Real estate · Malta

Real estate in Victoria, Gozo: homes and areas

Gozo's small hilltop capital, under the walls of its Cittadella: the island's centre for shops, schools, the hospital and buses, and a base for a quieter, more rural life than on Malta.

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Living in Victoria

Victoria is the capital and largest town of Gozo, Malta's second island, and sits on a hill near the middle of it. It was renamed after Queen Victoria for her Golden Jubilee in 1887, but many Gozitans still call it Rabat. Above the town stands the Cittadella, the fortified old city with Gozo's cathedral, restored in an EU-funded project completed in 2016. Below it, the square of It-Tokk, with its morning market, and Republic Street, with its two opera theatres and the Villa Rundle gardens, form the everyday centre of the island.

Life in Gozo is slower and more rural than on Malta, and the island has been growing: its population rose by about a third between the 2011 census and the end of 2025. About one Victoria resident in four is a foreign citizen, according to NSO figures for the end of 2025, a similar share to Gozo as a whole. Growth has brought building work; the Gozo Tourism Association has warned that overdevelopment, mostly of housing, threatens the island's character.

Gozo has no airport and no bridge or tunnel; plans for a tunnel to Malta were shelved in 2022. The Gozo Channel car ferry crosses from Mġarr to Ċirkewwa on Malta in about 25 minutes, with sailings through the day and night, and passenger-only fast ferries run from Mġarr to Valletta's Grand Harbour. On the island, almost every bus route starts at the Victoria bus terminal, and buses are free for residents with a personalised tallinja card.

Houses are more common here than on Malta: at the 2021 census terraced houses were the most common type of home in Victoria, ahead of flats and maisonettes. Victoria has no Special Designated Area; those on Gozo are Fort Chambray in Għajnsielem, Vista Point in Marsalforn and the Kempinski Residences in San Lawrenz.

Population
7,671 (2025)

Source: NSO Malta, World Population Day: 11 July 2026 (NR 120/2026), Table 11: total population by broad citizenship, district and locality as at 31 December 2025 (Ir-Rabat, Għawdex)

Neighbourhoods

Cittadella and It-Tokk
The historic core: the walled Cittadella with the cathedral on the hilltop, and below it It-Tokk (Independence Square), Victoria's main square with its morning market, cafés and shops.
St George's quarter
The old lower town around St George's Basilica, with narrow streets and older townhouses.
Republic Street and Villa Rundle
The main street leading into town, with the Astra and Aurora opera theatres, cafés, restaurants and the Villa Rundle public gardens.
Fontana (next door)
A small village that grew from Victoria towards Xlendi Bay, with a historic covered wash-house at its spring. Close to town and to the sea at Xlendi.
Kerċem (next door)
A small, rural village just south-west of Victoria, including the hamlet of Santa Luċija, set among green valleys and hills.
Xewkija (next door)
The village to the east, between Victoria and the port at Mġarr, known for its huge domed Rotunda church and home to the University of Malta Gozo Campus.

Practical information

  • Ferries: the Gozo Channel car ferry links Mġarr with Ċirkewwa on Malta in about 25 minutes, day and night. Fast passenger ferries run from Mġarr to Valletta in about 45 minutes.
  • Getting around: the Victoria bus terminal is the hub of the Gozo bus network, and buses are free for residents with a personalised tallinja card. Flights leave from Malta International Airport, on the main island.
  • Healthcare: Gozo General Hospital in Victoria is the island's only hospital, with an emergency department, linked to Mater Dei on Malta by air and land ambulance. The Victoria Health Centre provides GP services.
  • Education: Gozo has state primary and secondary schools, the University of Malta Gozo Campus in Xewkija and the MCAST Gozo campus in Għajnsielem.

Frequently asked questions

How many people live in Victoria?

At the end of 2025 Victoria had 7,671 residents, according to Malta's National Statistics Office (NSO). It is the largest town on Gozo.

How do you get between Gozo and Malta?

By ferry. The Gozo Channel car ferry sails between Mġarr and Ċirkewwa day and night, and fast passenger ferries connect Mġarr with Valletta. There is no bridge or tunnel and no airport on Gozo.

Can foreigners buy property in Gozo?

Yes, under the same rules as on Malta. EU citizens who have lived in Malta for five years, and EU citizens buying their main home, need no permit; other buyers need an AIP permit, except in Gozo's Special Designated Areas such as Fort Chambray.

Is Victoria a good base for living on Gozo?

For many people it is the most practical one: the hospital, the main shops, the bus hub and most services are here, and every village on the island is a short drive away. If you want the sea on your doorstep, coastal villages such as Marsalforn and Xlendi are close by.

Other cities

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