Discover Gozo: the Cittadella, coastal trails and island culture

When choosing a hotel on Gozo, start by considering which aspects of the island you want to shape your stay: the history of the Cittadella, museums and crafts, planned walking trails, or coastal landscapes with bays and a diving site. To get there, Gozo Channel connects Ċirkewwa on Malta with Mġarr on Gozo year-round, around the clock; ferry services depend on favourable weather and operating conditions. Check the latest timetable and service information before travelling.

The Cittadella and museums: history across different periods

The Cittadella Visitors’ Centre presents the history of the Cittadella through interactive touchscreens, printed panels and a video in a surround theatre. Information is available in eight languages. A ticket for the Centre also grants access to the Nature Museum, the Old Prisons and the Gran Castello Historic House within the Cittadella. As ticket inclusions may change, it is worth checking the current details before your visit.

The fortified ramparts of the Cittadella also offer a distinctive view of Gozo: the 360-degree panorama stretches across hills, valleys, villages and churches to the sea and Malta. The south flank provides a specific historical reference point: it was rebuilt under the Knights Hospitaller between 1599 and 1603. This allows you to appreciate the views and the architectural history as two distinct aspects of the Cittadella.

Museums and cultural sites offer further insights into Gozo’s past, each with its own focus. The Gozo Museum of Archaeology presents cultural history from prehistory to the early modern period. Its permanent exhibition is divided into prehistory, the classical period, and the Middle Ages and early modern period. The Interpretation Centre at Ġgantija Archaeological Park focuses on life on Gozo during the Neolithic period and significant Neolithic artefacts discovered on Gozo.

Ta’ Kola Windmill is one of the few surviving windmills on the Maltese Islands dating from the period of the Knights Hospitaller. Its wooden milling mechanism retains the original round millstones. Il-Ħaġar combines a permanent exhibition with spaces for temporary exhibitions and a rooftop terrace overlooking Victoria’s skyline and Gozo’s rural landscape. Its programme includes exhibitions, public lectures and educational activities, including the annual Joseph Vella Memorial Lecture.

Choose walking trails by destination and route

Nine walking trails for different levels of difficulty are planned for Gozo, covering all the villages and the coast. The destinations and starting points described can help you choose: the Dwejra Walk starts and ends in Victoria and leads to Dwejra Heritage Park. The Saltpans Walk is a circular route that also starts and ends in Victoria; its destination is the old salt pans. The two routes therefore differ in their respective destinations.

The Ta’ Ġurdan Walk starts and ends in the village square of Għarb and leads to both Ta’ Ġurdan Lighthouse and Ta’ Pinu Sanctuary. The Xlendi Walk runs from L-Imġarr Harbour to Ix-Xlendi Bay, via Mġarr ix-Xini Bay and along the Ta’ Ċenċ and Sanap cliffs. Check the latest route information before setting out, as details may be updated.

Coast, diving site and protected landscape

At Dwejra, formations in the coastal rocks resemble mosaics made up of thousands of marine fossils. The Inland Sea is connected to the open sea by a 100-metre-long tunnel used by small boats. The Blue Hole, an internationally recognised diving site, is also in Dwejra. These coastal destinations appeal to different interests: geological formations, a distinctive connection to the sea, or diving.

Ramla Bay adds a rare habitat of sand dunes and waterside activities to this selection. It is designated as a Natura 2000 protected area and is suitable for swimming and snorkelling. Those interested in religious heritage can find 14 white Carrara marble statues on Ta’ Għammar Hill. They depict the Stations of the Cross and create a place for pilgrimage and reflection.

Crafts, wine and seasonal salt production

At Ta’ Dbieġi Crafts Village in Għarb, visitors will find workshops producing handmade ceramics, mouth-blown glass, leather goods, traditional baked goods, Gozo lace and silver filigree. The offerings at individual workshops may change. Guided tours and tastings offer a chance to discover Gozitan wine and learn about traditional winemaking techniques passed down through generations; participating producers may change.

At Xwejni Bay, salt harvesting typically takes place repeatedly in summer, from mid-May to September. Exact harvest dates may vary depending on conditions. This is a seasonal production cycle, not a scheduled visitor activity. Together with its walking destinations and cultural sites, Gozo offers a range of ways to plan your stay around your own interests.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Marsa, Attard, Victoria, Qormi, Gzira, Xemxija, Santa Venera, Hal Kirkop.

For the main travel overview: Malta.