Off the morning ferry, back on an evening one, and the whole island in between. Here is the day we send people on, hour by hour.
One dayNo car neededFrom the Mġarr ferry
Nine out of ten people who come to Gozo come for the day. They step off the ferry at Mġarr with about nine hours, no car, and a vague plan involving a beach. This is the version of that day that works.
The distances are small. Gozo is roughly 14 kilometres across and 7 deep, so nothing on this list is more than half an hour from anything else. What actually costs you the day is waiting: for a bus that routes everything through Victoria, or for a taxi at Dwejra where there are none. Solve the moving-around problem and one day on Gozo is generous rather than rushed.
09:00
Cross from Ċirkewwa to Mġarr
The car ferry takes about 25 minutes and sails frequently, so there is nothing to book. Sit on the open top deck: the run past Comino and along the Gozo cliffs is the best free thing you will do all day. You pay for the crossing on the way back, from Gozo, which catches everyone out the first time.
Getting out of Mġarr is the steepest climb on the island, which is the whole argument for an electric bike. Mġarr ferry terminal, by arrangement means you step off the boat and go, instead of waiting for a bus that is timed for somebody else's day.
Red sand, clear water and the best swim on the island before the beach fills up. Forty minutes is enough if you are moving, a couple of hours if you are not. The climb back out is long and steep on a normal bike and unremarkable on an electric one.
Ġgantija is older than the pyramids and older than Stonehenge, and it sits at the edge of a working village rather than behind a tourist complex. The village square is the right place for a coffee and the windmill is a five-minute walk away.
The island narrows to one hill in the middle and the Citadel sits on top of it. Walk the walls for the view over the whole of Gozo, then eat: the market square and the streets below the Citadel are where lunch actually is. Ask for a ftira.
The west coast, and the most dramatic landscape on Gozo. The Azure Window is gone, but the Inland Sea, the tunnel through the cliff and the Blue Hole are all still there and the swimming is extraordinary. This is the furthest point of the day, about half an hour of riding from Victoria.
Cut north to the coast road. The salt pans have been cut into the rock here for generations and in late afternoon light they are the photograph everyone takes home. Marsalforn is the place for a swim and something cold before you turn back.
Drop the bike, buy your ferry ticket at the terminal and have a drink on the harbour while you wait. The ride back down is downhill the whole way.
18:30
Ferry back to Malta
Sailings run late into the evening in summer and thin out in winter, so check the last crossing before you leave in the morning. On a busy August evening the car queue at Mġarr is long. Foot passengers never queue.
How to get around Gozo in a day
This is the decision that makes or breaks a day trip, so it is worth two minutes of thought before you board.
Bus
Cheap and it goes almost everywhere, eventually. Everything routes through Victoria, so a day of three or four stops means three or four changes and a lot of standing at the terminus. Fine for one destination, frustrating for a full day.
Taxi
Quick and easy, and the cost adds up fast if you are hopping between five places. Worth it for a single run, such as Mġarr to Dwejra, when you are short on time.
Hire car
Total freedom, if you are happy with narrow village lanes and finding somewhere to leave it at Ramla in August. You also have to get it onto the ferry, which means queueing at both ends on summer weekends.
eBike
Covers the whole island comfortably in a day, parks anywhere, gets down the lanes a car cannot, and the motor means Gozo's hills stop being a consideration. This is what the itinerary above is built around.
Do this itinerary by eBike
We are getting the bikes ready now. Leave your email and we will send you 15% off your first booking of 3 days or more the moment bookings open. Helmet, lock, phone holder and these routes on your phone are included, and we can meet you at the Mġarr ferry terminal so you start riding the moment you land.
A second day gets you the south: Xlendi, the Ta' Ċenċ cliffs and the quiet bays on the east coast at Ħondoq and Dahlet Qorrot. A third gets you Comino and the Blue Lagoon, which is best reached from Mġarr early in the morning before the Malta boats arrive.
If Gozo is one part of a longer trip, our 3-day Malta itinerary puts it in context, and our things to do in Gozo guide covers everything that did not fit in a single day. Coming outside summer? Gozo is at its greenest and quietest between November and March, which our winter guide makes the case for.
Gozo day trip: frequently asked questions
The questions we get asked on the harbour, most mornings.
For the highlights, yes. Gozo is about 14 kilometres across, and the itinerary above covers the best beach, the temples, the Citadel, the west coast cliffs and the salt pans between the morning and evening ferries. For the quieter corners such as Ħondoq, Dahlet Qorrot and Ta' Ċenċ, stay the night.
How do I get to Gozo for the day?
The Ċirkewwa car ferry from the north of Malta takes about 25 minutes and runs frequently with no booking. The fast passenger ferry from Valletta takes about 45 minutes and is the better option if you are staying in the capital, Sliema or the Three Cities, though it is more likely to be cancelled in rough weather.
Can I do a Gozo day trip without a car?
Yes, and most people do. Foot passengers never queue for the ferry. Once you are across, the practical options are the bus, taxis or a bike. Everything on this itinerary is reachable by eBike from Mġarr harbour.
What time should I take the ferry to Gozo?
Cross by nine in the morning. It gets you to Ramla before the beach fills, gives you the full day, and in high summer it puts you ahead of the car queue at Ċirkewwa.
What is the best thing to do in Gozo in one day?
If you only do one thing, make it Dwejra for the landscape or Ramla for the swim. If you can do two, add the Citadel in Victoria for the view across the whole island.
How much does a day trip to Gozo cost?
The ferry itself is one of the cheapest boat trips in the Mediterranean, a few euro return for a foot passenger. The rest of the day is what you spend on lunch, entry to Ġgantija and whatever you use to get around the island.
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