Gozo is the second-largest of the Maltese Islands, reached by car ferry from Ċirkewwa in northern Malta. Smaller, quieter, and noticeably more rural than its larger neighbour, it moves at a different pace — the towns thin out quickly into terraced farmland, rocky headlands, and fishing harbours where the catch is still unloaded by hand. Homer is said to have set the island of Ogygia, where the nymph Calypso kept Odysseus for seven years, on Gozo — and the cave above Ramla Bay still bears her name.
The island's capital is Victoria, known locally as Rabat. Its medieval Citadel — the Gran Castello — looms above the town and offers views across most of the island. Near the village of Xagħra stand the Ġgantija Temples, among the oldest freestanding buildings on earth at around 3600 BC, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Ta' Pinu Basilica near Għarb draws pilgrims from across Malta and beyond, and the enormous dome of the Xewkija Rotunda is visible from almost everywhere on the island.
The coastline is varied: Ramla l-Ħamra is a wide beach of red sand backed by terraces, while Xlendi and Marsalforn are quieter resort bays. The Inland Sea at Dwejra — a lagoon connected to the open sea through a rock tunnel — is popular for swimming and kayaking, and the natural Wied il-Mielaħ Window inherited the role of poster image after the famous Azure Window collapsed in 2017. Gozo is well regarded as a diving destination, with clear water and accessible wrecks.