Gozo Guided Day Trip Incl. Ggantija Temples and Lunch
Description
Gozo is an enchanting island, brimming with rich history at every twist and turn, during this full day tour, you will experience Gozo’s magnificent heritage, visit key landmarks, and discover hidden gems. After a short twenty-minute ferry crossing we start by visiting the megalithic temples of Ġgantija, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980. We will proceed to Victoria, the capital city of Gozo. This is a great place to watch the islanders go about their day, especially when the main market square comes to life. At the heart of the city lies “Iċ-Ċittadella” (The Citadel), with its distinctive skyline and imposing military architecture, this ancient, fortified structure stands out as Gozo’s major landmark. We end the tour by visiting the sea inlet known as Xlendi Bay, and the Inland Sea in Dwejra. Both areas are surrounded by picturesque steep cliffs.
Tour Options
Itinerary
We start our tour by visiting the megalithic temples of Ġgantija, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980, this impressive archaeological site dates to c. 3600-2500 BC, along with Ta’ Ħaġrat Temples and Skorba Temples in Malta, the temples of Ġgantija are believed to be the second oldest free-standing monuments on Earth, second only to Göbekli Tepe in Turkey and predating Stonehenge in England, and the Pyramids of Egypt by approximately 1000 years! The etymology of “Ġgantija” is derived from the Maltese word for giant (“Ġgant”) because it was believed the site was built by a race of giants. This mythological idea makes sense considering that the temples are constructed from megaliths (massive limestone blocks) measuring more than five meters in length and weighing over 50 tons.
After visiting the temples of Ġgantija we will proceed to visit Victoria, the delightful capital city of Gozo. Victoria is not just the geographic heart of Gozo; it is also the centre of everyday activity. It manages to combine the bustle of its market and shops with a relaxed and sociable atmosphere. It is a great place to watch the islanders go about their day, especially when the main market square comes to life.
At the heart of the city lies another majestic site: the mediaeval fortress known locally as “Iċ-Ċittadella” (The Citadel). With its distinctive skyline and imposing military architecture, this ancient, fortified structure stands out as Gozo’s major landmark, a beacon visible from all over the island. The area has been inhabited since the Bronze Age, and the site now occupied by The Citadel is believed to have been the acropolis of the Punic-Roman city of Gaulos, or Glauconis Civitas. During the mediaeval period, the acropolis was converted into a castle, which served as a refuge for Gozo’s population. A suburb began to develop outside its walls by the 15th century, and this area now forms the historic core of Victoria.
Our next visit is the delightful sea inlet known as Xlendi Bay, located at the end of a deep, lush ravine, which was once a riverbed and surrounded by picturesque steep cliffs, the bay is now on the must-visit list of most day-trippers to the Island. Xlendi’s small but lively promenade is busy at all times of the day, with a variety of cafes, restaurants, and a handful of souvenir shops. Though seemingly bursting with activity during summer, Xlendi bay remains a refreshingly quiet place even at the height of the season.
Our last stop is at Dwejra, situated on the western shore of the island of Gozo this area is a geological and ecological haven. All the various surroundings are a blend of geology, landscape, fauna, habitats, shoreline, seascapes, archaeology, flora, and history, which makes a visit to this site an experience to remember. Dwejra is also known for its Inland Sea, a small bay surrounded by high cliffs and connected by an impressive 65-metre-long natural tunnel which opens out into the open sea, a truly fascinating natural formation which evokes awe and leaves a striking impression. Weather permitting you will have the opportunity to take a short boat trip through the narrow tunnel and its surrounding area, this trip is available at a small fee payable on location (the boat trip is not included in your package price).
