Comino
Comino is found between the islands of Gozo and Malta in the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. It is named Comino because the cumin seed once grew in great abundance on the 1.35 sq mile island as well as on the other islands that make up the Maltese Islands.
Unlike the other Maltese Islands that have become tourist locations, Comino is known for its isolation and sense of tranquillity since there are only four permanent residents that call the island home. Found on the island are both a nature reserve and a bird sanctuary making it a popular area for nature lovers to visit.
Comino was inhabited by farmers back in the Roman times but since then it has been either privately owned leading to a sparse population, or at some points in time even abandoned. Due to the fact that its coastline is entirely made up of limestone cliffs and caves instead of beaches the island was often used by pirates during the middle Ages.
The most visible and historical structure that is still standing on Comino is St. Mary’s Tower, which was used first in 1618 as a watchtower to keep pirates away from the other islands of Gozo and Malta and to prevent invasion.
St. Mary’s Tower was erected as a fortress by the Knights of Malta and was used to increase communications between the Maltese Islands. It is found about 80m above sea level and stands at an additional 12m tall.
Currently the tower is used as a staging post to prevent the hunting of migratory birds from the sea as well as contraband shipments throughout the islands. It also was used during both World Wars as a vantage point. Many tourists enjoy walking past the large structure today.
Other buildings of note found on Comino include a small Roman Catholic family chapel, which a priest still travels to in order to hold mass on Saturday nights and Sunday mornings.
For tourists, the place to stay is the Comino Hotel which has two manmade private beaches within its stretch at the San Niklaw Bay. Outside of the hotel there are also holiday bungalows located along the bay for tourists to stay at.
Outside of the hotel and tourism sector, the only commercial enterprise that used to exist on the island within the last century was a pig farm, which was closed after an epidemic of foot and mouth disease struck the Maltese Islands.
Comino is best known as the backdrop of the Blue Lagoon which is an area of the sea where tourists and tour boats frequent on a daily basis due to its picturesque presence. There is also a large array of marine life present in the Blue Lagoon drawing many swimmers and divers to the Comino area.
In the past the island of Comino has been used in several movies including Troy, Swept Away, and The Count of Monte Cristo.
