A sparsely inhabited Maltese island of limestone cliffs, blue lagoons, and protected seabird habitat.
Comino
Comino is the smallest of the three inhabited islands of the Maltese archipelago, lying in the narrow channels between the larger islands of Malta and Gozo in the central Mediterranean Sea. Covering just 3.5 square kilometres, the island is defined by rugged limestone cliffs, deep coastal caves, low karst plateau, and the famously turquoise Blue Lagoon that fills the channel between Comino and its tiny islet neighbour Cominotto.
The island has long supported only a very small human population and today has just two permanent residents. Its natural character is tightly protected: Comino is formally designated as a bird sanctuary and nature reserve, is recognised as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International, and forms part of a Natura 2000 marine protected area. This combination of remarkable coastal scenery, low-intensity land use, and strong ecological protection gives Comino its distinctive place in the Maltese Islands.
Comino also carries a layered human history, from ancient habitation and medieval exile through Knights Hospitaller fortifications to a short-lived twentieth-century farming community, all of which have left traces in the island's towers, chapels, batteries, and terraces. Today the island is best known as a day-visit destination, drawing large numbers of visitors to its beaches and clear waters while remaining subject to ongoing debate over balancing tourism, conservation, and development.
