Malta's sister island of Gozo - Private Full Day Tour

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: The Citadel, Victoria, Victoria, Island of Gozo Malta

The Citadel or Citadella is a fortified city in the heart of Victoria on Gozo. The area has been inhabited since the Bronze age and was known in the Medieval era as the Gran Castello. The first fortifications of the Citadel were built in 1500 BC and the present ones were built in 1622, so the Citadel is rich in history. Climb onto the battlements to see spectacular views of virtually the entire island, explore the deep, dark tunnels of the fortification (if you’re brave enough!) and visit the beautiful Citadel Cathedral, the Cathedral of the Assumption.You may enter the city for free but inside the fortification you may find different attractions which I suggest you should definitely visit when purchasing a block ticket for all venues (5 euro p.p), except the Cathedral which has a separate entrance fee. Here you will also find an interactive experience which will take you back in history on the early days of Gozo.

Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Ta' Kola Windmill, Triq Marija Bambina, Xaghra, Island of Gozo XRA 2112 Malta

Ta’ Kola Windmill in ix-Xagħra, Gozo, is one of the few surviving windmills on the Maltese Islands dating back to the Knights’ Period. Its origins go back to 1725 but it seems to have been built of poor quality stone and mortar and had to be reconstructed in the 1780s. The windmill’s name Ta’ Kola comes from the last miller, who was popularly known as Żeppu ta’ Kola (Joseph, son of Nikola).

When the wind was right for the mill to operate, the miller would blow through a triton-shell (Maltese bronja) to let everynoe know and villagers would bring their grain to be ground into flour. The heavy millstones can still be seen at the top of the mill linked to the central milling mechanism, around which, are the rooms where the miller lived and worked.

On the ground floor is the workshop with a vast array of historic tools, some of which were manufactured by the owners of the mill. On the first floor, the living quarters of the miller and his family, have been recreated using traditional furniture and Gozitan crafts. You can visit the miller’s dining room, bedrooms, and kitchen which is equipped with traditional utensils and cooking ware rarely seen today.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Ggantija Megalithic Temples, Xaghra, Ggantija, Island of Gozo Malta

Gozo’s rich early history makes for some fascinating archeaological tourism. First settled around 5500BC, by 3600BC Gozo’s people had began to build and carve in stone. They created temples, statues and subterranean burial complexes similar to those on the main island of Malta but otherwise unique in the world.

Chief amongst the archeaological sites is the Ġgantija Temple complex. The two temples here are amongst the oldest free-standing stone buildings in the world and have UNESCO World Heritage status.

Many much smaller sites, sometimes hard to identify without the help of an expert, provide evidence for a sophisticated society surrounding the temples and objects from the various sites can be seen in the Gozo Archaeological Museum in the Citadel, r-Rabat (Victoria).

There are later archaeological sites too, of course, including form the Bronze Age, as well as the mysterious cart ruts. These are pairs of tracks cut into the surface of the rock. The two gulleys are more or less the same distance apart in almost all the pairs and they look just as if a cart wheel running constantly over the same route has worn the rock away. Exactly how they came into being, and when, remains a matter of great debate, but they may well be exactly what they seem and at least some of them probably date to the Bronze Age.

Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Ramla Bay, Xaghra, Island of Gozo Malta

This is Gozo’s, and arguably Malta’s, best beach. A wide stretch of red sand, it is often referred to locally as “Ramla il-Ħamra” – the Red Sandy Beach! Ramla is a wonderful place to swim, snorkel and chill out in the sun.

The sand dunes are protected and the valley leading down to the bay is green and fertile. The terraced walls built by the farmers give the valley an appearance of a quilt when viewed from surrounding high ground.

There is myth and history here too. Roman remains lie beneath the sands and Ramla Bay is reached from ix-Xagħra, on one of the hills overlooking the valley, or from the village of in-Nadur.

Will stop you for a walk to a high point from where you can look over the entire beach beneath your feet.

