What it is like
The far west of the island, where the fields open out and the lanes mostly stop going anywhere in particular. The core around the square is one of the better preserved on Gozo, with the Parish Church and Collegiate Basilica of the Visitation at the top of it. The church went up in 1699 and was consecrated in 1729. Before that, the old church known as Taż-Żejt served as the parish church for fifty years.
What is actually here
Ta’ Pinu, the national shrine, stands alone in the fields just outside the village. It is not in Għarb proper, and the road out to it is exposed, which catches people out in August. Opposite the shrine, Ta’ Għammar hill carries white marble Stations of the Cross up its slope.
Ta’ Dbieġi Crafts Village sells hand-made pottery, mouth-blown glass, leather, Gozo lace and silver filigree. Nothing official names the individual workshops or publishes hours, so do not plan a day around it.
Għarb also gives its name to the Sikkina tal-Għarb, a traditional sharp knife still made in the village, and it hosts the Gozo International Puppet Festival.
The Ta’ Ġurdan walk
A circular route of roughly 10 km starts and finishes in the village square. It takes in Ta’ Ġurdan lighthouse, Ta’ Pinu, the valleys of Wied il-Mielaħ and Wied il-Għasri, and the 15th-century chapel of San Dmitri, returning through the fields behind the sanctuary. There is very little shade on any of it.
Getting there
Buses from Victoria serve Għarb and Ta’ Pinu, and the drive takes about ten minutes. The western routes are thinner than those to Xagħra or Nadur, so check the timetable rather than assuming one will be along shortly.
When to come
The festa weekend in early July is the loudest the village gets all year. Spring is the better bet for the walks, when the valleys still have water in them and the fields are not yet burnt off.
Staying near Għarb
Prices and availability come from the booking sites, not from us, and we have not stayed in any of these. How this site is paid for.
Questions about Għarb
Is Ta’ Pinu in Għarb?
Ta’ Pinu stands on its own in open fields just outside Għarb, roughly a kilometre from the village square. It is reached by its own road rather than through the village, so most visitors arrive without seeing Għarb at all. The walk out from the square is pleasant but has almost no shade.
When is the Għarb festa?
The feast of the Visitation falls on 31 May, but the festa is held the first weekend of July. If you are planning a trip around it, confirm the weekend with the parish rather than working from the feast date.
What is at Ta’ Dbieġi Crafts Village?
Hand-made pottery, mouth-blown glass, leather goods, Gozo lace and silver filigree are all sold there. No individual workshop is named on any official listing and no opening hours are published, so a visit outside the middle of the day in season is a gamble.
Can you walk to Wied il-Mielaħ Window?
Yes, and it is also reachable by road, which is unusual for a natural arch on Gozo. It became much better known after the Azure Window collapsed in 2017 and now takes some of that traffic. There are no facilities at the arch itself.