What to do in Mdina?

The main gate (Mdina Gate) is the one you recognise from Game of Thrones season 1, episode 3, when Ned and Catelyn Stark part ways for the last time. The wall walk gives you a 180° view over the Maltese plain all the way to the sea. Follow the fortifications to Bastion Square for the island's widest panorama, especially early in the morning when the light is golden and the alleys are still empty.

Built in the 17th century on the ruins of an Arab mosque, St Paul's Cathedral dominates Mdina's central square. Its golden-limestone Baroque façade can be seen from kilometres away. The interior is worth a look: marble, ceiling frescoes and an adjoining cathedral museum with a collection of Albrecht Dürer engravings. Even if you do not go inside, the square in front is one of the most beautiful in Malta.

Built in the 13th century, Palazzo Falson is the second-oldest building in Mdina. It was the residence of Captain Olof Gollcher, an artist and collector. Today it is a museum displaying an incredible collection of antiques: period furniture, weapons, silverware, Flemish paintings and manuscripts. Its Norman-Arab architecture with double-arched windows is unique on the island. A must if you want to understand the noble soul of the city.

Mdina is the backdrop; Rabat is real life. Walk through the gate, go down Howard Gardens, and you are in a town that breathes: bakeries, grocers, neighbourhood cafés. The main square with St Paul's Basilica is always lively. This is also where you will find the best pastizzi (flaky pastries with cheese or peas) in the area, for less than one euro. Combined with Mdina, it makes a perfect half-day.

Under Rabat's streets lies a maze of galleries carved into the rock between the 3rd and 8th centuries. St Paul's Catacombs are among the most important in the Mediterranean, with hundreds of tombs, agape tables and preserved frescoes. The visit takes 45 minutes and stays cool even in summer — bring a light jacket. It is a site very few travellers take the time to visit, and it is clearly worth the detour.

From Bastion Square at the end of the ramparts, the view takes in the whole Maltese plain — villages, terraced fields and, on clear days, the sea all the way to Gozo. This is where photographers set up at dawn to capture the golden light on the limestone rooftops. Fontanella Tea Garden, right next door, serves Malta's best chocolate cake on a terrace overlooking the drop. Perfect for ending the visit.