A week in Gozo: Is it worth visiting & what to expect
Just so you know: This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a booking or purchase, I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a trip to Malta and wondering whether Gozo is worth more than just a day trip? We spent a full week there with a toddler and this is everything we wish we’d known before we went, the best beaches, where to eat, how to get around, and whether the island lives up to the hype.
Is Gozo worth visiting?
Yes, without hesitation. If you want something quieter and more relaxed than Malta, Gozo delivers. The beaches are beautiful, the pace is slower, and it genuinely suits families with young children in a way that busier Mediterranean destinations just don’t.
It caught me off guard in other ways too. I wasn’t expecting it to feel quite so unpolished. Stone buildings, a bit of building work here and there, local shops that don’t look like shops at all, in fact we walked past what turned out to be a bakery three times before we realised someone was behind that door making fresh bread. But it is all part of the charm.
For anyone who hasn’t heard of it, Gozo is part of the Maltese archipelago, a small island just a short ferry ride from Malta. It’s quieter, slower, and in my opinion, a little more special.
We spent a full week here on a family holiday in Gozo. It was brilliant for kids. The locals were extremely friendly and just loved our little one. I wasn’t sure if there would be enough things to do to fill up the week initially for such a little island, but there was. In fact we didn’t get to do everything we wanted.
We were lucky enough to have family here, which is how we ended up staying in Qala rather than the usual tourist spots. I think that made all the difference.
If you’re wondering whether Gozo is worth visiting with little ones, here’s an honest look at what the island is actually like as a family destination.
If you’re starting to plan your trip to Gozo, head over to our Gozo travel guide, which includes other guides for beaches, ferries, things to do and travel tips.
Why is Gozo worth visiting?
Gozo feels like a different world to Malta. It’s quieter, greener and considerably more relaxed. The beaches are lovely, the coastal scenery around Dwejra is dramatic, and because it gets far fewer visitors than Malta, you can actually enjoy it without fighting through crowds. For families especially, that makes a real difference.
Is Gozo better as a day trip or an overnight stay?
A day trip is doable and plenty of people do it, but once you factor in the ferry crossing you’re left with less time than you think. You’ll cover a highlight or two and that’s about it.
Two to three nights is where it starts to feel like a proper visit. You can actually get around the island, spend a full day at the beach without clock watching, and settle into the pace of the place. We stayed a full week and it still wasn’t enough, but even a long weekend would be worth it over a day trip.
How long should you spend in Gozo?
1 day: Enough to cover the main highlights. The Citadel, Dwejra Bay and a beach, but you’ll feel rushed and won’t really get a sense of the place.
2–3 days: Ideal for exploring properly without watching the clock. You can linger, get a bit lost, and actually feel the pace of the island.
5–7 days: What we did, travelling with a toddler. Gozo suits a slower pace really well and a full week still left us with plenty we hadn’t done.
A full week is what we’d recommend, especially with young kids. There’s no pressure to cram anything in, you can revisit your favourite spots, and you get to experience the island rather than just tick it off. See our Top 10 Things to Do in Gozo for ideas on how to fill your time.
What might surprise you about Gozo
A few things caught us off guard that are worth knowing before you go.
It’s quieter than you’d expect, even in summer. Coming from a busy UK city, the pace took a little adjusting to, but in the best possible way.
The island looks tiny on a map but distances can be slightly deceptive, particularly if you’re stopping at multiple beaches or coastal spots in one day. A car makes this much more manageable.
And perhaps the biggest surprise, there is genuinely more to do here than a day trip allows. We went in expecting to fill a week and came away wishing we’d had longer.
Who Gozo is and isn’t for
Gozo is a brilliant fit if you’re after a slower pace. Families with young kids, couples who want to actually switch off, or anyone who loves the water but doesn’t need a big resort to enjoy themselves.
It probably isn’t the one if you’re after a party holiday, plenty of nightlife, or a fast paced city break. Gozo is quiet by design, and if that’s not what you’re looking for, Malta itself might suit you better.
Is Gozo worth visiting without a car?
Yes, but it does limit you. Buses cover the main towns and run reasonably well, but if you want to reach the quieter beaches and coastal spots at your own pace, you’ll find public transport slow and restrictive. The Tallija app helps with timetables.
We hired a car and it made a real difference, particularly with a toddler. That said, if you’re only there for a day or two and sticking to Victoria and the more accessible beaches, you could manage without one. For a longer stay with kids, it’s worth the cost.
