August is Gozo

'ALL ROADS LEAD TO THE CAPITAL ON ALL THE BEST ISLANDS AND GOZO IS NO EXCEPTION'

SO, you're safely aboard the ferrY. And you may very well be grateful for that fact for a host of different reasons to the other lucky souls standing next to you. They may have chosen the rickety bus ride. Or the death-defying taxi dash. Or taken the plunge and chosen to drive themselves. No wonder they are feeling lucky.

But above all that over- exaggeration you are just taking in the reassuring sound of that ramp beginning to pull away from its concrete resting place and the steady rumble of the hidden propellers beneath, together with a lick-your-lips taste of rushing sea salt as the mooring ropes are flung from the quayside to release the car laden decks which you have the privilege to be standing on. Away at last.

Soon you catch sight of Comino and feel a tinge of sadness that you are not stopping there. However, just a few minutes later the tinge is gone and replaced by an overwhelming sensation of glee as the Gothic-style chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes comes into focus -whose statue has been the most able guard ian of the Mgarr Harbour since it was placed there in 1879. And now you have pulled up alongside the rugged rockface and entered what is home to most Gozitan fishermen. Here at last and time to explore.

Head straight up the steep hill and take the signs to Victoria. All roads lead to the capital on all the best islands and GOZO is no exception. You can tell from the very first archaic petrol station you come across that there is something very different about this place'to the island you have just come from. There are fields, always small and sometimes green, interspersed between the villages which are peppered with large and distinguished places of worship in their centres.

But before you get to any of those it might be worth stopping on the main road and checking out GOZO Heritage, a museum that offers a mixture of historical experience and an appropriately set area where the visitor may buy local crafts or simply enjoy a cup of coffee.

The experience starts from early Neolithic times, exposing quite realistic dioramas of megalithic sculptures resembling the Ggantija period temples -more on them later- to a little mythology and colourful history that brings you right to the present day.

Before you get to Victoria, it may also be worth taking a brief detour into one of the island's oldest villages, Xewkija, which is home to the Rotunda -a monumental church which is an enormous circular structure in white local limestone. Eight concrete columns covered with stone support its elegant dome, 75 metres high, with a 28 metre diameter, and a circumference of 85 metres. This makes it the third largest unsupported dome in the world. The interior is richly decorated with fine sculptures and modern paintings, but for an unrivalled view of the island visitors can opt to climb to the dome by lift to enjoy the picturesque scenery around them.

The capital city is deceivingly busy, and parking can sometimes turn out to be a headache though the safest bet is to head for the sign posted car park. It is certainly worth getting out and about here. Make your way up a gentle incline and you come to the main square, it-Tokk, once the scene of a battle against the French but today the biggest struggle that wi II face you there is a bit of a haggle with one of the many jovial market hawkers. And if that does not take your fancy just take a seat at one of the many cafes. Don't worry, the calories are about to come in useful.

No one would have failed to notice, on the way into the capital, the massive walls that enclose the ancient city known as the Citadel. The steep climb up there will leave nobody but the crass ignorant disappointed. The Citadel has been fortified since the Bronze Age. In July 1551, it was besieged by the Turks and parts were destroyed, only to be rebuilt again over 50 years later. It houses Gozo's Cathedral, well worth a visit, and a spot of Gozitan lunch can be had in one of the narrow streets.

The fuel will come in handy for the energy you will require to head towards the villages of Gharb and Ghasri and visit the Ta' Pinu Sanctuary, the monumental shrine that was built between 1920 and 1931. The sanctuary was constructed adjacent to an existing chapel where the young Karmni Grima is said to have received a message for prayer from Our Lady back in 1883. Opposite are 14 marble statues representing the Way of the Cross. Serenity itself.

No less inspiring is the famous Azure window of Dwejra, just a few minutes' drive from Ta' Pinu, which can be viewed at close quarters, together with the eye-catching Fungus Rock, by means of a cheap boat ride taken from the inland sea.

A better place to swim for beachlovers, however, is Ramla Bay, which is nestled comfortably between the villages of Nadur and Xaghra - which is home to another great Gozitan treasure, the Ggantija temples, which are documented as the oldest free standjngstructures in the world.

The temples have a common facade but each temple has a separate entrance. For any day tripper, it would surely be time to go home by now. But that would mean you have missed the breathtaking views from Kercem and Ta' Cenc, the lively bays of Marsalforn and Xlendi, not to mention the mythical Calypso's cave. But above all you would have missed out on Gozo's greatest asset, it's warm and friendly people. The solution is simple: find a hotel, farmhouse or flat and stay a while. You won't regret it.

Grip