Marsalforn and the salt pans marsalforn isnt a place i would recommend highly, but it is a point you need to go through if on public transport to get to the salt pans. National geographic rarely seen photographs of the extraordinary. As tempting as it is to wax lyrical about gozos food and wine, it would be wrong to ignore the islands rich history. The ggantija temples are believed to be the oldest freestanding structures in the world. Explore marsalforn holidays and discover the best time and places to visit. If you book with tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. The xwejni salt pans are located off xwejni bay limits of zebbug, gozo. As auctioneers and valuers with a proud trade history dating back to 1958, we hold regular specialised auctions of coins, banknotes, stamps, medals and militaria, old postcards, model railways, diecast model cars and antique toys. It is a largeish coastal town, with a number of hotels and imo tacky tourist shops and bars. This peruvian canyon is filled with geometric salt pools that have been being harvested since the incan empire. Book your tickets online for xwejni salt pans, zebbug. Jan 05, 2019 salt has been produced here since roman times although the present pans date back to the c19th and are still in use. Salt pans the production of sea salt has a long tradition in gozo and the saltpans found near marsalforn are still used today. The tower is one of the lascaris towers and dates to 1650.
Its believed that such pans have existed here since roman times. The salt pans are worth a visit and you may chance upon the salt vendors if you want something earthy and original. Both locals and tourists are spoiled for choice when it comes to eating out in malta and the quality of food served in local restaurants has improved a lot over the past 510 years. They are part of the centuriesold gozitan tradition of seasalt production that has been passed down within certain families for many generations. A study of salt pans and salt production in the maltese islands. We visited wied il gharsi and along the coast road to marsalforn we stumbled into the salt pans. With a population of just 37,000 or so people, yet covering an area of 67 km2 26 square miles, gozo is a much quieter place to be. Looking for a few good tips for the best restaurants in malta and gozo. Book highlights salt pans as part of maltas impressive cultural heritage.
Salt harvesting is done only during the summer period i. Situated on the north coast of gozo, this place is characterised by chequered rockcut saltpans protruding into the sea. Qala, malta project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. Magnum photos is a photographic cooperative of great diversity and distinction owned by its photographer members. Ggantija temples located northeast from victoria, the neolithic temples are a unesco world heritage site. Marsalforn, qbajjar and salt pans gozo photographs blog at. Its got a lovely view of the hills and of xwejni beach and he keeps it tidy. Cini and his siblings have been involved in the salt trade collection since 1969. In fact, many people refer to gozo as what malta used to be like, a rural area where time just seems to be. A world history from the worlds largest community of readers. Gozo and malta have a long tradition of sea salt production. The book of salt serves up a wholly original take on paris in the 1930s through the eyes of binh, the vietnamese cook employed by gertrude stein and alice b.
These 350yearold salt pans, which stretch about 3km along the coast, are more than just scenic. Salt is the most valuable and controversial mineral in the history of mankind. Old salt is a name given to men of the seamen who make their living working on the water and risk their lives every day doing sothey have salt water in their blood. The salt is firstly collected from salt pans along the coasts of malta and gozo. Cini harvested the first grain of salt from his taxxtajta, the salt pans he had chiseled from his own hands. The knights held a monopoly on salt production on the islands and those. Sea salt production is one of the oldest local traditions, passed down within many generations. When possible, follow the path going down towards the sea and have a walk among the salt pans and the wall of globigerina limestone. At its peak of production, the salina bay salt pans would produce over 4,000 tons of coarse salt over two harvests.
Provicario, family house in the historical center of victoria, gozo. There is a kiosk a few meters away called xwejni kiosk which offers excellent al fresco food and bev. For the more beautiful ones, in my opinion, you have to walk a bit. Marsalforn, qbajjar and salt pans gozo photographs youtube. Salina bay, near bugibba, is the main production area of salt in malta. Ilqala, pronounced aala in english is a village on the island of gozo, malta, with a population of 2284 as of march 2014. That the salt pans are s ll in existence today are testament to one family, the cini family who have been farming salt on gozo for the past best part of 250 years. Keep to sea edge past salt pans, through qbajjar into marsalforn. Reasons to visit malta and gozo life in a rucksack. Aug 07, 2016 on the northern coast of the maltese island of gozo, mounds of snowwhite salt sparkle under the summer sun in salt evaporation pans. According to tripadvisor travelers, these are the best ways to experience xwejni salt pans. Pauline dingli, author of a new publication on the history of salt. Its available everywhere and we see all sorts of advertisement about the salt products from various brands.
Until the sixteenth century, the port was the most important in gozo. Mar 07, 2020 marsalforn salt pans located due north from victoria, these salt pans are more extensive than the ones we saw at xlendi. Xwejni salt overview in marsalforn, gozo island of gozo. Torri taxxlendi is a small watchtower near xlendi bay, within the limits of munxar on the island of gozo in malta. About gozo gozo meaning joy in castilian is the name the aragonese gave this island, when they possessed it in 1282. Dating from roman times, the salt pans are still in use. Book the provicario, family house in the historical center of victoria, gozo. About 300 of these pans cover a section of gozos northern coast, called the xwejni salt pans. Take one of these men, put him on the mainland behind a desk or in a factory or any other job away from the sea and he would not survive. These 350 year old salt pans, which stretch about 3km along the coast, are one of the most photographed places in gozo. Xwejni salt pans zebbug 2020 all you need to know before.
