Best Beaches in Gozo: Family Friendly Guide
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Gozo’s beaches aren’t quite what you might picture when you think Mediterranean. Most of them are small, rocky, and completely unspoilt, and once you get used to that, they’re hard to beat.
We visited two during our week there. Ramla Bay is the one everyone goes to, and it earns its reputation, but the sand is gritty rather than soft and gets absolutely everywhere, which with a toddler is worth knowing in advance. The water though, in July, was like stepping into a warm bath.
Hondoq ir-Rummien was our local beach, just down from Qala where we were staying, and it ended up being our favourite. Pebbled, busy with locals, people snorkelling around the rocks and diving off the sides, it had a completely different energy to Ramla and we loved it.
If you’re looking for the best beaches in Gozo for families, the good news is most of them are calm, clear and well suited to young children. Facilities vary, the bigger bays have cafés, toilets and sunbeds, while the quieter coves are more basic. A pram is fine at Ramla and Hondoq, but some of the more secluded spots are harder to reach with little ones. This guide covers the beaches we visited ourselves and a few we didn’t make it to but are worth knowing about.
In this guide, I’ll share the best beaches in Gozo, which ones are perfect for toddlers, which are better for older kids or adventurous swimmers, and what facilities you’ll find nearby.
If you’re deciding if Gozo’s right for your family, or planning your trip, you can check out our Gozo Travel Guide, which includes everything from how to get there, where to eat, stay and much more. Our Is Gozo worth visiting guide will also help you to decide.
But if you’ve already decided you’re going to Gozo and just want to know where to soak up the sun with your little ones, this is our guide to the best beaches in Gozo. If you’re unsure how to get to Gozo from Malta, this guide will help with ferries and how to book them.
Ramla Bay – Gozo’s famous red sand beach
Ramla Bay is Gozo’s most well known beach and the one most visitors head to first. The sand is a deep red colour, which looks striking but is much grittier than the soft sand you might be used to, it gets into everything, so pack accordingly if you’re coming with a toddler.
The water in July was genuinely warm, almost like a bath, and shallow enough at the edges for little ones to paddle safely. There’s a wooden boardwalk at the back of the beach and somewhere to wash your feet before you leave, which is worth knowing if you’ve got a car. It gets busy at weekends so arriving early is worth it.
Before heading down to the beach, it’s worth making a quick stop at Tal-Mixta Cave on the headland above. The view of Ramla Bay framed through the cave opening is genuinely one of the best views on the island. It’s a short walk from the road and the cave itself is easily accessible.
> Facilities: Sunbeds, umbrellas, snack kiosks, toilets and parking close by.
> Good for: Toddlers and young children.
> Pram friendly: Yes.
> Top tip: Arrive early at weekends, it fills up fast.
San Blas Bay
We didn’t make it to San Blas on this trip – it’s a bit of a trek down a steep path and with a 16 month old in July heat, we decided against it. From everything I’ve read though, it’s worth the effort if your kids are a bit older and more mobile. Smaller and quieter than Ramla, with softer sand and calmer water.
One practical note for families – the walk down to San Blas is steep and not pram friendly. There’s a jeep service that runs up and down every 15 minutes or so for those who don’t want to tackle the hill, which makes it much more manageable with kids or anyone who’d rather not deal with the climb back up.
> Facilities: Small beach bar and sunbeds.
> Good for: Older children and confident walkers.
> Pram friendly: No, it’s a steep path down.
> Good to know: It’s small and fills up quickly.
Marsalforn Bay
We didn’t visit Marsalforn Bay during our trip, but it’s worth knowing about if you’re staying in or around the town. It’s not Gozo’s most beautiful beach, it’s small and more of a town beach than a destination in its own right, but the convenience is the point. You’re right next to restaurants, cafés and ice cream stops, which with young kids is sometimes exactly what you need.
> Good for: A quick dip when you’re already in Marsalforn.
> Pram friendly: Yes.
> Good to know: Don’t make a special trip, but worth a stop if you’re nearby.
Xlendi Bay
We didn’t make it to Xlendi during our trip. From what I’ve read it’s a small lagoon style bay with shallow, calm water which is well suited to little ones. The added bonus is that it’s surrounded by restaurants, so you can move straight from swimming to eating without much effort. One for next time.
> Facilities Cafe’s, toilets, boat hire and parking.
> Good for: Toddlers and young children.
> Pram friendly: Yes.
> Top tip: Head up the coastal path after your swim for good views over the bay.
Dahlet Qorrot
We didn’t visit Dahlet Qorrot and don’t know much about it beyond the basics. It’s a small pebble bay, mostly used by locals and fishermen, with clear water good for snorkelling. Worth a short stop if you’re passing, but probably not worth a dedicated trip.
