In the northern region of Malta you’ll find Mdina and Rabat. They are neighbouring cities sharing a border making them easy to explore in a day. But with so much to see I took a day to explore each of the cities individually.
Mdina
Mdina, who’s name comes from the Arabic word Medina meaning “city” or “town”, is a walled city dating back to the 8th century. It was once the capital of the island and a very busy place until 1530 when the capital was moved. After that Mdina experienced a decline in population and activity. Today the population of Mdina is only about 300 people and few cars are allowed into the city. It has since earned the nickname The Silent City due to it almost becoming a ghost town. Mdina was able to retain its Medieval characteristics and along with the lack of cars you feel as though you are stepping back in time.
Game of Thrones fans might recognize some of the locations in Mdina as it was used as the filming location for King’s Landing in season 1. Fan or not though, the walls of Mdina are a wonderful place to explore. They boast some incredible views of the surrounding area and are even home to the Fontanella Tea Garden. Fontanella can get quite busy so, don’t be surprised if you have to wait for a table. It is well worth the wait though especially if you get a seat on the top level of the surrounding wall. Be sure to try some of their delicious homemade cakes. Mdina is a great city to just wander through, explore the narrow streets and see where the day takes you.
Rabat
Rabat gets its name from the Arabic word for “suburb” seeing as Rabat was originally the suburb to Mdina when it was the capital. Saint Paul is a prominent figure throughout Mdina and Rabat and even Malta in general. This is because in the bible it states that Paul the Apostle was on his way to Rome when he shipwrecked on the island of Melita, or Malta, around 60A.D. He then later took refuge in a cave, which is now called Saint Paul’s Grotto, in Rabat. Due to Saint Paul’s significance in the area there are many churches and other religious sites to visit.
One interesting site to visit is the Catacombs of Saint Paul and Saint Agatha. The catacombs are a network of underground Roman tombs. Originally they would have been outside the city as the Romans believed it was unhygienic to bury the dead within the city. These catacombs represent the earliest evidence of Christianity in Malta and also feature Pagan and Jewish tombs. This is also the largest cemetery of it’s kind to have been found on the island. The main complex of the catacombs consist of over 30 hypogea, at least 20 of which are open to the public. Tickets to visit the catacombs cost 5€ for adults and allow you access to the visitors centre as well as the catacombs. In the visitors centre you’ll learn all about the history of the catacombs and their uses over time as well as the traditions of those who used these tombs and how they honoured the dead. In terms of the catacombs themselves, instead of being a long winding tunnel of tombs it’s multiple smaller rooms with many entrances. That being said some areas are quite small and confined making some of the rooms not very ideal for some people who are uncomfortable with small spaces. Also, don’t expect to see lots of bones like the catacombs in Paris as there are almost no bones left on site.
No trip to Malta would be complete without trying one of the Maltese’s favourite street food, pastizzi. It just so happens that one of the best places for pastizzi is just outside the city walls of Mdina bordering Rabat. Pastizzi are a flaky baked pastry usually filled with mushy peas or ricotta, both are delicious. The place for pastizzi in Malta is a little hole-in-the-wall cafe called Crystal Palace. Located on Triq San-Pawl this little cafe is always packed. Each time I went there was a line up to the door. The wait is short though and very worth it. If you can find space to sit then stay in and enjoy some tea with your pastizzi. If not you can take them for takeaway and find a nice seat in the gardens across the street. The pastizzi here are always super fresh and perfectly crispy. Two pastizzi and a bottle of water costs less than 1€ as well.
Dingli Cliffs
Just a short bus ride from Rabat, the Dingli Cliffs offer some stunning views. The cliffs are the highest point on the island at 253 meters above sea level. You get uninterrupted views of the sea as well as the Maltese coast. There is a small chapel dedicated to Saint Mary Magdalene that sits right on the edge and marks the highest point on the island. A calm summer day offers fantastic views of the sunset from the cliffs. The area itself is very calm and quiet making it a great place to relax and enjoy the views or to walk for hours along the length of the cliffs.
Next post I’ll be talking about the islands of Gozo and Comino which are some of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. If you want to stay up to date and see more photos you can follow along on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Or if you want to read more about Malta check put my last post here.
Until next time
Ċaw!