trees and typical Mediterranean kitchen herbs everywhere.
A holiday in Gozo means recharging the batteries and activating the senses.
See, taste, feel, the sound of the sea is always close anyway… – To recharge your batteries and activate your senses in a relaxed atmosphere, the Mediterranean island of Gozo is the perfect destination even in winter. No one has to hole up in an Airbnb apartment or hotel room because of boredom or constant rain. On the contrary, the weather is usually so good, even during the winter months, that everyone can choose exciting outdoor tours to suit their taste. So where to start with all there is to see and experience on Gozo? My suggestion: literally by seeing. Not only the bigger sister island, Malta, but also Gozo has long since established itself as the preferred filming location for well-known Hollywood blockbusters and globally successful TV and streaming series.
On the trail of the film stars - then straight on to “Game of Thrones”
Two examples are particularly cool: “By the sea” with Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt – the movie was shot for a full three months in 2015 nowhere else but Gozo. As we now know, the film marriage drama has continued with disputes in the real lives of the two main actors – but that doesn’t change the fact that the sea bay Mġarr ix-Xini and the restaurant Ta’ Ċenċ in the immediate vicinity were the central filming locations and places to stay for the American superstars. To follow in the footsteps of Jolie and Pitt, simply head for the small and picture-perfect bay of Mġarr ix-Xini … and continue your trip just a few kilometres away at the next highlight filming location: Dwejra Bay, where one of the most famous episodes of the hit series “Game of Thrones” is set.
Yes: right here, in the middle of this rocky plateau, it took place, the Dothraki wedding of Daenerys Targaryen with Khal Drogo – followed on planet Earth by millions and millions of fascinated screen fans. It’s a pity that the “Azure Window”, which is still almost as famous today and can be seen in all its glory in the Game of Thrones episode in question, unfortunately collapsed in 2017 due to rough seas.
Classic bike, e-bike, motorbike, quad, car: the choice is yours
And how do I get to these locations, you ask? Thanks to the internet, this is solved in no time at all: Just type in the keywords “Car Hire in Gozo” or “Bike Rental Gozo” and you will get reliable providers on your screen. Every means of transport, from two- to four-wheeled, can be booked at reasonable prices – for the individual choice, everything is available that you need for your personal adventures in Gozo, motorised or powered by your own foot power.
The giantess and the 50 tons
- the mystical “Ġgantija” is 5,600 years old
The 67-square-kilometre Gozo also enables a very special kind of time jump. Namely, from the fantasy series back to a completely different, but entirely earthly world. The story of the Ġgantija temple complex on the outskirts of the Gozitan village of Xagħra is said to have begun around 5,600 years before Christ. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980, this mystical place still only reveals a small part of its secrets. Whoever erected this complex – which, according to science, was completed between 3,600 and 3,000 BC – from enormous stone blocks must have been a gifted master builder – and was able to transport even the heaviest stone without the cranes and construction machinery we know. The most massive piece of rock belonging to this unique, attractively preserved place of worship weighs an incredible 50 tonnes – the outer walls are still over 6 metres high at one point. At least according to legend, a giantess was at work here. This is reflected in the name given by the Maltese to the complex “Ġgantija”, a term understandable in many European languages.
Aiming high in every season: Gozo also inspires as a climber’s paradise
Gozo is also a great place for climbing enthusiasts. The rocks are grippy, the pleasant Mediterranean climate makes the island a climber’s paradise in every season and at every level. There are several climbing clubs, two in Malta, and on Gozo itself the Gozo Climbing Association (www.gozo-climbing-com). Enormous cliff walls, traverses of low to high difficulty, you can climb as you please in an environment that is sometimes wild and romantic, then rough and rugged. The absolute highlight awaits experienced summer climbers: in the hot season you can see them first in the climbing wall … and then jumping from a safe height directly into the sea.
If I add it all up correctly, I have presented you today with the filming locations Mġarr ix-Xini and Dwejra Bay, the UNESCO World Heritage Site Ġgantija and a small presentation of the climbing paradise Gozo, a few attractive destinations – also for your winter adventure – on our Mediterranean island. Before I forget, I’ll also come back to the freshly pickled olives. As I said, they should be ready to eat in two or three months. Only then will I know for sure whether they are as good as those from the traditional It-Tokk company (www.it-tokk.com). For example, once you are there, you will find a selection of Mediterranean delicacies, all of which have been grown and prepared on the island – and are great souvenirs from your Gozo holiday.