Visiting Mdina, Malta’s silent city

The number one thing, which topped our itinerary, was visiting Mdina, Malta’s silent city. I had read and heard so much about this walled city, there was no way I’d go to Malta without checking it out. Having just finished watching Game of Thrones and seen that it was used as location also got me intrigued. Therefore, once we booked our trip to Malta, I knew that the trip had to start with a peek in Mdina.

Mdina was our welcome to Malta and what a fantastic welcome it was. Although it rained for most of our day there, we enjoyed exploring such a historic location with almost nobody else around. Sometimes, a little rain can be a blessing lol. At times, it felt like we had it to ourselves, which made it even more special and emphasised the “silent” in the name “silent city”

Related Post: Travel Guide to Malta

About Mdina

Mdina was founded over 4000 years ago. It is the oldest fortified medieval town in Malta and sits on top of a hill. Mdina is said to have been where St Paul, the Apostle rested when he was shipwrecked. So if this is to be believed, this is a very ancient city. Its architecture is a mixture of baroque and medieval and there is just no place like it.

Mdina is called the silent city and this was originally coined when it ceased to be the capital city. It was once Malta’s capital city but this was moved to Vittriosa and now, Valletta. When this movement happened, Mdina was noticeably uninhabited and was considered a ghost town. Hence the name “silent city”. Today, it is no longer empty; however, there is an air within no matter how busy it is. Once you are visiting Mdina, Malta’s silent city, there is almost a quiet understanding to be as silent as possible within the walls. Cars are not allowed within the walls; except for a few residents with a special license and emergency services. Also, there are horses and carriages around which transport tourists within the walls. This adds to the charm of it being a historic city.

How to get to Mdina, Malta

We took a taxi from our hotel, Hyatt Regency in St Julian’s, which is the easiest option. It is worth noting that if you rent a car, you won’t be allowed to park within the city walls so you would have to factor in parking. There are so many organised tours which is another fantastic option for visiting the Mdina. That way, you don’t have to worry about parking your car and you have the guide explaining everything to you.

Public Transport – Bus 202 from Sliema and Buses 50,51,52 and 53 from Valletta will bring you directly to Mdina.

Inside the Mdina, walking is the only option to get around. However, there are horse and carriage rides as mentioned above, for a fee, if that sort of thing is your vibe.

MDINA, MALTA FULL DAY TOUR

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10 Best Things to do in Mdina, Malta

When visiting Mdina, Malta’s silent city, there are a number of things to do and see. It would entirely depend on the time you have but a half-day is more than enough. We got there just after 10am and spent about 4 hours within the walls. The 4 hours included walking around, relaxing on a random step while our baby slept and lunch.

1. Spot THE Gate

This seems like a no brainer but for me, it is one of the most picturesque entrances I have seen. We went on a day with grey skies; yet the stone still glistened. On another day, we passed the gate when the sun was shinning and gosh, it was beautiful. It made me regret not coming back in the sunshine but I think we saw as much of it as reasonable lol.

2. St Paul’s Cathedral

This is arguably the most popular location in the Mdina. It is the first place most tourists make a beeline for and admire its 17th century baroque style architecture. There is a museum as well and entry to both the cathedral and museum is 10 Euros. St Paul’s Cathedral is the seat of the Roman Catholic Church in Malta, which it shares with St John’s co-cathedral in Valletta. The museum houses artworks from the 14th century, so it is definitely worth your coins.

3. Visit the Mdina Dungeons Museum

Just as you walk into the Mdina is the Mdina Dungeons. Entry fee was only 5 Euros and it is has underground chambers and cells to recreate the dungeons from the past. There are so many stories from Malta’s history and the dungeons serve as one of the great ways to tell it in its entirety. I wondered if it was worth the 5 euros though; however, since entrance to Mdina is free, I guess any extras would have to come with a price.

4. Carmelite Priory Mdina

We stumbled upon this one because it was so unassuming from outside. As soon as I went in, I literally gasped. The Carmelite Priory dates back to the 17th century and is truly spectacular. It is also known as the church of the Annunciation of Our Lady, which is in baroque style as well. The fact that we are allowed in, with no fee to pay, was even surprising to me but yay to us.

5. Coogis Restaurant and Tea Garden

For some tea and cakes, we stopped at Coogis, which was just opposite the Carmelite Priory. We were actually going to visit Fontanella Tea Gardens, which is more popular especially at sunset. However, we knew that the rain meant we would not get much out of it and opted instead for Coogis. Whilst I cannot compare both, as we did not visit Fontanella, Coogis was so lovely. It reminded us of Cappadocia and sitting inside a cave. Mr E ordered a latte and said it was one of the best he had tasted. Of course I had to try it too and immediately agreed.

If you visit Coogis, have a latte and cake and thank me later.

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6. Spot the colourful Doors and Façades

One thing I totally enjoyed was spotting the colourful doors and lovely statues all around. They had the most gorgeous foliage around as well. We went just at the end of summer when leaves were turning. However, there were still gorgeous pinks and purples around; leafy arches and tiny shrubs. The streets had the most instagrammable backdrops and one would be forgiven for spending the day just photographing them.

