What to know about hiking around Gozo

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Hiking around Gozo is a nice way to discover the island. You will pass by many touristic attractions and some towns like Xlendi and Marsalforn. The whole hike is around 57 kilometres which means it is possible to do it in one day or two, three or even four depending on your preference. I wrote a specific blog about Hiking around Gozo in 2 days. You can easily start the hike from the ferry station at Mgarr.

Emergency contact number: 112

Tip: you can stay overnight in Victoria and easily take the bus from here. Victoria is the biggest city in Gozo and most busses start from there and you can reach almost every point starting from this city.

What to know before you start the hike

There are some things you need to know before you hike around Gozo. The hike is quite easy but some things you just need to know. Below I will discuss the following topics that you need to know before you start the hike:

• Accommodation
• Best time to hike around Gozo
• Where to start and to end

In total you can hike around Gozo in 1 to 4 days depending on your preference. Hiking in one day is hard and only if you are used to hiking.

Tip: make sure you have a map or downloaded the map offline because you will not always have connection with your phone.

Accommodation

If you are planning on hiking around Gozo in more days, then you need to think about accommodation. In terms of accommodation there are two options. You can sleep in a hostel/hotel, or you can pitch your own tent.

When you sleep in a hotel, you can arrange different places to stay that are on the trail or you can stay multiple days in one place in Victoria. Victoria is the central point of Gozo and from there you can easily take the bus to start each day and come back.

For camping there are some rules. You can camp in the wild if you have a special permit from the Local Councils. It is possible to find the contact information of every council in Gozo on this website. You can find all the Local Councils of the Maltese Island on the website of the government.  There is an official camp site called Ruby’s Camping Site.    

Tip: make sure you book your accommodations in front during high season.

Best time to hike around Gozo

You can do this hike all year round. During the summer months it can be extremely hot so avoid the summer months June until September. You can hike around in those months, but just be prepared for the heat.

The best time to hike around Gozo would be April until June and October to November because then it’s not too hot and there are fewer tourists.  

Tip: avoid doing this hike in July and August because it’s high season and it will be too hot and too crowded.

Always calculate extra days in case the weather is bad. So, make sure to calculate two extra days as a buffer. It is rare that the weather is bad but there are those days that there is a storm. Normally it only lasts one or two days but you need to be prepared that it could happen.

Where to start and to end

I recommend you start the hike at the ferry station in Mgarr. You can hike clockwise around the island; you will finish again at the ferry station.

Tip: bring cash because in some small places you can’t pay with your card.

What to expect hiking around the island

It is possible to hike around in one or two days, but you need to be a good hiker. If you want to enjoy more, I suggest you do it in 3 to 4 days. The hike around Gozo is in total 57 kilometers and quite easy. It’s an easy trail that is not too much ascending and descending.

Sometimes it’s hard to find the right trail. Keep on following the red dots along the coastline. Only near Qala you need to do a small detour which is not along the coastline because there is a quarry there.

Tip: wear decent shoes, bring sun protection, food and enough water.

You will pass by many beautiful places. The places you will pass are the following in the right order:

1. Xatt I-Ahmar Salt Pans
2. Mgarr ix-Xini
3. Ta cenc Cliffs
4. Sannat sunset viewpoint
5. Sanap cliffs
6. Xlendi tower
7. Xlendi beach
8. Santwarju
9. Dwejra Bay (Blue hole)
10. Mushroom rock
11. Wied il-Mielah
12. Wied il-Ghasri
13. Xwejni Salt Pans
14. Xwejni Bay
15. Xwejni Rock
16. Marsalforn
17. Ix-Xtajta
18. Ramla Beach
19. Tal-Mixta Cave
20. San Filep Beach
21. Dahlet Qorrot Beach
22. St. Anthony’s Battery
23. Hondoq ir-Rummien
24. Mgarr harbour

What not to forget to bring on the hike

Some things are easy to forget. That’s why below you’ll find a list of essential things that you should not forget to bring on this hike. Things you should bring:

• Water with electrolytes
• First aid kit and emergency blanket
• Knee or other brace, for your injuries
• Tape to prevent blisters
• Toilet paper
• Vaseline or hydrating cream
• Head torch (fully charged)
• Clothes that dry quickly in the sun (it can get quite hot)
• Cloths or tea towels
• Ear plugs and sleeping mask (if you are planning to camp)
• Sun protection (sunscreen, hat, sunglasses)
• Power bank

Tip: every day you should drink at least 2 liters of water. Bring enough snacks and food. There are places during the hike where you can buy food and drinks.

Our experience hiking around Gozo

The hike around Gozo is quite easy if you are used to hiking in the mountains. The most difficult part is finding the trail sometimes. You will see many times ‘private property’ but if you stay along the coastline and follow the red dots normally you can get around. Only at Qala (near the end of the hike) you need to take a detour because of the quarry.

Tip: don’t get distracted when you see red dots going away from the coastline, keep walking along the coastline normally you will see red dots again after a while (there are sometimes dots going in a different direction but don’t mind them),

Sometimes you will see private property along the coastline, and you will see signs that are illegal. You can read more about that in an old article of the Times of Malta. Before you reach Xlendi you will pass by Ta’ Cenc Cliffs and you will even see a wall on the trail. But don’t worry, you can climb over it and you are back on the trail.

Since 2016 there is a law that the coastal perimeter is public domain which means you can hike there. The public domain is 15 meters from the shoreline inwards. If you want to read more about this law, check out the following document.

Tip: if you hike Gozo in one day, I suggest you start the hike early in the morning in the dark because you will finish it normally also in the dark. The earlier you start, the earlier you finish.

For us this was an easy hike but for some this is more a moderate hike. You will have some amazing views and pass by so many nice places. Take your time to enjoy the views. I wrote a blog about hiking around Gozo in 2 days.