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Xlendi Beach, Cliff and Caves, Xlendi, Island of Gozo Malta

Ix-Xlendi Bay is a popular swimming, snorkelling and diving spot. There is a small sandy beach leading into shallow waters perfect for young and old, while for the more adventurous it is deslightful to swim and snorkel in deeper water off the long stretch of rocks bordering the beach.

Because of its reef formations, ix-Xlendi is an ideal diving site, even for beginners. This is also a typical Gozitan fishing village and well-served with good restaurants, bars and hotels.

Will give a good advice when choosing a good local restaurant for lunch.

Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Ta' Dbiegi Crafts Village Frangisk Portelli Street, Gharb, Island of Gozo GRB1104 Malta

The Ta’ Dbieġi crafts village is the oldest Crafts Village on the island of Gozo and is located within the tranquil village of Għarb. Set at the foot of Gozo’s natural highest point, historically, it served as soldiers’ quarters for the British military service, the Ta’ Dbieġi crafts village, is spread over an area of more than 6,500 sqm of lush gardens. It now boasts high quality craftsmanship which can be enjoyed on a daily basis and is a must for those seeking quality products manufactured on site by highly qualified artisans. It offers a unique opportunity to observe the artisan at work.

Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: Azure Window, Dwejra Bay, Island of Gozo Malta

This historic site used to be nature's marvelous creations. It got recently lost in a terrible storm. People still visit this site, rocks are infused with thousands of sea shells across the rocky valley. Close by there is another natural creation which is "Inland Sea"

Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Inland Sea, San Lawrenz, Island of Gozo Malta

Inland Sea is a lagoon of seawater on the island of Gozo linked to the Mediterranean Sea through an opening formed by a narrow natural arch.

It was probably formed where a geological fault in the limestone had created a sea cave and the roof then collapsed

Boats are used to take visitors through the archway and then for a tour of the nearby cliffs and other sites, mainly to the Fungus Rock and to the site of the previous large natural arch in the cliffs called the Azure Window

Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Ta' Pinu National Shrine, Gharb, Island of Gozo Malta

n 1883 a woman from the village of Għarb, Karmni Grima, heard the voice of Our Lady at the small chapel that then occupied this site. It rapidly became a centre of pilgrimage and the number of visitors soon overwhelmed the little church.

Today’s monumental shrine to Our Lady of Ta’ Pinu was built between 1920 and 1931. It is an architectural masterpiece, especially inside with its superb sculptures and craftsmanship in Maltese stone. The sanctuary was constructed in front of the original chapel. The chapel remains in tact behind the altar and still contains the painting of the Assumption to Heaven of Our Lady from which the voice is said to have spoken to Karmni Grima.

A series of 14 marble statues representing the Via Crucis or Way of the Cross run up Ghammar Hill opposite the Church.

Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: Mgarr ix-Xini, Xewkija, Island of Gozo Malta

The Magro Brothers firm has been in the food trade in Gozo since 1916. The business started off with three brothers who were provision merchants, bartering Gozitan agricultural produce for products originating on the main island of Malta or abroad. They would travel to Malta twice a week, taking a whole day each time. They would exchange their Gozitan fruit and vegetables for kitchen utensils and whatever else was needed on Gozo. These items were then sold on the market in Pjazza Savina in ir-Rabat (Victoria), which for many centuries was Gozo’s main market square.

Since those early days, four generations of Magro Brothers have invested their efforts and passion for food. The firm has become the largest food processing company in Malta trading with some fifty countries in four continents. But it has not lost its traditional roots.

Tomato processing – a big activity in Gozo

Gozo produces very tasty tomatoes and most of those not eaten fresh are processed by Magro Brothers into cans of pulp, juice, tomato paste and delicious ketchup and sauces..

Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: Gozo Ferry Port, Cirkewwa, Mellieha, Island of Malta Malta

Views from outside a Chapel looking over the Mgarr Harbour This chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes stands on a promontory overlooking Mġarr Harbour. It enjoys spectacular views of the Gozo Channel and the Island of Malta.

Duration: 15 minutes