The number of people day-tripping to Gozo has risen again – but doesn’t a day trip miss the whole point of the Gozo experience?
Take any measure you like (ferry passengers, vehicle numbers or individual visits) and trips to Gozo increased again in 2016. According to Malta’s National Statistics Office, vehicle numbers on the ferry were up 7.6{072b3f020e5c96087e67b4a6a53cb4f6361881c4df5abec53cf247d5495fb591} or 110,612, while passenger numbers rose by 8.3{072b3f020e5c96087e67b4a6a53cb4f6361881c4df5abec53cf247d5495fb591} or 393,328. In August alone, by far the busiest month on the island, 582,264 people made the crossing between Malta and Gozo. That’s a lot of people visiting Gozo for the day.
Now don’t get me wrong, you can cover a lot of ground in a day, zigzagging the island in a frenzied attempt to cross off as many Gozo attractions as you can before the last ferry departs for Cirkewwa. Victoria Citadel? Check. Azure Window? Check. Ggantija Temples? Done.
There’s just one thing you’re missing in seeing Gozo in this way: real Gozo.
A (proper) Gozo holiday
The true Gozo experience isn’t a mad rush between points on a map. If anything, to experience Gozo at its best you need to slow down. That’s because Gozo isn’t London. It’s not a high energy route march between a gazillion points of interest.
It’s a place to escape the rush, a place to stop and enjoy the deep breath of relaxation. Yes, it can be adrenaline fuelled – you could spend your Gozo holiday diving or kayaking or horse riding or cliff walking. But even the most active can’t fail to be stopped in their tracks by glorious views, mighty sunsets and the simple pleasure of a glass of wine on your private terrace.
A Gozo holiday is like a fine wine. Open it. Let it breathe. Savour it.
And you can’t do that on a manic day trip, no matter what the numbers say.
Book a proper Gozo holiday. Explore our wonderful Gozo villas and farmhouses here.