Gozo — The Green Island for Those Who Want Something Different

They say you go to Malta to sightsee and to Gozo to rest. It is true. Gozo is older, slower and more rural. Its residents (called Gozitans) have a completely different pace of life from the Maltese on the main island.

How to Get There

Ferry from Ċirkewwa (north-west Malta) to Mġarr harbour on Gozo. Crossing: about 25 minutes, 24 hours a day. Price approx. €4.65 return — paid on the way back only. A local trick: it is easier to arrive on the island than to leave it.

What to See

• The Citadel (Il-Kastell) in Victoria: A restored hilltop fortress. Entry to the ramparts is free. The panorama of all Gozo in one sweep. All island residents once sheltered here during pirate raids.
• Ramla Bay: The most beautiful beach in the entire archipelago. Rust-red golden sand, emerald water. Unlike any beach on Malta.
• Dwejra (Inland Sea): The Azure Window collapsed in 2017. But what remains is arguably more precious: an inland sea connected to the open Mediterranean by a tunnel through the rock. Swimmable and diveable.
• Salt Pans (Xwejni): Brine pans carved into the rock by fishermen over generations. They look like a chessboard. Beautiful at sunrise and sunset.
• Ta' Pinu Basilica: A solitary basilica standing alone in the fields. A wall covered with votive offerings: plaster casts, crutches, handwritten letters. Unexpectedly moving.

Getting Around Gozo

Buses exist but are infrequent. Renting a car or quad bike is the best option — Gozo is small, you can circle the whole island in half a day. Quads are the iconic way to explore here.