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Xewkija, which lies in the middle between Mgarr Harbour and Victoria, is the oldest village in Gozo. It became the first parish outside Victoria on the 27th November 1678 by Bishop Molina and became the first district 'contrada' to be known as 'casale' or village. The village feast of St. John the Baptist falls on 24th June, and the external festivities are celebrated on the closest Sunday. The word Xewkija is derived from Arabic meaning an area of thorny wastelands, common at some point in time.

A remnant of Arab culture in the whereabouts of Xewkija is the renowned marble slab of Majmuna (pron. Maimoona) with an inscription in Arabic dating back to 1173. It throws valuable light on life during Arab cultural domination. It also proves that Malta was by that time still under strong Arab influence, even though Arab political domination was ended with the arrival of Count Roger the Norman in 1090.

The awesome Rotunda, naturally dedicated to St. John the Baptist, is Xewkija's distinctive landmark and parish church. Tourists and visitors flock year round to visit the church and its attractions. It offers an unforgettable panoramic view of Gozo from its enormous dome. The monumental church is an enormous circular structure in white local limestone. It is called a Rotunda because of its form. Eight concrete columns covered with stone support its elegant dome, 75 metres high, with a 28-metre diameter, and a circumference of 85 metres.This boasts the third largest unsupported dome in the world. Its weight is calculated to around 45,000 tonnes.

Xewkija has a heritage of worthy craftsmen and busy workers. The village produces the best Gozitan stone masons who are also the finest decorators of Maltese stone. The Xewkija folk are traditionally also able fishermen, most of whom still pursue the art of making traditional cane fish traps of all sizes during their free time. The Xewkija fishermen have kept alive this precious fish trap tradition over Gozo.

When one enters the village from Mgarr Road one sees the remaining structure of a windmill erected in the times of Grand Master Perellos. This is a unique mill in Gozo because it has points, which show the eight principal wind directions.

Besides, beautiful landscapes, an unspoilt and spectacular Mgarr Ix-Xini Valley and an access to the peaceful Bay of Mgarr ix-Xini are also Xewkija's string of pearls. This makes the village of Xewkija an ideal place for trekking and abseiling in winter and spring, while the mini-fjord of Mgarr ix-Xini is a fine place to bathe and dive.

On the perimeter of the village one finds nearly what's most important to Gozo, namely the University of Malta (Gozo Section), the Gozo Football Stadium and also the island's Industrial Estate that houses Gozo's small and medium-sized enterprises.

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