Beautiful Mdina – The Silent City of Malta, and Rabat

Mdina is a gated fortress on top of the hill, a beautiful place to visit on your Malta itinerary. However, it’s more than that, a city with thousands of years of history and many stories to tell. Let’s dig in!

Mdina – The Silent City

4000 years ago, its Phoenician name was Maleth. Later, it bore many names: Melita in the Roman era, then the Arabic word for ‘city’ – Medina, Mdina, or L-Imdina in Maltese. Mdina was the old capital of Malta. In the 16th century, the Order of St.John moved the capital to Birgu and later to Valletta.

When the capital moved to the shore the city lost most of its inhabitants. What was once a large city on the island, was divided into the walled city of Mdina and the village of Rabat surrounding it. The streets became empty, and, with about 300 inhabitants today, Mdina became The Silent City. Its other names are Città Vecchia or Città Notabile (Noble City).

Best things to do in Mdina

Mdina only covers the area within the old city walls. It’s a small area you can probably cover in one hour. However, the tiny city will impress you with its timeless feeling. And though you can visit a few museums in the walled city, the real museum is Mdina itself. Walking through its streets will allow you to discover and admire thousands of beautiful details, a world in itself.

Admire the architecture of Mdina, Malta

Start your walk admiring the beautiful Baroque-style Vilhena gate. The old wooden bridge to the main gate was replaced with a stone bridge over the ditch around the fortified city.

Then, moving on through the narrow streets, you’ll have plenty of things to see in this beautiful city. Notice the impressive Aragonese buildings, traditional Maltese doors, and colorful balconies hanging over that golden limestone everywhere. Here and there, a dolphin doorbell or some flowers adorn the narrow alleys.

Take in the view from the city walls

Looking over the city walls where possible, you’ll have spectacular views over the larger town of Rabat and beyond, towards the Mediterranean Sea. It reminded me of the panoramic views from an Italian hill-top town, Ostuni, over the surrounding countryside.

St. Paul’s Cathedral in Mdina, Malta

Even if you’re not religious, you should still visit St. Paul’s Cathedral in Mdina. The cathedral was built in the 12th century on the spot where legend says Saint Paul met the Roman governor of the time after shipwrecking on Malta.

The cathedral is easy to locate without a map, just look for the twin bell towers, and you’ll find it. Inside, the cathedral is tastefully decorated. The floor consists of marble tombstones similar to the ones inside St. John’s Cathedral in Valletta. The colored marble was recovered from sites of the Roman Empire, including Carthage or the Roman settlement preceding Mdina.

You can buy the tickets from the museum next door. The ticket includes access to both the cathedral and the museum. Check out the cathedral website for price details and hours.

The Cathedral Museum

Next to the Mdina Cathedral, you can visit the Cathedral Museum. The building is another example of Baroque architecture.

The museum is open Monday to Friday from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM and also on Saturday morning.

Museums in Mdina, Malta

If you have to visit a museum in Mdina, I have a couple of options for you:

Palazzo Falson

You can visit Palazzo Falson for the art collection it displays, but the historic building alone is worth visiting. The collections also include interesting furnishings and old jewelry. Some of the famous paintings on display belong to Anthony Van Dyck, Nicolas Poussin, and Mattia Preti. The Carpet Gallery is home to a collection of Oriental rugs.
Opening Hours: Tuesday-Sunday: 10 AM – 5 PM.

Vilhena Palace

One of the most imposing buildings in Mdina, Palazzo Vilhena, was commissioned as a Magisterial Palace of Justice by the Grand Master, Antonio Manoel de Vilhena in the 18th century. After serving as a hospital for a while, it reopened in 1973 as a National Museum of Natural History. The palace is very close to Mdina’s main city gate.

The ditch gardens

Take a stroll through the old ditch, now arranged as a garden with ample open spaces. The former bastions and high walls of Mdina form the perfect background to the green of the gardens. The ditch separates Mdina, the medieval walled city, from the more lively Rabat. Look for Il-Foss (its Maltese name) to find the entrance.

The knights’ heritage in Mdina, Malta

If you’re interested in the knights’ heritage in Malta, you can visit The Knights of Malta or the Mdina experience. It starts with a 3D movie about the history of Malta. It goes on with a tour that uses mannequins to illustrate different moments of the medieval period.

The technology used is somewhat dated, but if you’re a history aficionado, you may find this an interesting experience. It’s a good opportunity to learn more about the religious orders and their influence on the island of Malta.

Rabat – the “suburb” of Mdina, Malta

The suburb-town of Rabat begins where Mdina ends. The only thing that divides the two is the ditch outside the city’s walls. The name comes from the Arabic word for ‘suburb’ – Rabat. Leave some time to explore the town outside Mdina because it has plenty of things to do as well.

Things to do in Rabat, Malta

Wander the streets of Rabat

The best way to explore both Mdina and Rabat is to wander its streets in search of the next surprise or instagrammable spot. You will find the charming Maltese balconies and colorful doors here as well. Moreover, Rabat has many restaurants and terraces where you can rest and enjoy a coffee or lunch.

Visit Domus Romana

A short walk from Mdina Gate, you can visit Domus Romana, a small museum containing Roman antiquities. The site is a former Roman Domus (house) excavated. The surviving Roman mosaics from the 1st century BC are reason enough to visit, but there is also an impressive collection of household items on display inside. You can see everything from hairpins made from bones to glassware and small boxes for perfume or body oils. A statue of a woman in draped clothing guards the collection.

Domus Romana is open every day from 9 AM to 5 PM, and you need about 30 minutes inside.

St.Paul and St. Agatha’s Catacombs in Rabat

The catacombs were originally burian sites during Roman times. Under Roman law, all burials had to take place outside of towns to preserve hygiene. When St.Paul shipwrecked to Malta, legend says he stayed in these catacombs. Later, St. Agatha hid in the catacombs to escape persecution. Early Christians gathered in the catacombs to pray and meet like-minded people.

Today, you can visit the catacombs in Rabat and the adjoining museum to learn about life and death rituals in the Roman era, Christianity, and also about Malta’s history. Start your tour in the museum. The video on display will help you understand what you see in the catacombs. The visit takes an hour or so, and it’s not the best activity if you suffer from claustrophobia.

How to get to Mdina and Rabat in Malta

Transport in Malta is pretty straightforward and well organized. You can get to Mdina on one of the buses from Valletta or the neighboring areas. Mdina is also on the hop-on-hop-off bus route. Another option is to get a taxi or a Bolt. It’s always a good idea to order your car upfront and know what your ride will cost.

Another idea is to join an organized tour from Valletta and visit Mdina together with Mosta and Ta’Qali village on a day trip. Alternatively, you can make your way to Mdina and join this walking tour of Mdina and Rabat to benefit from a guide to learn more about the places you visit.

I hope I convinced you to include a visit to Mdina on your Malta itinerary. Let me know if you have any questions in the comments below.

Disclosure

Some of the above may be affiliate links. This means that if you click on a link and make a purchase, I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. However, I only recommend companies, activities, or products that I use myself. Thank you for your support in keeping my blog live!