A bay perfect for swimming, cliffs with hiking opportunities, a watch tower, and amazing restaurants – while small, the former fishing village Xlendi on Gozo has a lot to offer. I got to spend two weeks there and was more than surprised by all the things to do in Xlendi.
Nowadays, Xlendi is a lively seaside resort town that has been built up with towering apartment buildings, but thanks to the scenic surroundings, it is still rather idyllic. It is a town where nature, history, and culture meet, and as such, it has to be included in a multiday Gozo itinerary even if you decide not to stay in Xlendi itself.
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Where to stay in Xlendi
While there is a larger selection of vacation apartments, there are only four hotels in Xlendi.
If you are looking for spacious modern rooms, you should stay at the newly opened Blu Waters Boutique Hotel. Located right at Xlendi Bay, all rooms offer a sea view, and the suite even has a jacuzzi.
Travelers looking to stay in a historic building will love St. Patrick’s Hotel. Also located right at the bay, the rooms either offer a bay, a valley, or an inner courtyard view. As such, you should be sure to book a sea view room. There is a small pool on the rooftop, and you can eat breakfast in the hotel’s restaurant right at the bay wall.
BLOCK Hotel is the best option for budget-conscious travelers who do not care about having a great view from your hotel’s balcony as they plan to be out and about all day. While small, the double rooms are stylish.
If you do not want something more luxurious and do not mind staying just a little bit outside of Xlendi, Cesca’s Boutique Hotel is the perfect option for you. Located around 1 km up the valley towards Fontana, it is a transformed traditional farmhouse that will enchant you with its elegant design. It has a pool.
How to get to Xlendi
If you do not have a rental car, all you have to do upon arrival at Mgarr Harbor by ferry is catch the direct bus line TD30 which will take you directly to Xlendi. The bus ride takes 36 minutes and costs 2€. From 10:08 AM to 7:08 PM, there is a bus every 30 minutes.
Alternatively, you could also take route 301 to Victoria, before taking route 306 or 330 to Xlendi.
If you have a lot of luggage or simply do not feel like taking the bus, you can also order a UBER. The fare should be around 14€.
Not sure how to get to Gozo? Read this complete guide on getting to Gozo.
Things to do in Xlendi
As already mentioned Xlendi has something to offer for everyone, as it is a town with history and culture while being located in one of the most beautiful spots in Malta. Here is what you can do when you visit the town located in the southwest of Gozo:
1. Scuba Diving
Scuba diving is what brought me to Xlendi, so of course, I also had to dive in Xlendi Bay. As it turns out, it is one of the best dive sites in Gozo. While it is suitable for beginner divers, it is also of interest to seasoned divers – at least, if they love nudibranchs.
To my great joy, the area behind the Xlendi tunnel, a 30-meter-long swim-through, is a nudibranch Eldorado. The overgrown rocks located here tend to be full of less common nudibranchs like Thuridilla hopei. If you do not know what I am talking about, you should take this as your sign to learn how to dive.
Thankfully, you do not have to look far to find a dive center, as St. Andrew’s Divers Cove (Gozo Dive), one of the best dive centers in Gozo, is located only meters away from the bay.
2. Swim in Xlendi Bay
Of course, scuba divers are not the only ones who enjoy Xlendi Bay. Thanks to several ladders leading down into the water along the promenade, you can easily access the water to go for a swim, and there is even a floating pontoon in the bay to which you can swim and sunbathe. There is also a diving board near Terrazzo Restaurant.
In addition to swimming, you can also explore Xlendi Bay by snorkeling or kayaking. If you snorkel, you have a good chance of seeing flying gurnards. Rental kayaks are available near the small sand beach.
While there is only a narrow sand strip that cannot compete with beaches like Ramla Bay or those on the main island near Mellieha, there are plenty of rocks on which you can sunbathe.
I recommend walking around the curve on the southern side of the bay, as there is more space to spread out your towel. There are also several picnic tables in this area.
