The Maltese islands are densely populated. With a quick look at the landscape one immediately realises that one village almost blends into another. Presently the Maltese population amounts to circa 370 thousand. By world standards Malta is infinitely small - it seems to be just a very small city. However this must be considered in ratio to the islands’ size. Open spaces are extremely rare and green areas even rarer.

There are 67 villages which have a local council; 53 in Malta and 14 in Gozo. The villages have a very distinct and pleasant feature. The old villages have a baroque church built in their centres. The parish church occupies a central and dominant position in the structure of old villages such as Tarxien, Gudja, Dingli, Zejtun and Ghaxaq.

This bears witness to the great devotion that the Maltese have had for the Roman Catholic religion and the important place religion is given in the life of the Maltese. The baroque style of architecture was predominant after the Renaissance. The baroque is a grandiose style and it aims to emphasise man’s smallness in relation to authority. This explains the spacious halls, enormous windows and entrances of the Knights’ auberges in Valletta. In the villages the parish churches’ baroque architecture contrasts strikingly with the flat roof tops of the other buildings. The village architecture is reminiscent of buildings in North African countries where the climate and weather is similar.



Gozo & Comino

The sea is beautiful and calm as you approach the ferryboat which in just about 20 minutes will take you safely to Gozo, Malta's sister isle. Crossing the channel from Cirkewwa to Mgarr is a pleasant experience especially when the boat passes by Comino and Cominotto, the little islets between Malta and Gozo. Comino is virtually uninhabited although its marvellous beaches are beseiged by thousands of sun-worshippers each year. The 17th century tower of Santa Marija interrupts its otherwise smooth skyline.

Before the arrival of the Order in 1530 pirates and corsairs used to hide in Comino until they decided to raid either of the nearby islands. The Maltese had for long wished to diffuse this threat by building some sort of fort.  

But it was only during the Grand Mastership of Alophius de Wignacourt that the Santa Marija Tower was constructed. It is very similar to Fort St. Lucian in Marsaxlokk and it is reputed that it was designed by the same architect, Vittorio Cassar.

There are only six ‘permanent’ inhabitants in Comino but the hotel on the other side of the islet hosts guests intermittently throughout the year. It is not visible when you’re crossing the channel by ferryboat and this seclusion gives it the much sought for privacy to guests who simply want to get away from it all.