Ċirkewwa (Cirkewwa) is the north-west tip of Malta, within the limits of Mellieħa. This is where the Gozo Channel ferry leaves for Gozo, in about 25 minutes, and it has long been a dive site popular with Maltese divers, according to Visit Malta, the official tourism website. Since February 2026, the law has made it Malta's first marine park. Right next to it, Paradise Bay has two sandy beaches.
Without a car, you get there by bus: the 41, 42 or X300 from Valletta, the 222 from Sliema, the 221 from Buġibba, the TD1 from the airport. Prices and times were read on the official websites on 20 October 2026, except the bus journey times (8 October 2026): check them before you go.
- Where: the north-west tip of Malta, in Mellieħa; the port for boats to Gozo and Comino.
- Buses: routes 41, 42, X300, 222, 221, 101 and TD1 to the terminus; €2 a ticket in winter, €3.50 on the TD1.
- Boats: Gozo Channel ferry to Mġarr (Gozo), no booking; small ferries to Comino from Ċirkewwa and Marfa.
- Diving: an arch at 12 m, the Rożi and P29 wrecks between 30 and 36 m, Susie's Pool (6 m) for beginners.
- Paradise Bay: two sandy beaches; beach club open from 9am to 6pm in October, closed from November to March.
- On site: public toilets, drink and snack machines, live bus information screens.
- Car: a lane reserved for the Gozo ferry from the Armier roundabout; no public car park listed at the terminal.
Getting to Ċirkewwa: bus, car and airport
These routes end their journey at the Ċirkewwa terminus (journey times taken from the Malta Public Transport timetables on 8 October 2026):
| Route | From | Journey to Ċirkewwa (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| 41, 42 or X300 | Valletta | 1 hr to 1 hr 40 min |
| 222 | Sliema and St Julian's | 55 min to 1 hr 25 min |
| 221 | Buġibba | 35 to 50 min |
| TD1 | Airport, one bus an hour | 1 hr to 1 hr 30 min |
A ticket costs €2 from 18 October 2026 to 12 June 2027, then €2.50 in summer, and €3.50 on the TD1. You pay the driver (cash, contactless card or phone); it is valid for 2 hours, changes included, and children under 4 travel free. The 101 comes from Mġarr, a village in Malta and not the port of Gozo, via Golden Bay, Popeye Village and Għadira. All routes: Ċirkewwa terminus page on the Malta Public Transport website.
By car: from the Armier roundabout, a continuous lane is reserved all the way to the terminal for cars going to Gozo (Infrastructure Malta, 30 June 2024): don't take it if you are coming to dive, to swim or to leave for Comino. None of the official pages we read lists a public car park at the terminal; Visit Malta mentions one at Paradise Bay. Never park in the ferry queue.
Which boats leave from Ċirkewwa
The Gozo Channel ferry leaves Ċirkewwa for Mġarr, the port of Gozo, every day, in about 25 minutes, with cars and foot passengers. It cannot be booked, and on foot you board without a ticket: the return ticket (€4.65 per adult as of 20 October 2026) is bought and checked in Mġarr, before you come back. For Comino, small ferries leave from Ċirkewwa (Comino Ferries Co-Op and Ebsons) and from the quay at Marfa (Co-Op), in about 20 minutes; the big Gozo ferry does not go there. Times, prices and how it works: our guides how to get to Gozo from Malta and how to get to Comino.
To go ashore at the Blue Lagoon, you also need a free QR code, separate from the boat ticket: see our guide to the Blue Lagoon and its pass. For your visit to Gozo, read things to do in Gozo.
Our Gozo tours with Yippee (quad, buggy, jeep, tuk-tuk) come this way all year round, according to the tour pages: a minibus picks you up from where you are staying (or the nearest point), then a boat reserved for their guests leaves from Marfa Quay or the Ċirkewwa Cafe, weather permitting. Yippee's boat trips to the Blue Lagoon leave from the same quays, from mid-April to mid-October only, and the boat stays at anchor. See our Gozo tours by quad, buggy, jeep or tuk-tuk and our boat trips to Comino and the Blue Lagoon.
Diving at Ċirkewwa: the marine park, the arch and the wrecks
Visit Malta describes a drop-off from 8 to 30 metres, an arch, caves, and a seabed down to 36 metres. The marine park project started in October 2019, funded by the Malta Tourism Authority and run by Nature Trust Malta; the law set it up on 26 February 2026 (Legal Notice 51 of 2026). Its management plan, launched in August 2026, is meant first of all to protect the Posidonia seagrass meadows.
The four sites, from easiest to deepest
| Site | Depth | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Susie's Pool | plateau at 6 m, then a drop-off to about 30 m | The shallowest, perfect for beginners according to the park. A statue of the Virgin Mary in a small cave at 18 m, since 1987. |
| The Arch (Right or Green Arch) | top at 12 m, 8 m above the seabed | A cave whose roof has collapsed. You enter the water with a giant stride from the edge. |
| Rożi (tugboat) | mast at 20 m, hull between 30 and 34 m | A former Grand Harbour tugboat, sunk in 1992, 150 m from the entry point. Marked by a buoy from May to October. |
| P29 (patrol boat) | resting at 34 m, top at 12 m | A former Armed Forces of Malta patrol boat, 52 m long, sunk in 2007, 200 m from the shore. Going inside is advised only for trained wreck divers. |
Both wrecks were sunk on purpose, for diving and as an artificial reef; the park keeps them for more advanced diving. No boat, fishing or leisure, is allowed to stop above them (Notice to Mariners No 2 of 2022).
