Exploring the beauty and versatility of Gozo
Malta is a popular destination, thanks to the fact that the island has a rich culture, a lot of fun cities and beautiful surroundings. Each year, Malta welcomes around 2 million visitors on the island. And have you ever heard of Malta’s sister, Gozo? A much smaller island which is located just above Malta.
Gozo is an island suitable for people who are looking for some more rest, nature and smaller, cosy towns. Perfect is to combine this island together with a trip to Malta, because both are definitely worth a visit. Although the two islands belong together, they definitely aren’t the same. If you are only interested in Gozo, you can fly to Malta and immediately go to the port of Malta for the ferry to Gozo and stay there a week.
In this article I will tell you some more about Gozo and the places you should definitely visit on the island.
Victoria
Victoria is the capital of Gozo; but even this city can be called a town, because it isn’t that big. Victoria is very cosy and has a really nice center. The center has a square with some terraces, beautiful buildings and boutique shops where you can entertain yourself for a few hours.
A must visit is the citadel, which you can find just outside the city center. Thanks to the fact that the citadel is located high, you can see the building from all over the island; this makes it extra special.
Marsalforn
Marsalforn is one of the bigger places of Malta and together with Xlendi the place where the most people stay during their time on Gozo. Marsalforn used to be an old fisher town, but it has become bigger during the years. Around the water in Marsalforn, there are some nice places where you can have lunch, dinner or just a drink.
Not only foreign tourists are coming to this town, also the Maltese people and the people from Gozo come here to spend their holidays. Close to Marsalforn, you can also find Rambla Bay Beach. This is one of the little sand beaches you can find on the island, so in summer this beach can be very crowded. However, it’s a really beautiful, orange-sanded beach.
Xlendi
Xlendi is the other town on Gozo where most of the people stay during their trip. The town is even smaller than Marsalforn and really has a cosy atmosphere. There are lots of great fish restaurants where you can enjoy a nice dinner along the water. There also is a really small beach where you can swim a little bit. When you walk along the boulevard, you can walk further to a rock where you can have a spectacular view over the water.
North Coast
The North Coast of Gozo is a beautiful piece of intact nature and places. If you have a rental car, it’s very easy to drive around the North Coast and to visit several places. One of the most famous places, is Dwejra Bay with its beautiful rock formations. The Dwejra Window was a well-known image of Gozo, but unfortunately this rock collapsed last year as result of bad weather after years of erosion. However, it’s still a beautiful place to visit; where you can explore cliffs, caves, diving sites and stunning natural monuments.
If you would like to see a “look-a-like” Dwejra Window, you’ll need to drive a little but northwards to Wied Il Mielah, which is located near the village Garb. This Azure Window is not that well-known, what makes it even more beautiful and intact. The place of the window is great, in a peaceful environment. You really need a rental car if you want to get around this place. Definitely worth a visit and just as beautiful as the Dwejra Window!
From here you can drive all the way along the North Coast until you arrive in Marsalforn. On the way you’ll come across beautiful places, from where the salt pans are one of them. See below the photos I’ve made at the salt pans.
Have you ever been to Gozo? What did you think about it?
Author: Tamara
