Gozo Itinerary: 7 Tips for the Perfect Maltese Getaway
The island of Gozo is small enough that you can cross it quickly, but it’s not the kind of place that rewards speed.
The best itineraries feel like a string of good decisions that stack: the right crossing, the right base, the right time of day for the right coastline. If you plan your Gozo itinerary like a checklist, you’ll miss out on the island way of life, and if you ask me, that’s a waste of a trip.
In this article, I’m going to share some simple but useful travel planning tips that will make your trip to Gozo run seamlessly.
Are you ready? Then let’s get into it.
Gozo Itinerary: 7 Tips for the Perfect Maltese Getaway
1. Build your Gozo itinerary around how the island actually behaves
When you’re planning your trip to Gozo, start with the crossings, because they dictate everything else.
The Cirkewwa–Mġarr ferry is the classic car-and-foot option, and the crossing time is about 25 minutes.
If you’re staying in Valletta or you want a car-free trip, the fast ferry runs from Valletta to Mġarr and vice versa with multiple daily departures, and the journey is roughly 45 minutes.
My advice? If your plan includes lots of small coves, sunrise swims, and getting off the beaten track, having a car makes things a lot easier. If your travel style is more about exploring the towns, savouring the local food, and hitting the main sights, the fast ferry is your best option.
Next, pick a base that suits your vibe.
Victoria (Rabat) is the best option if you want a central hub and flexible day-plans, Xlendi is great if you’re looking for cliffs and sunset walks, and Marsalforn works when you want a seaside promenade and dinner options you can reach on foot.
Quieter villages like Nadur or Għarb are perfect if you want to enjoy slow mornings, local bakeries, and less hustle and bustle.
For the most efficient Gozo itinerary, plan your days in blocks.
Mornings are for viewpoints, cliff walks, old streets, and anything you want to photograph without the harsh midday glare. If you want to go on an underwater adventure, you can also use the morning to schedule a spot of diving in Gozo.
Midday is for long lunches, indoor stops, and shade. Late afternoon is great for swimming. Night is for atmosphere and strolls around the city while visiting different restaurants and bars.
Planning your schedule this way will allow you to cover different places to visit in Gozo without tiring yourself out.
2. The anchors first rule: schedule a few big moments, then fill the gaps
Rather than try to cram everything in, pick two or three non-negotiables that you absolutely cannot miss. These will be your ‘anchors.’ The Citadel in Victoria is an obvious choice: it’s a history-and-views combo that’s definitely worth slowing down and exploring. Pair it with a slow wander through Victoria’s lanes and a café stop so that you’re also making sure to absorb the local culture.
Another anchor is a proper beach day (or half-day if you’re short on time).
Ramla Bay is the famous sandy option, but the smarter move is to plan one ‘main beach’ plus backups, because wind direction can change the best swim spot overnight. The wind in Gozo matters more than most people realise, so it’s always worth having a few coves that provide shelter just in case the water is too choppy on the larger beaches.
3. Make time for a coastal walk, but don’t over-commit
Gozo’s coastline is the kind that is so beautiful, you won’t want your walk to come to an end.
When you’re building your Gozo itinerary, decide whether your ‘walk’ is going to be an easy stroll, a moderate loop, or a point-to-point hike. This way, you’ll be able to build your day around it.
You could start the day with a morning walk, followed by a swim and a long lunch, or alternatively, spend your morning exploring the town, seek some shade in the afternoon, and enjoy a lovely golden-hour cliff stroll.
The key to maximise your time on the island is to stop treating walking and swimming as separate days; on Gozo they’re naturally linked, because the best views and the best dips are often right beside each other.
If you’re traveling in a mixed group (kids, non-hikers, people who hate the heat), split into smaller groups. One group can do the scenic loop while the other group finds a shaded viewpoint and relaxes for a while, with everyone reuniting at the end for a swim together. This is the best way to cater to everyone’s individual needs while still making sure to spend plenty of time together.
4. Comino and the Blue Lagoon: don’t leave things to chance
If Comino is on your list, treat it like a planned excursion rather than a spontaneous detour.
Since May 1, 2025, a visitor booking system has required people arriving by private boat or commercial vessel to pre-book a time slot to step onto the Blue Lagoon area, with daily slots such as morning, afternoon, and evening windows.
This means that a spontaneous trip to the Blue Lagoon isn’t possible. You don’t just wait until noon and ‘see how you feel’ – you must choose a time slot and then build the rest of the day around it.
The best way to experience the Blue Lagoon is to bring snorkel gear and deliberately walk away from the busiest entry point, giving yourself the best chance of seeing something. The Blue Lagoon is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Gozo, so it gets incredibly busy.
5. Eat like a local
Choose meals that match the day’s geography: waterfront dinners when you’re already by the coast, village square restaurants when you want atmosphere, and intentionally long lunches when the sun is at its strongest.
For light bites on the go, Gozo is full of bakeries where you can buy traditional Maltese snacks like pastizzi, ftira, and savoury pies. This helps keep costs down, allows you to keep moving, and it’s a quick and easy option if you’re travelling to Gozo with kids.
Lunch in Gozo tends to be a casual affair (think salads, grilled fish, simple pasta dishes), and dinners are slow and indulgent (seafood platters, local stews, shared plates).
6. Make the most of your evenings
Gozo’s evenings are part of the itinerary, and if you’re in bed by 9, you’ll really miss out on what gives this Mediterranean island its soul.
If you catch a village festa week, it can completely change your night: square dinners, band marches, fireworks, and the communal atmosphere that is central to the Maltese way of life.
7. Be mindful of ‘island time’
Even the best-planned Gozo trips can fall apart at the seams when you underestimate queue times, overestimate how many swims you’ll do, and forget that the scorching heat can really slow you down.
You also need to remember that Malta and Gozo run on ‘island time,’ with starting times often being more of a suggestion than a hard and fast rule, and Maltese people not being the type to patiently wait in queues. You can read my article about living in Sicily for an insight into how people in this part of the world live their lives (or you can just trust me – my Nan was Maltese, so I know the Maltese temperament well!).
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, the best Gozo itinerary isn’t the one that covers the most ground; it’s the one that allows the island to set the pace.
Slow mornings, long lunches, coastal walks, and evenings that stretch much later than expected – that’s what Gozo is all about. Trust me – the moments you’ll remember are the ones you didn’t try to rush.
That’s all I’ve got for today, but if you’re planning a longer trip to Malta, you may also like my 3-day Malta itinerary. As always, if you have any questions, then don’t hesitate to reach out and ask me in the comments section below!
Until next time,
XOXO
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