Victoria in Gozo: the Cittadella, culture and sweeping views

Victoria in Gozo brings together the ancient fortified Cittadella, church art, collections and festival traditions. The Cittadella lies at the centre of the island and shapes Victoria’s history; its ramparts offer expansive views across Gozo. This gives you several interests to choose from when planning your trip: walks and scenery, historic sites, or culture and music.

The Cittadella: history and panoramic views

Victoria encompasses the ancient fortified city at the heart of Gozo. Its history dates back to the Bronze Age: by around 1500 BC, the Cittadella was already securely fortified. Its open spaces are also part of its character, and are home to rare plant and animal species. A walk along the fortified ramparts brings together this landscape and a 360-degree panorama of Gozo’s hills, valleys, villages and churches. The view also stretches across the sea to Malta.

If you would like to explore the site’s history from several perspectives, the Cittadella Visitors’ Centre has interactive touchscreens and printed panels. They explain the Cittadella’s development as well as its natural, military, ecclesiastical and civic history. Another point of interest in Victoria is the Old Prison, an eight-minute walk from the city’s central streets. Victoria’s main car park is just south of Republic Street.

Church art, collections and music

St George’s Basilica houses precious works of sacred art. The present building dates from 1678 and was built on the site of earlier churches. At the Il-Ħaġar Museum, you can also discover the connection between art and church history: it houses artistic and historical artefacts from the parish Basilica of St George. The Joseph Vella Music Archive in the same museum contains 156 original compositions. Il-Ħaġar offers visitors an authentic experience of Gozitan heritage and Christian culture.

The Il-Ħaġar rooftop bar offers views of St George’s Basilica, the Castello, Victoria’s skyline and Gozo’s rural landscape. The cultural offerings thus bring together a range of impressions: sacred art and history, musical compositions, and views across the city and its surroundings.

Gardens and events throughout the year

Villa Rundle Garden has an aviary. Villa Rundle Gardens also hosts the Santa Marija Agricultural Show annually in mid-August. The Festa in honour of Saint George, the martyr, is another part of the festival culture. It is celebrated around the second week of July; the feast day of Saint George is 23 April. This distinction is useful when planning: the celebration in Victoria and the feast day fall at different times of the year.

Victoria as a starting point for your holiday apartment search

If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Victoria, you can make your choice based on how you would like to spend your days. Would you like to set aside time for walks along the ramparts and views across Gozo, or are the basilica, museum collections and music history more of a priority? The Festa and the annual agricultural show also offer different cultural occasions to plan your trip around. Families can approach the choice in terms of interests too: spending time outdoors, discovering collections, or planning a stay around a cultural event. This way, you can tailor your holiday apartment search to the experiences that appeal most to your group.

Explore more destinations

Explore more destinations: Luqa, Naxxar, Mellieħa, Qrendi, Qala, Xewkija, Xemxija, Fgura.

Go to the main travel overview: Malta.