HOW WE WALKED THE GOZO COASTAL TRAIL IN 3 DAYS.
I am always on the hunt for a small island walk. Gozo, a tiny island close to Malta, is an ideal coastal walk for anyone with a few days vacation. Especially if you’re looking for a bit of escapism in the form of a hiking adventure.
After only a few minutes on the coastal walk, I knew that we were in for a total treat. Not only are the coastal views spectacular, but the path is easy to follow and just challenging enough to make it fun. We walked in early spring, which coincided with pretty yellow flowers blanketing the floor.
All in all, our three day hike around Gozo was a fantastic experience. If I had one criticism, it would be that it was over too quickly. I wish I could go round again.
In this blog post, we share our daily stages guide and relevant information with you. We hope this helps you to enjoy the trail and the splendor of Gozo island.
You can walk around the entire Gozo island
Gozo is a small island just off Malta. There are so many things that make Gozo a special place to visit, but one of the greatest features has to be the fact that you can walk around the entire island.
The route more or less hugs the coast, so there’s a fantastic feeling knowing that you’ve been able to walk around the entire island, seeing every beach as you go.
The trail around Gozo is 30 miles long
If you’re wondering about the length of the Gozo coastal trail – I have the answer. The trail is 30 miles in total, that’s approximatley 48kms.
Most walkers will tackle it in 3 days
Some super human walkers might be able to fly around the 30 mile route in one day, but generally most will take two or three days to walk it.
Although the distances aren’t huge, the route can be quite fiddly, with narrow paths and cliff side walking. Aside from the risk factor of rushing, I wouldn’t want to miss the chance to slow down and take in the scenery.
For these reasons, and because of where accommodation is located on the island, two or three days is ideal.
You can walk the Gozo coastal trail in either direction
It’s possible to walk around Gozo clockwise or anti-clockwise. There are some sign postings along the way that could be read from either direction. So, it’s really just down to personal choice.
We noticed that the trail map on All Trails is configured for anti-clockwise walking, so this is perhaps why going that way is most popular.
Which ever way you walk, you’ll encounter the same ups and downs, just in a different order!
It’s best to avoid summer heat and rain
You could walk this route all year round, but I’d suggest that it would be best to avoid walking in the high summer. Between June and August, it would be too hot to tackle the Gozo Coastal Trail. We walked in February and I think got quite lucky to avoid any significant rainfall – rain could make this path pretty dangerous and perhaps impassable in places. Spring and early autumn are the best times to walk this route – March to May or September to October.
The route is not well marked, but is easy to follow
There are no defined trail markings for the Gozo Coastal Trail. We did see red dots and markers in some places, but these don’t always denote the coastal trail, so it’s best not to pay too much attention to these markers. We used All Trails App to navigate the route and you can also find the Komoot Trails that we created below.
Malta & Gozo Coastal Trails eBook
If you want all the information you need in one place, why not get hold of our eBook. This book gives you 152 pages of information about the route, including daily stages guides and how to prepare.
It is currently only $5.99 in our shop.
How we walked the Gozo Costal path in 3 days
We took three delightful days to walk around Gozo. Our daily stages were as follows:
- Day 1: Mgarr to Xlendi 8 miles/ 13km
- Day 2: Xlendi to Marsalforn 11.2 miles/ 18.1km
- Day 3: Marsalforn to Mgarr 10 miles/ 16km
We specifically chose to break our walk into three days, because this allowed us to walk sensible distances each day without rushing. I’m sure we could have walked in two days at a push, but three felt much more leisurely.
We also chose to stay in Xlendi and Marsalforn as both are pretty seaside towns, with plentiful accommodation and amenities. Xlendi is smaller and a little more quaint, whereas Marsalforn is quite bustling.
Before the hike we stayed in Ghajnsielem, just inland from Mgarr in the delightful All Nations Holiday Home. After our third day of hiking, we were able to catch a late afternoon boat back to Malta.
Day 1: Mgarr to Xlendi
KEY DETAILS: 8 miles/ 13km, ascent 330m, descent 330m, time 4-5 hours.
ROUTE
The route begins close to Mgarr harbour, we found it a little tricky to locate the start of the footpath. As you look towards the ferry terminal, the road “Triq ta Gorgun” is on the right, head up the road which will then lead to the footpath. Once onto the trail, it’s fairly easy to continue to follow the path.
Along the way, look out for Gorgun Beach, the Xatt I Ahmar Dive Site and the 18th Century Fort Chambray, all within the first hour of the walk. The first climb is found at around one mile from Mgarr – expect spectacular views as you climb.
Around one hour in, you’ll see the quite special Mgarr ix Xini Coastal Tower complete with drawbridge, before the trail takes you high above and down into the beautiful cove of Mgarr ix Xini. I’m not ashamed to say that this section of the walk was so beautiful that it brought a few tears to my eyes. After this point, the route takes you up and out of the cove via a road, before re-joining the trail walking.
Highlights before reaching Xlendi include the quite spectacular Sanap Cliffs (also called Ta Cenc Cliffs), towering above the sea at 120m. The final descent into Xlendi is a little tricky and you’ll see lots of walkers coming in and out of the small town, especially to look at the Xlendi Salt Pans close to town.
