Go to Gozo for a taste of Victoriana in the Med

Abstract

It costs 10p to go by sea from Malta to Gozo, the island they call Calypso's Isle, which lies about four miles to the north-west of Malta. Understandably the boat is not terribly chic, but who cares. There are soft drinks and sandwiches in the bar which are as cheap as the fare for the half-hour journey. You land at Mgarr, where children play at the water's edge and painted boats swing gently in the sunny harbour. From there the road climbs a steep cliff for the tree-mile journey by bus or taxi to Victoria. This is the capital of Gozo, and as 19th- century as its name, with a broad main street, a Town Hall, and ample Victorian residences with bay windows on the first floor and carved stone balustrades. [excerpt from the text]