With reddish sands, past temples, and year-round sunshine, Gozo is conscionable 1 of the breathtaking islands that marque up the Maltese archipelago.
Recently named by Time Out arsenic 1 of Europe’s most underrated travel destinations for 2025, this tranquil island is often described arsenic ‘what Malta utilized to beryllium like’ – a slower, and much laid-back alternate to its lively and well-visited sister island.
Just a 25-minute ferry thrust from Malta, Gozo is the second-largest of the 5 Maltese Islands and contempt spanning conscionable 26 quadrate miles, is bursting with hidden gems and character.
Thanks to its 7,000-year history, there’s plentifulness to uncover. The land is location to immoderate of the oldest temples successful the world, predating the Egyptian pyramids.
It’s besides a destination wrapped successful mythological lore and is believed to beryllium wherever Odysseus was held against his volition by a beauteous nymph.
The island’s earthy quality is arsenic captivating. From sprawling beaches and scenic hills to bluish waters and rugged shorelines those who task beyond the well-beaten way volition beryllium rewarded.
Lonely Planet writes: ‘While Malta tin sometimes consciousness engaged and crowded, sleepy and laid-back Gozo offers the cleanable accidental to respire retired and relax.’
And visitors agree. One reviewer connected TripAdvisor described the ‘mesmerising bluish’ waters that situation that land as ‘breathtaking’. And different said Gozo was a spot of ‘peace and tranquility.’
Before you publication your flights, here’s everything you request to know.
How to get to Gozo
There are nary nonstop flights to Gozo; the lone mode to get determination is by ferry.
The ferry departs from Ċirkewwa, the northernmost constituent of Malta and runs each 30 to 45 minutes, arriving astatine the larboard of Mgarr.
The travel takes astir 25-45 minutes and tin beryllium choppy, particularly during precocious winds. Yet the work is described arsenic ‘safe’ and operates year-round.
Malta is simply a small implicit 3 hour’s flying clip from London, with one-way Ryanair from £29 per idiosyncratic successful November. If you’re looking to question during highest season, June oregon July, prices are a spot higher starting from £45.99.
You tin alert from immoderate London airport, including Heathrow and Gatwick, arsenic good arsenic Luton and Stansted.
What’s the upwind similar successful Gozo?
The bully quality is, determination isn’t truly a atrocious clip to sojourn Gozo. The land enjoys a emblematic Mediterranean clime with much than 300 days of sunshine a year.
If you privation to bask successful the vigor oregon instrumentality a dip successful its lukewarm waters, it’s champion to sojourn during the summertime season, July to August, erstwhile temperatures tin ascent supra 20 degrees and rainfall is simply a uncommon occurrence.
But don’t place the enarthrosis seasons, successful the outpouring (April and May) and Autumn (September to November). Temperatures hover betwixt 21°C and 27°C, and determination are less tourists, truthful you tin research the land without the crowds.
If you’re chasing immoderate last-minute sun, present mightiness beryllium the cleanable clip to visit, though cooler than the summertime seasons, the mercury is presently climbing to 23°C.
Meanwhile, the winters connection milder upwind betwixt 16-17°C during the time and 9-11°C astatine night. December is the wettest month, and visitors should hole for immoderate airy showers.
What to bash successful Gozo
For a tiny island, Gozo packs successful a batch of history, stretching backmost 7000 years and encompassing Roman, Arabic, Phoenician, Sicilian, French and British influences.
The land is said to person been the location to the mythological nymph Calypso, who successful Homer’s Odyssey holds Odysseus arsenic a ‘prisoner of love’ successful a cave for 7 years. A fashionable tourer attraction located astatine the island’s red-sandy formation Ramala Bay, the cave is closed to the nationalist owed to ‘geological activity’.
The Azure Window is different landmark mislaid to the elements. Once the main gully to the island, the earthy limestone arch collapsed during a tempest successful 2017.
The arch stood 50 metres precocious and was featured successful respective films and TV shows, including Game of Thrones. Now, its rocky remains are a fashionable diving spot.
Divers caput to the Blue Hole, a vertical chimney astir 25m heavy and 10m that connects to the unfastened oversea done an underwater arch. As you dive, you tin spot the remains of the Azure Window. Moby Dives is a fashionable diving schoolhouse successful Gozo, that besides caters to beginners.
Beyond its history, Gozo boasts immoderate of the oldest free-standing structures successful the world, including the Ggantija Temples, which were constructed during the Neolithic period, besides known arsenic the Stone Age, successful 3600 BC.
A dedicated Unesco World Heritage site, these are the earliest Megalithic Temples of Malta and pre-date the pyramids.
Meanwhile, the island’s capital, Victoria, known locally arsenic Rabat, is location to the Citadel, a historical fortress built during the medieval ages.
Tripadvisor reviews picture it arsenic a ‘beautiful spot afloat of history. One reappraisal near by JandPTravels, read: ‘If you similar history, you volition emotion this place. It oozes retired of each partition and room. Amazing views implicit Gozo, and immoderate precise absorbing sites and museums.’
Another, by Traveltiger, declared it an ‘incredibly awesome fortress with spectacular views crossed the island’.
If you’re not 1 for sightseeing, there’s inactive plentifulness to enjoy. The rust-coloured Ramla Bay is known for having the softest soil connected the land and is undoubtedly Gozo’s astir fashionable beach.
The sprawling agelong of soil has been attracting visitors since the Roman period, the remains of a Roman villa are hidden amid the bamboo down the beach.
The Salt Pans, connected the northbound seashore of Gozo extracurricular the edifice municipality of Marsalforn, are besides worthy a visit. The 350-year-old patchwork of brackish pans stretches 1.8 miles crossed the coast.
Where to enactment successful Gozo
The land is location to a scope of accommodations to suit each tastes and budgets – from chromatic farmhouses and luxury villas to sleek hotels.
The gateway to the land Mgarr Harbour, boats plentifulness of hilltop stays with views of the Mediterranean Sea, namely The Grand Hotel – a four-star edifice with oversea views, spacious suites and swimming pools.
The island’s central-based capital, Victoria, is location to plentifulness of boutique hotels and B&Bs, with prices ranging from astir £70-£80 per idiosyncratic per nighttime successful November.
The occidental seashore boasts the picturesque villages of Gharb and San Lawrenz, wherever you’ll find the five-star Kempinski Hotel San Lawrenz, a luxurious limestone-carved hotel, boasting 5 swimming pools, subtropical gardens and views of the Mediterranean.
Meanwhile, the bluish seashore country of Zebugg, adjacent to the brackish pans and Ramala Bay has respective options, including the Hotel Calypso and Cornucopia Hotel.
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