What it is like
The dome comes first. You see it from Victoria, from the ferry road, from halfway across the island, and then you arrive in a village that is mostly ordinary streets around a very large church. Xewkija works for a living: the industrial estate, the football stadium and the university campus are all here, and the result is a place with more vans than tourists in it.
What is actually here
The Rotunda, dedicated to St John the Baptist, is the reason to stop. Inside it is vast and sparer than most Gozitan churches, and a small museum keeps carved pieces of the church it replaced.
Beyond that the village rewards a short wander rather than a visit. There is a windmill from the time of Grand Master Perellos, who ruled from 1697 to 1720, with an octagonal ground floor. The Chapel of St Cecilia, out towards the fields, is described as the oldest in Gozo. Megalithic ruins were dug up somewhere in the area in 1647 and nothing of them is left to see.
Beer and bread
Lord Chambray, Gozo’s only craft brewery, is on the industrial estate, with tours and tastings and beers named Blue Lagoon, San Blas and Fungus Rock. Ta’ Saminu bakery on Soil Street is the other reason locals from other villages drive in. Between them they are a better argument for Xewkija than the church museum.
Getting there
Buses between Victoria and Mġarr pass through, so it is a few minutes from either, and the ferry road runs along the edge of the village. Parking near the Rotunda is usually easy, which cannot be said of most of Gozo in August.
When to come
The festa falls on the Sunday closest to 24 June, St John the Baptist’s own day. Outside that week there is no particular season for Xewkija, and the walk down the valley towards Mġarr ix-Xini is best in spring before the heat sets in.
Questions about Xewkija
Is the Xewkija Rotunda worth going inside?
Yes, if you are passing. The interior is enormous and comparatively plain, and a small museum holds carved fragments from the older church it replaced. The dome is what makes people stop, and it reads better from a distance across the fields than from the square at its foot.
Where can I visit a brewery in Gozo?
Lord Chambray in Xewkija is the island's only craft brewery. It runs tours with tastings, and its beers are named Blue Lagoon, San Blas and Fungus Rock. Times vary by season, so arrange a visit with them directly rather than turning up.
What is the windmill in Xewkija?
A Knights-period windmill from the reign of Grand Master Perellos, who ruled from 1697 to 1720. Its ground floor is octagonal, which is unusual for a Maltese windmill. It no longer works.
Is there anything prehistoric to see in Xewkija?
Not now. Megalithic ruins were unearthed in the area in 1647, but nothing of them survives above ground. For temples you want Ġgantija in Xagħra, ten minutes away by car.