The Cittadella, all of Gozo from the top of its walls.

The Cittadella is the centre of Gozo in every sense: the fortress that crowns the hill of Victoria, the capital, and from whose walls you see the whole island, with Malta in the distance.

What it is

A walled citadel that has been in use since prehistory. The southern part was rebuilt by the Knights of St John between 1599 and 1603, after an Ottoman attack in 1551 took almost the entire population of the island away as slaves. Inside remain the Baroque Cathedral of St Mary, the law courts, the old prison, stone alleyways and ruined houses.

The walk round the walls

The best part of the visit, and free: go up on the walls and walk all the way round the top. From the north side you see Xagħra and the Ġgantija plateau; from the west, the flat hills and Ta' Pinu; from the south, the terraced countryside down to the coast and, on clear days, Malta and Comino. At sunset the stone turns golden. There are stairs: with small children, hold their hands.

The old prison

Beside the law courts, on Cathedral Square, is the oldest surviving prison in Gozo, used from the mid-sixteenth century to the early twentieth. It has the largest collection of historic graffiti in the islands: mostly ships, but also hands, crosses, names, dates, games and figures, and the tally marks with which some prisoners counted the days. There is a hall that was a common cell in the nineteenth century, with casts of graffiti including a sixteenth-century carrack, and a separate block with six individual cells. Among its prisoners was Jean de la Valette, the future grand master who gave Valletta its name, locked up for four months in 1538 for attacking a man.

It is run by Heritage Malta. In winter it is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 to 17:00. You enter with the Cittadella combined ticket: €5 adults; €3.50 for ages 12 to 17, over-60s and concessions; €2.50 for ages 6 to 11; free for ages 1 to 5. The Gozo Archaeology Museum closed on 13 April 2026 to become the future Gozo Museum; its shop remains open.

The cathedral has its own opening hours and ticket, separate.

How to get there

Victoria is the hub of Gozo's bus network, and the station is at the foot of the hill: you walk up to the main gate. By car, park below, in the town. From here, Dwejra is to the west, close by car.