We stayed in Xagħra, the village where the Ġgantija Temples are, and on our very first afternoon on Gozo we walked over to see them. We got there after closing time. They’re older than the pyramids of Egypt, a few minutes from our front door, and we’d missed them on day one.
We never made it back. Five days went faster than we expected, and it’s the one thing on Gozo I’d put first next time. So this isn’t a review of our visit. It’s everything we’ve since checked, so you don’t make our mistake.
Ġgantija Temples with kids, in short
- What it is: two megalithic temples built around 3600 BC. They’re more than 5,500 years old, older than Stonehenge and the pyramids of Giza, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980.
- Where: Xagħra, in the middle of Gozo.
- Tickets (Heritage Malta, 2026): €10 adults, €8 for ages 12–17, €6 for ages 6–11, and free for children under 6.
- How long: about an hour, including the visitor centre.
- Opening hours: daily 09:00–16:30, closed on a few holidays. Check before you go.
- Worth it with kids? Yes, if you tell them the story of the giantess first.
Short on time? Our top 3 family stays in Malta & Gozo
Ta Leli Holiday Home – Xagħra, a private 3-bedroom villa with its own pool, 2.7 km from Ramla Bay.
Grand Hotel Excelsior – Floriana, a waterfront resort with pools, walking distance to Valletta.
Kempinski Hotel San Lawrenz – San Lawrenz, Gozo’s big five-star resort, a short drive from Dwejra.
How old are the Ġgantija Temples?
Ġgantija was built around 3600 BC. That makes it more than 5,500 years old, older than Stonehenge and older than the pyramids of Egypt. After Göbekli Tepe in Turkey, it’s among the oldest free-standing religious structures in the world. UNESCO listed it in 1980, and in 1992 the listing was extended to the other megalithic temples of Malta.
There are two temples side by side, surrounded by one massive outer wall, plus the beginnings of a third that was never finished. The larger temple still stands about 6 metres high in places, and inside, its rooms are laid out in a clover-leaf shape.
The legend kids love: the giantess Sansuna
“Ġgantija” means “the place of the giants”. The Gozitans had a story to explain how anyone could lift stones this size. A giantess called Sansuna, who lived on nothing but broad beans and honey, built the temples herself, carrying the huge stones on her head with her baby on her hip.
Tell this in the car on the way there. It turns “old stones” into “a giant built this”, and it’s the thing children remember afterwards.
What is the visit like with kids?
You start at the visitor centre, where you buy tickets. There’s a small museum with audiovisuals and some of the most important Neolithic finds from Gozo, including small carved figures. From there a path leads out to the temples, and wooden walkways take you around and through them, protecting the stone floors.
Timing: about an hour is enough with young children. Go first thing in the morning, when it’s cooler. There’s very little shade on the site.
Is Ġgantija buggy-friendly?
Partly, from what the site describes. The visitor centre and main paths should be manageable, and wooden walkways run through the temples, but it’s an outdoor hilltop site with slopes and uneven stone. With a toddler, we’d take a carrier. Ask at the visitor centre about step-free routes.
Ġgantija tickets and opening hours (2026)
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Adults (18+) | €10 |
| Youths (12–17), seniors (60+), students | €8 |
| Children (6–11) | €6 |
| Children (1–5) | Free |
A combined ticket also covers the Ta’ Kola Windmill, a short walk away in the same village. It’s an 18th-century windmill with the miller’s house inside, and a quick, easy add-on with children. Opening hours are listed as daily 09:00–16:30, closed on 24, 25 and 31 December, 1 January and Good Friday. Check Heritage Malta’s opening-hours page before you go.
How to get to Ġgantija
- By car: follow the signs up to Xagħra. There’s parking right by the site.
- By bus: routes 307 and 322 stop near the temples.
- From the ferry at Mġarr: about 15–20 minutes’ drive.
Is Ġgantija worth it with kids? Our verdict
Go, and go on day one. We had a 5,500-year-old monument a short walk from our villa and missed it because we assumed there’d be time later. There wasn’t. As an hour with children, told as “a giant built this”, and combined with the Ta’ Kola Windmill and an afternoon at Ramla Bay 2.7 km away, it would have been one of the easiest half-days of our trip.
Our one piece of advice: go early in your trip, and in the morning. Opening hours end mid-afternoon, which is exactly how we missed it.
More Malta and Gozo
- Malta and Gozo with kids: our family guide
- Gozo with kids: 7 best things to do
- The best Gozo beaches for kids
- Our villa in Xagħra: Baron Holiday Homes review
- 5 days in Gozo with kids: our itinerary
Ġgantija Temples: your questions answered
How old are the Ġgantija Temples?
About 5,500 years old. They were built around 3600 BC, which makes them older than Stonehenge and the pyramids of Egypt, and among the oldest free-standing religious structures in the world. They became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980.
How much are tickets for Ġgantija?
As of 2026, Heritage Malta charges €10 for adults, €8 for ages 12–17, seniors and students, €6 for children aged 6–11, and nothing for children aged 1–5. A combined ticket also covers the nearby Ta’ Kola Windmill.
How long do you need at Ġgantija?
About an hour, including the visitor centre and the walk around the temples. With young children, go first thing in the morning, when it is cooler, because there is very little shade on the site.
Is Ġgantija worth visiting with kids?
Yes, as a short visit. Children enjoy the scale of the stones and the local legend of the giantess Sansuna, who is said to have built the temples. Combine it with the Ta’ Kola Windmill and an afternoon at Ramla Bay nearby.
Where are the Ġgantija Temples?
In the village of Xagħra, in the middle of Gozo, about 15–20 minutes’ drive from the ferry at Mġarr. There is parking next to the site, and bus routes 307 and 322 stop nearby.
Last checked: September 2026. Our visit was in May 2018. Ticket prices come from Heritage Malta, and opening hours from a 2026 visitor guide, so confirm them with Heritage Malta before you go.
