MGARR
GATEWAY TO GOZO
To Nadur Grand 14 Hotel
Tri
4 5
L’Ankra
2
in Triq Mart
o Garces
KEY Food and Drink
ATM
Accommodation
Swimming Zone
Parking
Boat Launch
Marina
One Way
€
Restaurants and Bars
1. Country Terrace 2. Gleneagles 3. Il-Kcina Tal-Barrakka 4. Ta Paulo 5. Horatios Tavern 6. Manoels 7. Tmun
10 11
8. Da Luigi 9. Monkeys Fist 10. Seaview 11. Al Porto 12. l’Ankra 13. Huan Yuan 14. Porto Veccio Accommodation 14. Grand Hotel
12
10
To Qala
Bus Terminus
7
8 9
Triq De VManoe ilhen l a 3
t Xat ix Triq
13
6
1
14
Tmun
To Victoria arr g - Im l Triq
Fort Chambray
Mgarr
t q San
Garce s
il - Hamri
Triq M artino
Triq
Ant nin
qa Zewwie Triq iz -
Ferry Terminal
To Malta
€
Mgarr, Gozo’s port, is the gateway to the Island. As the ferry makes it way slowly into the harbour, Gozo’s beauty is immediate; Mgarr is a picturesque fishing village that hasn’t really changed much throughout the years. One of the most immediate sights will be the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Loreto that sits high above Mgarr and is actually in the Village of Ghajnsielem, it is a gothic style church and was built 1924. In 2011 the church received a set of 8 new bells with the largest weighing 5.5 tonnes. Ghajnsielem celebrates its annual feast on the last Sunday in August. As you would expect from a major port the main activity in Mgarr revolves around the fishing industry and the harbour is full of fishing vessels, large and small. There are no beaches in Mgarr but just around the corner to the east, you will find Hondoq Bay, a shingle beach that offers good swimming facilities. Comino is a short distance across the water from Mgarr. WHERE TO EAT Diners are spoilt for choice with an abundance of high quality restaurants in Mgarr. As you would expect, fresh sea-food is the order of the day but there are top quality restaurants serving a la carte food including Gozitan, Mediterranean and Chinese food. We recommend IT-Tmun, the sister restaurant to Patricks Tmun in Victoria, it serves fusion and international cuisine. Tel: 2156 6276 for reservations. Also highly recommended is L’Ankra, located on Shore St specialises in excellent Italian food, Tel: 2155 5656 for reservations. Seaview Restaurant is a great spot for lunch or dinner and watch the boats coming and going. Tel: +356 2156 5541 for reservations.
HISTORY/SIGHTS/WHAT TO SEE AND DO Ferry services have operated between Gozo and Malta as far back as 1241 when the fishing industry was firmly established on the Island. As the fishing industry grew, so did Mgarr and communities begun to spring up around the vicinity of the harbour, especially more towards the hillside areas. The actual port area didn’t see any development until 1841 when a breakwater was built to provide extra protection. Throughout the 20th and 21st century the breakwater was extended several times and in 2008 a new ferry terminal accommodating 600 passengers and 200 cars was finally completed at a cost of €9.3 million. The new ferry terminal now allows the larger cruise ships that would normally visit Malta to stop on Gozo and allow cruise passengers a chance to see what Gozo has to offer. There are now plans to further develop the area with the creation of the Zewwieqa Waterfront, transforming parts of the port that are not in use into a family oriented space including restaurants, open spaces and restaurants. Sitting above Mgarr Harbour to the left is Fort Chambray, an old historic city located within a fortress. Built over 250 years ago during the reign of the Knights of St John, the fort was initially built as a replacement to the Citadel in Victoria. There was also a thought that building the fort would increase trade between Gozo and Malta. The Fort was only ever used once for military purposes, in 1798, during Gozo's defense against the revolutionary forces of General
Bonaparte. Several British regiments were stationed at the fort during the Crimean and First World Wars but fell into disrepair during the 20th century. Fort Chambray is now being developed into a luxury village community of apartments and villa’s with communal pools and opens spaces. See www.fortchambray.com for further details. ACCOMMODATION Accommodation -The 4 * Grand Hotel sits above Mgarr and offers commanding views of Mgarr, Comino and Malta. Rooms are well laid out and the hotel has a fantastic pool which has great views of Comino and Malta. For reservations see www.grandhotelmalta.com for further details.
i
INFORMATION
ATM – There is an ATM machine situated at the ferry terminal. Trips to Comino - Check out Xlendi Pleasure Cruises who offer shuttles and trips to Comino and around Gozo. See www.xlendipleasurecruises.com Supermarket - There is a supermarket on the hill on the left hand side as you leave the harbour. Bus – Route 301 runs between Victoria and Mgarr and coincides with the ferry timetable. The first bus leaves Victoria at 05:30am and the last bus 23:05. The first bus leaves Mgarr at 06:15am and the last bus 23:25pm.
mygozo magazine Page 42