Xlendi

Xlendi sits at the end of a deep narrow inlet on Gozo's southwestern coast, with cliffs rising on both sides and a small beach at the head of the bay where the valley reaches the water. It is a resort village of restaurants along the waterfront and apartments climbing the slopes, and the enclosed setting is what distinguishes it. A rock-cut path leads along the southern cliff to a seventeenth-century watchtower on the point.

History

The name is said to be of Byzantine origin, from a galley called the Shilandi that was wrecked near the mouth of the bay; the wreck was rediscovered in the 1960s and is now a diving site (Wikipedia, Xlendi).

What you'll find

• The inlet - a deep narrow bay enclosed by cliffs on both sides.
• The cliff path - a rock-cut walk along the southern side to the tower.
• Xlendi Tower - a seventeenth-century watchtower on the point.
• The waterfront - restaurants and boats along the head of the bay.

When to go

May to October is the season. Summer evenings on the waterfront are the liveliest. Winter storms funnel into the inlet and much closes.

Practical notes

The beach is very small and crowded in summer. Development has crowded the head of the valley and is not attractive. Winter closes most of the restaurants.

Nearby

Victoria is northeast, and Dwejra is northwest.

Key facts