The secret to a good family holiday is to keep the kids busy and amused. Luckily, if you’re planning a family trip to Gozo, keeping your children occupied is very easy.
Gozo makes a perfect destination for a family holiday. It has a great Mediterranean climate and the locals are friendly and love children. You’ll find you are welcomed in cafes, restaurants and everywhere you go. There’s also a surprising range of interesting things to do and see on Gozo and it’s easy to get around by car or bus.
To give you a taste of the sorts of things that can help you have family fun on Gozo, this blog post outlines six ways to keep the kids happy...
1. A day at the seaside
Marsalforn's Seafront by day, perfect for a swim. Photo: Baron Holiday Homes
A day at the seaside is an essential part of any family holiday. Gozo is surrounded by the sparkling Mediterranean Sea and has a fabulous coastline of inlets, beaches and harbours to explore.
If you’re staying in one of our Hillock Residences at Marsalforn, on the north coast of Gozo, you will only have to walk 500 metres to reach the seafront. Marsalforn is a fishing port but also offers plenty of attractions for families, plus many cafes and restaurants. You don’t even have to rent a car as there are so many things to do in the area, so it makes a very affordable destination. We can organise an airport transfer direct to your accommodation to make your stay hassle free.
Marsalforn has a small sandy beach which is perfect for little children. Older children can enjoy a range of watersports – from kayaking and boat hire, to paddleboarding and fun towables. And you might also like to explore the surrounding rocky coastline for other swimming spots such as Qbajjar Bay.
Marsalforn is also the main centre for scuba diving on Gozo and there are companies that offer expert, guided dives for all ages. We can help organise this by putting you in touch with our dive partners.
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Ramla Bay seen from Mixta Cave. Photo: Baron Holiday Homes
Sometimes you can’t beat just relaxing on a lovely sandy beach. We recommend Ramla Bay on the north eastern side of Gozo as a must for families. Although it’s probably the most popular beach on Gozo thanks to its gorgeous red sand and undeveloped nature, don’t let that put you off. It’s very child friendly especially as the sea is clean, shallow and usually calm. Lifeguards also patrol the beach.
Amenities include public toilets and a couple of cafes plus many other stalls in high season. You can hire sun loungers, parasols and even canoes and pedalos. The beach is surrounded by red cliffs and you can hike up to Tal Mixta Cave to get a fantastic view of Ramla beach.
If you want to explore some of the other beaches on Gozo, do read Our Guide to the hidden gems of Gozo’s wonderful coastline.
2. Let them play
The Villa Rundle garden in Victoria, Gozo. Photo: Baron Holiday Homes
While there are plenty of interesting historic sites for families to enjoy visiting on Gozo – such as the Ġgantija Temples – little children will need plenty of opportunities to let off steam and just play.
Fortunately there are a number of children’s playgrounds on Gozo that can help you keep your little ones happy when you’re out and about. There are safe playgrounds in villages such as Xagħra, Xewkija, Nadur, Kerċem, San Lawrenz, Għajnsielem and Munxar.
If you’re planning a day in Gozo’s capital Victoria, then the kids will enjoy running around the Villa Rundle Garden. Located near to Victoria’s shopping areas, Villa Rundle Garden provides a safe and shady spot for parents to relax as their children run around. There is also a good playground and often there are storytelling sessions and other special activities.
3. Explore the Citadella
A family enjoying the Gozo Cittadella. Photo: familytravelblog
One of the major landmarks on Gozo is the Citadel, or Citadella – a small fortified city located on high ground in the heart of the capital, Victoria. In fact, you can’t miss it as it dominates the landscape.
It has a fascinating history stretching back to the Bronze Age but the main fortifications date from the time of the Knights of Malta in the early 17th century. To walk around the narrow winding, alleyways of the old city is to step back in time and is a must for the whole family. For more information on what to see in Victoria read our blog post here.
You can even walk around the city walls for a breathtaking panoramic view of the whole island. As well as soaking up the atmosphere, you can find out more about the history of the Citadel and Gozo by exploring some of the museums and even the Old Prison.
If you decide to spend some time at The Citadel we recommend that you buy a Discover Gozo family ticket. This will give you access to many of Gozo’s museums and other major historic attractions.
4. Hunt for Gozo’s windmills
Ta' Kola Windmill in Xagħra, Gozo. Photo: Wikipedia Commons
As you travel around Gozo a fun thing to do as a family is to look out for windmills. According to VisitGozo there are at least 13 windmills – some in ruins – that can still be seen across Gozo. They were used to grind grain into flour for baking.
The best preserved windmill on Gozo is Ta’ Kola Windmill in Xagħra, which is around 300 years old - a remnant from the times of the Knights of Malta. And the good thing is that you can go inside to get a glimpse of what the miller’s daily life would have been like as the windmill is now a museum. You can explore the workshop on the ground floor and then the living quarters upstairs. The windmill houses a large collection of traditional tools, furniture, and cooking equipment.
5. Visit a farm to meet the animals
While in Gozo you can enjoy a visit to a farm. Photo: Dream of Horses Farm
Most children love animals so a family visit to meet gentle farm animals could be a lovely activity for a day out on Gozo. We recommend you put a visit to The Ta' Mena Estate in Marsalforn Valley on your itinerary as it makes a great day out for the whole family.
You can tour the estates olive groves, vineyards and produce shop. And while the grown-ups sample some delicious food and wine, the kids can meet some horses, goats and chickens. The estate even offers rides on a pony trap.
Another great place to visit as a family is the Dreams of Horses farm near Xaghra. Dreams of Horses offers specialist therapy using horses for children and adults with a range of physical, emotional or social issues. However, the farm is open to all to visit and is ideal for families with young children. You can spend time with the lovely horses and also meet other farm animals such as chickens, pigs, cats, dogs, goats and geese.
6. Just relax in the pool at your Baron Holiday Home
Boy jumping into Lellux Farmhouse pool. Photo: Anne Hegardt
Sightseeing and spending fun times at the seaside is all well and good but sometimes you just can’t beat relaxing by the pool. Most Baron Holiday Homes have their own private swimming pools and BBQ facilities so you can relax and eat outdoors whenever you feel like it.
Our Baron Holiday homes give families who are holidaying on Gozo the best of both worlds: easy access to all that Gozo can offer, as well as private, home from home where they can simply relax.
Ask us for help
Baron Holiday Homes is happy to organise car hire, tours of Gozo, and many other things to do in Gozo for our guests. Just get in touch and we'll tell you all you need to know about walks near to your rental property, special events in villages nearby, and other local information.
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