> Facilities: Small cafe.
> Good for: A short stop and snorkel.
> Pram friendly: Unknown.
> Good to know: Best as a brief visit rather than a full day out.
Dwejra Bay – Blue Hole and Inland Sea
We didn’t swim at Dwejra on this trip but it comes up in everything written about Gozo and it would be wrong to leave it off any beaches guide. This is where the famous Azure Window stood before it collapsed in 2017, and the coastline here is dramatic even without it.
The Blue Hole is Gozo’s best known dive site. A natural limestone pool open to the sea, popular with divers and snorkellers. Non divers can access the rock platform via ladders and swim around it, though the rocks can be slippery so water shoes are worth wearing. From the car park, small boats also run short trips out to sea past caves and rock formations, departing whenever they fill up and costing around €5.
The Inland Sea sits just nearby, a saltwater lagoon connected to the open Mediterranean through a narrow tunnel in the rock. You can take a short boat ride through it which is worth doing if you’re in the area.
For families, Dwejra is more of a stop and explore than a beach day, the swimming is for confident swimmers and older kids rather than toddlers. But the scenery alone makes it worth the trip.
Wied Il-Għasri
We didn’t visit Wied Il-Għasri on this trip but it’s one of the most talked about spots on the island so it belongs here. It’s a narrow gorge with orange cliffs on either side leading down to a small pebbly beach and clear green water. The water is less calm than somewhere like Hondoq. It moves around quite a bit as it bounces off the gorge walls, so it’s better suited to confident swimmers than little ones. That said, the views walking along the top of the gorge are apparently stunning even if you don’t go in. Firmly on our list for next time.
Mgarr ix-Xini
Another one we didn’t make on this trip. Mgarr ix-Xini is a quieter, more secluded bay on the south coast – a narrower, calmer version of Wied Il-Għasri with boats anchored in the bay and fewer tourists than the main beaches. The road down is reportedly single track and can require reversing to let oncoming cars pass, so worth knowing before you set off. For families with older kids who want somewhere quieter to swim, it gets recommended consistently.
Hondoq ir-Rummien
This was our beach. Just down the road from Qala where we were staying, we ended up here more than anywhere else and it never got old.
It’s pebbled rather than sandy, which after Ramla we actually welcomed. The water is clear enough to see straight to the bottom, and there were always people snorkelling around the rocks or lining up to dive off the cliff edge. It had a really lovely atmosphere, mostly locals, which always feels like a good sign. Even on a stormier day the water still glistened in a way that’s hard to describe.
There’s a café serving food and drinks, plenty of water sports if you fancy a kayak or jet ski, and a playground nearby for when little ones need a change of scene.
One thing worth knowing if you’re visiting with kids of different ages, there are three jumping platforms at different heights, so even less confident kids can join in. Our daughter was only one so we wern’t exactly doing the jumps ourselves, but watching everyone else hurl themselves off was entertainment enough.
👉 Check Comino and Blue Lagoon Guided Kayaking Adventure on GetYourGuide
👉 Scuba diving from beginners to experienced divers
> Facilities: Cafe, watersports, playground and parking.
> Good for: All ages – toddlers to confident speakers.
> Pram friendly: Yes.
> Top tip: Stay into the evening – the sunset over Comino from here is worth it.
Tips and what to bring for Gozo beaches with kids
> Get a hire car. Gozo is small but the beaches are spread across the island and public transport won’t always get you where you need to go. We used DiscoverCars and found it straightforward and good value.
👉 Check prices on DiscoverCars
> Bring shade. We learned this the hard way, July in Gozo is seriously hot and most beaches have very little natural shade. A pop up tent or a good umbrella is essential, especially with young children.
> Pack water shoes. Several of Gozo’s beaches are rocky or pebbled. Little feet will thank you.
Go on weekdays if you can. Weekends bring the locals out in force, which is lovely but means the beaches fill up fast, especially Ramla.
> Time your visits. Early morning or late afternoon are the sweet spots in summer. The midday heat with a toddler is no joke.
> Bring snacks and plenty of water. Not every beach has a café, and even the ones that do can have queues. We always packed a cool bag.
> The usual beach bag essentials apply too – high factor sunscreen, swim nappies if you need them, a change of clothes, and quick dry towels. With a toddler in tow, packing more than you think you need is never a bad idea.
Final thoughts: Are Gozo beaches worth it?
Gozo’s beaches won’t suit everyone, if you need long stretches of soft sand, you might find them a bit limited. But the water is warm, clear, and calm enough that we never once felt nervous with a toddler in tow.
Planning your trip? Our Gozo Travel Guide covers everything else you need to know.
Gozo beaches FAQs
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