OVERVIEW

Malta is a small island located in the southern Mediterranean, popular for its beaches, bustling city life, and historical attractions. It is comprised of three islands. While the main island of Malta (shares the same name as the country itself) is usually the primary destination, there are two less visited islands, Gozo and Comino. 

Comino is a very tiny island, with minimal infrastructure, lodging, and food options. Its main attraction is the blue lagoon, where visitors are brought over by boat for a fun-filled day of swimming in the turquoise water of the bay. 

Gozo is larger and has quite a bit more to do and see. Since we were traveling in March and the sea would be too cold for a whole day of swimming, we opted for Gozo.

Gozo is the second largest island of the Malta archipelago. It has a few fairly large towns, several beaches, and even a historic citadel. The island is more lush and rural as compared to Malta, and we found it more laid back than the fast paced main island.

With a full day on the island, this itinerary will give you the opportunity to enjoy the views from atop the walls of the historic citadel, explore the remote bays and pristine beaches, and get a taste for traditional Maltese life in Gozo’s quaint villages.

HOW TO GET TO GOZO

Gozo is 4 km from Malta and is typically reached by ferry. The ferry ports in Cirkewwa and Valletta both transport passengers from the main island of Malta to Gozo, but there are a few important differences between their services. 

Cirkewwa, located in the far northwest corner of Malta, provides a large passenger and car ferry to the Gozo port of Mgarr. We didn’t find its schedule to be very accurate, but in general, a ferry leaves the port approximately every 30 minutes. 

The ferry is a well run operation and the trip only takes about 25 minutes. There’s no need to purchase a ticket when departing for Gozo from Cirkewwa. However, you will need to purchase a round trip ticket from Gozo before returning to Malta. 

After boarding the ferry, everyone must go to the passenger deck, where there is a small shop and cafeteria. Indoor seating is somewhat limited, but there’s also a viewing deck and a few benches outside.

A newer high speed ferry also now connects Valletta to the port of Mgarr on Gozo. This is only a passenger ferry and does not accommodate cars. This option will take slightly longer, about 45 minutes, and purchasing a ticket in advance is recommended.

GETTING AROUND GOZO

Although Gozo is very small, the roads in many locations are quite primitive, so traveling times can be higher than you might expect. For this itinerary, a car provides the freedom and flexibility to explore many locations throughout the Gozo. 

There is a basic bus system on Gozo, but routes are limited and efficiency becomes a concern. Taxis are available in many locations and there is a Hop-On Hop-Off bus that runs between the major attractions of the island as well. 

OUR GOZO ONE DAY ITINERARY

Arrival

We had a lot of activities planned in our one day Gozo itinerary, so we planned to catch one of the earlier ferries. However, our hotel was in Sliema, which meant it would be a 40 minute drive just to the ferry dock. 

After breakfast, we drove to the port of Cirkewwa on the northwest corner of Malta. The boarding process was straightforward, and we didn’t need to purchase a ferry ticket until the return trip.

After boarding, we left the car and went to the upper levels for hot chocolate and views across the Mediterranean of the Blue Lagoon and the Santa Marija Tower on Comino.

Citadel

After the ferry docked and we disembarked, we immediately drove to the island’s capital of Victoria. This was a very busy town with gridlock traffic but we eventually found a street parking spot and walked up the steep hills to the town’s citadel.

The Gozo Citadel is an enormous walled city and the island’s most iconic landmark. It was free to enter but there were small fees to visit the baroque styled Gozo Cathedral and the Museum of Archeology.

The entryway led to Cathedral Square, a gathering space looking up toward the most prominent structure of the citadel, Gozo Cathedral. The cathedral is dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and adorned with imposing sculptures, frescoes, and intricate alters. We toured the cathedral for a small fee.

Most of our time in the Gozo Citadel was spent just walking around the maze of ruins, narrow alleyways, and along the upper walls of the fortified city. The views from the upper levels of the citadel were absolutely stunning. We could see clear across the island, with spring flowers and lush green grass blooming in the fields below us.

