Hotel Ta' Ċenċ & Spa
Why we like it: A single-storey five-star set among gardens on the cliffs of Sannat: 74 rooms, trulli, three pools, a spa and its own rocky cove.
Duration2 nights, Friday to Sunday
From VallettaCar or bus to Ċirkewwa and a 25-minute ferry
CarRecommended in Gozo
TicketsĠgantija €10 · Cittadella €5
Best timeApril – June · September – October
The plan
The plan, hour by hour
Designed to leave Valletta on Friday morning and return on Sunday afternoon. On Friday you cross via Comino if it is swimming season; Saturday is the island's big day, with dinner at Ta' Frenċ, which is not open on Tuesday or Wednesday; on Sunday, lunch at Tmun beside the ferry before returning. With a hire car in Gozo or taken across from Malta.
Friday
- 108:00From Valletta to Ċirkewwa
By car or bus, about an hour.
- 209:10Comino's Blue Lagoon
Comino Ferries, €15 with access included. Swimming and snorkelling; at midday, the same boat to Gozo. Out of season, cross direct on the ferry.
- 315:00Arrival at the Cornucopia
Pool and a walk to Xagħra square.
- 420:00Dinner at Al Sale
On Xagħra square, next to the church; recommended by the Michelin Guide.
Saturday
- 109:00Ġgantija temples
On foot from the hotel. €10 with the Ta' Kola windmill.
- 211:30Try dive in Marsalforn
Atlantis, two hours, from age 10, €55. Or a swim in Marsalforn if you do not dive.
- 315:00The Cittadella
A walk round the walls and the old prison, €5.
- 417:00Sunset at Dwejra
The Inland Sea, Fungus Rock and the Blue Hole.
- 520:00Dinner at Ta' Frenċ
A two- or three-course menu in an old farmhouse between Victoria and Marsalforn. Book.
Sunday
- 110:00Free morning
Pool, or a walk through the Xagħra countryside.
- 212:30Lunch at Tmun, in Mġarr
Fish beside the ferry; open on Sunday at midday all year. Book.
- 315:00Ferry back
Pay the ticket at Mġarr and cross to Ċirkewwa.
Gozo in a day from Valletta falls short: the island's charm lies in what happens when the excursion groups leave. With two nights you sleep in a three-century-old farmhouse in Xagħra, walk to the Ġgantija temples, watch sunset at Dwejra, try diving if you feel like it and dine in an old farmhouse turned restaurant. And if it is the season, you arrive via Comino's Blue Lagoon.
How do you get there from Valletta?
From Spain, a direct flight to Malta; Gozo has no airport. From Valletta, by car or bus (41, 42 or X300) to Ċirkewwa, and there the Gozo Channel ferry to Mġarr: about 25 minutes, no booking, and the ticket is paid on the way back, in Gozo.
Via Comino, from June to October: the Comino Ferries boat leaves Ċirkewwa for the Blue Lagoon, with access included, and for the same price drops you in Gozo afterwards. That way you do not lose half a day. In that case the car does not cross: hire it in Gozo, for example with Gozo Garage, the sister company of the three hotels proposed.
Where to sleep?
| Accommodation | Area | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Cornucopia Hotel | Xagħra, in the countryside, a stroll from Ġgantija | A farmhouse over 300 years old with pools and bungalows with kitchens |
| Hotel Ta' Ċenċ & Spa | Sannat, above the southern cliffs | Single-storey five-star, spa and its own cove |
| St. Patrick's Hotel | Xlendi bay promenade | By the sea and car-free, with the bus at the door |
The plan is designed from the Cornucopia, in the centre of the island. For a treat, Ta' Ċenċ has an adults-only pool and the Il-Kantra cove; if you are travelling without a car, St. Patrick's, in Xlendi, puts the sea in front of you.
For eating
Three tables, three prices. Al Sale is the mid-priced one, on Xagħra square: meat and fish from local produce, open every day except Thursday. Tmun is the Buttigieg family's fish place with Asian touches, in Mġarr harbour, with a sharing menu for two. Ta' Frenċ is the special dinner: an old farmhouse with a herb courtyard, a €65 or €80 menu and flambé at the table.
What about one more day?
Spend a night in Valletta on the way back: St John's Co-Cathedral, the Grand Master's Palace and the boat to the Three Cities.
Map
The stops, in order
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Plan the trip
Gozo, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Gozo
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Best timeGood timeLow season
Where to stay
Where to stay in Gozo
Cornucopia Hotel
Why we like it: A Gozitan farmhouse over 300 years old turned four-star hotel in Xagħra, a short walk from Ġgantija: 48 rooms, bungalows with kitchens and pools.
St. Patrick's Hotel
Why we like it: A 64-room hotel on the Xlendi bay promenade, three kilometres from Victoria: a rooftop pool, a waterside restaurant and diving on the doorstep.
Where to eat
Where to eat in Gozo
Al Sale
What to order: the prawn and scallop ravioli with bisque, or the beef short rib with salsa verde; if you sit outside, the terrace looks onto the church square
Open at midday and in the evening every day except Thursday. Recommended by the Michelin Guide since 2024.
Tmun
What to order: the ceviche of the day's catch or the grilled octopus, the grilled fish and seafood trio, and Jane's cheesecake, the house dessert
Seasonal hours. From October to June, lunches Monday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and dinners Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
Ta' Frenċ
What to order: the three-course menu with the house rabbit ravioli, a main flambéed at the table such as the steak Diane, and for dessert the home-made imqaret or the Grand Marnier soufflé
Two-course menu at €65 and three-course at €80 per person, with supplements on some dishes; dessert extra. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Car insurance
If you hire in Malta and take it across, check that the insurance covers Gozo and the ferry.
- 2Book the dinners
Ta' Frenċ and Tmun fill up at weekends.
- 3Diving questionnaire
If you are going to do the try dive, fill in the PADI medical questionnaire beforehand.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is it worth sleeping in Gozo?
Yes: in the evening, when the excursions leave, the island changes, and Dwejra at sunset is the best of the trip.
Do I need a car in Gozo?
It is not essential, but it helps: with buses, drop one stop a day.
Can you go to Gozo via Comino?
Yes, with Comino Ferries: you stop at the Blue Lagoon and the same boat drops you in Gozo.
When to go?
April to June and in September and October. For swimming at Comino, June to October.