Marsalforn Salt Pans

Phoenician heritage

The salt pans stretching along Gozo's northern coast west of Marsalforn are among Malta's oldest working salt pans, with origins reaching back to Phoenician times, around 1000 BC. Hundreds of shallow basins carved into the coastal limestone create a geometric pattern that is one of Gozo's most photogenic subjects.

How salt is made

The process is identical to what it was millennia ago: seawater flows into the pans during winter storms or is pumped in by hand. Sun and wind cause evaporation, concentrating the salt. In summer, when the water has fully evaporated, crystals are harvested with hand tools. One family, the Cinis, have been collecting salt at this site for generations, selling it under a local brand.

Geometry and photography

The salt pans are beautiful in every season. In summer, white salt crystals glitter in the sun. In winter and spring, water-filled pans reflect the sky, creating abstract patterns. Sunrise is ideal for photography when the light accentuates the geometry of the basins.

Practical tip: You can buy local sea salt directly from the Cini family at a small stand by the pans. It costs around EUR 3-5 per bag and makes a great Gozo souvenir.