by the seasons, fishing and agriculture.
A popular nickname of Gozo is the Isle
of Calypso, derived from the location
of Ogygia in Greek mythological
poem Homer's Odyssey. In the myth,
the island was controlled by nymph
Calypso who detained the hero of the
story Odysseus there as prisoner of
love for seven years; Gozo is thought
to be modern day Ogygia.
C
omino,
the
smaller
island situated between
Malta and Gozo is a
paradise for snorkelers,
divers,
windsurfers
and ramblers. Only 3.5
square kilometers, Comino is car-
76
free and apart from one hotel, is
virtually uninhabited.The island’s
main attraction is the Blue Lagoon.
In summer, this sheltered inlet of
shimmering aquamarined water over
white sand is very popular with daytrippers.
Comino is also worth a visit in
winter, and is ideal for walkers and
photographers. With no urban areas
or cars on the island, one can easily
smell the scent of wild thyme and
other herbs.
Comino was inhabited in the
Roman period, but did not have
much significance until the Knights
arrived. It then had a dual role:
hunting grounds and a staging
post in the defence of the Maltese
Islands
against
the
Ottoman
Turks.The island had proved a
useful base for pirates operating
in the central Mediterranean and,
though stark and barren today, it
was hom e to wild boar and hares
when the Knights arrived in 1530.
The Grandmasters went to great
lengths to ensure that their game
on Comino was protected: anyone
found breaking the embargo on
hunting could expect to serve
three years rowing on a galley.
After WWII, Comino remained a
backwater until its fortunes revived
with tourism in the mid-1960s.