3. Xlendi Watch Tower
Like Dwerja Bay and Mgarr ix-Xini, Xlendi has a watch tower, and after a full restoration project that began in 2020, it opened to the public in July 2013. It now serves as an exhibition space for pottery artifacts from the Punic ‘Tower Wreck’. When visiting it, you can also see several simple historic wall frescoes discovered during the restoration.
Built in 1650, the Xlendi Watch Tower was one of ten watch towers built under Grandmaster Lascaris. With a height of 12 meters, it is on the smaller side and has a unique observation platform that faces the bay.
For a long time, it played a crucial role in protecting Gozo from attacks, and troops were stationed there to observe oncoming ships and to alert the Gozitans in case of an attack.
The tower is located on the other side of Il-Kantra Valley, and to get there, you cross a bridge that dates back to the Knights of St. John. The small valley itself is also rather beautiful as there is an inlet and in May, there were a lot of wildflowers. Be sure to have a look around before continuing onwards to the tower.
4. Xlendi Salt Pans
Everyone visits the Xwenji Salt Pans, but few travelers know there are also salt pans in Xlendi. Due to this, very few people visit them and you have the site for yourself. Located just below the watch tower, the Xlendi Salt Pans are the perfect spot to watch the sunset.
As they are no longer in use, you can walk around without having to worry about accidentally contaminating the salt. Be mindful while walking as the rock around the pans can be slippery. Also keep an eye on the waves, so they do not surprise you.
Nearby, you will find the Xlendi Eroded Rock, a curved rock formation below the Xlendi Watch Tower that reminded me of Wave Rock in Western Australia.
5. Cliffs Hikes
The cliffs on both sides of Xlendi Bay create a stunning scenery, and back in the day, fishermen used to recognize Xlendi as it has the only white cliffs of Gozo. While it is nice to look at them from below or potentially even from the sea, the best view is only visible to those who scramble up the northern cliffside.
It is a short adventurous hike that combines scrambling, steps dug into the rock, and uphill walking, and even before you reach the top, you are granted the best possible view of Xlendi and the bay. You will also be able to see the Rotunda of Xewkija in the distance. Once you reach the top and round a corner, you can marvel at the white cliffs and watch the sunset (if you have brought a lamp so you can safely climb down in the dark).
It can be tricky to spot the two trails leading up the cliff, so I recommend reading all there is to know about the Xlendi Cliffs hike so you are prepared and can enjoy the hike. I have seen many people attempt to do it only to fail because they could not find the way up.
If you want to hike but prefer a more leisurely route, you can also follow a trail along the southern cliffside. After taking you past the watch tower, the path winds along the coast before taking you to the Sanap Cliffs. It is around 3,5 km oneway.
6. Caroline Cave
If you want to see the bay opening from a different perspective while also visiting a beautiful, small cave, you have to head to Caroline Cave. As you walk into the cave, you will soon see two narrow openings that allow light and waves to enter the cave. It is these openings that frame the bay and the cliff and therefore award you with a picturesque view.
While it is only another beautiful spot in Gozo today, it once served as the private bathing spot of the Augustinian Sisters who spent the summers in Xlendi. Thanks to the positioning of the cave opening, they were able to enter the water without being seen.
The cave is named after a rich lady from Victoria (Rabat), who donated the land with the cave to the Augustinian community in Gozo and had the stairs installed.
Just like the starting point of the Xlendi Cliffs hike, Caroline Cave can be reached by walking up the stairs near Ta’ Karolina on the left side of the bay. Once you reach the top, all you have to do is follow the path along the blue handrail. It will lead you right to an arch with a gate – the gate is usually open. Simply walk through it and down the stairs to descend into the cave.
The ground inside the cave can be very slippery, so be careful. It is best not to visit the cave if there are a lot of waves as the water is pushed into the cave entrance.
