If 2025 has been off to a slow start with very little ‘newness’, it is probably time to plan a getaway to a destination you haven’t discovered yet. Few things are as enriching and exciting as travel, particularly when your destination is completely new. Right in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea is Gozo – a mere fleck on a map of the world but having a huge personality that rivals that of bigger islands. And if you have already visited the island and fallen for its charms and quirks, perhaps it is time for another encounter in a different season. As winter melts into spring and spring transitions into summer, Gozo’s beauty and offering change too. Here’s our guide to making the best of your holiday in Gozo, depending on when you visit.
WINTER
Gozo's winter coat. Photo: Baron Holiday Homes
Gozo’s topmost appeal in the winter months is arguably the mild weather. As most of mainland Europe shudders in freezing temperatures, the island generally enjoys more favourable weather throughout winter, rarely slipping out of the sun’s embrace for more than a couple of days at a time. Such weather is ideal for enjoying al fresco experiences and adventures around the island; from walks in Gozo’s pristine countryside to sipping coffees in one of the capital’s squares, and making the most of outdoor Christmas activities if you visit in December.
The most anticipated event of the winter season is Carnival, which will be celebrated between 28 February and 4 March this year. The five-day revelries, which have been part of the island’s cultural calendar since the rule of the Knights of St John, are a mix of over-the-top costumes, colourful floats, grotesque masks and boisterous street parties. While celebrations in the island’s capital, Victoria, follow an organised structure and are more family friendly, the town of Nadur has become synonymous with more chaotic celebrations. Here, revellers throng the streets dressed in home-made costumes that are very often inspired by events, politicians and celebrities that would have made the headlines the previous year. If you are interested in securing front-rows seats to the madness of the Nadur Carnival, we recommend checking out Baron Holiday Homes’ accommodations in this village.
Sweet to look out for: Prinjolata during Carnival
SPRING
Countryside and coastal walks are a great idea in spring. Photo: Baron Holiday Homes.
Gozo rolls out a carpet of green dotted with wild fragrant flowers for spring’s arrival, making hikes in the hilly countryside a feast for the senses. The weather starts getting warmer, with April enjoying an average air temperature of 16.4°C and May seeing the mercury rise further to average a pleasant 20°C. While the average sea temperature remains below 20°C until May, in June the sea starts warming up properly, inviting braver souls to declare the swimming season open with a refreshing dip.
Planning a spring trip to Gozo that coincides with Holy Week allows one to experience the many religious celebrations that take place around this time. In Victoria and villages such as Xagħra, Żebbuġ, Xewkija and Nadur, parishioners dressed as Biblical characters take part in processions and re-enactments that meander along the streets as solemn onlookers relive the events leading to Jesus’s crucifixtion. The intricate costumes worn and the imposing statues carried with much effort and coordination by seasoned reffiegħa (statue bearers) make for a spectacle that is bound to be appreciated by the religious and non-religious alike. The atmosphere is often made even more sombre by the sorrowful sound of funeral marches being played by a band accompanying the procession.
A religious tradition that is still going strong among locals is the visits to seven different altars of repose - which are a beautiful sight to behold thanks to the flower decorations they are generally adorned with - on Maundy Thursday or Good Friday morning. On Maundy Thursday, churches remain open until late as many people carry out the seven visits, a ritual that originated in Rome in the 16th century.
Two theatre productions that are worth looking out for this spring are Fiddler On The Roof and Nabucco. The classic musical will be performed at the Astra Theatre between 22 and 30 March 2025, while Verdi’s opera will be staged at the Aurora Theatre on one night only on 3 May 2025. The latter production is part of the springtime festival of music Gaulitana, which will treat audiences to concerts and recitals between April and May. Keep your eyes peeled for more information about this month-long music bonanza here.
Food & fruit to look out for: Kusksu with local broad beans, stuffed artichokes, loquats, strawberries
SUMMER
Summer brings the festa season - a combination of tradition and culture. Photo: Baron Holiday Homes
Summer days tend to get pretty hot on the island, with temperatures reaching high 30s, and at times low 40s, in July and August. By August, the average sea temperature rises to 26°C and the island’s most popular beaches are thronged with locals and visitors. However, there are a number of beaches whose limited accessibility ensures that they remain relatively quiet throughout the summer months. Alternatively, you can lap up the summer sun by the pool of your Baron Holiday Homes accomodation!
An island holiday in summer is certainly not complete if a festa is not experienced. Between May and September, a festa is celebrated every weekend in a different Gozitan village, in honour of the patron saint of that village. Festas are a wonderful combination of religion, tradition and culture, which are further explored in one of our previous blogs.
But village festas are not the only sought-after outdoor events. Wine festivals featuring Gozitan wines, the Xewkija food festival, music festivals such as Ħondoq by Night, and music performances held in different localities around the island ensure there’s something for everyone throughout the season. Gozo’s longest-running festival, the Victorial International Arts Festival (VIAF), which features exhibitions, talks, master classes, concerts and children’s activities, is also organised in summer.
Food & fruit to look out for: Lampuki (dorado) & lampuki pie (late summer), prickly pears, figs
AUTUMN
Pleasant temperatures and sunny days generally linger well into the first half of November, and swimming until late October is not unheard of. However, October and November occasionally turn out to be stormy months, so do check the forecast properly to pack for the expected weather before visiting.
Autumn, more precisely October, has become synoymous with two opera productions staged at the Astra and Aurora theatres in Victoria, which bring together the best home-grown talent alongside international stars. These productions are the culmination of a month’s worth of events related to music and opera.
October is also when the Kite and Wind Festival takes place in the limits of the westerly village of Għarb. Seven editions of this festival have been organised so far, each one drawing bigger crowds. You can check out the legend that is associated with picturesque area where this festival is held in one of our previous blogs.
Halloween has also become popular on the island, with some households decorating their house facades with pumpkins and little ones putting on spooky costumes. However, the celebration of Halloween and the macabre has drawn the ire of locals who believe that Halloween has Catholic rather than pagan roots. At the beginning of November, several villages round the island put together impressive displays using hundreds of candles, known as Mixegħla tal-Qaddisin, to celebrate All Saints Day.
Food to look out for: Pumpkin & rice pie
Posted in Activity, Autumn, Spring, Summer, Things to do, What to see in Gozo, Winter
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