Malta / The verdict

Is a Gozo day trip from Malta worth it?

Worth it if you start early and keep the list short: the fast ferry from Valletta takes about 45 minutes. Several travelers found a single day rushed, found the buses slow, or found the island underwhelming, so a night on Gozo or a car makes the trip work better.

By The Real Traveler Experiences team. We earn a commission if you book through our links. It never changes a verdict.

Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0 (source)

The Malta story

Malta packs an absurd amount into 316 square kilometres: a baroque capital built by crusading knights, the Barrakka panorama over the Grand Harbour, St John's co-cathedral's barrel vault and 400-tomb inlaid floor, temples older than the pyramids at the Hypogeum, Mdina's free walled ramparts, and lagoon water warm enough to swim from April to October. English is an official language, the ferries are cheap, and a day on Gozo or the Blue Lagoon is the island's deep breath.

The verdict in 30 seconds

It depends

Go if

Early starters; one writer reached Victoria's Cittadella around 9am and found it almost empty
Travelers with a car or a hop-on-hop-off ticket, which writers say avoids slow public bus connections
Trips long enough to stay a night on Gozo, since three writers say one day undersells the island
Divers; a trip report calls the island a paradise for scuba diving

Skip if

You want a relaxed day; one writer found a single day on Gozo rushed
You plan to string sights together on public buses, which one guide calls cheap but slow and backtracking via Victoria
You get seasick; one writer was ill on a windy boat crossing and another warns the fast ferries can be rough
You expect green, varied scenery; one trip report found the island very beige and missable unless you dive

Gozo Highspeed fares Gozo Channel passenger fares Ggantija Archaeological Park (Heritage Malta)See a guided Gozo day trippartner site

What it costs

Gozo Highspeed fast ferry, Valletta to Gozo, adult one way: €7.50 (About 45 minutes from Valletta, foot passengers only; online bookings close 20 minutes before departure. Sliema to Gozo is EUR 8.50 and Bugibba EUR 6.50. The fares page renders in the browser). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
Gozo Channel ferry, Cirkewwa and Mgarr, adult standard passenger round trip ticket: €4.65 (About 25 minutes each way. The operator's FAQ describes its passenger tickets as round trip, validated at the Mgarr terminal on the return journey. Children 3 to 12 pay EUR 1.15; the night fare is EUR 4.05). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
Ggantija Archaeological Park and Ta' Kola Windmill combo, adult: €10 (Youths, students and seniors EUR 8; children 6-11 EUR 6). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
Malta Public Transport day route single journey, summer fare, adult: €2.50 (Winter fare is EUR 2.00; the operator lists both fares on its fares page). Official source, checked Oct 2026.

What travelers report

Based on 10 traveler reports (Oct 2024 to Jul 2026) and the official sources linked on this page. 1 was negative.

What people like

The Cittadella can be almost empty early; one writer arrived around 9am (1 report)
The fast ferry doubles as a sightseeing cruise past Comino, with dolphins spotted on one sailing (1 report)
Writers who did it by bus, car or tour call the island easy to reach and worth the visit (2 reports)
Quiet corners exist away from the main bays; Xwejni was quiet while Marsalforn Bay was very busy (1 report)
Divers get the most from the island; a trip report calls it a paradise for scuba diving (1 report)

What people complain about

One day feels rushed, and writers say Gozo deserves more time: overnight, a week, or simply a longer visit (3 reports)
Public buses are slow: the bus to the ferry takes about an hour and can fill up, and Gozo buses backtrack via Victoria (1 report)
Boat trips can be rough, with one writer seasick on a windy crossing and another warning about the fast ferries (2 reports)
A March morning ferry was so busy that not everyone boarded (1 report)
A trip report found Gozo very beige and missable unless you scuba dive; a boat-and-bus tour left little to do in Victoria beyond following the crowd (2 reports)

How to do it right

From Valletta, foot passengers take the Gozo Highspeed catamaran, about 45 minutes to Mgarr for EUR 7.50 one way; online sales close 20 minutes before departure, and one writer was glad to have pre-bought tickets because the terminal was busy
From Sliema or the north, the Gozo Channel crossing from Cirkewwa takes about 25 minutes; one writer puts the 222 bus to Cirkewwa at about an hour, and another says it can fill up
Start early: one writer reached the Cittadella in Victoria around 9am and found it almost empty
Pick one or two stops beyond Victoria; one writer found Xwejni quiet while Marsalforn Bay was very busy
Without a car, one trip report found the hop-on bus punctual at 45-minute intervals, while another writer called it pricey and busy and described the public buses as cheap but slow
If the logistics put you off, a guided day tour bundles transport; forum posters who took organized trips said they had transport, sights and a meal covered
Check the sea before a fast-ferry day: one writer was seasick on a windy crossing, and the bus plus Cirkewwa ferry route is the suggested way to cut time on open water

The trap to avoid

Squeezing Gozo into one rushed day on slow buses. One writer found a single day rushed and suggests staying overnight, and another says the buses are cheap but slow and backtrack via Victoria.