There were a couple restaurants within the Citadel. We weren’t hungry enough for lunch, but had snacks and drinks from a small food stand inside the Citadel walls. The milkshakes were mediocre, but the view was amazing.

Ta’ Pinu Basilica and Gharb

The next stop on our one day Gozo itinerary was just a 10 minute drive away at another magnificent Roman Catholic structure, the Basilica and National Shrine of Ta’ Pinu. I thought this was actually the most impressive and beautiful religious monument that we had seen in all of Malta.

This architectural masterpiece sits seemingly in the middle of nowhere, visible from miles away and towering over the countryside. A service was being held so we could not enter the basilica, but the exterior of the structure was stunning. Flowers bloomed all around the shrine and the views of the surrounding landscape were surreal.

In the square out front of the basilica were a series of meticulously designed mosaics, symbolizing the four mysteries of the rosary. These were composed of vibrant colors and constructed in amazing detail. 

Our stomachs were growlind by now so we found one of the three open restaurants in the nearby town of Gharb. We ate at Ta Dbiegi Cafe, which was a small, but sweet family-run cafe located in a local crafts village, with good food and friendly service. 

After lunch we wandered the village, sifting through art and craft shops, which included local lace, glass, paintings, and ceramics. Maddie picked out a beautiful locally made glass vase from Gozo Glass. This village was also a great stop for gelato and other sweets.

Xwejni Salt Pans

Another 15 minutes down the road was our next stop, the Xwejni Salt Pans. Along a 1 km stretch of coast on the northern part of the island runs a fascinating stretch of Salt Pans. These are still occasionally in use today and consist of hundreds of salt pans of varying shape, size and overall design. 

Viewing the layout and patterns from the cliff above was impressive, but we also walked down to the pans for a different perspective. Maddie loved navigating the maze of pans, hopping from one to the next.  There were only a few other visitors, so we essentially had the area to ourselves.

Ramla Beach

Our last stop on our one day Gozo itinerary was the nearby Ramla Beach. The road to get here wound through the narrow streets of a few towns, causing the GPS to get somewhat confused when navigating us. But eventually we made it.

We visited very late in the day so the beach was not very busy. There was plenty of parking on the road leading down to the beach. There was a restaurant and snack bar on the beach, but they appeared closed for the day.

Oliver and Maddie loved this beach. The sand was soft, warm, and golden brown. The scattered rocks were perfect, in their expert opinion, for building forts. The kids didn’t brave the ice cold water temperatures, but we all had a great time nonetheless.

Return to Malta

We still had to return to Sliema for the night so we returned to the port of Mgarr. We arrived approximately 15 minutes prior to the scheduled departure and there was already a long line of cars waiting at the dock. 

By the time they started loading the ferry, the line extended far into the distance. We bought round trip tickets from the ticket booth as we drove  through the boarding lanes. 

When the ferry docked at Cirkewwa it was late and we were far too hungry to make it all the way back to Sliema before dinner. So we stopped at Amami, a restaurant in Mellieha Bay, for phenomenal sushi. We began our drive back to Sliema after having an absolutely fantastic time on Gozo.

FINAL IMPRESSION

Despite its relatively small size, the island of Gozo offers numerous sights and attractions. Before traveling there I wasn’t sure that we would have enough to do. Afterward, I feel a two or three day Gozo itinerary would have allowed us to see even more of what this incredible island has to offer. 

Gozo Citadel was a must see attraction. It was the highlight of the day for Shirlee and I. Oliver and Maddie really loved the salt flats and Ramla Beach. So there was really something for everyone on the island.

We had spent five days in the country of Malta, and seen many of the highlights such as historic Valletta, the fortified city of Mdina, and the fishing village of Marsaxlokk. But Gozo was truly special and this was my favorite day of our trip. The history, beauty, and charm of Gozo definitely make it a must see destination when traveling to Malta.