Wishing you were on Gozo island? You’re not alone!

Gozo island …. An island where time stood still.

Gozo island is the second largest island from the Maltese archipelago.

Third the size of Malta, Gozo (thought to have been the island of Ogygia in Greek mythology) is much more greener and rural than Malta.

Hills, deep valleys and rugged cliffs all lend to the attractiveness of this tiny island.

Life in Gozo is relaxed and tranquil.

In fact, many visitors fall in love with this enchanting island and make it a point to return here regularly for a dose of “totally stress-free existence”.

Some even buy property in Gozo and move here for good. Yes ... this is the effect that the island of Gozo has on many visitors!

Although there are a good number of hotels (roughly about a dozen), restaurants and some fine nightlife spots (especially in summer), all this is cleverly “concealed” so as not to effect the island’s overall tranquility.

In Gozo, you can rest assured that you can have secluded privacy, if this is what you're usually after when on vacation.

Surprisingly, even though the island of Gozo is very small, there is a lot to see and do.

Distinctly different from Malta, the island is definitely not just sea and sun.

Read on to discover the top attractions on Gozo island ...

Gozo island: Must See Attractions & Sites

Azure Window - Dwejra

A natural arch created by rough sea over the years, this site makes for some breathtaking scenic walking. You can’t get any more picturesque than this. The cliffs are some 100 metres high.

A few minutes walk from Azure Window, is the Inland Sea of Dwejra. Another famous area here is Fungus Rock.

If you'd like to find out why the Dwejra area is so popular with visitors, go to our Dwejra and its Azure Window page for the full details.

Ggantija Temples

The most evocative from all Neolithic temples found on the Maltese islands, if you’re on Gozo island you really cannot miss visiting these impressive temples.

Ggantija temples are the oldest free standing structures in the world and were erected around 3600 B.C. Researchers are still baffled to this day, how the Neolithic people managed to build these structures. Legend has it that they were built by giants.

Go to our New Stone Age: Ggantija page here for more info on these fascinating Neolithic temples.

Ramla Bay

Famous for its bright orange-coloured sand, Ramla Bay is one of the most beautiful beaches in the Mediterranean.

This bay is a must see all year round. Beautiful for a stroll in Winter and awesome for swimming in Summer.

A definite must see in Gozo!

For more info on this beautiful beach, go to our Gozo Island: Ramla Bay page here.

The Citadel

The Citadel is located at Victoria – Gozo’s capital. This is the island’s oldest settlement and main historical sight.

Mostly built during Roman rule and destroyed and rebuilt twice, its fortifications date back from 1500 B.C.

Less than 200 metres long by 200 metres wide, the Citadel is essentially a bulwark castle and offers fantastic views of Gozo island’s landscape. Beyond the Citadel’s gates is Gozo’s cathedral and museum, Archeology Museum and Folklore Museum.

For more information on the Citadel and its tragic past, visit our Gozo Citadel page.

Ta' Pinu Basilica

Built in the 1920s, the impressive basilica of Ta' Pinu has an interesting story behind it.

The basilica is located on the outskirts of the tiny village of Gharb.

A local woman is believed to have received a message for prayer from the Virgin Mary in the old chapel.

This is the reason why the basilica is Malta's most important centre of pilgrimage.

Located a few kilometres away from Rabat, the basilica attracts thousands of visitors each year.

To learn the full story behind the Ta' Pinu Basilica, visit our Gozo Churches: Ta' Pinu Basilica page.

Other Gozo Attractions ...

Although the hilly road to it is very steep, the walk is well worth it, since it offers fantastic views of Gozo.

For more information on the lighthouse, visit our Gozo Attractions: Ta' Gurdan Lighthouse page.

Not that easy to reach, but definitely worth it if you have the time is Ghasri Valley. This cliff-bound inlet is one of the most picturesque places in Gozo.

For more information on this gorgeous site, visit our Gozo Attractions: Wied l-Ghasri page.

