Photos: Felix König, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0 Diego Delso, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo credits
Photos: Felix König, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0 Diego Delso, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Inside the Citadella's old prison walls
Your local guide
Mario Grech
View profile
Highlights
- Names carved by inmates generations ago
- A fortress rebuilt after a 1551 raid
- The whole island once sheltered here overnight
- A prison turned into a public museum
- The Citadella's walls, gate to courtyard
About this tour
This session moves through the Citadella's gate, its old prison cells and the courtyard of the Cathedral Museum, tracing how a defensive fortress became Gozo's civic centre. You see carved graffiti left by past inmates and hear why the whole population once sheltered here overnight after a devastating raid. It stays inside the Citadella walls throughout.
I go slowly through the prison section since the carvings need a close, steady shot to read clearly, and I take questions about specific names or dates as they come up. The museum courtyard closes the session at an easier pace.
This suits anyone drawn to real, tangible traces of history rather than a general overview. It also suits viewers who enjoy a story with a clear beginning and end within one site.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
-
Welcome and sound check 6 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Victoria (Gozo) before heading out.
-
Citadella Gate 17 min
You see the fortified entrance rebuilt after the 1551 raid, and I explain why the whole population of Gozo was once ordered to shelter inside these walls overnight.
-
Old Prison Cells 17 min
The camera moves into the former prison, and I point out names, ships and dates still carved into the cell doors by inmates held here generations ago.
-
Cathedral Museum Courtyard 17 min
From the museum's courtyard, I describe how the fortress was converted from a purely defensive site into the civic heart it still serves as today.
-
Your questions 11 min
Time to ask anything about Victoria (Gozo): prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
-
A short list to keep 5 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Ġbejna (Gozo sheep cheeselets) and Cittadella, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Malta time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 8 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Victoria (Gozo), showing you Citadella Gate and Old Prison Cells live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Do I need to know the history already?
No background needed. The guide explains everything as it comes up.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We meet on Google Meet and the link comes with your booking. I move slowly along the stone so the carved graffiti stays readable on screen.
Times shown in Malta time (CET)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Reviews appear here after travellers have completed this tour.
How reviews work
Only travellers who booked and paid through Locals Guide and whose tour took place can leave a review, within 60 days of the tour. Every review is marked "Verified booking". We check reviews before they appear and publish positive and negative ones alike; we remove only reviews that break our rules (insults, personal data, unrelated content). Guides cannot pay for, edit or hide reviews, and ratings are the plain average of all published reviews.
Next: Fri 30 Oct · 8 seats left From 27,00 €
Book