Munxar on Gozo: Trails, Landscape and Cultural Heritage

Munxar on Gozo combines a parish church with a landscape of parallel valleys, trails and views of the open sea. If you are planning a stay on Gozo, the village’s history and trail connections offer practical points of reference for finding your way around. The village lies between the descending slopes of two parallel valleys. Behind the village church, a rocky outcrop on the Il-Munxar side forms Wied tal-Għanċija, the valley of Għanċija.

Trails, valleys and views

The area behind the parish church offers views of the open sea and is suitable for leisurely walks. If you are planning a walk through the countryside during your stay, this area is a useful point of reference. Munxar also has numerous trails through the countryside in every direction. The Sanap Cliffs offer panoramic views of the Mediterranean Sea; a scenic trail leads from there to Xlendi Bay. A walking route passes through Munxar and then reaches Ix-Xlendi Bay.

For navigation, the named starting points and trail types are helpful: a road behind the parish church leads to Ras il-Bajjada and then to Ix-Xlendi. Ix-Xlendi Bay is near the parish church of Il-Munxar and is nestled among striking cliffs in the southwest of Gozo. Local trail conditions can change; check them before setting out on a specific hike.

Nature is also part of the area’s character. Flowing water has created a habitat in the vicinity of Munxar for the endemic Maltese freshwater crab and other wildlife. Sightings may vary depending on the season.

Parish church and local history

Munxar’s parish church is dedicated to the Shipwreck of Saint Paul. The small Baroque-style temple is built of typical Maltese stone. Inside the church is a statue of Saint Paul from 1933, created by the Gozitan sculptor Wistin Camilleri. The church thus brings together its religious dedication, Baroque-style architecture and a dated work by a local sculptor.

A significant date in the village’s history is December 1957, when Il-Munxar became an independent parish. Munxar was the last village on Gozo to receive this status. The feast in honour of Saint Paul is celebrated in Munxar on the third Sunday in May. The exact programme may vary from year to year; if you would like to plan your trip around the feast, check the dates for the year in question.

At the square by the parish church is the entrance to the 25-metre-long air-raid shelters dating from the Second World War. The shelters were excavated in 1942 under the supervision of the architect Guzeppi Savona.

Village architecture

Munxar’s older farmhouses reveal another side of its architectural history. Their traditional vernacular architecture can be recognised by rough, sometimes irregular masonry, smaller windows and entrances, and the characteristic “remissa” doorway. Alongside the small Baroque-style temple, these features offer insight into another local building style.

Discover more destinations: San Ġwann, Żejtun, Għammar, Sannat, Kerċem, Xlendi, Għasri, Marsaskala.

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