10 Things to Do in Mdina, Malta’s Silent City

Mdina is a tiny walled city and the former capital of Malta. It lies on a hilltop about 200m above sea level in the centre of Malta, providing some spectacular views across the island. The city isn’t as packed with attractions as the current capital, Valletta. However, there is still plenty to see and do in Mdina to make it a worthwhile daytrip during your time in Malta.

Brief History of Mdina

Sitting atop a hill, Mdina is the oldest fortified medieval town in Malta, founded around 700 BC by the Phonecians. At that time it was called Maleth, before the Romans renamed it Melita when they took control in 218 BC. The town got the name Mdina during the Arab occupation. They also reduced the size of the city to what it currently is. It was much bigger before the Arabs took over and included most of Rabat. They also fortified the city. Over the centuries Mdina has been under the control of various rulers such as the Normans, the Swabians, the Angevins, the Aragonese, the Spanish, the Knights of St John, the French and lastly, the British.

Mdina remained the capital city of Malta until the Knights arrived and decided to base themselves in Birgu (Vittoriosa). As you would expect, all the nobles started to move out of Mdina. Especially after they built Valletta, the current capital.

Slowly, the vibrant city of Mdina became a bit of a ghost town and gained its name ‘the silent city’. Even today with all the tourists visiting, you can definitely feel just how quiet it is compared to other places. It does help that cars aren’t allowed in Mdina and people generally keep their voices down.

How to Get to Mdina, Malta

Mdina is easily accessible via rental car or public transport. As always, you can also visit Mdina as part of an organised tour.

In case you’re relying on public transport, you can take buses 50, 51, 52 and 53 from Valletta or bus 202 from Sliema. If you’re staying in one of the resorts such as Bugibba, you can take bus 186 or X3. You can even travel straight from the airport with the X3 or 201 service. From places like Mgarr, Marsaxlokk and Marsaskala you will need to take two different buses to reach Mdina.

10 Things to Do in Mdina, Malta

1. Enter Mdina Through the Main Gate

To enter Mdina, you’ll have to walk through its Main Gate. The beautiful entrance you’ll walk through today was designed by Charles Francois de Mondion in 1724.

Did you know? – The baroque style gate you see today isn’t the original one. In the medieval period there were actually three gates to enter Mdina. During the time when they were expanding the Vilhena Palace they also shifted the gate and walled up the original one. You can still see the outline to the right of the current gate.

It’s definitely a picturesque gate and if you’re a Game of Thrones fan, you’ll most likely recognise it as one of the gates of King’s Landing.

2. Visit the Mdina Dungeons Museum

Located right next to the Main Gate is Mdina Dungeons. The museum consists of underground passageways, chambers and cells. They have been recreated to visualise some of the dark events that happened in these dungeons over the decades. Since Malta was ruled by many factions, they have stories from different time periods such as the Romans, Byzantine, Arabs, Knights and French.

The entry fee is 5EUR.

3. Vilhena Palace: National Museum of Natural History

The Natural History Museum is housed in Palazzo Vilhena, an impressive 18th century building. As you may have guessed, it was designed in a baroque style.

The museum opened to the public in 1973 and houses a large collection of rocks, minerals, birds, mammals, fish and plenty of insects. It might not be the highlight of your trip, but it could be a great activity if you’re visiting with family.

The entry fee is 5EUR.

4. Wonder Around the Streets of Mdina

Wondering the streets of Mdina is definitely a great way to get a feel for the place. Its narrow streets with their honey-coloured buildings towering above you will make you feel like you’ve travelled back in time. There are flowers and colourful doors everywhere you look, so you won’t have a hard time taking dreamy photos in Mdina.

Top Tip – Make sure to take a closer look at the doorhandles. We definitely noticed them in Valletta, but here in Mdina almost every door handle had the shape of an animal. It’s pretty cool and definitely reminded us of Mardin’s door handles in Turkey.

