Gozo

Gozo offers two cruise ports, Mgarr and Xlendi. Cruise vessels anchor at the main harbor, Mgarr, while at the 80-metre deep Xlendi, a berthing buoy is available and in both cases tenders deliver passengers to the quay.

It's uphill to Victoria (3 km), the capital of Gozo, but you can get a bus or taxi and only takes a few minutes. Once in Victoria (also called Rabat) you can stroll about and visit the Cittadella which is the fortified bastion area and Cathedral.

Gozo is an island of the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. Smaller, more remote and less built-up than Malta itself, it is a popular destination in its own right, particularly for more mature British and German couples. With pretty if unspectacular countryside, and interesting churches alongside historic fortifications and megalithic temples it makes a good excursion from Malta and an even better destination for a relaxed short break.

Gozo is a tranquil destination. You don’t get the traffic that you get in Malta but Gozo is well connected in terms of public transport – taxi service, excursion and open-topped buses, jeep drives and car hire. There’s the same kind of diversity you have in Malta, but just on a smaller scale.

Hop on hop off 2 hour tour of Gozo. Explore at leisure, with regular buses every 45 minutes. Take advantage of a free harbor cruise from Sliema which is included. The buses stop close to the tender points.

There is the ferry from Cirkewwa on Malta to Mgarr, Gozo's main harbor. It departs every 45 minutes in the summer and almost as often in the winter. A round trip costs €4.65. Bus stops are outside the ferry terminals, and it is synchronized with the ferry arrivals and departures. The bus ride to Victoria takes around 20 minutes. On the Malta side, buses run from Valetta's bus terminus to Cirkewwa taking about 75 minutes.

There is an approximate price list posted at the taxi stand at the boat dock, and another at the bus terminal in Victoria. Don't accept a price that is unreasonably higher than the suggested price.

Ramla il-Hamra is Gozo's finest beach. The name means red sands, referring to the beautiful reddish colour of the sand.

Euro.

English widely spoken

Commercial centers and shops are usually open between 9.00 a.m. and 1.00 p.m. and between 4.00 p.m. and 7 p.m., but a few shops, particularly supermarkets, are open all day. In tourist areas, many shops remain open till 10.00 p.m. Shops are normally closed on Sundays and