Another off-the-beaten track site is the stunning beach and valley of Mgarr ix-Xini. There's no public transport to Mgarr ix-Xini, but if you have the time it's definitely worth a visit.

For more information on this popular area with snorkelers and divers, go to the Stunning Gozo Beach of Mgarr ix-Xini page.

If you want to explore one of Gozo's most picturesque areas as well as take a dip into perhaps the clearest waters in the Maltese Islands, head to Hondoq ir-Rummien.

Very popular with locals, since of course the locals know best :) ... Hondoq Bay is a small charming beach in Qala.

For more information on this beach and its surrounding area, visit our Beaches in Gozo: Hondoq ir-Rummien page.

Gozo island's capital city Rabat makes for a pleasant stop. In addition to its magnificent Citadel already mentioned previously, the city has some other attractions that are worth exploring.

Visit our Rabat Gozo page for more information on this charming city.

If you're visiting Gozo in summer, then you must try to go to as many Gozo beaches as you can :)

One of the smallest beaches in Gozo is San Blas Bay. This is practically a smaller version of Ramla Bay and offers some excellent snorkeling opportunities.

For more information on this tiny sandy Gozo beach, visit our San Blas Bay page.

A few minutes away from San Blas bay is another lovely small pebble beach. It's called Dahlet Qorrot.

This bay is used by a small number of local fishermen but is also a good spot for swimming, sunbathing, snorkeling and diving.

If you'd like to learn more about this small pebble beach, go to our Dahlet Qorrot Bay page.

If you're staying in Gozo for more than a few days, then you can also have a good look around the charming village of Xaghra.

Besides being home to the famous Ggantija temples, this busy village has a few other interesting attractions as well. To learn more about this Gozitan village, visit our Xaghra page for more information.

Another area of breathtaking natural beauty is Ta' Cenc.

Ta' Cenc Cliffs can be reached from the quiet village of Sannat. Definitely worth a visit if your itinerary allows it!

Visit our Ta Cenc page for more information on this stunning part of Gozo.

Gozo Island: How to get there

By far the most popular way to go to Gozo is by ferry. The pleasant 25 minute trip also offers some spectacular scenery of Comino, where the fascinating Blue Lagoon is located.

Gozo Channel is the only ferry company that offers this service. Operating since 1979, the company carries over 3 million passengers annually.

If you’re planning on visiting Gozo as soon as you arrive at Luqa International Airport, there is a direct bus shuttle service to the Cirkewwa ferry terminal.

You can find more information about this ferry service on the Gozo Channel website.

By seaplane

Up until a couple of years, a helicopter service was available from Malta’s airport. However, this service has been discontinued.

In an effort to offer a quicker way of getting to Gozo, HarbourAir has recently started offering a seaplane connection service from Malta to Gozo departing from Valletta Harbour in Malta. The flight from Valletta Harbour to Mgarr Harbour only takes 10 minutes.

Get the full details on this seaplane service at the HarbourAir website.

Gozo Island: Accommodation

In Gozo, there's far less choice of hotels than in Malta.

However, there are quite a few excellent hotels to choose from. They're mainly located in the main tourist areas.

Gozo island also offers an extensive choice of guest houses, self-catering apartments, villas and farmhouses.

During the peak season and especially during holiday weekends such as Easter, we recommend that you book your accommodation early, since there's a possibility that the most popular lodging options will be booked.

This is because a large number of Maltese people cross to Gozo on these holiday weekends for a short break. Around the 15th of August (a few days prior and after) is also a busy time, due to the fact that the 15th is a public holiday and many Maltese people take their annual vacation leave around that time and go to Gozo for the week.

Interested in renting a Gozo villa or farmhouse for your vacation?

Then have a look at our Gozo Villas and Farmhouses page ...

There's plenty of info there on villas and farmhouses and what you can expect from this type of lodging option. Click here for full details.

Gozo Island: Making your way around

While the island's main areas are serviced by bus, many visitors opt to hire a car since this of course gives you much more flexibility and time to get the most out of the wonderful island of Gozo.

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