Our Wandering Chapter

[Post 1 of the Gozo series.]

Practical details in the NOTES section at the end of this post.

Gozo feels like Malta’s quieter soul, slower rhythms, honey-coloured stone glowing in the sun, and gentle hills rolling towards the sea. We set off early from Senglea (Isla), ready for a day of wandering Victoria’s lanes and ending by the water at Ramla Bay. There are two ways to reach Gozo:

Gozo Channel Ferry: Cirkewwa to Mgarr (traditional ferry)

Gozo Highspeed: Valletta to Mgarr (fast passenger ferry)

We had initially planned to take the Cirkewwa route, but our BnB host suggested the fast ferry from Valletta. A local tip we were grateful for and in just 40 minutes, we reached Mgarr.

Seating in the Gozo Fast Ferry is indoors only. For those prone to sea sickness like me, not being able to go out on deck felt a little tricky at first. Fortunately, the sea was calm that day and the journey was smooth and comfortable.

As we approached Gozo, Mgarr harbour unfolded like a postcard: a church spire, boats swaying in the marina, and hills rising behind. From the terminal, we boarded Bus 301 to Victoria. Buses fill quickly, so getting an early start makes the journey easier.

Victoria: Heart of Gozo

Victoria welcomed us with its quiet charm, narrow stone alleys, and lively piazzas where locals pause to chat. We stayed at 39 St. George, a beautifully refurbished traditional Maltese townhouse overlooking St. George’s Square, right beside the basilica. Being just steps from the Victoria bus terminus made getting around Gozo seamless. Most routes pass through here, with frequent service all day.

We wandered through the quaint lanes, admiring quiet courtyards, vibrant balconies, local shops, and tucked-away corners that tell stories of everyday island life. At It-Tokk (Independence Square), the historic “meeting place”, cafés spilled into the piazza with locals and tourists gathered beneath umbrellas.

For lunch, we stopped at It-Tokk Restaurant on the square. Plates of Maltese dishes and cool drinks on the rooftop terrace, with views over the piazza below, made for a perfect midday pause before continuing our stroll through Victoria’s winding alleys.

By mid-afternoon the heat settled over the town and we returned to our room for a short, much-needed rest before heading out again towards the sea.

Ramla Bay: Red sands and a golden evening

Rested and refreshed, we made our way to Ramla Bay, Gozo’s largest sandy beach and one of its most distinctive landscapes. The name Ir-Ramla l-Ħamra translates to the Red Sand, a fitting ode to its striking, reddish-gold shore that glowed beautifully in the afternoon sun.

Bus 302 took us from Victoria to Ir-Ramla. From the bus stop, it was a short walk past a few food trucks and a stretch of parked cars, a clear sign that Ramla was at its summer best. We grabbed some pastizzi and other snacks before the bay opened in front of us in a wide sweep of honey-red sand and turquoise water. We found a spot to sink into the warmth of the beach before slipping into the cool water for a refreshing dip. The gentle waves were a welcome escape from the Maltese summer heat. The fine sand near the shoreline gradually rises into gentle dunes, framed by hills.

Beneath the waves, pebbles mingled with the sand, so packing water shoes was one of our best decisions of the trip. It made wading and swimming comfortable.

We soon settled onto our towels refreshed, listening to the gentle wash of waves, savouring the snacks and drinks we had brought along, and relishing the slow moments by the sea.

As sunset neared, we gathered our things and walked back to the stop. The bus filled quickly with fellow sandy-footed beachgoers heading back to Victoria after a golden Gozo evening.

Back in Victoria, lights glittered across St George’s Square as cafés and restaurants came alive with evening buzz. We headed back to our room with that lovely beach-day tiredness, certain we’d be back in the square the next evening for a local dinner.

On our second day we headed out to explore the rugged coastline of Gozo, from Marsalforn salt pans to Wied il-Għasri gorge to Dwejra and Xlendi.