Victoria

Ir-Rabat, officially called Victoria since Queen Victoria's Jubilee in 1887, is the capital of the island of Gozo. A vacation in Ir-Rabat takes you to a small, lively town beneath a mighty citadel, from which you can see almost the entire island.

Citadel and Old Town

The Citadel, Ċittadella, crowns a hill in the middle of Gozo. Its origins reach back to the Bronze Age; the present walls were built by the Knights of St. John around 1600, after Ottoman corsairs carried off almost the entire population in 1551. Until the 17th century, residents had to sleep inside the walls at night. Inside stand the Baroque cathedral, whose dome is only painted on, the Old Prison, and several small museums. At the foot of the hill lies the old town with narrow lanes, It-Tokk square with its morning market, and the Basilica of San Ġorġ. The main street, Triq ir-Repubblika, is lined with cafés, banks, and shops, because Victoria is the administrative and shopping center of the whole island. Despite the British renaming, many Gozitans still simply call their town Rabat. The visitor trail along the Citadel's walls, open after extensive restoration, offers views as far as Malta and Comino in clear weather.

Sights Around Ir-Rabat

From Victoria, every destination on Gozo is quickly reached: the Ġgantija temples near Xagħra, older than the pyramids and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the red sand dunes of Ramla Bay, the cliffs of Dwejra with its inland sea and Fungus Rock, where the Azure Window once stood before it collapsed in 2017, and the salt pans of Xwejni. The Basilica of Ta' Pinu near Għarb is Malta's most important pilgrimage site. In Ir-Rabat itself there are two opera houses, the Aurora and the Astra, which stage competing productions in the fall.

Food, Getting There, and Best Time to Visit

Gozo is known for Ġbejniet, small sheep's or goat's milk cheeses, ftira with potatoes and capers, as well as honey and wine. The ferry from Ċirkewwa to Mġarr takes about 25 minutes, and a fast boat connects Valletta directly with Mġarr; from there you take the bus to Victoria. The best times to visit are spring and fall, when the island is green and the hiking trails are pleasant.