Saturday, January 3rd:

Today a jeep safari to Gozo, Malta's beautiful sister island, is on the agenda.
The tour operator picks us up around 8:00 am, and we take a minibus about 1 hour north to the ferry terminal at Cirkewwa. We cross over to Mgarr Harbour and hop into a jeep. Just us and our driver. Brilliant — all the others are stuck on the cheap tour in a packed bus.

We visit one after another:

The temple complex of Ggantija is a well-preserved and impressive cult site from the Neolithic period. The forecourt on an artificially created terrace was enclosed by a wall, some remnants of which can still be clearly seen on the far left in front of the temple. Inside, you can spot an altar where burnt offerings were made. It's also worth taking a look at the massive perimeter wall surrounding the temple on three sides. The people of the Neolithic era stacked gigantically large stones to build it. 

Above Ramla Bay lies a small grotto that allegedly served as a love nest for the nymph Calypso and her lover Odysseus. From up here, we have a wonderful view of Gozo's most beautiful sandy beach, which remains completely undeveloped. In summer, there is a bus connection from Victoria.

Before we continue eastward, we take a lunch break in Victoria.

The Citadel: Victoria's silent city with fascinating museums and magnificent views of Gozo's capital. In the last century, the town was renamed from Rabat to Victoria in honour of the British Queen.

North of the market square rises the castle hill with the Citadel. A walk along the fortress walls offers a panoramic view across Gozo.

Inside, you'll find several museums worth visiting and the Cathedral of St. Mary by Lorenzo Gafa. The building from around 1700 impresses with its simplicity and balance — unfortunately wrapped in scaffolding during our visit. Of particular interest is the trompe-l'oeil ceiling painting that simulates a deceptively realistic, mighty dome, even though the ceiling is actually flat.

On the western edge of town, an aqueduct stands out, which has supplied Victoria with water since the mid-19th century.