Gozo Day Trip from Malta 2027: Ferries, Route & Tips

Gozo day trip: the three ways to cross from Malta

Both ferries land at Mġarr harbour; our boat does not dock — it keeps you on the water all day.

• •Gozo Channel car ferry, Ċirkewwa ⇄ Mġarr: about 25 minutes, cars and foot passengers, roughly every 45 minutes by day with a reduced night service. The default from the north of Malta or with a hire car.
• •Fast passenger ferry, Valletta ⇄ Mġarr: about 45 minutes from Lascaris Wharf, below the Upper Barrakka lift. The quickest option from Valletta, the Three Cities or Sliema.
• •Private boat from St Thomas Bay (May–October): our 28ft boat with skipper, 8 hours, with a stop at the Blue Lagoon on Comino and Gozo's coastline seen from the sea. A day on the water, not a way to reach Victoria.

Malta to Gozo ferry: Ċirkewwa–Mġarr price and timetable

Ċirkewwa is at the northern tip of Malta. Buses 41/42 from Valletta and 222 from Sliema/St Julian's run there (check the route in the tallinja app — numbers change); the ferry takes cars from about €15.70 including the driver.

Foot passengers do not book: you walk on at Ċirkewwa and pay on the way back at Mġarr, about €4.65 for an adult return and €1.15 for a child aged 3–12. Sailings run roughly every 45 minutes by day with a reduced night service, so check the current timetable and fares on the Gozo Channel site before planning a late return.

A single bus ticket is about €2.00 in winter and €2.50 in summer, valid two hours with transfers; the 7-day Explore card (about €25) covers unlimited travel on Malta and Gozo. Fares at publictransport.com.mt.

Fast ferry Valletta to Gozo: when it beats the car ferry

From Valletta, Sliema or the Three Cities the fast ferry saves the bus to Ċirkewwa: Lascaris Wharf to Mġarr in about 45 minutes, around €7.50 one way or about €12–13 return online. Two operators compete, with several sailings a day in summer and fewer in winter — compare timetables.

It is passenger-only — no cars, no quads — and livelier than the big car ferry on choppy days. Check whether the Sliema route is running when you travel.

Things to do in Gozo in one day: a realistic route

The order we suggest with a quad or car from Mġarr by about 09:30. By bus, drop Dwejra or Ramla and keep the rest.

• •09:30 — Victoria (Rabat) and the Cittadella: walk the ramparts first, before the heat, for the view over the whole island; cafés in the old town below.
• •11:00 — Ġgantija temples, Xagħra: UNESCO World Heritage, built around 3600 BC and older than the pyramids. Allow about an hour.
• •12:15 — Ramla Bay: the red-sand beach below Xagħra, shallow and safe for families; in July–August it fills from late morning.
• •13:30 — Lunch in Marsalforn or Xagħra, then the salt pans at Xwejni just west of Marsalforn, cut into the rock and still in use.
• •15:30 — Dwejra: the Inland Sea, Fungus Rock and the Blue Hole. The Azure Window collapsed in March 2017, so do not look for the arch — the cliffs are still the most dramatic spot on Gozo.
• •17:00 — Xlendi: the fishing village in a narrow inlet on the south-west coast; an evening swim from the rocks and dinner on the front before the ferry.
• •Optional — Ta' Pinu basilica, alone in the fields between Dwejra and Victoria, is a five-minute stop on the way.

Getting around Gozo: quad, bus, taxi or hire car

Buses on Gozo radiate from Victoria, so almost every hop between two sights goes back through the capital: fine for Victoria, Xlendi and Marsalforn, slow for Dwejra and Ramla. Your Malta bus ticket and the Explore card are valid on Gozo too.

A quad or hire car covers far more in a day. The 3-hour quad rental we list starts from €80, collected in Xewkija a few minutes from Mġarr; the passenger rides free and a GPS map on your phone marks the sights. The “Book now” button opens our partner's booking page in a new tab, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.

Ride-hailing apps work on Gozo too. With a hire car, remember that Malta drives on the left and that on summer weekends the car queue at Ċirkewwa is the main reason people miss their planned sailing.

When to go on a Gozo day trip and how to time the ferries

• •April–May: typically 20–24 °C, the island at its greenest, sea 16–19 °C — walking weather for the Cittadella and Dwejra.
• •June and September: typically 28–29 °C, sea 22 °C in June and 25–26 °C in September — the best balance of swimming and sightseeing, with shorter car queues than high summer.
• •July–August: 31–32 °C, sea 25–27 °C. Take the first ferries of the morning, do Dwejra before noon and keep the afternoon for Ramla or Xlendi.
• •October: typically 25 °C and the sea still 23 °C; the first rain arrives, but most days are fine. Our Gozo & Comino boat runs May–October.
• •Winter: the Gozo Channel ferry runs all year and the island is quiet; the fast ferry has fewer sailings, so check the timetable.
• •Ferry timing: sailings thin out at night, so decide your return before dinner in Xlendi; on public holidays and summer Sundays, with a car be at Ċirkewwa early or leave it in Malta and hire a quad.

Gozo and Comino by private boat from St Thomas Bay

If your group would rather spend the day on the water, our 28ft open boat with skipper does a full day of 8 hours from St Thomas Bay in Marsaskala, departing at approximately 09:00, May to October: the Blue Lagoon at Comino — turquoise, shallow, white sandy seabed — then Gozo's cliffs and sea caves, with time to swim and snorkel.

€650 for the whole boat, up to 15 people, skipper, fuel and life jackets included; between ten of you that is €65 each, and there is no minimum age. Bring your own food and drink; snorkelling gear is available at the base. You pay a small deposit online and the balance at the meeting point; if we cancel for sea conditions you get a full refund or a free reschedule.

Two honest notes. This is a day at sea: you see Gozo from the water but do not land in Victoria, so if the Cittadella is the point, take the ferry. And Comino has a mandatory government entry pass (QR), not included in any boat trip (ours included) and only available at blcomino.com/product/blue-lagoon. If you only want Comino, our daily summer trip from St Julian's is €30 per person.

What to bring for a day in Gozo

• •Cash or card for the ferry — you pay at Mġarr on the way back — and the tallinja app for bus routes.
• •Water and sun protection: Dwejra and the Cittadella ramparts have no shade.
• •Swimwear from May to October, and shoes with grip for the rocks at Dwejra and the steps of the Cittadella.
• •Driving licence and the deposit card if you hire a quad or bring a car.
• •Your Comino entry QR from blcomino.com/product/blue-lagoon, if Comino is in the plan.
• •A plan B for wind: on majjistral (north-westerly) days the west coast at Dwejra takes the swell; keep that stop for a calm day.

Frequently asked questions