They are part of the centuriesold gozitan tradition of sea salt production that has been passed down within certain families for many generations. Former fishing village marsalforn the name is possibly derived from the arabic for bay of ships is gozos main holiday resort. Gozo is a lesserknown destination in malta and is the second largest island in the archipelago. I stayed in oyfrids appartement alongside my parents who are of a certain age. With powerful individual vision, magnum photographers chronicle the world and interpret its peoples, events, issues and personalities. Perfect location near the restaurants, salt pans, and environs of marsalforn. The 10 best restaurants in marsalforn updated may 2020. The island has a fair bit of history to tell, having played its part in many. His place is idyllically situated near gozos most famous salt pans and gorge wied il ghasri.
Marsalforn salt pans located due north from victoria, these salt pans are more extensive than the ones we saw at xlendi. There are 27 salt pans around malta, 11 salt pans in gozo and two salt pans. Its interesting to walk along to the them very early in the morning to watch the salt being collected as it glistens under the rising sun. The first ones had small stones forming the sides of the pans. We recommend booking xwejni salt pans tours ahead of time to secure your spot. On day two, head to the grand pilgrimage centre of basilica of tapinu with its poignant votive offerings, to pay your respects, then while away the rest of the day. Going further north up the coast, near marsalforn, the shore becomes divided into salt pans and shallow rock pools where the sea salt. Marsalforn has a history which dates back to roman times. The earlier garzes and marsalforn towers were destroyed in the 18th and 19th centuries. Pauline dingli, is the author of the new book salt pans in malta. There are reputed to have been salt pans here since roman times. The island is well served with hotels, restaurants, bars, and beaches. May 25, 2016 there are different salt pans from marsalforn along the coast, westwards.
Though emmanuel and rose have been harvesting salt from gozos clear. National geographic rarely seen photographs of the. A few years later, in 1974, he made a decision that would change their livelihood forever. The mediterranean has a long history in relation to salt with huge underwater deposits as.
Once you land in gozo take the bus to marsalforn then walk along the coast to get to the salt pans. There are different salt pans from marsalforn along the coast, westwards. The northern coast of gozo is characterized by a chequerboard of rockcut saltpans, named the xwejni salt pans, protruding out into the sea. During the summer months, locals can still be seen scraping up the crystals of salt.
Cini and the salt flats of gozo perceptive travel blog. History of salt making in malta and gozo unveiled in. A brief history of sea salt uses through the ages ava jane. Marsalforn salt pans are one of the popular tourist destinations which situated on the northeast coast of gozo in malta. The kitchen was well stocked for home cooking and we enjoyed relaxing in the living room overlooking the sea. Lets travel to the salt pans in india with saravanan. Media in category marsalforn the following 40 files are in this category, out of 40 total. Aug 21, 2018 once you land in gozo take the bus to marsalforn then walk along the coast to get to the salt pans. These are simply shallow and flat holes dug in the soft globigeringa limestone that are either filled with sea water in an natural way storms and large waves or artificially by a pailbucket dipped in the sea. Harvesting sea salt on the maltese island of gozo travels. This is the story of how an ancient roman practice ended up. On the northern coast of the maltese island of gozo, mounds of snowwhite salt sparkle under the summer sun in salt evaporation pans.
It was interesting to see how the design of the pans changed along the road. They date back to somewhere in the range of 36003200 bce and are considered to be one of the oldest freestanding. World heritage encyclopedia, the aggregation of the largest online encyclopedias available, and the most. Salt created, destroyed and preserved civilizations, formed friendships, healed wounds and wove its way into numerous religions. To date salt is harvested from these salt pans in the most. Malta and gozo are big on history, portions and bottoms as fran goodman discovers. Salt has been produced here since roman times although the present pans date back to the c19th and are still in use. Eat in marsalforn bay there will be many delicious seafood restaurants on the water. Discover the story of the salt pans that date back to the phoenicians.
The idea of joy and pleasure is also conveyed by its latin motto fertilis ab undis caput iffero a fruitful land raising its head from the sea. Today we take salt for granted, a common, inexpensive substance that seasons food or clears ice from roads, a word used casually in expressions salt of the earth, take it with a grain of salt without appreciating their deeper meaning. In tamil nadu, salt is produced primarily in the three districts of nagapattinam, tuticorin and. Take a trip over to the huddled seaside resort town of marsalforn for a lazy lunch with sea views and then visit the dramatically set salt pans just outside the town. Cini and his family, has been running through generations for over 150 years. Measurement, mapping and management of xwejni salt pans at marsalforn, gozo. Jan 28, 2014 the salt is firstly collected from salt pans along the coasts of malta and gozo. Tamil nadu is one of the few indian states that produces salt. Imported food supplies from sicily were unloaded at marsalforn, and it was from there that passengers boarded to travel to licata in sicily and other continental ports. Its a short walking distance to the towns marsalforn and zebbug. The island has some great swimming and diving spots. Marsalforn is listed in the worlds largest and most authoritative dictionary database of abbreviations and acronyms. Its odd to think that salt has such a rich history, since it so readily sits in a grinder or shaker on our tables. Jul 01, 2017 another short video of my beautiful gozo series.
1120 1098 611 340 195 1274 1263 1583 851 349 187 793 1437 257 1227 545 225 874 1397 1504 219 1543 849 716 774 1276 327 519 1429 522 1263 958 666