(Some links in this post are affiliate links. If you click through and take action, I'll be compensated.) If you are also interested in any PRINTS from any of my posts, be sure to check out my store where you can buy prints as posters, in metal frames or on canvas.

If you have decided to see this amazing country, good on you. But Malta isn’t just the main island; there are two smaller islands that you should explore on your trip. The islands of Gozo and Comino are easily reached by ferry from the Ċirekewwa Port on the main island.

My trip in Malta was nearly a week, most of which I spent on the main island, whereas I spent 1 day each in Gozo and Comino. If you had more time, I would suggest 2 days in Gozo. Nonetheless, 1 day is good enough to be able to enjoy the island’s offerings. This post will focus on what you should consider seeing on the Maltese island of Gozo. A Google Map of all the places I will talk about can be found at the end of this post. Furthermore, if you want more of an INSIDER’S LOOK into Gozo, check out the website Gozo in the House.

If you decided to stay in the capital city of Valletta like me, getting to Cirekewwa Port (en route to Gozo), couldn’t be any easier. I picked up a 12 trip bus pass (€15) from a tourist shop and took bus 41/42 from Valletta to Cirekewwa. The bus ride takes 60-80 minutes, depending on the traffic. From there, you simply follow the signs to the Gozo ferry. It is THAT easy.

You can find the ferry schedule here. You will notice that the ferry goes regularly during the day but less so during the night time. But nonetheless, there will always be a ferry going at least once an hour.

The town that you arrive in in Gozo is called Mgarr. It is arguably the most busy place on the island with the exception of Victoria, the capital city of Gozo. When it comes to public transport, I found that the buses in Gozo were less frequent than in Malta. Secondly, most routes to places in Gozo required one to take a bus back to Victoria and another to your destination (assuming it was on another part of the coastline). This means you took two bus trips to get from the West coast to the North (around 1.5 hours of travel time). Due to this slight inconvenience, I would recommend two things:

1. You stay at least 2 days on Gozo to give yourself ample time to see most places

2. You rent a car so you can get around much more efficiently

Despite not following either 1 or 2, I tried to see as much as I could with the time I had that day.

Starting in Mgarr, you are immediately welcomed by the Church of the Madonna of Lourdes. It is an exquisitely constructed church that reminds me a little bit of Notre Dame in Paris. What I love most about it is its Neo-Gothic architecture (my personal favorite) which is a stark departure from the typical Maltese Baroque that is usually employed. The church also has stunning views over the entire harbor area.

Another known landmark on this island is the Azure Window, an arched rock formation off the West coast of the island. Unfortunately, on March 8, 2017, the formation collapsed after a period of heavy storms. Therefore, the rock is no longer accessible by walking. The area you will find it is still visually stunning. Limestone cliffs combined with water that is all shades of blue makes from some dramatic drone photography. The wind in the area was brutal as well, but Toby was up for the task (‘Toby’ being the name of my Dji Mavic Air 2 drone - My Gear).

Nearby is Blue Hole, a popular dive spot that looks like it has been carved out of the cliffside. If you want to switch it up and go snorkeling instead, there is an area nearby called Coral Gardens that is aces for it.

Overlooking the area and Dwejra Bay happens to be coincidentally enough, Dwejra Tower. The limestone tower, constructed in 1652, gives you the best panoramic views of the coastline including, Fungus Rock.

Fungus Rock is a 60 meter tall rock which received its name due to the Malta fungus (Cynomorium) that was discovered growing atop it by the Knights Hospitaller, a Catholic Military Order. Spoiler Alert: the plant they found was not actually a fungus, but a parasitic flowering plant.

If you take bus 309 from Victoria towards the Northern Gozo coast, you will reach my favorite place on the island: Wied il-Għasri. This part of the coastline is reached by a 10 minute walk downhill from the bus stop at Saghtrija. You can’t tell it’s there at first, just use Google Maps to walk in the general direction. You will eventually reach a gravel road leading to a small parking area and from there you take the walkway down to the water level.

What you will find will be a very small beach spot and water the color of turquoise. The waves can be a little choppy but swimming is definitely manageable. As the channel gets closer to the sea, the water goes from a turquoise green to a sapphire blue, which I was able to document wonderfully with Toby (my drone). While I didn’t dare to swim myself, I could have stayed for hours.

When you have had your fix, you can head back up the hillside and walk along the gorge towards Cathedral Cave (Ghar ir-Rih). Once again, this place is another awesome dive site and is also called Blue Dome. The sunlight from the cave entrance illuminates the cave ceiling in a dramatic blue glow. The dive is for all levels as the depth of the cave is 30 meters with a visibility of 25 meters.

Reqqa Point sits a short walk away from Cathedral Cave, just along the coastline. In fact, there is plenty of space to walk along this part of the Gozo coastline, often with stunning oceans views.

A walk further to the East, going clockwise around Gozo, you will encounter more and more salt pans. These shallow, rectangular pools are used for salt production (go figure). The locals are adamant that you don’t walk through the pans so as to disturb them or contaminate them. What I loved the most was the geometric shapes captured through the eyes of my drone.

Wied Il-Mielaħ is the name of the lesser known stone arch formation in Gozo. Since the Azure Window has indeed collapsed, I wouldn’t be surprised if this rock formation got even more attention from locals and tourists alike. Getting there takes some effort: Take bus 308 to Pinu from Victoria and walk about 3.3 km North to the site. If you’ve got the time, take a hike and enjoy it without too many others to share it with.

Qolla l-Bajda is yet another military battery installation (a common occurrence in these parts given the strategic military location of Malta). Maybe not the nicest or well preserved in the entire country but cool to see nonetheless. Just take bus 310 to Xwejni from Victoria and walk about 0.5 km.

Finally, for some nice relaxation, check out Ramla Beach. This wide and sandy beach is a protected area in Malta surrounded by hillsides with plentiful gardens planted by local farmers. If you venture to the East side of the beach, you can find Tal-Mixta Cave, which will give you some respite from the sunlight and has great views of Ramla Beach below.

Lastly, a really nice area for swimming has to be Dahla ta' Bemberin, on the East coast of Gozo. Take bus 303 to Qala from Victoria and walk 24 mins (about 2 km) to the coastline to enjoy the teal waters and nearly enclosed swimming area below. You won’t regret it!

There you have it, some great places to see in Gozo. After this list, maybe it would have been better for me to see all of it in two days, instead of cramming it into one. Nonetheless you will have a great time!

Related Posts