Gozo, a paradise for outdoor sports lovers
I went to Gozo for the first time in March and I discovered a wonderful island that was able to amaze me a lot more than I imagined.
Beach life, tanning and relaxation are just the tip of the iceberg compared to all that this island has to offer.
Let's face it, in Gozo it's really impossible to get bored.
The half seasons then lend themselves particularly to outdoor activities and have made Gozo one of the most popular destinations for rock climbing, horse riding, hiking and cycling tourism, not to mention diving and other water sports.
In spring the island offers itself to the eyes of visitors in its full splendor, the meadows are of an intense green, the flowers bloom everywhere and the sea slowly begins to heat up. Gozo and its natural beauties can not really leave indifferent.
For a start, given the small size (14 km long and 7 wide), a perfect way to explore Gozo is to rent a bike or move on foot or horseback. The tourist offices are well stocked with brochures that show the trails, but you can also download the brochure of some hiking trails directly from the site . Bicycles can be rented through Gozo Adventure , a specialized agency that also organizes several biking tours with picnics included. For horses, however, you can contact the Linos's Table .
Personally I left my eyes and my heart along the dirt path that goes from the village of Gharb to the Bay of Marsalform. As soon as this road reaches the sea there is a spectacular coastal scenery, the landscape is wild and the view is lost beyond the magnificent cliffs smoothed by water and wind.
Descend along the steps built near the rock and you will arrive at a beautiful natural arch similar to the late Azure Window (and it is a bet that it will become his "back-up"). From there the road winds along the sea until you reach the salt pans , a surreal and suggestive mosaic of still active salt marshes, just before the magnificent Marsalform bay.
But I will never forget that Gozo gave me especially my first rock climbing. From fifona which I was a little frightened and, even in this case, I had to change my mind.
Beyond what you can imagine, climbing is a sport in which the head of physical prowess matters much more and the fact of being able to touch the top of the canyon gave me an immense joy.
The guides of Gozo Adventure are very prepared and patient and I have been able to discover a beautiful sport really for everyone, then Gozo is really spoiled for choice to practice it. Consider that 300 climbing routes have been surveyed in 12 different points of the island, all spectacular and easy to reach; the British soldiers were the first to devote themselves to this sport in the 50s and 60s, but this activity was rediscovered only in recent years.
Worth noting that in Gozo there are also several areas where you can do bouldering , a rock climbing activity born around the seventies.
In short, sports enthusiasts and nature lovers can not but add Gozo to your travel wish list. I would not let her escape! Word of travel blogger