If you are planning a trip to Malta, spend the bulk of your time in Valletta, the largest city, but definitely don’t miss out on visiting the nearby quaint village towns. You can do a two-city day trip to Mdina and Rabat with enough time to explore much of what these ancient Maltese cities have to offer.
The tiny region of Mdina, the old capital, is one of the most popular tourist cities in Malta. The 222 acre fortified city sits atop a hill with some of the most incredible views in the country.
TIP: Make sure to explore Mdina both day and night. During the day, you’ll see much of the old Baroque and Medieval architecture. Then, just wait until nighttime! The town fills with lights, illuminated along the skyline. It will take your breath away.
Rabat, the neighboring town to Mdina, is much larger and well-known for its urban commercial marketplaces and archeological sites.
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Getting to Mdina and Rabat
Save money on a rental car or taxi and ride the bus!
The Valletta bus terminal is located just outside the city walls, west of the city center. Hop on bus 51, 52, or 53 for your trip to Mdina and Rabat.
A bus ticket is €1.50 one-way. Don’t make the same mistake we did and buy a roundtrip ticket upfront. They don’t tell you that it expires after 12pm.
The bus will drop you off just a 3-minute walk from the walled city of Mdina. There is a tourist bureau right inside the gates on the left hand side. Grab a map and do the self-guided tour of all the main attractions in the city.
What to Do in Mdina
Mdina Dungeon: For only €5, it’s a quirky underground museum of crime and punishment explaining all the torture techniques used in the 16-17th c. I would not recommend this for children under 10.
Natural History Museum: While the artifacts of this museum may not blow you away, the building itself sure will. This building is actually Vilhena Palace, built in 1775 for the Grand Master by the same name.
St. Paul’s Cathedral + Museum: For €5, you can visit the vast baroque-style church and museum with a collection of Roman antiquities and paintings.
Palazzo Falson: Also €5 including an audio tour, you can explore the second oldest building still standing in Mdina. The last owner was Captain Gollcher, a philanthropist, artist and researcher who has 45 varied collections on display. This was our favorite stop in town.
What to Do in Rabat
Domus Romana: To continue on your day trip to Mdina and Rabat, you’ll exit the walled city. Immediately, you’ll enter Rabat. Turn right and you’ll come across the time-worn ruins of Domus Romana, ‘Roman Villa’. Awe at some of the Mediterranean’s finest mosaic floor tiles.
St. Paul’s Church, Grotto, & Catacombs: This sacred place of pilgrimage is believed to have been where St. Paul lived in 60 AD. This church is also where he founded the first Christian community in Malta. Admission to the Phoenician catacombs includes an audio tour to help you find your way through the maze of 17 underground tunnels.
After visiting the large expanse of St. Paul’s, there’s really no reason to spend money on any other burial sites.
From St. Paul’s, the walk back to the bus stop is about 10 minutes. This will conclude your day trip to Mdina and Rabat.
Where to Eat on your Trip to Mdina and Rabat
Fontanella: This gorgeous cafe, situated along the city wall, offers some of the most spectacular views of the Maltese valley surrounding Mdina. Order ftira, the best tuna sandwich you will ever eat on delicious grilled Maltese bread.
Crystal Palace: This small, modest bar in Rabat is known for have the best pastizzi in the country. This ricotta or smashed pea filled pastry is the perfect cheap, grab-and-go snack for you on your busy day.
Ta’Doni: Whether you’re going for some meat or veggie choices, this cafe is sure to fill you up. Order a couple of boards from their large selection of antipasti and entrees and share with your group.
Heritage Malta Multisite Pass – Do You Recommend?
Short answer, yes.
$50 for a museum pass might sound like a lot. If you’re planning to spend a few days in Malta and make the day trip to Mdina, Rabat, and other cities, this pass will cover many of the museums and sites you’d likely want to visit.
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Love this! Very well put together!
Author
thanks so much!
Malta looks absolutely gorgeous and so scenic. I would love to go sometime. $50 for an all day pass actually doesn’t sound like too much.
The area looks ancient looking and that library filled with books so high.
Wow. Valletta looks amazing! Definitely a place I’d like to visit!
I never expected it to be so beautiful. However, it looks lovely and has a wonderful serene. The pictures and your review is extremely awesome.
You just gave me a tour with your pictures. I could spend hours in that library!
To be honest, Area looks very old and very classy. One can spend so many times here in this place. Felt like already been there. Amazing Images you got there.
This place looks breathtaking! I love the architecture, and any room filled with books!
I’ve never been in Malta and you made me want to go. I love your pics.
Beautifully detail post. This looks like a great place to visit. Love your photos too.
I always heard Malta was a beautiful place to visit. Your pictures confirm that. Thanks for sharing!
I’ve never heard of this place but it’s beautiful. I’ll have to put it on my list.
I m not that familiar with MALTA but glad to learn more about Malta here. Heard the names several times. I love archeological sites whenever I travel so Rabat would be in my list too if I ever visit Malta.
I am in love with that library. I can spend my whole day in that library. Malta looks very interesting place. My bucket list is increasing day by day another place added in that list. Thanks for sharing your experience
I have visited both Mdina and Rabat when I was in Malta and really enjoyed it. I saw them both by day and by night. I ate ftira at Fontanella garden and then had pastizzi at Crystal Palace.
Author
Sounds like you did everything right!!
What a great post! These places look very interesting, and I love that you’ve included some good places to eat along the way. The tea garden sounds wonderful.
Underground museum of crime and punishment. Sounds so secretive yet so fascinating. I would love to explore an offbeat place like this. Haven’t visited Malta yet!!
I did a solo trip to Malta last year. I spent the bulk of my time in Valletta, the largest city, but I enjoyed my day in Mdina and Rabat, visiting the sets of GOT.
Author
How wonderful! I will be writing on Valletta next actually. It was a great city 🙂
I am planning a trip to Malta before year end and looking to add this to my itinerary
Author
You’ll absolutely love it there! I’ll be adding more blog posts on Malta so make sure to check them out 🙂
Wow Mdina looks like a great place to visit. Looks like a lot of history gathered there and worth checking out!
Those sites and views are absolutely stunning. You never imagine how beautiful other countries and cities are until you see them in person. I can’t wait to visit someday.