Gozo is one of the three main islands in Malta’s archipelago. Situated in the Mediterranean Sea just past little Comino, it makes for a perfect day trip.
Though only 6km from mainland Malta, I thought Gozo had a slightly different feel to it. The island seemed quieter and, unlike Comino, the scenery was very lush and green. This contributed to a sense of seclusion and peacefulness that was perfect for relaxing on one of Gozo’s many beaches.
From ancient cities to golden bays, use this itinerary of Gozo’s highlights to enjoy a day trip to the island.
The ferry to Gozo leaves from Cirkewwa on Malta and arrives in at Mgarr, on Gozo’s southeast coast. Though it’s a big ferry, accepting both foot passengers and vehicles, we did have to queue for a while before boarding.
While it’s free to take the ferry from Malta to Gozo, you do have to pay on the way back. So if you choose to stay on Gozo forever, you’ll never pay the €4.65 to leave!
There’s also the option of reaching Gozo via a smaller boat that stops at Comino as well. However, these are more expensive at €13 return and it also wouldn’t leave much time for exploring on Comino.
Once on Gozo, I would suggest renting a car or joining the hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus. Gozo’s most beautiful and exciting sites are scattered around the island. Trying to navigate the long-winded bus system would take up a significant chunk of time that could otherwise be spent exploring!
Hondoq Bay
Hondoq Bay was our first stop on Gozo as we drove round the island in an anti-clockwise direction. Gozo is very hilly, and I was able to see the bay from above as we wove down to it. From afar, the azure water looked like it was literally sparkling in the bright sunlight.
After paddling in the beach’s clear water, I turned my attention to the surrounding rocks. Clambering away to the right, I found myself on a rocky section of the bay that was entirely hidden from the beach. Here there were rock pools to explore, and enough boulders to separate sections of the shore and make it feel quite secluded.
As I relaxed against the hot stone, I was splashed by waves splattering against the rock. Less than 1km away was Comino and the Blue Lagoon, looking almost within swimming distance across the shimmering water.
San Blas Beach
San Blas Beach is definitely the most beautiful beach we visited on Gozo. Like Hondoq Bay, it’s at the bottom of a very steep hill, so I could gaze down on it and appreciate its beauty from above.
The beach is small and secluded, consisting of a little crescent of golden sand. Rolling up behind it are the classic Maltese tiered hills, before hitting the sharp cliff top. Giant golden boulders are dotted across the sand, extending out into the water. As the sea approaches the shore it fades through several shades of blue before reaching a light, clear turquoise.
The road down to San Blas is so steep that vehicles are not allowed past a certain point. We pulled into the tiny car park, with only a couple of other cars for company, and set off down the track on foot. As we descended we were treated to the view over the beautiful beach, drawing closer until we landed on its golden sand. It’s so secluded that it felt as if we had a private beach all to ourselves.
Calypso’s Cave (Ramla Bay)
Ramla Bay was our next stop on Gozo. Like many of Malta’s beaches, the sand was a deep reddish gold and the sea a beautiful turquoise. My main focus, however, was the nearby Calypso’s Cave.
The cave gets its name from Homer’s Odyssey. It’s rumoured to be his inspiration for where a nymph named Calypso kept Odysseus prisoner for 7 years, though I have no idea how reliable this assumption is. However, it’s amazing to think that the cave is so old that it potentially inspired a text written nearly 3000 years ago.
From Ramla Bay, Calypso’s Cave is a short walk uphill to the top of the cliff. Yet though it took me no more than 10 minutes to reach the top, the hike is fairly sketchy and demands quite a lot of scrambling through brambles and guessing where a path should be. It even involved clambering over the ruins of a fort built by the Knights of Malta in the 1700s.
Eventually I made it to the top, only to discover there is a road weaving along the cliff that passes right by the cave’s door! Moreover, the cave itself has recently been closed due to “geological movements” (a rockfall perhaps?). Though slightly disappointed not to experience this Greek legend for myself, the views back over Ramla Bay and the Gozitan coastline were worth the steep climb.
Rabat (AKA Victoria)
Ir-Rabat (additionally named Victoria after the queen in 1887—yay colonialism) is Gozo’s capital city. It sits in the very heart of the island. Like Valletta and other Maltese towns, a lot of Rabat’s appeal is its colourful windows and doors contrasting with the sand-coloured buildings lining its winding streets. Both the Independence Square and St. George’s Basilica are also worth a visit.
Yet for me, Rabat’s highlight was the Cittadella. Situated high on a hill in the centre of Rabat, the citadel can be seen throughout Gozo. It dates back as far as 1500 B.C. and has served as a refuge for Gozitans many times throughout Malta’s history of constant invasions. Although it feels like an open air museum, there are working buildings and even a few people who still live there.
I was surprised that there was so much to explore within the citadel’s ancient walls. After being greeted by the impressive façade of the Cathedral of the Assumption, there are plenty of weaving paths that delve into the citadel. From churches and bastions to museums and ruins, the citadel documents most of Gozo’s history through its architecture.
Salt pans (Xwejni Bay)
I’d never seen salt pans before visiting Gozo, and to be honest I didn’t really know what they were. Luckily I managed to persuade my family to drive to Gozo’s north coast so we could check them out.
Though it wasn’t the salt harvesting season, I managed to work out how the salt pans function during the summer months. They are filled with seawater, and once the summer sun evaporates this away the pans are left with mounds of natural sea salt.
It was even possible to buy the salt that they harvest—a couple of people were sitting selling it on the side of the road.
The salt pans themselves were made up of lots of shallow, square-ish pools arranged together in a geometric jigsaw. From above I can imagine them looking like an uneven, reflective chessboard. The rock surrounding the salt pans was smooth and eroded into curves, giving the whole place an other-worldly feel. We were there just as the sun began to set during golden hour, and they were so beautiful and peaceful. Consider my salt pan expectations exceeded.
Xlendi Bay
Xlendi is a little fishing village on Gozo’s southwest coast, and it was our last stop before catching the ferry back to mainland Malta. Situated in a little inlet within a valley, the bay has a tiny sandy beach and a long promenade extending into the shallow water.
The vibe was quite resort-like, despite it being low season. This was perfect, as the less adventurous members of our party were easily placated with ice cream on the beach as I went off to explore the bay!
To the right of the beach, there is a small staircase that leads up the cliff. Brushing overgrown plants out of my way, I followed the path along the top, heading away from the beach and towards the sea. Eventually the path began to dip again and I descended down a set of steps within the rock. Hidden beneath the cliff were small caves, the water lapping gently against the stone.
Though Gozo’s highlights can easily be visited on a day trip, I could have spent the whole day at just one of these places. The island’s lush, green scenery and hill-topped towns are charming and steeped in history. That’s not to mention Gozo’s beaches, which were my favourite in Malta.
Even if you visit only one place on this itinerary, it’ll be a day trip well spent on beautiful Gozo.
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