Between dives · Gozo, Malta
The second-largest island of the Maltese archipelago: 14 km long, 67 km², with megalithic temples older than the pyramids, red-sand beaches, cliff-top walks and a 25-minute ferry from Malta.
67 km²
Total area
14 × 7 km
Length and width
~32,000
People live here
25 min
Ferry from Ċirkewwa
Best places to go
Gozo is 14 km long and 7 km wide, so nothing here is far from anything else. These are the stops we send divers to between training days.
Centre of the island
Gozo's capital, known locally as Rabat, is built around the Citadel — a fortified hilltop town with a cathedral, narrow lanes and views across the whole island. Come up in the late afternoon when the tour buses have gone.
Half a day · cafés · viewpoints
Xagħra, north-east
Two megalithic temples older than the Egyptian pyramids, built from huge limestone blocks around 3600 BC and listed by UNESCO. The small museum next door explains what you are looking at.
One hour · history · sheltered from wind
West coast
A collapsed coastline of cliffs, the inland sea lagoon and Fungus Rock. The Azure Window fell into the sea in 2017, but the boat trips out through the tunnel in the cliff still run and the sunsets are the best on the island.
Sunset · boat trip · photography
South-west coast
A fishing village folded into a narrow bay between cliffs, with waterfront restaurants and a swim straight off the rocks. The cliff path north towards San Lawrenz is a short, steep walk with big views.
Evening meal · easy swim · walk
North-east coast
Gozo's largest sandy beach, unmistakable for its red-orange sand, with the Calypso Cave in the hillside above — the cave Homer's Calypso was said to live in. Busy in August, near-empty in May and October.
Beach day · families · between dives
North coast
A working seaside town with fish restaurants along the waterfront. Ten minutes west, the Xwejni salt pans are still raked by hand each summer, cutting a checkerboard into the rock beside the road.
Lunch · coastal walk · sea salt to take home
Għarb, west of the island
A tall neo-Romanesque church standing alone in the fields, built on the site of a chapel where locals reported a voice speaking from a painting of the Virgin Mary in 1883. Pilgrims still leave notes and crutches inside.
30 minutes · quiet · architecture
North-west coast
A natural limestone arch in the farmland near Għarb, with a path down into the valley below it. Almost nobody there, and a very different kind of photograph from the one everyone takes at Dwejra.
Short walk · solitude · photo stop
South coast
The wildest stretch of the island: limestone plateau ending in sheer cliffs over the sea, with prehistoric cart ruts and the islet of Fungus Rock in the distance. Best at golden hour, and there is nothing between you and the drop.
Long walk · birds · sunset
Day trip by boat
A 10–15 minute boat ride from Mġarr to the smallest island of the archipelago, famous for water so clear it looks lit from below. Go early or late in the day — in high summer the lagoon is packed with day boats by midday.
Half day · swimming · snorkelling
A three-day plan
Day 1
Ferry in at Mġarr and drive straight up to Marsalforn for lunch on the waterfront, then walk the salt pans at Xwejni. Swim at Ramla Bay in the afternoon, see Ġgantija while you are close, and finish at Ta' Pinu as the light goes gold.
Day 2
Dwejra first thing, before the boats: the inland sea, Fungus Rock and a short trip out through the tunnel in the cliff. Then Wied il-Mielaħ and the quiet lanes around Għarb, and Victoria's Citadel in the late afternoon.
Day 3
Walk the cliff path out of Xlendi, then drive to Ta' Ċenċ for the big south-coast views and the cart ruts in the rock. If the sea is calm, take an afternoon boat from Mġarr to Comino and the Blue Lagoon.
Practical details
The Gozo Channel ferry runs from Ċirkewwa in the north of Malta to Mġarr on Gozo in about 25 minutes, roughly every 45 minutes through the day and around the clock overnight. You pay on the return leg. On the island, the bus network reaches every village but runs on island time — a small hire car or a scooter is the easiest way to see the west coast and the cliffs in one day.
Gozo eats well and without fuss. Fish at Marsalforn or Xlendi, rabbit — the island's signature dish — at the village restaurants around Victoria, ftira sandwiches for lunch, and a glass of local Ġellewża wine in the evening. Most kitchens close between lunch and dinner, so plan around that.
May, June, September and October are the best months: sea warm enough to swim, land not yet scorching, and space on the beaches. July and August are hot and busy, especially around Ramla and the Blue Lagoon. Winter is quiet, green and mild — good for walking, not for beach days. See the best time to go for month-by-month conditions.
Course and camp days start at 10:00 at Mġarr and finish mid-afternoon, so the early evening is yours. On a 10 or 20-day depth camp the rest days are the natural time for the Citadel, Ġgantija and the west coast — and they are days off your body, not off the island.
Explore more
Ten or twenty days of coached line training with rest days built in.
VisitFerries, flights and the walk from Mġarr to the water.
VisitSites, visibility and the best seasons to dive.
VisitLive weather and marine conditions for the week ahead.
Visit