Must see attractions in Gozo

Top ChoiceSights in Xagħra

Perched on the crest of the hill to the south of Xagħra, the awe-inspiring megalithic Ġgantija Temples command soaring views over most of southern Gozo. As the name implies ( ġgantija – dje-gant-ee-ya – means 'giantess'), these are the largest of the megalithic temples found on the Maltese Islands – the walls stand over 6m high, and the two temples together span over 40m.

Top ChoiceSights in Victoria (Rabat)

While the walls surrounding Il-Kastell date from the 15th century, there have been fortifications atop this flat-topped hill since the Bronze Age: it developed under the Phoenicians and later became a Roman town. After terrible raids on Gozo by the Turks, it became customary for all the island's families to stay within Il-Kastell overnight, a practice that lasted into the 17th century. Walk almost all the way around the city walls, for astounding views over Gozo and towards the sea

Top ChoiceSights in Dwejra

The collapsed cavern of Dwejra Bay has been invaded by the sea, and is guarded by the brooding bulk of Fungus Rock. A path below Dwejra (Qawra) Tower leads to a flight of stairs cut into the rock, leading down to a little slipway on the edge of the bay. There is good swimming and sunbathing here.

Top ChoiceSights in Nadur

San Blas, a tiny, rock-strewn bay with some patches of coarse, rust-coloured sand, is backed by steep, terraced fields with prickly-pear hedges. There's parking space for only a handful of cars at the beginning of the very narrow track above the bay. It's a steep walk down to it, but you can take a jeep down or up (€2.50 per person).

Top ChoiceSights in Marsalforn

A 5km hike west along the coast from Marsalforn is the narrow, cliff-bound inlet of Wied il-Għasri. Here a staircase cut into the rock leads down to a tiny shingle beach at the head of the inlet. It's a gorgeously picturesque place and there is good swimming and snorkelling when the sea is calm, but it's best avoided in rough weather when the waves come crashing up the narrow defile.

Top ChoiceSights in Xagħra

This winery near Xagħra en route from Victoria to Marsalforn sells good wine under the Marsamena and Ancient Gods labels, and has a well-stocked farm shop with its own Gozo sea salt, honey, olive oil, chutneys, capers and sun-dried tomatoes. Occasional food and wine tours (per person €16 including lunch) are held at 1pm on Saturdays. Booking ahead is essential.

Top ChoiceSights in Marsalforn

Walk or drive west along the promenade, past the tiny sand beaches at Qbajjar Bay and the more scenic Xwieni Bay, until you reach a rocky shore. This wild and extraordinary landscape has been carved into a patchwork of salt pans. There's usually a small stall selling salt from the pans, which are owned by three families and still worked in summer.

Sights in Victoria (Rabat)

Built between 1697 and 1711 to replace a church destroyed by a 1693 earthquake (which was in southern Italy but caused damage as far Gozo), the cathedral was designed by Lorenzo Gafa, also responsible for St Paul's Cathedral at Mdina. The elegant facade is adorned with the escutcheons of Grand Master Ramon de Perellos and Bishop Palmieri. Due to a lack of funds the dome was never finished, but a trompe l'œil painting makes it look as if it were.

Sights in Għarb & San Lawrenz

The Basilica of Ta'Pinu, accessible via a short, scenic walk from Għarb, is an extraordinary sight – a huge, lone church on a Gozitan hillock, towering over the countryside. Malta's national shrine to the Virgin Mary is an important centre of pilgrimage. It was built in the 1920s on the site of a chapel where a local woman, Carmela Grima, claimed to have heard the Virgin speak to her in 1883.

Sights in Xagħra

Ramla Bay is one of the prettiest sandy beaches on Gozo, with red-gold sand. The minimal remains of a Roman villa are hidden amid the bamboo behind the beach, and Calypso's Cave looks down from the hilltop to the west. It also has a cafe-restaurant and sunbed/sunshade hire. Bus 322 travels to Ramla Bay from Mġarr (15 minutes, half-hourly) and on to Xagħra (10 minutes) and Marsalforn (25 minutes). The 302 runs between here and Nadur (five minutes, hourly) and Victoria (30 minutes).

