Ta Girardu

The arched entrance, spiral staircase and all the little nooks for the kids to explore made this one of the most memorable villas we’ve stayed in. It’s full of charm and character, with a nice secluded pool, and only a 10-minute walk from the town centre. Perfect for a short week in Victoria. There aren’t many modern conveniences, and the kitchen is a bit basic. The mattresses also need upgrading. Those things would have bothered us in another place, but here they just became part of the experience. Highly recommended.

We loved the villa so much that I’ve given it five stars, though there were a couple of problems. The TV picture was awful and washed out, and it probably needs replacing. The bigger issue was the double bedroom mattress, which was so soft that it was almost impossible to sleep on. Whenever one of us moved, it woke the other. We were fine after switching rooms following the first night, as the other beds were much better. The villa itself is lovely, full of character and well placed for exploring Victoria and Gozo. It’s about a 10-minute walk from the main shopping areas, restaurants and bars. The pool and outdoor space were very nice; the kitchen was fairly basic but had everything needed. There are three large bedrooms and four bathrooms. It was very clean when we arrived and the WiFi was decent. There’s so much to see and do on Gozo, with stunning scenery. Victoria has amazing architecture, especially the Citadella, about a 10-minute walk uphill from Girardu Villa. We loved exploring in the daytime and evening and chatting with the really friendly locals. I’d thoroughly recommend the villa.

The old farmhouse has a quirky feel, and we enjoyed our time in Gozo. We didn’t run into any major problems, though there was a damp smell under the sink and in the downstairs toilet. The oven took hours to warm up, and the showers barely trickled.

A lovely place for a family break, with a great pool area right in central Victoria. It’s close to all the amenities, too.