Gozo

Malta's smaller sister island is about 25 minutes by ferry from the main island and runs at a noticeably slower pace: farmland, limestone villages and coastal paths instead of Malta's busier resorts. Base yourself in a converted farmhouse or village guesthouse and the days sort themselves into a morning walk along the cliffs, a long lunch and a swim. It is the warmest choice here for an off-season escape, with spring and fall the best balance of mild weather and empty paths. July and August bring vacationers in numbers, so save those months for somewhere cooler.