7. St. Andrew Statue
As you stroll around the seaside promenade, you will spot a statue of Sant Indrija (St. Andrew), the patron saint of fishermen. Dating back to 1891, the statue is a reminder of Xlendi’s early days as a fishing village. Back in the day, fishermen used to leave from Xlendi, but it was hard for them to do so when the weather was rough, so they eventually relocated to Mgarr Harbor.
Where the fishing boats once moored, you will now mostly find boats for tourists.
8. Get Your Foodie On
Gozo is a foodie destination, and Xlendi has some of the best restaurants on the island. At Maltese and Mediterranean restaurants like Ta’ Karolina and Terrazzo, you can eat a delicious meal while enjoying a stunning view of Xlendi Bay. If you fancy eating international food while in Xlendi, there is also a great Indian restaurant and FRONT, a bar-restaurant combi.
Be sure to read my Gozo foodie guide to learn more about the restaurants in Xlendi and the rest of Gozo.
9. Get to know the Animals of Xlendi
Having spent more than two weeks in Xlendi, I can more than attest to the fact that there are a lot of animals in Xlendi. As such, I do not think a visit to this coastal town would be complete without spotting at least some of them.
The ones you will likely spot first are the ducks that swim in Xlendi Bay and then roam the streets of Xlendi at night. Do not be startled if you suddenly hear something ‘quack’ next to you when walking back to your accommodation after sunset.
Funnily enough, I have also seen the ducks chill in puddles on the street when there was heavy rain.
There are also cats that tend to rest at the doors of the hotels where they are fed, but the “secret star of Xlendi” is undeniably Lily the goat. She rides a scooter with her owner, so keep your eyes open – if you are lucky, you can meet her at the seafront in Xlendi in the mornings.
10. Attend the Annual Festa
If you visit Gozo in early September, you might be lucky enough to witness Xlendi’s annual festa. Held on the first Sunday of September, the celebration includes a traditional ‘gostra‘ competition during which people try to run up a greased wooden pole to grab a flag at its end. There is also a procession with a statue of Xlendi’s patron saint Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Virgin Mary).
FAQ about Xlendi, Gozo
How many days should you spend in Xlendi?
If you want to see all that Xlendi has to offer, you can easily do so in a day. However, you should add a second day if you also want to scuba dive in Xlendi Bay.
Is Xlendi a good base for exploring Gozo?
I loved using Xlendi as a base for exploring Gozo, as it is a charming little village, that is significantly less busy than Victoria. As such, it felt like a more relaxed place to stay that was not too far away from Victoria where the bus lines connecting the entire island converge.
Add the fact that Xlendi has many great restaurants and offers things to do at the end of the day without having to drive, and it can only be considered one of the best places to stay in Gozo.
Are there any grocery stores in Xlendi?
While there are no big grocery stores in Xlendi, there is a small streetside store where you can find everything from fresh fruits, groceries, drinks, and other essentials. If you need something not available at the store, bigger grocery stores like Aldi and Greens in Victoria are only a short bus ride away. If you do not want to transport back your groceries on the bus, you can take a UBER for relatively little money.
Are you planning a trip?
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Is Xlendi Worth Visiting?
Given that there are quite a few things to do in Xlendi, there is no doubt that the seaside town is worth a visit if you are exploring Gozo. It is a place where nature, history, and culture meet in a very compact area, and therefore allows you to see different aspects of Gozo.
Just know that it is a small resort town and that as such, it is not a place where you will not get a traditional Gozitan experience – to get that, you should plan to spend some time in Nadur or Għarb after exploring all there is to see in and around Xlendi Bay.
More about Gozo
If you are planning a trip to Malta, you might also be interested in these guides about Malta:
Is Malta worth visiting?
Malta Travel Tips
Which of these things to do in Xlendi will you do first?
Let me know in the comments down below!
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I’ve never heard of Xlendi before this, but not it’s on the top of my list! It sounds like a great place to connect with nature from the sea to the cliffs.
Malta has been on our list for quite a while. Hoping to fit it in during 2025, visiting Gozo while there.
I honestly did not know Xlendi Gozo existed but it is now one of the places that I want to go. Beautiful pictures!