TRAVELSPECIAL
Divers and freedivers explore the other Azure Window , north coast of Gozo
Essentials
■ Getting there Air Malta has flights from Gatwick , Heathrow , Manchester and Edinburgh . airmalta . com / en-mt Ryan Air has flights from Birmingham , Manchester , Liverpool , Edinburgh , Luton , Stanstead , East Midlands . ryanair . com
EasyJet has flights from Manchester , Gatwick , Aberdeen , Belfast , Birmingham , Bristol . easyjet . com
■ Going to Gozo The X1 bus goes from the airport to the ferry terminal at Cirkewwa and takes around 55 minutes . The ferry ride across to Gozo takes 25 minutes ; it runs every 45 minutes during the day and slightly longer intervals all through the night and is the perfect time to taste the first Cisk ( local beer ) of the holiday . Buy the return ticket on the Gozo side € 4.60 / pp . Dive centres will organise return transfers from airport to accommodation .
■ Accommodation Many dive centres have their own accommodation which is always close by and good value . Examples and good value packages from maltaqua . com and divedeepblue . com on Malta , atlantisgozo . com and St Andrews Divers Cove on Gozo . For groups and clubs , self-catering farmhouses are always a popular option , with so many choices Google is your friend , but you can find a good example at holiday-malta . com
■ Eats and treats : Malta is famous for rabbit cooked many ways , a staple on many menus , local pastizzi are a speciality , a sort of Cornish pastie made from either ricotta cheese or marrowfat peas . There ’ s also a huge Italian influence on the local food scene ; pasta dishes are always tasty and good value . Personally , I like to get away from the usual seaside restaurants and eat in good neighbourhood restaurants serving their local style of food . On Malta , a favourite is Ta Bertus ’ Kitchen in St Pauls , 493 Triq San Pawl , San Pawl il-Baar . On Gozo , favourite spots are Oleander Restaurant 10 , Triq Il Knisja , Ix- Xagħra and Café Jubilee in Victoria , Pjazza l-Indipendenza . �
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