The rules for diving in Malta
According to Visit Malta:
- Registration: before diving, you register at a dive centre, with a form and proof of your level.
- Health: a medical questionnaire, and an exam by a doctor if the centre asks for one; written consent from a parent for a minor.
- Licensed centres: only licensed centres give courses, guide dives and rent out equipment.
- At the surface: a code-A flag or a surface marker buoy is compulsory.
- Fishing: forbidden from boats over the dive sites; spearfishing with a licence only.
Ask the centre for its licence and tell them your level. All the rules: tips for divers on the Visit Malta website.
Wind and boats: the two hazards
Here, you dive from the shore. On 26 March 2024, in strong wind and rough seas, 18 divers had to be rescued near the Rożi wreck (MaltaToday). Visit Malta also warns that there are many speedboats and ferries in summer, especially in the channel between Malta and Gozo: hence the compulsory buoy. Before you go, check the Ċirkewwa Marine Park sea conditions camera, and call it off if the sea is rough. In case of an accident, call 112: there is a recompression chamber at Mater Dei Hospital, in Msida.
Snorkelling
With a mask and snorkel, start at Paradise Bay, where Visit Malta mentions equipment hire. Around the port, it is an area for divers and boats: stay close to the shore, with a buoy that is easy to see. More spots: our guide to snorkelling in Malta.
Paradise Bay: the sandy beach next to Ċirkewwa
According to Visit Malta, Paradise Bay and the beach of the hotel next door are two sandy beaches at the far north of the island, near the Gozo ferry quay, with clear water, ideal for families, and a view of Comino and its large tower. That hotel, the Paradise Bay Resort, presents its beach as private, for its guests.
Right on the beach, the club The Beach at Paradise Bay rents out sunbeds and parasols, serves breakfast and lunch, and offers paddleboarding and kayaking. As of 20 October 2026, it opens every day from 9am to 6pm in October and closes from November to March: out of season, don't count on a sunbed or a meal.
By bus, get off at the Ċirkewwa terminus (the club gives route 101). The beach is next to the port: spend the morning there before a boat to Comino, or on your way back from Gozo.
Around Ċirkewwa: the Red Tower and Armier
On the Marfa ridge, the Red Tower (St Agatha's Tower) was built in 1647 and 1648 under Grand Master Lascaris; it overlooks Għadira Bay, and from its roof the view reaches Comino and Gozo. As of 20 October 2026, Din l-Art Ħelwa opens it almost every day, from 10am to 4pm from November to March and from 10am to 5pm from April to October, for €2.50. These hours depend on its volunteers: check the Red Tower page on the Din l-Art Ħelwa website before you go up.
At the very north of Malta, the sandy beach at Armier faces Comino and Gozo, with bars and small restaurants but no hotel; in a north wind, the swell there can be strong, Visit Malta warns. Mellieħa, its Għadira beach and the rest of the area: our article things to do in Mellieħa; for the whole island, things to do in Malta.
FAQ: Ċirkewwa
Where is Ċirkewwa?
On the north-west tip of Malta, in Mellieħa. It is the port for boats to Gozo and Comino, and the entrance to Malta's first marine park.
How do you get to Ċirkewwa by bus?
The 41, 42 or X300 from Valletta, the 222 from Sliema, the 221 from Buġibba, the TD1 from the airport. As of 20 October 2026, a ticket costs €2, or €3.50 on the TD1.
How long is the ferry from Ċirkewwa to Gozo?
About 25 minutes to Mġarr, every day, according to Gozo Channel. Times and prices: our guide how to get to Gozo.
Do you need to book the ferry at Ċirkewwa?
Not for Gozo: Gozo Channel takes no bookings, and you pay for your return trip in Mġarr, before you come back. For Comino, think above all of the free Blue Lagoon pass, which you book in advance.
How much is the ferry from Ċirkewwa to the Blue Lagoon?
As of 20 October 2026, €15 return per adult with Comino Ferries Co-Op, and €13 at most per person with Ebsons. The pass to go ashore is free but separate: it is all in our guide how to get to Comino.
Can you swim at Ċirkewwa?
Yes, at Paradise Bay, the sandy beach next to the port. Around the terminal, it is divers' territory, and Visit Malta warns that there are many boats there in summer.
Where can you park at Ċirkewwa?
None of the official pages we read lists a public car park at the terminal. Visit Malta mentions one at Paradise Bay; never park in the Gozo ferry lane or queue.
How do you pronounce Ċirkewwa?
The Maltese Ċ sounds like the English "ch": say roughly "cheer-keh-wa". The name is also written without the dot on the C.