COMINO AND THE BLUE LAGOON

Situated between Malta and Gozo, the small island of Comino is a paradise for snorkelers, divers, windsurfers and ramblers.

Only 3.5 square kilometers, Comino is car-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 aquamarine water and white sand is very popular with day-trippers. Other beaches on the island include Santa Marija Bay and San Niklaw Bay.

Comino is also worth a visit in winter, and is ideal for those who love long walks and for 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 times, but was not regarded as important until the arrival of the Knights of St John. In their time, the island had a dual role. It served as a hunting area and as a strategic post in the defence of the Maltese Islands against the Ottoman Turks. It was home to wild boar and hares. The Grandmasters went to great lengths to ensure that the game on Comino was protected. Anyone caught breaking  hunting laws, 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.