👉 Check car hire in Gozo on DiscoverCars
How to get to Gozo
If you’re visiting Gozo independently, once you land at Malta Airport your next step is the ferry. We got a taxi from the airport to Cirkewwa, which is the most popular crossing point and the one that takes cars. There’s also a ferry from Valletta if you’re coming from the capital, though that one is foot passengers only.
For full details on both options, timings and what the journey is like with a toddler, see our guide on how to get from Malta to Gozo. One practical thing worth noting if you’re planning on visiting both Gozo and Comino, there are actually two separate boarding points at Cirkewwa. The large ferry goes straight to Gozo, while the smaller boats make a stop at Comino. It’s easy to end up on the wrong one if you’re not paying attention, so check which boarding point you need before joining the queue.
If you’re based in Malta and just want a taste of Gozo, there are plenty of organised day trips that include return transport and time to explore, many also stop at the Blue Lagoon. Boat trips are another option if you want a more relaxed day out, usually with a snorkelling stop or two.
👉 Find day trips to Gozo on GetYourGuide and Viator
👉 Find boat trips for a couple of hours on GetYourGuide and Viator
Exploring Gozo’s towns and villages
Victoria, known locally as Rabat, is the capital and the busiest part of the island by some distance. After a few days of Gozo’s unhurried pace, the cobbled streets and gorgeous old brick buildings felt like a real change of scenery. You could easily just sit with a coffee and watch the world go by.
We didn’t make it to the Citadel, our little girl was only one and it was extremely hot the day we’d planned to go, so we gave it a miss. If your kids are a bit older it’s worth adding to your list, a hilltop fortress with sweeping views across the island. But with a baby in tow on a hot day, there’s no shame in skipping it.
We didn’t make it to Wied Il-Ghasri, a gorge on the north coast with a small secluded beach at the bottom, but it comes up in everything we’ve read about Gozo as one of the most beautiful spots on the island.
A few other towns worth knowing about: Xaghra sits close to the Ggantija Temples and has a lovely traditional feel. Marsalforn is a small seaside town with a good selection of restaurants. Xlendi is probably a favourite for an evening, you can swim, eat fresh seafood, and watch the sun go down over the water.
We stayed with family in Qala, which rarely gets a mention in travel guides. It’s a quiet residential village with none of the tourist trappings, and staying there gave us a completely different feel for the island than we’d have got in one of the more popular spots.
If you time your visit right, Gozo’s village feasts are worth knowing about. Each village has its own feast day and they’re a big deal. Brass bands, fireworks, religious processions, and everyone dressed up. The Qala feast happens at the beginning of August and our family flies over from New York for it every year. We were given an old feast dress for my daughter by a Maltese friend whose own daughter had worn it, the kids are dressed up beautifully for the occasion. We weren’t there for it ourselves but if your dates overlap with a village feast, it’s a genuine slice of Gozitan life that most visitors never see. You can find the dates on Gozo-Malta site here.
👉 Check this full day exploring Gozo’s temples on GetYourGuide
Best beaches in Gozo for families
Gozo isn’t all about beaches but the ones it has are worth the trip alone. Our favourite was Hondoq ir-Rummien, just down from Qala. It’s pebbled rather than sandy, but don’t let that put you off, the water was absolutely clear, full of little rocks perfect for snorkelling, and on the day we went it was packed with locals which gave it a really lovely atmosphere. There’s a café, water sports, and a cliff edge popular with divers. It had everything.
Ramla Bay is the one most people head to, and it’s easy to see why. The sand is a deep red colour, thick underfoot, and in July the water felt like a warm bath. It’s a bit deeper than Hondoq so worth keeping an eye on little ones, but there’s a wooden boardwalk at the back, somewhere to wash your feet, and a café nearby. We didn’t make it to San Blas or Xlendi, but both come highly recommended. San Blas for its seclusion and Xlendi for an evening paddle. For a full rundown of the best beaches in Gozo for families, including what each one is like with a toddler, head to our Gozo beaches guide.
Gozo’s food scene
The food in Gozo is hearty, fresh and seriously good. Every morning my uncle would head to the local bakery and come back with a bag of pastizzis, which are flaky pastry parcels filled with either peas or cheese, still warm. I could have eaten them every day. To be honest, I think I did.
Another thing worth seeking out is ftira, which is a Gozitan flatbread thats more like an open pizza than the Maltese version, usually topped with cheese, spinach and fish. It’s UNESCO listed and specific to the island. The two traditional bakeries that make it are both in Nadur if you want the real thing.
Rabbit stew is Malta’s national dish and something you’ll see on most menus, I didn’t try it myself but it comes highly recommended if you’re feeling adventurous with the local cuisine.
