A Day In Gozo - Travelling & Exploring
A Day In Gozo - Travelling & Exploring
Gozo – the smaller and more relaxed sister island of Malta, holds a rich history, with an abundance of eateries, landmarks, beaches, hiking trails and fun activities to take part in. If you’re visiting the island on holiday or live in either Malta or Gozo and need some guidance or inspiration on things to do, this is the article for you. We’ll take you through a day plan of exciting places to visit and delicious places to eat at, starting from breakfast in the morning and finishing with dinner in the evening.
Morning and Breakfast - Café Jubilee
Café Jubilee
First things first – breakfast. When waking up, you’d want a nutritious, tasty and filling meal to suffice you until lunchtime, especially if you’re planning on sightseeing and travelling a great deal in between those times. Located in the heart of Victoria – the capital of Gozo, you will find a cute and unique café. Café Jubilee opened in Victoria in 1998 and ever since, they have served high-quality and delicious food catering to a wide range of preferences.
Their breakfast menu is far from boring, as they offer a generous selection to choose from. Whether you’re in the mood for toast, crumpets, pancakes, eggs or something healthy such as almond-flour pancakes or porridge, Café Jubilee won’t leave you disappointed. Even serving pasta, delicious salads and burgers from 10:00 am, Café Jubilee pulls no stops in serving its customers the best foods at any time of day. Pair your breakfast with a delicious coffee or tea and as they carry soya, oat, almond and coconut milk along with regular and lactose-free milk, everyone can enjoy without feeling left out.
A link to their website can be found here for more information and to see their menu.
Morning Stroll & Sight-seeing - Cittadella
The Cittadella via VisitGozo
Once you’ve filled up on breakfast, take it easy and stroll through the main street in the capital, where you will find plenty of shops, offering a range of goods. Whilst there, check out The Duke Shopping Mall, where you’ll find boutique shops, sneaker shops, a supermarket and a beauty shop amongst many other stores.
Just behind where you enjoyed breakfast, you’ll find the ever-so historical Cittadella, which in Maltese is Iċ-Ċittadella. High up and visible from almost the entirety of Gozo, The Cittadella is a definite must-see when on the island. It is home to a large number of museums and sights to see, such as:
– The Gozo Nature Museum
– The Museum of Archaeology
– The Cathedral Museum
– The Old Prison
– The Grain Silos
The fortified city was used for both residency and safety/protection purposes. Throughout the Roman and Phoenician periods, The Cittadella was known as the blooming city of ‘Gaulcouis Civitas’ before the Knights of the Order of St. John arrived. It became a residency location just after the Neolithic times. Nowadays, only a couple of families reside on The Cittadella grounds, allowing the area to still have an eery and historic feel as you explore every inch and travel back in time.
A website can be found here for more information.
An afternoon in xlendi with ice-cream - gelateria granola
Colours of Malta 'Xlendi' & Gelateria Granola
Once you have taken a journey through and discovered the many museums and breathtaking views overlooking the island and Mediterranean sea, it’s time to venture out and explore the rest of Gozo.
With all the major roads around the island connecting back to the capital city, you can never get lost. From Victoria, you can take the 306 bus route which will take you to Xlendi, or if you’re driving, simply input Xlendi and let the GPS guide you there. Located in the southwestern region of Gozo, the village of Xlendi is surrounded by beautiful clear waters and is home to delicious restaurants. You can enjoy the fresh sea breeze and open areas to take walks to get a view of the Gozo way of living – some say it’s even more laid back than the Maltese way. You can then dig into a tasty and fresh meal from one of the many restaurants available right on the water. Being so close to the sea, you can expect fresh seafood along with pasta, main meals, vibrant salads and to-die-for burgers. If you’re after a different cuisine, worry not as you can also find restaurants specialising in other cuisines as well, such as Sapana Indian Cuisine.
A link to their website can be found here for more information and to see their menu.
If the sun is beaming down and it’s a glorious, hot day, you can indulge in plenty of ice cream, sorbet and gelato that are found conveniently around the area. Popular ice cream outlet ‘Gelateria Gelato’ offers an extremely large range of flavours – where almost any flavour you can think of or crave, is available. Offering traditional and classic flavours to ones that are unique and special, there’ll be something for everyone. After you’ve eaten lunch and maybe finished it off with delicious ice cream, it’s back to sightseeing.
A link to their Facebook can be found here for more information and to see their products.
Visiting Għarb & Għasri
Ta' Ġurdan Lighthouse via VisitGozo
From Xlendi, you’re going up north. You can take the 306 bus route to get back to the capital and then the 308 which will directly stop you out the front of another must-see popular site. The bus will stop you right in front of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of Ta’ Pinu. This historic and culturally-rich church is a landmark which thousands of tourists visit each year for blessing and to take part in its traditional mass. Construction on the church began between 1920 and 1931 but its origins and history date back even further to the 1600s when a much smaller chapel occupied the land. When you’ve explored the church, travel only slightly north until you reach Ta’ Ġurdan Lighthouse.
A link can be found here for more information.
Simply input the lighthouse into your GPS and after nine minutes, you’ll be at the designated car-parking area. You can only get so far with your car until you have to hike up the narrow path to reach the lighthouse – but trust us, it’ll be worth the walk when you reach it. The lighthouse was built in 1851 to accommodate ocean traffic, specifically for trade or naval purposes. Whilst you’re up there, you’ll get to overlook endless fields and the stunning Mediterranean sea – a win-win of sightseeing and scenic views.
A link can be found here for more information.
the salt pans, Żebbuġ
Salt Pans
Once you’ve taken in the views and want something a little more relaxed and perhaps not-so-high up, drive or get the 308 bus route back to Victoria and then the 310 bus. You will pass through the village of Marsalforn but will then need to walk to the Salt Pans, located just northwest of the village. Located in the locality of Żebbuġ, you’ll see the harvesting fields of checkerboard-patterned squares. This site is of incredible importance, as this practice has been part of Gozitan culture for hundreds of years as salt is one of Gozo’s major raw materials. Sharing the same period as The Cittadella thriving, the processing of salt through the system of evaporation, dates back to the Phoenician and Roman times. Whilst there, you can visit the ‘Natural Xwejni Sea Salt Shop’ where you can taste the salt that was produced just across the street whilst learning more about this trade, thanks to salt farmers, Manuel and his wife Rosa Cini and their daughter Josephine Xuereb.
A link to their website can be found here for more information.
Marsalforn & Dinner
Marsalforn via VisitGozo & Pebbles Restaurant
On the final stretch of the day, you can drive to Marsalforn, which is an easy four-minute drive from the Salt Pans. With plenty of restaurants to choose from, it will simply come down to personal preference. To make it easier for you, we recommend Pebbles Café, as they offer many dishes such as burgers, salads, fresh seafood, pizza and grilled main courses. They also offer gluten-free burger buns, bread and pizza bases for those who would prefer. You can then finish off the meal with one of their many desserts or a nice glass of wine, to compliment your dinner.
A link to their website can be found here for more information and to see their menu.
The end of the day
Gozo Channel
By this time of day, the sun has set and tiredness has most likely started to wash over you. Take the time to drive or get the bus back accordingly to your apartment, hotel or the ferry services in Mġarr to safely get you back to Malta.
