Spotting a window in my usually crazy busy work diary, I leapt at the chance of booking a ridiculously cheap flight with #EasyJet from #Newcastle to my second home #Malta and thought I’d worry about the accommodation later 😆 On this trip I had a burning desire to spread my wings wide and explore pastures new, or at least little known to me 😉 After four decades of visiting the Maltese islands there isn’t anywhere that I haven’t passed through, heard of or stayed in 😆 I’ve always admired the beautiful rustic stone farmhouses dotted throughout the stunning Gozitan countryside and have always dreamed of one day being able to stay in one, as #Gozo away from its capital Victoria and the busy beach resorts is truly a rural playground. Therefore I decided now was the time to make my dream come true ♥️ I always start with #Airbnb when researching accommodation. I love their quirkiness, the vast array of choice, and the opportunity to meet my hosts and benefit from their local knowledge of the area. I’ve never had a bad experience and as a lone female traveller I always feel completely safe. In fact all of my experiences have been pretty special, the properties have always been fabulously unique and my hosts have become friends. As I began to delve in, this farmhouse jumped out of the screen at me, it was literally love at first sight 😍
I knew very little about #Zebbug but had passed through it before on my way to #Marsalforn. To be honest, it didn’t matter where it was located, I just knew I simply had to stay there 😃
So, I booked it there and then - If I hesitated and lost it, I’d be absolutely heartbroken, I had an intuitively good feeling about it ☺️ Now to set the scene............. Here I am, stood outside the stunning Ta Kullarina Farmhouse - gazing up at this mammoth building in front of me in complete awe. I’m struggling to comprehend that this is mine, all mine for the next two nights.
I’m feeling emotional as I begin to turn the key in the lock of the beautiful traditional door which is adorned with an ornate regal knocker and is painted pillar box red. It creaks as it opens, these doors are quite narrow so I sneak a peak before I enter fully. Oh.my.goodness. Oh.my.giddy.aunt. Holy Moly 😱😱😱😍 I’m completely lost for words, and the only areas in my sight line right now are the kitchen, dining table and fireplace. I slowly enter and close the door, standing leaning with my back to it, completely silent and utterly stupefied.
Ok, I have to capture this on video, I don’t want to forget one moment of how I’m feeling right now, blessed, happy, exhilarated, humble and such a lucky girl. Just writing these words gives me the same Goosebumps all over again. Now, would you like to come explore with me? The video I shot to share with you, in its entirety is 14 minutes long, that’s exploring this absolute gem room by room. To make it easier for you to dip in and out of, I’ve broken it up into a number of shorter clips. Before we begin, I’d just like to point out a couple of things if I may 😉 Firstly, please excuse the tremors in the filming, it’s never happened before, but it occurred on a couple of other occasions during my stay on Gozo 😬 The only thing I can think of is that my camera was just as excited as me to be there 😆 Secondly, you are going to hear the words, “wow” and “beautiful” a lot, actually pretty much repeatedly throughout, for which I make absolutely no apologies for 😆 Hand on my heart, I can honestly say in my thirty odd years working within the travel and airline industry, nothing has taken my breathe away quite the way this farmhouse did. Are you ready? Sure? Then, come on into Ta Kullarina Farmhouse ♥️💕♥️💕♥️💕
The attention to detail in each room, nook and cranny, was way beyond anything I had ever encountered.
To wake each morning to bird song, open my traditional wooden window shutters to let in the first streams of daylight, then to walk out onto my balcony, which overlooked my very own pool with prickly pear trees in the background was quite simply magical ✨
Aside from its rustic charm, the farmhouse did also come with all the home comforts you needed too, heating, oodles of hot water, Satellite TV with Coronation Street 😆 and of course WiFi. Parking was directly opposite and to make me feel even more serene, if that was at all possible, a beautiful glittering cross lit up the sky on an evening 😊 🙏
I have to confess I have been a little naughty 🙊 and told you the teeniest tiniest fib 🤥 I did actually pick up more essentials than just wine 🍷 from the grocery store on Day 1 😆 Each morning I started my day with a traditional Gozitan meal of Galletti, (water biscuits) peppered Gozitan cheeselets (Ġbejna tal-Bżar) served with the freshest tomatoes and the tastiest ham. Washed down with a steaming hot mug of my favourite Earl Grey tea. Heavenly 😊
I’d take my breakfast sat on the uber comfortable sofa in the sunny lounge which faced the patio doors leading to my pool. I felt amazing and so much at peace 🙏 I literally bounced out of the door each morning, so full of energy, joy and with almost a hyper excitement - sooooo ready for all of the adventures which I knew lay ahead.
Leaving something downstairs always made me giggle, the property was so huge it helped me to increase my already huge number of daily steps 😆 I actually had to pinch myself that I was staying in such a magnificently grand property.
The owner, and my hosts, as always, were thoroughly wonderful, extremely friendly, attentive without being intrusive and I fully enjoyed every moment I spent chatting with them. It was fabulous to discover the history of the building, the kitchen and dining area staggeringly dated back to the 1600’s! I could tell it was old but I never dreamt for one moment that it was over 400 years old! Wow! On the morning of checkout, my heart felt heavy 😔 as I was so very sad to leave, but I knew the memory of my stay would live with me forever, and I’d also fulfilled a pretty much lifelong dream 😊
My wonderful friends, if you’ve ever considered using #Airbnb I’d urge you to do so, you really won’t regret it, it gives you so much choice, space, freedom, and above all allows you to integrate with the local community. There’s no better way of discovering somewhere new than living like a local ♥️ I’m already creating my next shortlist of properties on the island for when the travel restrictions lift, and they will. Thank you so much for following my travels, it truly means so very much to me 🙏
Please know I’m thinking of you, and keeping you all in my prayers. I wish you all a very happy and peaceful Easter Sunday. Stay safe and take care my lovelies, until next time,
Tracy Mimosa Mermaid
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