As someone who loves fish, Gozo felt made for me. I didn’t have a single bad meal the whole week. We mostly ate around Qala, but next time I’d make more of an effort to get into Xlendi and Marsalforn, both of which have a great reputation for seafood restaurants right on the water.
👉 Check this Victoria food and walking tour on Viator
👉 Check this Victoria sunset walking food and drink tour on GetYourGuide
Things to do in Gozo with kids
With a one year old in tow, the beach was the highlight for her, and that was more than enough for her at the time.
We visited a craft village which was a lovely couple of hours, a place you could easily lose track of time browsing local makers. We also stumbled across the salt pans which are worth a wander, great for little ones who like poking around in rock pools.
One of the highlights from our trip was a boat trip from Gozo stopping at the Blue Lagoon and Santa Maria caves. The water around Comino genuinely doesn’t look real. Our trip including snorkling equipment, and we had lunch onboard which included salad, meats and bread. It’s a really nice low stress day and a lovely thing to do with kids.
When we go back, she will be a bit older and so we will definitely be adding the water sports activities to our list, such as kayaking, snorkelling and boat trips which are available at most beaches. For families with older kids, the Citadel in Victoria, the Ggantija Temples and Ta’ Mena Estate, which does farm visits and tastings are all worth adding to your list.
Nightlife in Gozo
With a one year old, our evenings were pretty much beach, bath, bed. We weren’t exactly hitting the bars.
That said, Gozo does have a nightlife scene for those lucky enough sample it. Xlendi has seafront bars with sea views, perfect for a cocktail or two as the sun goes down. Victoria has live music and quieter wine bars if you fancy something a bit more laid back. From what family have told us, most places are happy to serve food late and relaxed about prams, so even if you are travelling with kids, an early evening out is very doable.
History and culture in Gozo
Gozo has a lot of history if you’re interested in it. We visited Ta’Pinu Basilica, a striking church sitting up on the hillside, and it was one of those places that stopped us in our tracks with its beauty. Outside, there’s a huge wall covered in mosaic tiles that is really something to see. Inside it’s vast and incredibly quiet, and on an extremely hot day it was also, if we’re being completely honest, a very welcome bit of shade. They provide a cover for your shoulders at the door if they’re bare.
We didn’t make it to the Ggantija Temples or the Citadel this time, but both are high on the list for next time. The temples are said to be older than the pyramids, and the Citadel sits above Victoria with views across the whole island.
Wherever you wander in Gozo, you’ll come across ancient windmills, hilltop chapels and old forts. History is just part of the fabric of the place.
Snorkelling and diving in Gozo
Gozo has a big reputation among divers and it’s easy to understand why. The water clarity is exceptional, visibility can reach up to 40 metres thanks to low algae levels and water temperatures stay warm year round.
The Blue Hole at Dwejra is probably the most well known dive site, particularly since the collapse of the Azure Window in 2017. There are PADI dive centres across the island catering for all levels, from complete beginners to experienced divers.
We didn’t dive or snorkel ourselves on this trip, but it’s very much on the list. The water at Hondoq alone had us peering down at the rocks wishing we’d brought masks.
👉 Scuba diving from experienced divers to beginners on GetYourGuide
👉 Check boat trips with snorkelling on GetYourGuide
Budget: Is Gozo affordable?
For a Mediterranean island, Gozo is really good value. We stayed in an Airbnb, my uncle’s place didn’t have air con, and in that heat we weren’t willing to compromise on that. We went for a place with a private pool that slept six, which came to around £1,200 for the week. That sounds like a lot but split between a group it was very reasonable, and having a pool with a one year old was worth every penny.
Food is affordable by European standards. We found mains around €10-15 with generous portions, and nothing felt overpriced. The best things to do on the island, like the beaches, the salt pans, wandering through Victoria all cost nothing at all.
👉 Check accommodation on Booking.com
Cash vs card in Gozo
Most places in Gozo take card without any issues, but we did come across a few smaller kiosks and village cafés that preferred cash. It’s worth keeping a few euros in your pocket just in case. One thing worth knowing is that cash machines are few and far between on the island. We ended up having to wait until we were near the port to find one, so it’s worth drawing cash out before you make the crossing from Malta.
Final thoughts: Is Gozo worth visiting?
Yes. And I say that as someone who has been to a lot of places and doesn’t often go back to the same destination twice. Gozo is different. The water is unlike anything I’ve seen, the food is great, the locals are friendly, and it handles families with young children without any fuss.
It can be done as a day trip but you’d be shortchanging yourself. Stay at least a few nights, hire a car, and enjoy the island. You’ll leave already thinking about when to go back.
👉 Ready to start planning? Head to our Gozo Travel Guide for everything you need.
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