Gozo Day Trip from Malta — The Complete Guide

Gozo is Malta's quieter, greener sister island — and for many visitors, the bigger surprise of the trip. It's smaller, more rural, and moves at a completely different pace to the main island. A day trip from Malta is entirely doable, and here's everything you need to know to make it count.

Getting to Gozo: Ferry vs Private Boat

The public ferry from Cirkewwa to Mgarr runs regularly and takes about 25 minutes. It's the standard route and perfectly fine — though in peak summer the queues for the car ferry can be long. Foot passengers board more easily.

The better option for seeing Gozo's coastline is a private boat charter. Rather than arriving at Mgarr harbour and needing transport to reach the beaches, a private charter takes you directly to Gozo's best bays and coastal spots — San Blas, Dahlet Qorrot, Mgarr ix-Xini — by sea. You see the island from its most spectacular angle and don't spend the day organising taxis.

Top Things to See and Do in Gozo

• San Blas Bay — red-sand cove, no road access, one of the best beaches in the Mediterranean

• Dahlet Qorrot — traditional fishing bay, exceptional snorkelling, almost no tourists

• Mgarr ix-Xini — a stunning narrow inlet with calm, clear water and dramatic cliff walls

• Victoria (Rabat) — Gozo's capital, with the medieval Citadel offering panoramic views of the entire island

• Ggantija Temples — 5,500-year-old megalithic temples, older than Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids

• Xlendi Bay — a charming fishing village with good swimming and excellent seafood restaurants

Where the Azure Window Used to Be

The Azure Window — Gozo's iconic natural rock arch at Dwejra — collapsed in 2017. The bay is still worth visiting: the Inland Sea nearby is remarkable (a small lagoon connected to the open sea by a tunnel through the cliffs), and the diving around the former arch site is now considered among the best in the Mediterranean.

How to Make the Most of a Single Day

Gozo is small — you can cross the island in 20 minutes by car. A well-planned day can combine coastal swimming in the morning, lunch in Victoria or Xlendi, and an afternoon at the temples or the Citadel. If you're doing it by private charter, we can combine Gozo's coast with Comino and the Blue Lagoon in a single full-day trip.

Food Worth Eating in Gozo

Gozo has a strong food identity. Gbejna (fresh sheep's milk cheese) is the island's most famous product — try it with local honey or pickled in herbs. The ftira (Gozitan flatbread with tuna, olives, and capers) is worth seeking out for lunch. Seafood restaurants in Xlendi and Marsalforn are consistently excellent.

To see Gozo's best coastal spots on a private charter from Malta, book with Nautiful. We include Gozo in our full-day itineraries and can build a day that combines the coast, Comino, and the Blue Lagoon all in one trip.