The city of Victoria (or Rabat as the people call it) is the best point to start exploring Gozo. Because of its central location on the island, it appears that every route either begins or ends in the city. Victoria's quaint, meandering alleyways are dotted with niches housing statues of Christian saints, so even if you get lost, you may rest assured that you'll be protected. Spend some time window shopping for authentic Maltese arts and crafts, such as woolens, lace, blown glass, and inexpensive trinkets.

The town's pace of life is, well, lazy, unless you happen to visit in the morning when the flea market is going and the square is bustling with activity. Enjoy some of the local delicacies while relaxing in one of the many cafes and taking in the special Gozo vibe. The Citadel, the old walled city, is a magnet for tourists. Stroll around the city walls and take in the breathtaking scenery, then explore the city's many museums, including those housed in the city's former prisons.

It is little surprise that this city, which has been the island's epicenter since Neolithic times and which was first defended in the Bronze Age, has earned the nickname "Crown of Gozo" (1500-700BC). Three thousand years later, Gozitans were mandated by law to sleep inside the walled city for defense against invaders, and they gradually began to dwell in and around the city, giving rise to its current appearance. Archaeological finds show that the ancient city was inhabited by the Phoenicians, the Carthaginians, the Romans, the Byzantines, the Arabs, the Normans, the Swabians, the Angevins, and the Aragonese. Gozitans still use the city's original name, Rabat, given by the Arabs, despite the fact that it was renamed Victoria by the British, who ruled the island after the Knights of the Order of Saint John and Napoleon.