Best of Mdina, Rabat and Roman Catacombs
Description
Mdina, Malta's former capital is situated on a hilltop in the central part of the island and dominates over two - thirds of Malta. It is one of Europe's finest examples of an ancient fortified city, characterized by medieval and baroque architecture. Known by the locals as the " Silent City", it encloses within its walls palaces belonging to Maltese aristocratic families, the majority of which are secondary homes. Walking through Mdina you will feel as though the city has been frozen in time; its narrow winding streets, majestic palaces, churches and courtyards make this city unique, a must-see during your stay in Malta! Rabat, a suburb of Mdina, is also a historical town with strong religious ties, as this is where St Paul the Apostle was imprisoned, according to traditional tales.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Meet your expert guide at the Main Gate—easily recognizable with a bright red City Walking Tours umbrella—and begin your journey through the “Silent City.” As you wander along its narrow, winding streets, you’ll be transported back to the Middle Ages, where every corner reveals a story waiting to be told. Your guide will bring Mdina’s rich past to life with fascinating tales of knights, nobility, and everyday life in medieval Malta .Expert storytelling that makes history come alive. Whether it’s your first time in Malta or you’re looking to dive deeper into its heritage, this tour offers a captivating glimpse into a bygone era—all within the enchanting walls of Mdina.
Vilhena Palace, is a fine french baroque palace situated at the entrance to Mdina, and was built during the early 18th century according to designs by French architect Charles Francois de Mondion.
This peaceful square deep in the silent city of Mdina was one of the main filming locations for the series Game Of Thrones.
This is the city's main street lined with some of the most stunning palaces in the city. Mdina is that town where as you explore the city you feel as if you stepped back in time.
The main square of Mdina is dominated by the Metroplitan cathedral, dedicated to Saint Peter and Saint Paul
A highlight of your journey is a stop at the breathtaking Mdina Bastions, where you’ll pause to admire sweeping panoramic views across the Maltese countryside. From this vantage point, you’ll truly appreciate Mdina’s strategic importance and timeless beauty
Just outside the fortified city of Mdina lies the charming town of Rabat—a place whose name comes from the Semitic word for “suburb,” reflecting its historical role as Mdina’s outskirts. Rabat offers a more relaxed, authentic Maltese atmosphere compared to its neighbor. As you wander through its narrow streets, you’ll notice traditional townhouses, quiet alleys, and a distinctly local rhythm of life that feels both rural and timeless. The highlight of your visit in Rabat will be the Wignacourt museum, beneath the museum lies a network of ancient burial chambers dating back to Roman times. St Paul's Grotto- This is a deeply significant site believed to be where St. Paul stayed after being shipwrecked in Malta. It remains an important pilgrimage destination. World War II Shelters Hidden underground, these shelters were carved out to protect locals during air raids in WWII. Walking through them offers a powerful insight into Malta’s wartime resilience.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
Reviews(28)
Excellent guide. Well informed, enthusiastic and engaging.
Excellent guide who got the balance right between giving interesting facts with added humour and concern for older walkers.
Nadine gave us an excellent tour of Mdina and Rabat. 2 hours was perfect.
Many thanks for your time to give us your feedback, greatly appreciated
Friendly, considerate and very informative guide. Excellent history and insight to the rich history of this fascinating historical city
Excellent tour with Marisa. Very nice informative and engaging. Medina is beautiful and also peaceful if you get there early- we had a brief look around before the tour and it was lovely. Would have liked an opportunity to see inside one of the houses/ palaces.
Well paced and very informative tour with a friendly and knowledgeable guide. We were unavoidably delayed and Angela fitted us in seamlessly.
The walking tour was wonderful and incredibly informative. Our guide Visnja was knowledgeable, interesting, and fun. I highly recommend the tour!
Thank you for a great tour of Rabat and Mdina today! We were a bit late, but the communications that we had received at the time of our booking was extremely helpful. Sending the mobile number of the tour guide so we could ring her directly helped us keep reassured. The guide Angela was very professional and knowledgeable and looked after all her customers. We did a TUI trip the day before, which was terrible, and so the customer service we received from Angela and the company today restored our faith! Highly recommended.
Our guide was Angele. She has a huge amount of knowledge about Mdina, Rabat and Malta in general. She has a pleasant voice and a pleasant way of showing around. She gave a lot of good tips, so we visited a museum afterwards and had a great meal.
We took the public bus from Valetta Bus station to close to Mdina Gate (€2 each way) and met our guide Marisa. Marisa was very knowledgeable about the Silent City; the one nun left in the huge convent, the families who owned the houses, the rivalry between the Grandmaster (Vilhena Palace, now the National Museum of Natural History, just inside the Mdina Gate) and the Archbishop, the hotels which hosted Prince William and King Charles and the history of Mdina from the Ottoman occupancy through to the Knights, who then relocated to Birgu. We did not get to visit the cathedral as there was a wedding taking place but we did get to visit the opulent St Paul's Cathedral in Rabat. Marisa provided the history of St Paul's time in Malta. At the end of the tour we went back into the city via the Greek Gate, walked through the gardens of the dry moat around the walls and went to Fontanella's and admired the views from the open air terrace, drank coffee and ate the legendary cake!
