Land ahoy! Did you know that the first regular passenger service between Gozo and Malta began 139 years ago today?
Nowadays, three ferries cruising between Gozo and the mainland Malta, carry over 3.3 million passengers annually
Most people living in Malta have made use of the Gozo ferry at least once, but have you ever thought about how many people before you have made the same trip?
The first recorded ferry passage between Malta and Gozo occurred in 1241, the ferry being referred to as ‘id-dgħajsa tal-mgħodija’, literally translating to ‘the boat of the passage’.
600 years later, in 1841, a breakwater was built in the Mġarr Harbour to provide shelter to the port. On June 13th, 1885, the first regular passenger service between Gozo and Malta was inaugurated.
The service was operated by O.F. Gollcher & Sons Ltd with the Gleneagles, the latter later becoming the name of the popular bar at the Mġarr Harbour.
Fares were 8 pence one-way and one shilling round trip. Initially, a penny was collected from each passenger landing in Gozo to fund a Mass in Mġarr Church for safe arrivals. From 1892, the Gleneagles also made weekly trips from Malta to Syracuse with mail, but primarily served the Malta-Gozo route until 1914.
When was the last time you crossed over to Gozo?