Guide to Sannat

"You won't find anywhere more typical of rural Gozo than Sannat, one of the last outposts of traditional lace making."

From Ta' Cenc hill above Sannat the view's so spectacular, it'll whip your breath away. This is the Hanzira Valley, a natural gorge which separates the village from its neighbour, Xewkija. Down below is the pretty little bay of Mgarr ix-Xini, hard to pronounce but easy on the eye, with its pebbly beach and crystal clear waters, surrounded by rugged rock faces. If you're into scuba diving, you'll probably already know about this place, where the wreck of a Malta-Gozo ferry boat lies on the seabed, a few hundred metres out to sea. The village of Sannat itself is the very model of a typical Gozitan rural hamlet, with restaurants, bars and shops. And in the time-honoured tradition of the island, the balconies of many houses are adorned with stone sculptures. As you wander through the small, quiet streets, you'll come across elderly women sitting at their doorsteps, knocking up lace tablecloths in the traditional way with their gnarled, weathered hands. Occasionally, you'll also find them sitting in the shade of the church of St Margaret Martyr, the focal point of the village and a good place to start an exploratory walk. While you're there, it's worth popping inside the church to check out the superb altarpiece, painted by local artist Stefano Erardi. Walk up to Ta' Cenc and you can see the remains of the L-Imramma Temple, with strange oval foundations dating back to prehistoric times. Apart from the day-to-day process of village life, the occasional festival and the odd fixture or training session for the local 'Lions' football team, you won't find much going on in the streets of Sannat. But if the slow pace of life gets a little too relaxing, you can always seek out the lively atmosphere of nearby Victoria, the island's capital where you will find restaurants, an open air market, museums and shops. The peace of Sannat will probably be too much to resist though.

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