This section of the Gozo Coastal Trail requires sure footedness and a good head for heights – the cliff top walking is not for the fainthearted. We felt safe on the walk, and there were always ways to avoid walking too close to the cliff edge. But there are some technical sections that some may find difficult, for example the climb down into Mgarr ix – Xini and path down into Xlendi.
AMENITIES
After Mgarr, there are no amenities to be found on the route generally before Xlendi. In high summer, you may find a stall serving refreshments in Mgarr ix – Xini. I’d recommend packing refreshments to enjoy at one of the beauty spots along the way. And of course, lots of water.
ACCOMMODATION
Xlendi is a small inlet that has evolved to become a little bit of a resort town. Hotels and restaurants are found along the waterfront. We chose to stay at St Patrick’s Hotel, which I believe to be the oldest hotel in the area.
It occupies a prominent position at the front of the water with quite special views from the roof terrace, or balconies if you opt for a seafront room. A charming hotel with old fashioned quirks.
Day 2: Xlendi to Marsalforn
KEY DETAILS: 11.2 miles/ 18.1 km, ascent 510m, descent 510m, time 5-6 hours.
ROUTE
This is the longest section by distance, but perhaps the least challenging day overall.
The route starts with a clamber up steep rocks to the west of Xlendi. Perhaps one of the most technically difficult parts of the day, there’s a short bit of scrambling and then some quite challenging walking to get to the top of the hill. Red dots denote the path, which would otherwise be difficult to follow. If you don’t fancy taking this route, there is an alternative footpath with a slightly more gentle incline and less need of scrambling to the right of the main path.
Throughout the day the route mainly hugs the coast, but for a few inland diversions to cross ridges and peninsulas. There are a few “private no entry” signs along the route, this is a little confusing as this is public land – we understand that for the most part, these notices can be ignored (assuming that you’re sticking to the footpath.) That said, to the very north west of Gozo, we chose to take a short cut to avoid walking to the edge of the peninsula, as there is a section of the land that is private.
Highlights on the route include quite spectacular scenery and cliff views. As well as the popular area around Fungus Rock and Dwerja – here you’ll find Dwerja Tower (free to enter when the flag is raised), and the quite unique inland sea harbour that was formed by a sink hole. We were also quite blown away by the scenery around Roccia del Fungo (a rock shaped like a mushroom!)
After Billngshurst Cavern, the route into Marsalforn is along the road or path over quite flight terrain all the way into town. You’ll pass Xwenji Bay which offers quite a tempting spot for a swim on a hot day. Then eventually reach town and the bustling harbour.
AMENITIES
Xlendi offers cafes and a mini-market before you leave town. After this, there are public toilets and refreshment stalls at Dwerja, which is a popular tourist spot. Marsalforn has plenty of restaurants, from the slightly touristy to the more local eateries. There are also a few mini-markets dotted around town.
ACCOMMODATION
Marsalforn is a bigger town that Xlendi. A bustling fishing harbour and popular tourist spot. There are a fair few hotels and Airbnbs around the harbour, as well as some great restaurants for the evening. We stayed at Hotel Calypso, a quite retro feeling 4 star hotel with wonderful harbour views. We opted for a seafront room with a wonderful view of the harbour.
Day 3: Marsalforn to Mgarr
KEY DETAILS: 10 miles/ 16km, ascent 370m, descent 360m, time 4-5 hours.
ROUTE
Although the distance is short, only 16km or so, the route today is quite challenging. As with the first day, surefootedness and careful walking is required.
The climb out of Marsalforn is steep but not too challenging and does not require scrambling. After this, the section between Marsalforn and Ramla Beach is beautiful, but tricky in places. There are steep sections, which could become very challenging if the path was muddy, as well as a short scrambling section down hill. We also encountered a muddy section of the trail surrounded by bamboo, which I imagine is boggy for much of the year.
As you reach Ramla Beach, the views of the red sand are quite special and we couldn’t not take the chance to sit and enjoy the beach before tackling the steep climb to Tal-Mixta Cave.
After this, there’s a welcome flat section on road before reaching Dahlet Qorrot Beach – a pretty and quiet cove, that was perfect for a short break and swim (there are public toilets to change if the mood takes you!)
From this are, there’s a final steep climb that eventually leads to the village of Qala. A pretty church and a few bars and restaurant await. Then a little bit of road walking leads to the final stretch along the south coast to Mgarr.
You could say that the best is saved to last, this path is very pretty with views of Comino island and Malta. One section gets quite close to the edge of the cliff, so best to keep your eyes on the path and climb a little inland to avoid this bit if you can. Otherwise, a nice path that leads you to the pretty harbour of Mgarr or onto the ferry back to Malta in our case.
AMENITIES
We recommend buying snacks and refreshments in Marsalforn before you go, but you can buy water and snacks at Ramla Beach. After this, Qala has a few amenities, there’s normally a bar open if the supermarket is shut. Then, Mgarr has lots of restaurants and cafes at the end of the route.
ACCOMMODATION
Depending on the time you finish the walk, you may wish to remain in Mgarr, to take a bus elsewhere in Gozo (Victoria is well worth a visit and overnight stay), or you can continue to Malta on boat.
Want to see more?
Find our YouTube video guide to walking the Gozo Trail below.
Written by Emma
Wine Lover. Yogi. Hiker. Writer.
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