Victoria (Malta)



Victoria, also called Rabat is in Gozo. It should not be confused with another town called Rabat on the main island of Malta.

Get in
Rabat lies at the centre of the island and most of the roads pass through it. There are several car parks and bus routes near to the Citadella.

Get around
The main visitor attractions are in the central Citadella, which is inaccessible to cars, so walking is the only option.

Understand
Historically the central Citadella and the surrounding area of Rabat were considered separate towns - "Rabat" in Arabic simply means a suburb outside the fortified part of a town or keep.

In the 19th century, the name 'Victoria' was coined by the British government for the whole settlement. Nowadays, Gozitans generally refer to the settlement as 'Rabat', which can cause confusion with the town of the same name on the island of Malta (which, similarly, is the area outside the walls of the old Maltese capital Mdina).

Do

 * Once a year there are traditional horseraces through the centre of town.

Buy
On the main square of Rabat there is a market during weekdays selling mostly touristic wares.

Go next

 * The nearby town of Xaghra houses Ġgantija Temples, which are regarded as one of the oldest freestanding buildings in the world, as such they have been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Buses run regularly between Victoria and Xaghra, except on Sundays. A taxi should cost around €18 return.
 * Għajnsielem