7. Get lost wandering

Mdina is actually one of those places that you need to just enjoy without worrying about getting lost. There are so many pretty alleys and corners to see that transport you back in time. If we didn’t see any of the above mentioned, just walking in and out of the streets would have been enough for us. I am a huge lover of pretty things so Mdina was a dream to wander around and of course, take A LOT of photos to fill up my camera roll.

8. Vilhena Palace and National Museum of Natural History

It was reconstructed in 1726 and is known as the Magisterial Palace by the locals. Vilhena Palace can be found around the entrance to Mdina and its courtyard is absolutely stunning. The National Museum of Natural History is within Vilhena Palace; it has been open to the public since 1973 and entry is 5 euros.

I think this museum is possibly the best if travelling with kids especially older kids who love sciences. There is an impressive collection of rocks, animals and insects for them to get fascinated by.

9. Bastion Square – A skyline view of Malta

This might be one of the best vantage viewpoints in Malta where you can see the skyline. The square feels like the central meeting point of any and everyone visiting Mdina, Malta’s silent city. One of my favourite things to spot was the doors as usual; however, this time, I was drawn to the art above them.

I was reminded of the time I met a chauffeur in Cambridge who told me to always look up. In Mdina, and in Malta in general, I quickly adopted this as well. There is just so much art and historic structures that you have to pay attention to all the details. From door handles, to the colours of the doors to the art hanging above them – everything felt like it had a meaning.

10. Palazzo Falson

This museum, yes another museum, is for lovers of antiques. It is a 13th century building and said to be the 2nd oldest within the Mdina. Palazzo Falson was home to nobles in the middle ages and you will find things like furniture and paintings from that time. Entry to the museum is 10 euros.

Shopping in Mdina, Malta

Just like everywhere else, there are a few lovely local souvenir shops. I saw one that sold handcrafted glass and another, typical travel souvenirs. Since this visit was not a shopping one, I avoided being drawn into the trap lol. However, it is good to know that there is the opportunity to pick up one or two things while visiting the Mdina if you fancied.

Visiting Mdina, Malta’s silent city – Rabat

While Rabat is not within the city walls, it is located just outside the Mdina and is separated by Howard Gardens. A few things to see in Rabat include St Paul’s and St Agatha’s catacombs which date back to the 4th century. It is believed that at the time, burials were not allowed within the Mdina so Rabat was used instead.

I found Rabat very pretty and a lot of the buildings seemed like they were stuck in time. We ended our day to Mdina by strolling around Rabat until we got tired, called a taxi and headed back to the hotel.

Mdina, Malta – Game of Thrones Location

(Please note this section contains some major Game of Thrones spoilers)

I had watched Game of Thrones just before we went on this trip. It was my early Maternity leave watch. Once I knew we would be visiting Mdina, Malta’s silent city, I already knew I’d check out some of the popular GOT locations. Malta was a very popular filming location for season 1 in Game of Thrones. The rumour is that after production packed up, they had damaged some of the long-standing historic sites. From littering to actual damage, they caused some chaos so the Maltese government banned them from returning. Now, I have no idea how true this is but the tea was too juicy not to spill. Subsequent seasons were filmed in Croatia and other parts of the world.

Before the ruckus was caused, Mdina was used as King’s Landing long before Dubrovnik. Mesquita square, more notably was the entrance to Littlefinger’s brothel. The square is where Jamie Lannister and his men attack Ned Stark in season 1, episode 5 “The Wolf and The Lion”

My favourite location used was the stunning baroque entrance (and exit) to the Mdina. This was used in season 1 episode 3 “Lord Snow” where Ned and Catelyn say goodbye to each other. Unbeknownst to them, it would be the last time she would see her husband alive. I still cannot believe that small rat, Joffery ended Ned Stark’s life! UGH

In the Malta Travel Guide; one of the 10 things to do in Malta is a visit to San Anton Gardens and Valletta. These locations were also featured in GOT.

My Thoughts on Visiting Mdina, Malta’s Silent City

Mdina is a no brainer to visit if you are in Malta. I loved that even though it was lightly raining, we were able to still enjoy it as much. It must get quite packed in peak months; however with all the museums and attractions within, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

Getting lost in its little alleys was very much my highlight and I enjoyed the tea break at Coogis.

One thing I did not really like about the Mdina is how there is an entrance fee to everywhere within. It felt somewhat exploitative; if one wanted to experience every attraction, you’d most likely be spending about 60 euros. Of course it is possible to visit the Mdina and not spend any money; just walking around its beautiful streets is good enough. However, for a well rounded experience, The Malta Pass gets you into some of the attractions so it might be worth buying.

There is a lot to see in Malta. Although it is a small country, it packs a lot. Visiting Mdina, Malta’s silent city is perfect for all ages. I recommend going early to beat crowds in peak months. Or just wait until it rains, like us, and have it to yourself.

Bisous, Bugo