The daily grind getting just a little bit too much to handle? Had it up to here with traffic jams and work quandaries? Need to get away from it all? Some of these questions are just the sort that prompt us to consider taking holidays in the hope of escaping it all. A problem with holidays though, is that they often sap the very resources that might be contributing to our stressed state in the first place: time and money. Most of us simply cannot afford to hop on a plane and live it up in some exotic or faraway place for a week or two.

Here’s where our marvellous sister island comes into play. It’s the perfect alternative, because a weekend break in Gozo doesn’t have to break the bank and can be achieved in a space of time we can much more readily make available between Friday and Sunday evenings. The beauties of Gozo include its close proximity, being close enough to just hop across yet far enough to feel different, like we’ve really gotten away from things.

A single weekend is often enough for us to slow down, smell the roses and feel recharged and refreshed, and Gozo always seems to be that little bit quieter and more peaceful, particularly in winter. For all its benefits, however, and in light of our official status as the laziest among Europeans, I do believe it’s time for us to re-invent our conceptions of the classical Gozitan getaway.

We are at our roots a Mediterranean people. While this could mean a lot of things, I suspect it also explains our special love of family, friends and relaxation. We don’t take kindly to others intent on interfering with our access to these important facets of our lives, but our love of chilling out and socialising may in part shed some light on how we have become the most inactive people in Europe. Maybe part of the problem lies in the way look at what it means to relax.

Do your holidays tend to centre around what and where you are going to eat? Do your plans between these meal times focus on what you are going to see, more than on what you are actually going to do? And while we’re asking such soul-searching questions, what part of you really needs to rest the most anyway? Is it really your body, or is it your mind and spirit?

Stress can manifest itself in the body in any number of ways, but ultimately the part of the body that tends to benefit the most from a much-needed weekend away is the four-inch space between the ears. In order to relax that space, do we really need to punish the rest of our bodies with more high-fat foods, alcohol and even less exercise than usual?

Consider kicking your car-dependency for the remainder of your trip and think of your feet as your exclusive form of transportation

We don’t have to give up on our traditional conceptions of leisure all together, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t consider new ways of de-stressing and getting away it all. Perhaps it’s about time we considered the idea of active leisure holidays, and we could start first and foremost by re-defining our typical idea of the traditional weekend break in Gozo. If you would like to turn your back on holidays that expand your waistline while emptying your pockets, then you’ve got little to lose by trying out some of Gozo’s lesser-known charms that are hidden in plain sight.

Some foreigners come to Malta exclusively to dive, rock-climb, or play golf, or visit other European destinations to hike and camp. The idea behind an active leisure holiday is that you get to de-stress your mind, and give your body just what it is aching for; a return to its roots, moving around just as it was designed to do instead of sitting in cars, office chairs and sofas. So next time you plan a trip to Gozo, think about how you could make your weekend more, and not less, active. Sport Malta have made some significant investment in sports facilities in Gozo this year, so why not get to enjoy some of its benefits?

There are a handful of privately owned commercial fitness centres peppered around the island too. The clubs I’ve seen have been well-equipped and well-attended. You might never have stumbled across a Gozitan gym by chance, as they might seem a little tucked away at first, but they are indeed there and in convenient central locations. In terms of free-weights, resistance machines and cardiovascular equipment, these gyms will provide you with everything you need to have a great workout on a Saturday morning; a perfect energising start to the weekend.

As the weather cools, outdoors walks become a great metabolic activity, enthusing you with fresh air and permitting you an appreciation of the change of scenery as you explore less familiar routes.

Consider kicking your car-dependency for the remainder of your trip and provided you are staying in a convenient location, think of your feet as your exclusive form of transportation. For the more adventurous souls, you could even plan an exploratory route around the island to be traversed either on foot or mountain bike. When you do settle down at meal times, at least you will enjoy a stronger sense of satisfaction and entitlement.

If it’s organised sports you’re after, the Gozo sports centre also houses facilities for playing badminton, squash and a range of other indoor sports. I was pleasantly surprised on my last trip to Gozo to note the standard of local village football pitches, which play home to a competitive local league for both women and men.

All in all, Gozo has come a long way in terms of sport and fitness, so by fusing this fact with a desire to start living more active lifestyles, weekend breaks could certainly be among the most enjoyable ways to start.

matthewmuscatinglott@gmail.com

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