Attitude's Travel Insider: Fancy holidaying like Brangelina?

You’ve probably heard by now that newlyweds, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, are sunning it up in the Med (all right for some, eh?). At first, they honeymooned in Malta. Now, they’ve set up camp on neighbouring island Gozo – where they will spend the next three months filming their new film By the Sea, in which they both star.

It’s a rather funny place to find Hollywood’s A-List. The land is arid and sparse (Gozo hasn’t had rain in months and the locals are eagerly awaiting thunderstorms later this week); farmland takes up most of the vista and there isn’t a buzzing nightlife. But it’s exactly this space and tranquility that has brought ‘Brange’ here.

Around 1.5 million people flock to Malta each year. It’s the Med’s tourist hub brimming with five-star hotels, expat bars and international restaurants. But take the 25-minute ferry crossing to sleepy Gozo and it’s another story.

Small bays dot the island and rugged limestone cliffs roll deep into the azure waters; horse and cart is still a much-used mode of transport; church bells chime early in the morning to announce the first prayer, while distant sheep and cow calls can be heard echoing through the still air.

Days are usually planned around the 12pm siesta – and family-run Gozatian hotels line the bays, welcoming those who seek outdoorsy adventures like coastline walks, kayaking and first class open water diving (you can see up to 30 metres during the day).

Bizarrely, visitors tend not to spend more than a day here, taking the late afternoon ferry back to Malta after wandering around the island’s most popular spots of Xlendi Bay, Marselforn and Victoria market. This allows the few who stay to mingle with the Gozatians – and experience a local way of life, usually accompanied by a local bottle of wine.

At the moment, you can’t get near the tiny village of Mgarr ix-Xini where Brange’ have set up home – super-tight security won’t allow it. Plus they’ve rented the whole village out (no biggie) – including the local cafe which has closed to outside business. But it doesn’t mean you can’t do a bit of Brangelina spotting while here.

Today, Ange took the kids out on a catamaran while Brad worked – much to the delight of a boatful of tourists making the Malta to Gozo crossing. They sunbathed and played on deck, while exploring the greeny-blue lagoons of another Maltese island, Comino (known here as Kemmuna) which is home to just three people.

At night, lazy dinners of fresh fish or steak are served alongside freshly-made garlic bread, goats’ cheese, fresh olives and trays of antipasti. This is the staple here. Wash it down with that local vino and you’ll probably suffer from the same wine headache as Brange’ in the morning too. Win.

Find out more about Gozo and Malta at visitmalta.com.

Karen is a freelance Travel & Entertainment Editor based in London. She can be found tweeting at @KarenNEdwards and contacted through her personal blog popandprettythings.com

Attitude’s Travel Insider: Fancy holidaying like Brangelina?

In This Article: