Gozo Tourism Information

Gozo Ferry Port View
ℹ️ Introduction 

The sister island of Malta is Gozo, located to the north of Malta, just a half-hour ferry ride away. It is a vivid glimpse into what Malta was up to a few decades ago. A slower pace of life, welcoming locals, open countryside, raw rugged coastlines and pretty towns waiting to be explored.

⛅️ Climate and Temperature  🌡️

The climate follows much of the entire country, with August being the hottest month in Gozo with highs of 40°C in the centre of the island but a more pleasant 33°C by the coast. July and August are the most sunny with a constant 12 hours of direct hot sun light, so taking protective cream and glasses is highly advisable. 

On the opposite side, the "coldest" month is January at 15°C  but getting colder towards the inland. The wettest month can be December but rains are not constant and blue clear skies are quite frequent even in Winter.


For the best time to visit Gozo, its advised to go before the Summer or after it, just to avoid the high season and the prices but also the intense heat that might be too much for some travellers, limiting the amount of things that you are able to see and do whilst there. April to May or end of September to the beginning of November would be ideal.

🚇 Transport 

Public transport relies again on busses which span across the entire island. However services are not as often as in Malta Island. To check the timetables and routes check the offical website for the Malta Public Transport. Arriving to the island is only possible by ferry from Malta Island at Cirkewwa Ferry Terminal.The ferry operates 24 hours. 

When you travel to Gozo by ferry it's free. However you pay on the return. Costing 4.50 per person and €15.50 per light car plus driver.
It's a good idea to rent a car whilst in Gozo. Although busses reach everywhere, you will spend a lot of time waiting around and calculating times. 

Gozo (+Malta) Bus Transport Map PDF
Gozo Ferry
Gozo local bus
🏰 What to see and do ?

Despite the size of Gozo Island, there's still plenty to keep you busy. You can relax in some of the beautiful bays, visit many local towns full of charm, see churches, prehistoric ruins, amazing rock formations or explore the city of Victoria with it's fortification, the Citadella, at the top of the hill. 
The highlights of Gozo are listed below:

  • Dwejra: Most famous area, known by the Blue Window, however in the Spring of 2017, the famous natural rock formation gave way to mother nature, as it collapsed into the sea. Now you can only see the cut through the rock and the place where it once stood. It's still attractive, as tourists still flock to the scene to take photos and also its a popular place for divers. Additionally you can take a boat trip, costing €4, which goes through a rock opening, taking you into the open sea, see the caves, the most beautiful coral, deep blue sea and some interesting rock formations, like a look alike face or a crocodile. To get there you can take bus 311.

✔️Tip: There's another rock formation, which is also a window, a very interesting place to visit but not recommend for those with fear of heights as the area is not protected. 

Also it's possible to view the entrance of a cave if you get to the end of the cliffs and take a turn to your right. Be aware on windy days as the area is not more than a narrow path measuring just over 2 meters in width. To get there, you need to drive to Wied Il-Mielaħ. (No bus reaches here)

The view of the Blue Window after the collapse
Alternative "Window" to see
Gozo Ferry Port View
The narrow walkway to view a cave entrance
Deep Blue Mediterranean Sea
The Cave at Wied Il-Mielaħ
  • Ggantija Temples, (located in Xaghra).They are considered some of the oldest free standing monuments in the world, even before Stonehenge or the Egyptian pyramids.
    Tickets cost €9 per person. When buying your tickets, these include the visit to the old Windmill near by the temples. It's atmosphered to the era it was once used and has some interesting tools on display and information. You can go up to the top of the mill, and see the mechanism which turns the big stone slabs and grinds the crops. To get to the temple and the mill you can take bus number 307. 
Entrance to the Ggantija Temples
The Old Windmill
Ggantija Temples
Inside the Mill
Inside the Ggantija Temples
The Mill mechanism
  • Victoria, is the capital of Gozo, famous by it's views from the Citadella, a beautifully restored fortification, with many interesting buildings and local shops to see, including the Cathedral (€4 entrance fee), museums and lace shops. The St George's Basilica of Victoria is also worth a visit, where you can find many tourist and souvenir shops. 
Victoria Cathedral
The Citadella (Victoria)
The views from the Citadella

Ta’ Pinu Sanctuary, this basilica is built out of the town of Gharb, it's free to visit and it's popular with tours as it's the location which the Pope Benedict XVI visited in 2010. 

To get there take bus 308. 

Ta’ Pinu Sanctuary Church
Ta’ Pinu Sanctuary entrance
  • Salt Ponds: Gozo is a local producer of salt. It doesn't produce enough to export, but the natural salt can be bought from the many local shops on the island. The ponds are natural, as well as hand made and can be visited and seen from the road easily. To get there go to Xwejni, or take bus 310. 
Salt Ponds
Salt Ponds
💭 Suggestion, take a quad / jeep tour!

If your stay on the islands is short and you want to make the most of the time you have, why not take an organised tour. They will pick you up from your accommodation, drive you to the ferry terminal  and depending if you want a jeep tour (driven by a guide) or a quad tour (self-drive), you will begin an exciting full day tour around the whole island. 

The tour also includes lunch, water, guides, a speed boat ride via Comino Island and transportation back to your accommodation in Malta. The cost of the tour is around €65 for the full day jeep tour or €95 for the quad tour. To enquire further please visit Gozo Tours. 

Jeep's used for the tour around Gozo
Tours of the beaten track in Gozo ideal for the jeep
🛌 Accommodation

If you decide to stay in Gozo overnight, there are many hotels, apartments and resorts to choose from. Prices are cheaper than in Malta Island, however still can be expensive for a budget traveller. The best idea is to stay either by the port, or the city of Victoria, as transportation is better to the rest of the island, either driving or by the busses. Hostels can be found mostly in Victoria. 

⏳ How long to stay?

Gozo can be seen easily within a day if you are doing a Jeep tour, however it's nice to explore the island further and reach new places or re-see some locations you didn't have much time to see within the tour. A stay of 2 nights would be more than enough to see the whole island's highlights, as long as you are driving, because taking busses would loose a lot of time.

Gozo Photo Slide 📷