A lunch (fixed menu) with a glass of wine is included during one of our stops.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
9:45 AM is the approximate start time of the activity and not the time when you will be picked up from your hotel (or closest meeting point). At least a few days before the date of your activity, you need to make sure to contact the tour operator to confirm your pick-up location and pick-up time. Your pick-up time can be any time between 8:00 AM and 9:00 AM, depending on where you are staying. If your pick-up location is a hotel, please wait outside near the main entrance. Do not wait in the lobby or inside the hotel. When the guide or driver arrives, they will have a list of names and will ask those waiting outside for identification. They will not enter the hotel to look for guests. Transportation will not wait for late arrivals. If you miss your morning pick-up, you will not be able to join the tour later. Once the tour has started, it cannot be interrupted to accommodate latecomers.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- The time shown on the website or on your ticket is the approximate start time of the activity and not the time when you will be picked up from your hotel (or closest meeting point). At least a few days before the date of your activity, you need to make sure to contact the tour operator to confirm your pick-up location and pick-up time. Your pick-up time can be anytime between 8:00 AM and 9:00 AM, depending on where you are staying.
- The tour will be guided in the language you have booked, however please note that at times, depending on operational circumstances, the commentary might be provided by a multilingual guide (limited to a maximum of 2 languages).
- The tour in Polish will be conducted by either a Polish-speaking guide (subject to availability) or an English-speaking guide together with a native Polish host serving as a translator.
- The tour in Spanish will be conducted by either a Spanish-speaking guide (subject to availability) or an English-speaking guide together with a Spanish-speaking host serving as a translator.
- The provider reserves the right to change the order of the visits without any prior notice.
- The boat trip at Dwejra Bay is not included in the price of your package; the boat trip is optional (to be paid on location) and can only be done subject to favourable weather conditions, the cost is approximately €6 per person.
- The total duration of the tour encompasses all transportation time, such as pick-up/drop-off transfers, travel time throughout the day, and the time spent commuting between the two islands.
- Not recommended for travellers with mobility impairments
Reviews(381)
Totaly worth it, a very beautiful experience just because of a great guide Ian (I hope I remember well his name, if not a big sorry🙏) Nice places, well organized, a lot of informations provide by the guide!
Excursion way to Long of the 10 hours at least 7 use hours of travelling in bus in ferry and waiting strongly not recommend
I caught the tour in Gozo. But most started with the tour from Malta. Very personable, informative, upbeat, experienced guide. We stopped at several points of interest with time for us to explore on our own. Lunch was enjoyable as well.
A great way to learn the history of Gozo and Jean Paul was so knowledgable. Easy pick up points and a great lunch included for the tour.
Great trip taking in as much of Gozo as possible. The trip was easy to organise, was well organised from the start of getting onto the boat, navigation throughout the different sites and up until returning the ferry. At this point we were left with just a return ferry ticket and it is like a cattle mart getting onto the ferry. This part was quite daunting and we would have liked this to have been organised with the guide aswell. This would be my only negative experience with the trip. Our guide Dominic was very welcoming, soft spoken and easy to listen to. The driver was excellent at navigating the narrow streets of Gozo. The lunch was ok, there is a choice but a better choice for children is needed. Id assume this is down to the restaurant themselves. We enjoyed our trip and glad we chose to visit Gozo with a guided tour. Would definitely recommend.
We loved this tour. We highly recommend bringing water & carrying EURs with you. The boat tour is cash only (5Euros). The trip to the ferry dock was pretty good just remember it’s a lot of people but they did great job keeping the group together and informed. Lunch was very good and I’m a super picky eater. Our choices were vegetable soup or pasta we each had one and they were both good. Main course was tuna salad , chicken Marsala with fries or egg omelet with fries. We did the omelet and we liked it. At the Citadel spread your time wisely bc we feel like we missed a lot of the local merchants bc we spent more time than we thought in the Citadel.
An excellent introduction to Gozo. A very good day trip. Beautiful towns and vistas. You will be pleased.
Absolutely wonderful excursion where we toured the sites of Gozo. The ferry crossing was efficient and our coach comfortable. Tour guide Ian was knowledgeable and friendly. Can’t recommend highly enough - this tour is a must if you’re visiting Malta.
A full day out - informative and well run with a very knowledgeable and friendly guide hitting all the major points to see
Highly recommended. The tour was well organized, perfect timing of activities. Tour guide Ian was excellent.
