Late spring (May and June) and early autumn (September and October) are the sweet spots: sea temperatures are warm enough for swimming, temperatures hover in the low-to-mid 20s Celsius, and the summer crowds thin out. July and August are hot (often above 32C) and busy, especially at the Blue Lagoon and Ramla Bay, though this is also festa season, when villages hold spectacular fireworks and street celebrations for their patron saints. Winter is mild but wetter and windy, with many seasonal beach restaurants closed; it is the cheapest and quietest time to visit. If you can, time a trip around a summer village festa or the spring flowering of the countryside.

Gozo has no airport, so almost everyone arrives via Malta International Airport (near Valletta), then travels to Ċirkewwa at the northern tip of Malta to catch the Gozo Channel ferry, which crosses to Mġarr Harbour in about 25 minutes and runs frequently day and night (you pay only on the return leg from Gozo, roughly 4.65 euros for a foot passenger). A faster passenger-only fast ferry also links Valletta directly with Mġarr in about 45 minutes. On Gozo, renting a car is the most flexible option given hilly terrain and limited bus frequency; public buses radiate from the Victoria terminus but can be slow and infrequent. Ride-hailing apps like Bolt operate but with limited cars, so book ahead or arrange transfers. Driving is on the left.