Sliema: Gozo Full Day with Opentop Bus and Comino Caves

Two islands, one brisk day. This tour links Gozo’s hilltop Citadel, Ta’ Pinu Basilica, Ggantija Temples, and Comino’s Santa Maria Caves without making you arrange separate ferries, buses, and boats. I especially like the speedboat ride, which turns transportation into a scenic part of the day, and the open-top bus, which gives you a quick view of Gozo’s countryside and coastal roads.

The main thing to watch is time. Gozo receives about five hours, and that sounds generous until you account for several stops and the fixed boat departure back toward Malta. A detailed family account noted that using the hop-on hop-off bus fully would require more than five hours, with only two 45-minute stops possible before the 3:50 p.m. return boat. This is a good tour for seeing a lot, not for lingering at every sight.

Key points to know before you book

• The 40-minute speedboat ride is a major attraction, with views of Malta’s coast and St. Paul’s Islands.
• Gozo’s five-hour bus circuit covers major sights, including Victoria, the Citadel, Ta’ Pinu Basilica, Ggantija Temples, and Fontana Cottage.
• The Citadel in Victoria gives you a strong first look at Gozo, with broad views across the island.
• Ggantija Temples predate the pyramids of Egypt, making this one of the day’s most important historic stops.
• Comino’s Santa Maria Caves are viewed from the boat, not explored on foot.
• The fixed schedule favors efficient sightseeing, so comfortable shoes, water, sun protection, and careful timing matter.

What this Gozo and Comino day trip is really like

This is a transport-focused island tour with a generous list of sights. You start opposite Chequers Bar in Sliema, board a fast boat, spend several hours touring Gozo by double-decker bus, then return by boat toward Comino before finishing at Sun & Fun Water Sports in St. George’s Bay.

At $85 per person, the price is easiest to understand if you value convenience. You are paying for round-trip speedboat transport, the Gozo bus tour, and the Comino cave cruise in one outing. You are not paying for meals, drinks, hotel transfers, or entrance fees, so you should budget for those separately.

I would not choose this trip if your main goal is a slow, in-depth visit to Victoria or Ggantija. I would choose it if you want to cover both Gozo and Comino in one day and prefer a moving tour over a day spent organizing connections.

The Sliema departure and the 40-minute speedboat ride

The meeting point is opposite Chequers Bar in Sliema. From there, the speedboat provides a fast start and avoids making the crossing feel like a dull transfer.

The ride lasts about 40 minutes. You can expect views of Malta’s rugged shoreline and St. Paul’s Islands, which are tied to the story of Saint Paul’s arrival in Malta and are known for their striking offshore setting. Keep your camera ready, but also keep your hat secure. A speedboat ride can be breezy, and the sun can be strong on the water.

This part of the outing earned particular praise from a family traveling with a 13-year-old son. That detail is useful if you are choosing between a standard ferry and this tour. The boat is not just a way to get there. For many people, especially children and anyone who likes a little motion, it is one of the most memorable portions of the day.

The tradeoff is comfort. People prone to seasickness or motion sickness are specifically advised not to take this trip. Pregnant people and those with back or heart problems should also avoid it. The tour is not suitable for children under five, people with mobility impairments, or people over 70.

Gozo from the open-top bus

Once you reach Gozo, you transfer to a comfortable double-decker bus for a scenic circuit. The upper deck should give you better views of the island, while the lower deck offers shelter if the sun becomes too intense.

The bus format is useful because Gozo’s sights are spread around the island. You can see several important places without arranging taxis or trying to work out local bus connections. It also gives you a quick sense of Gozo’s countryside, villages, roads, and coast.

The limitation is built into the schedule. Gozo is not a single compact attraction, and five hours passes quickly when the bus must keep to a return departure. You can use the route as a sightseeing loop, but stopping everywhere is not realistic.

A practical approach is to decide before arrival which two or three stops matter most to you. If the Citadel and Ggantija are your priorities, protect time for those. If you want photographs of the basilica and countryside, you may need to accept shorter visits elsewhere.

Victoria and the Citadel: Gozo’s essential stop

Victoria is Gozo’s medieval capital, and its Citadel is the obvious focal point. The fortified center sits above the surrounding town and countryside, making it one of the best places on the tour for wide views.

You should expect some walking here. The tour includes a moderate amount overall, and the Citadel is not a stop to treat as a quick photo from the bus window. Comfortable shoes will help, especially if you plan to explore beyond the immediate arrival point.

The Citadel gives the day historical weight, but the available time matters. If you want to examine every lane, church, and viewpoint, five hours across the whole island will not be enough. I would use your time for the main elevated views and the central historic area, then move on rather than trying to see every corner.

Victoria is also a useful place to understand Gozo’s scale. From above, the island feels open and agricultural, with villages and roads spread across the interior. It is a good contrast to the busy harbor setting where the tour begins.

Ta’ Pinu Basilica and Fontana Cottage

Ta’ Pinu Basilica adds a different kind of stop. It is a major pilgrimage site and an impressive piece of architecture, set in a quieter part of Gozo. The visit is less about fast sightseeing and more about seeing one of the island’s best-known religious landmarks.

You do not need to be religious to appreciate the basilica. Its importance comes from the building, its setting, and its place in Gozo’s local identity. If you are interested in sacred architecture, this may be one of the highlights of the bus circuit.

Fontana Cottage offers a more rustic view of the island. The stop is included as part of the scenic tour and gives you a taste of Gozo’s countryside rather than another major monument. It helps keep the day from becoming a string of large historic sites.

