Gozo
Echoes from the past! Take a look at what Gozo’s Mġarr Harbour was like back in the day
The first documented ferry to cross from Malta to Gozo was in 1241!

Francesca Vella

Many dwellers of Malta seeking a respite from our busy island often cross over to Gozo for some peace and quiet. Can you imagine how much quieter the sister island was almost 60 years ago? This 1965 vintage photograph shows the Gozitan harbour of Mġarr to be much more rural and tranquil than we’re used to seeing it nowadays.

The Għajnsielem parish church, dedicated to Our Lady of Loreto, provides a familiar skyline, however the surrounding fields and lack of cars make the harbour almost unrecognisable! 

The boat featured in the photograph is called 'Id-dgħajsa tal-latini', or sometimes referred to as the 'Gozo boat', as it was the main means of transport across the Gozo Channel between Gozo and Malta from the late 19th to the mid-20th century, before being replaced by the Gozo ferry.

Can you remember a quieter Mġarr Harbour?

14th June 2024


Francesca Vella
Written by
Francesca Vella
Francesca has always felt most at home in a cinema or theatre, particularly if musicals are involved. She loves to read, write, and share about her experiences of both the fictional and the real world.

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