Fort Chambray is an old city, within a fortress, on Malta's sister island, Gozo, an unspoiled island in the Mediterranean that is far more than just another sun and sea destination. The site was intended to be a fortified city built by the Knights of the Order of St. John 250years ago for the protection of the island’s inhabitants.
The development comprises a number of new residential blocks built in stone by local tradesmen using traditional methods. The typology and clustering of the buildings have been so adopted in order to create a traditional, local village core environment in a modern interpretation to render the entire Fortified City an up market, unique development.
Fort Chambray sits on top of the heights commanding the Comino Channel, backed by steep cliffs that act as a natural bastion and offers stunning views back across the channel to Comino and Malta. It stands as a sentinel guarding the port of Mgarr, with its picturesque harbour, busy with Ferry operations and small fishing and pleasure craft. Access is via a slip road from the main highway, connecting the channel port with Gozo’s capital, Rabat, famous for its Citadel, the Gran Castello, the original refuge of the local inhabitants in earlier, more dangerous times.
Nowhere is far in Gozo, which is less than one third the size of Malta and Fort Chambray is a mere two minutes drive from the harbour, with Rabat just another 10 minutes further inland. This also means that Gozo’s many facilities, including practical and modern shopping centres as well as its many fine beaches, unspoiled countryside and charming villages, are all within easy reach.
From the harbour, Malta is a mere 20 minute ferry journey across the channel to nearby Cirkewwa. There are also daily sailings directly to the harbours of Valletta lasting some 75 minutes along the entire Maltese coastline. A regular helicopter service is also available from Gozo to Malta International Airport.
Gozo’s capital, Rabat is a charming maze of narrow streets and fascinating hidden shops and boutiques. The imposing walls of the Citadel are visible from many of the town’s approaches. Dining is excellent in Gozo wherever you find yourself. This is hardly surprising on an island where all produce sold in the daily markets is grown locally and where the many harbour restaurants serve seafood within an hour of being caught straight from some of the cleanest waters in the Mediterranean.
It is Gozo’s rural and fishing heritage as well as the traditional skills of its people, such as hand-made lace products still seen to be made outside many homes in the surrounding villages that make the setting of the Fort Chambray development so unique. Gozo is a truly relaxing idyll.
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