What to do in Mdina?

The main gate (Mdina Gate) is the one you will recognize 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 across the Maltese plain all the way to the sea. Follow the fortifications to Bastion Square for the widest panorama on the island, 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 miles away. The interior is worth stepping into: marble, ceiling frescoes and an adjoining cathedral museum with a collection of engravings by Albrecht Dürer. 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 home of Captain Olof Gollcher, an artist and collector. Now a museum, it displays 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 setting; Rabat is real life. Walk through the gate, head down through Howard Gardens and you are in a town that breathes: bakers, 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 filled with cheese or peas) in the area, for less than a euro. Combined with Mdina, it makes the perfect half-day.

Under the streets of Rabat 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 (circular funerary tables) and preserved frescoes. The visit takes 45 minutes and stays cool even in summer — bring a light jacket. A site very few travellers take the time to visit, and one that 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 a clear day, the sea all the way to Gozo. This is where photographers set up at dawn to catch golden light on the limestone rooftops. Fontanella Tea Garden, right next door, serves Malta’s best chocolate cake on a terrace overlooking the drop. Ideal for ending the visit.