Still, these stops compete for the same limited hours. You may pass some places from the bus without a long visit. That is not necessarily a flaw, but you should see the tour as a broad introduction rather than a detailed study of each location.

Ggantija Temples and the scale of Gozo’s past

The Ggantija Temples are among the most important stops on the route. They predate the pyramids of Egypt, a fact that immediately changes how you look at the stones. These are not simply old ruins added to a bus tour. They represent a prehistoric building tradition from a period far earlier than many famous monuments around the Mediterranean.

The stop is valuable even if you have limited time because the age of the site gives Gozo a distinct identity. The temples also provide a counterpoint to Victoria’s medieval fortifications and Ta’ Pinu’s later religious architecture. In a single day, you move through several very different chapters of island history.

Entrance fees are not included, so check the cost before you decide how to use your time. If you want to enter the temple site, plan around the return bus schedule. A short visit may be possible, but rushing through an important archaeological site can be frustrating.

This is one place where the open-top bus arrangement creates both value and pressure. You can reach Ggantija without arranging your own transport, but you must keep an eye on the clock. Missing the correct bus or delaying too long could put the return boat at risk.

The return boat and Comino’s Santa Maria Caves

After the Gozo circuit, you return to the port and board the speedboat again. The next leg takes you toward Comino, with a boat cruise of about 15 minutes around the island and its Santa Maria Caves.

The caves are best understood as a coastal viewing stop. You see them from the water, along with their clear waters and rock formations. This is not a land-based cave walk, and you should not expect a long stop on Comino itself.

The boat gives you an angle that you would not get from a road or walking trail. The cave entrances, rock walls, and water are the point of the visit, so the camera is useful here. Sunlight can make the water particularly bright, but conditions can vary, and the boat’s movement means you may need to take photographs quickly.

This final section is shorter than the Gozo portion, but it gives the day a pleasant change of pace. You have spent hours moving around inland Gozo, then return to the sea for a close look at Comino’s coast. It is a compact finish rather than a full island visit.

The day ends at Sun & Fun Water Sports in St. George’s Bay. Be sure you understand that the finish is not necessarily the same place as the Sliema meeting point. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, so you will need to make your own way to the departure point and arrange your onward transport after the tour.

Timing, walking, and what to bring

The stated duration is 6.5 hours, with approximately five hours allocated to Gozo. That makes this a tightly planned outing. The speedboat schedule is useful because it saves road and ferry time, but it also means you cannot freely extend a stop.

A family account offers an especially practical warning: with the fixed 3:50 p.m. speedboat back, fully using the hop-on hop-off system may allow only two 45-minute stops. You can see more from the bus, but you cannot necessarily get off at every appealing sight.

I recommend bringing:

• Comfortable walking shoes
• A hat
• Sunscreen
• Water
• Light clothing
• A camera

Smoking is not allowed. Meals and drinks are not included, so carry water and plan for food before departure or during an appropriate break. Do not assume that every stop will provide enough time for a relaxed meal.

The tour includes moderate walking, and the combination of heat, sun, boat motion, and a brisk schedule can make the day tiring. You will enjoy it more if you treat it as an active sightseeing day rather than a restful cruise.

Is $85 good value?

At $85, this is fair value for a visitor who wants transport and a broad introduction to two islands. The price includes several separate moving parts: the speedboat from Sliema, the return boat, the Gozo bus, the Comino cave cruise, and access to a planned route covering major sights.

The value is weaker if you already have reliable transport around Malta and Gozo or if you want to choose your own pace. You may prefer arranging a slower visit and paying only for the places you care about.

Remember that entrance fees, food, drinks, and hotel transfers are extra. The package is convenient, but it is not all-inclusive. I would compare the total cost with your own transport plans, not just the headline price.

The strongest value comes from the speedboat. It saves time and gives the day energy, which can matter when you are trying to fit Gozo and Comino into one outing. The family account praising the ride, especially for a 13-year-old, supports that point. If the boat itself appeals to you, the price feels more justified.

Who should book this tour?

I would recommend it for first-time visitors to Malta who want to see Gozo and Comino without planning a complicated day. It suits couples, active families with older children, and anyone who likes scenic transport mixed with historic stops.

The tour is also a good match if your priorities are the Citadel, Ta’ Pinu Basilica, Ggantija Temples, and the Santa Maria Caves. You get a useful first look at each, even if you cannot spend long at every stop.

I would hesitate if you are prone to seasickness, need a slow pace, have mobility concerns, or want a long archaeological visit. The tour is also a poor fit for anyone who dislikes fixed schedules. The open-top bus lets you see plenty, but the timetable keeps you moving.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before departure, and you can reserve now and pay later. Those terms help if your Malta plans are still changing, but the more important decision is physical comfort and pace.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

The tour starts at the boat departure point opposite Chequers Bar in Sliema.

Where does the tour finish?

The tour finishes at Sun & Fun Water Sports in St. George’s Bay.

How long is the tour?

The total duration is 6.5 hours.

How long is the speedboat ride from Sliema?

The boat cruise from Sliema takes about 40 minutes.

How much time is spent touring Gozo?

The Gozo portion lasts about five hours, including sightseeing and the double-decker bus route.

Are meals and drinks included?

No. Meals and drinks are not included in the tour price.

Are entrance fees included?

No. Entrance fees to the sights are not included.

Is the tour suitable for people prone to seasickness?

No. The tour is not suitable for people prone to seasickness or motion sickness because it includes speedboat rides.

Can I cancel the booking?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.