Sights in Ta’Ċenċ

A track to the left of the entrance to Hotel Ta'Ċenċ leads to the high plateau of Ta'Ċenċ. Views north to Victoria, Xewkija and Xagħra are good, especially towards sunset. Wander off to the left of the track, near the edge of the limestone crag, and you will find a prehistoric dolmen – a large slab propped up on three smaller stones like a table. Keep your eyes peeled – the dolmen is not signposted and is a little tricky to spot.

Sights in Xewkija

The Rotunda is built around a 17th-century church that was too small for the community's needs, and this more recent structure can seat around three times the village's population. The austere interior impresses through sheer size. Paintings of scenes from the life of St John the Baptist adorn the six side chapels. To the left of the altar is a museum displaying baroque sculptures and relics from the old church. Work on the church began in 1951 and was completed in 1971.

Sights in Xagħra

Calypso's Cave overlooks the sandy beach of Ramla Bay – it's a 30-minute walk from Xagħra's village square. The cave itself is hardly worth the hike – it's just a hollow under an overhang at the top of the cliff – but the views are.

Sights in Dwejra

The Blue Hole is a vertical chimney running down into the limestone, about 10m in diameter and 25m deep, that connects with the open sea through an underwater arch about 8m down. Understandably, it's a very popular dive site and the snorkelling is also excellent. While diving, the underwater remains of the Azure Window, which collapsed in 2017, can often be seen.

Sights in Dwejra

The Inland Sea is a cliff-bound lagoon connected to the open sea by a tunnel that runs for 100m through the headland of Dwejra Point. The tunnel is big enough for small boats to sail through in calm weather, and the Inland Sea has been used as a fishermen's haven for centuries. Today, fishermen supplement their income by taking tourists on boat trips through the tunnel. Trips pass over the remains of the Azure Window in the crystalline waters.

Sights in Victoria (Rabat)

This innovative small museum was founded by the Fondazzjoni Belt Victoria to exhibit treasures belonging to the Basilica of St George as well as other artefacts, including coins and lamps from the Herod era in Israel and scrap silver amounting to the weight of a shekel. A column runs through all three floors showing the island's history from prehistoric Ġgantija through to British rule. There's an audio room, where you can listen to traditional local music.

Sights in Victoria (Rabat)

Victoria's Archaeology Museum houses some incredible finds. There are some 'fat lady' carvings from Ġgantija Temples and Xagħra, around 3000 to 4000 years old. There are also Roman anchors, a 3rd-to-5th-century skeleton that was found buried in an amphora, Bronze Age jugs dating from 2400 to 1500 BC, and some fascinating Phoenician amulets in the form of the Eye of Osiris – an ancient link to the symbols seen on Maltese fishing boats of today.

Sights in Nadur

Attractive Daħlet Qorrot is popular with local weekenders. There's a tiny gravel beach, but most of the swimming is off the rocks beside the rows of little boathouses (carved out of the rock, and with brightly painted doors); there's usually plenty of space to park. It's within walking distance of Nadur: from Triq it-Tiġrija, head north for about 300m on Triq San Blas, then take the Triq Daħlet Qorrot turn-off; the bay is just over 2km away.

Sights in Victoria (Rabat)

Inaugurated in mid-2016 as part of the excellent restoration of Victoria's Il-Kastell, this award-winning visitors' centre includes a poignant and informative audiovisual presentation of the history of the site, and other interactive displays covering the history of Gozo and Malta. The spectacular architectural makeover cunningly makes use of capacious former water reservoirs built by the British in the 1870s.

Sights in Victoria (Rabat)

Victoria's main square hosts a daily market (6.30am to 2pm) and is known throughout the island as It-Tokk (the meeting place). The semicircular baroque building at the western end of the square is the Banca Giuratale, built in 1733 to house the city council. After being restored in 2016, it now hosts occasional art and cultural exhibitions.