5. St Paul’s Cathedral and Cathedral Museum

You’ll find the 17th-century baroque-style cathedral in the heart of Mdina. It was designed by Lorenzo Gafa after the 1693 Sicily earthquakes that severely damaged the original 12th century cathedral. St Paul’s Cathedral is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Malta. It actually shares this honour with St John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta.

Right next to the Cathedral is the Museum where you can see some religious artworks from between the 14th and the 20th centuries.

Joint entry to the Cathedral and museum is 10EUR.

6. Visit Palazzo Falson

This 13th century house is the second oldest building in Mdina. It was home to Maltese nobles during the Middle Ages. Today it’s a museum of antiques and fine arts. It actually displays some of the original décor of Oriental rugs, antique furniture, and paintings.

Entry Fee is 10EUR per person. Note that Palazzo Falson is closed on Mondays.

7. Enjoy the Views from Bastion Square

Located at the edge of Mdina’s walls you can get some lovely views of the surrounding area from Bastion Square. There are quite a few popular tea gardens such as Fontanella Tea Garden or Coogi’s Restaurant & Tea Garden where you can sit down to eat something or just treat yourself to a coffee and cake and enjoy the views.

8. Walk Over to Rabat

Don’t worry, we wouldn’t ask you to walk all the way to Morocco. That definitely wouldn’t be a relaxing day trip! Just adjacent to Mdina is a town with the same name as the Moroccan capital: Rabat. The name actually derives from the Arabic language and it means “suburb”. During the Roman times Rabat and Mdina made up the capital city called Melita.

Mdina and Rabat are pretty much divided by the Howard Gardens, so it’s very easy to walk between the two places. Rabat is definitely more vibrant than the Silent City of Mdina. It has its own charm and plenty of cafes and restaurants, so it could also be the perfect lunch spot.

Here are a few interesting places to visit in Rabat:

• St Paul’s and St Agathas Catacombs. Did you know that Christian catacombs lie under Rabat covering an area of 2000 sq m? If you visit only one place in Rabat, let it be the Catacombs. Entry fee is 6EUR.
• Casa Bernard. A 16th century palace that’s still home to George and Josette Magri. You can take a guided tour around the house and garden. Entry fee is 10EUR.
• Roman Villa. You can visit the remains of many Roman mosaic pavements dating back to the first century BC. Entry fee is 6EUR.

9. Visit the Dingli Cliffs

Visiting the Dingli Cliffs from Mdina / Rabat is a must if you’re in the area. Dingli is a small village to the southwest of Rabat. Just outside of the village is where the Dingli Cliffs are located. At around 253m above sea level, they are actually the highest point of the Maltese Islands.

How to get to the Dingli Cliffs? – If you have a hire car, then it’s only about a 10-15 minute drive from Rabat. However, you can also visit the cliffs by bus if you take the 201 from Rabat bus stop and get off at either Maddalena or Zuta bus stops. On your way back we recommend getting the bus back from Dingli village. From this bus stop you can take the 52, 56, 181 and 201 back to Valletta or Rabat.

10. Stay in Mdina after Dusk

You didn’t think Mdina was too ‘silent’ during the day? Then consider lingering in town until after dusk when most tourists have gone. Wondering the same streets during the day time might feel a bit creepier after sunset. You’ll definitely appreciate why they call Mdina the Silent City. If you want to learn a bit more and don’t fancy walking around on your own, then consider joining a group night tour.

However, if dimly lit narrow streets and ghost stories aren’t your cuppa, then perhaps head back to your accommodation before the sun goes down.

Final Thoughts on Things to Do in Mdina, Malta

We definitely enjoyed our visit to Mdina, Rabat and of course to the Dingli Cliffs. Mdina just felt very peaceful even with a good amount of tourists wondering its streets. Our absolute highlight was eating our lunch with the most perfect view of the Dingli Cliffs. We love the outdoors, so I guess it comes as no surprise.

Have you ever been to Mdina and Rabat before? If so, how much of the area did you explore? If not, would you spend a day in Mdina and Rabat? Let me know in the comments below.