Around the island of Gozo

The island of Gozo has been a crossroad for cultures since ancient times. Located in the middle of the Mediterranean, it’s very easy to understand its strategic value even though the island is mostly barren and quite small.

The first sight of the island is most often the port of Mgarr, where the Lourdes Chapel is towering on a nearby cliff. But don’t stop there, the island is full of wonders to explore.

Rubble of past civilizations at the Citadel of Victoria.

While going past Xewkija (gotta love these weird names), the cupola of Rotunda St. John Baptist Church can be seen from a far distance. Other interesting stops include the windmill of Xaghra, the neolithic temples of Ggantija and the fishing village of Marsalforn.

Why not stretch into the myth domain and visit the cave near Ramla bay, supposedly the one referenced in Homer’s Odyssey where Odysseus was kept prisoner by Calypso.

Roaming the Citadel of Victoria.

The real gem of the island is the capital city Victoria (also known as Rabat). Just a short walk up Republic Street is The Citadel (Cittadella). On Cathedral square, you will find Cathedral of the Assumption, said to be built upon a Roman temple.

But my favorite thing was to ascend the hill, past the rubble of past civilizations (the hill has been fortified since 1500 BC) and look out from the mighty walls to have a look at the entire island, 360 degrees version. History past and present.