What to do instead

Why this verdict

Travelers who actually did Gozo in a day split on whether it was enough. An early start paid off for some: one writer reached Victoria’s Cittadella around 9am and found it almost empty, another enjoyed the fast-ferry crossing past Comino, and two travel writers call the island easy to reach and worth the trip. The complaints are about pace. One writer found a single day rushed and suggests staying overnight, another stayed a week and says a day trip understates the island, and a third advocates a longer visit than one day.

Transport shapes the day more than the sights do. One guide calls Gozo’s public buses cheap but slow, backtracking through Victoria, and says the bus to the Cirkewwa ferry takes about an hour and can fill up. A do-it-yourself traveler found a March morning ferry so busy that not everyone boarded. A boat-and-bus tour solved the logistics for another traveler but left about 90 minutes in Victoria with little to do beyond following the crowd, and that traveler got seasick on a windy crossing. A car or a hop-on-hop-off ticket avoids some waiting, although one writer called that bus pricey and busy and a trip report found it punctual.

Scenery is a matter of taste. One trip report found Gozo very beige and missable unless you dive, while one writer found Xwejni quiet even though Marsalforn Bay was very busy.

That is why the verdict is depends. Go if you can start early and keep the list to two or three stops, or stay a night. Skip it if you only have one rushed day, dislike boats, or expect green, varied scenery.

Timing and tickets

The Gozo Highspeed catamaran runs from Valletta to Mgarr in about 45 minutes. Its fares page lists EUR 7.50 one way for adults (checked 7 October 2026), and online bookings close 20 minutes before departure. Sliema and Bugibba routes also run, at EUR 8.50 and EUR 6.50. The Gozo Channel ferry from Cirkewwa takes about 25 minutes; its standard passenger ticket is EUR 4.65 for the round trip. On the island, Malta Public Transport lists a summer day route single at EUR 2.50 and a winter fare of EUR 2.00.

Book or check times

Gozo Highspeed fares Gozo Channel passenger fares Ggantija Archaeological Park (Heritage Malta)

We earn a commission if you book through our links. It never changes a verdict. How this works

See a guided Gozo day trippartner site

Where to stay

Staying in Malta?

Which area of Malta to stay in, based on traveler reports. Search Malta hotels on Expedia partner site

Questions

How do I get to Gozo from Malta?

Two main ways. Foot passengers can take the Gozo Highspeed catamaran from Valletta, about 45 minutes to Mgarr; the operator's fares page lists EUR 7.50 one way for adults (checked 7 October 2026). It also runs from Sliema (EUR 8.50) and Bugibba (EUR 6.50). The Gozo Channel ferry from Cirkewwa takes about 25 minutes and its standard passenger ticket is EUR 4.65 for the round trip.

Is one day enough for Gozo?

It covers the highlights, but the reports lean toward wanting more time. One writer found the day rushed and suggests staying overnight, another stayed a week and says a day trip understates the island, and a third advocates a longer visit than one day.

Is a guided tour better than doing it yourself?

Reports split. A boat-and-bus tour from Sliema gave one traveler about 90 minutes in Victoria with little to do beyond following the crowd, and they got seasick; forum posters who took organized trips said transport, sights and a meal were covered. Public buses are described as cheap but slow.

Do I need a car on Gozo?

Not strictly. One travel writer who has done it both ways says public transport works but a car makes exploring easier, and one couple used a car to reach quiet spots like Xwejni. Another writer found the hop-on-hop-off bus pricey and busy.

When should I visit the Cittadella?

Early. One writer arrived around 9am and found the Citadel almost empty.

When should I skip a Gozo day trip?

When you want a relaxed pace, get seasick, or plan to rely on public buses. One trip report found the island very beige and missable unless you scuba dive.

Pack for it

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