Mdina and Rabat

Mdina, the walled former capital of Malta, stands on a hilltop in the centre of the island about 10 km in a straight line from Valletta, with the larger town of Rabat immediately outside its gate. The simplest transport is Malta Public Transport bus 65 from Valletta Bus Terminus to Mdina and Rabat, priced at EUR 2.00 (USD 2.30) single in winter and EUR 2.50 (USD 2.88) in summer, valid for two hours with free transfers; the tallinja Direct route TD6 costs EUR 3.00 (USD 3.45). A taxi or ride-hailing car is an alternative from the Three Cities or Valletta. Inside Mdina, the car-restricted streets are lined with medieval and baroque palaces, and the main landmark is St Paul's Cathedral and its museum on the cathedral square. Bastion viewpoints look out over the Maltese countryside toward the coast. Just outside the walls, Rabat holds St Paul's Church and the catacombs associated with early Christian burial, as well as Roman-era remains. A comfortable one-day arc starts with a morning walk through Mdina's quiet lanes before the day-trip crowds arrive, followed by a visit to the cathedral. Lunch or coffee is easy to find in Mdina's cafes on the bastions, or in Rabat, which is known for its pastizzi and for the savoury pastries sold from local bakeries. The afternoon suits the Rabat catacombs and churches, then a slow walk back through the gate before the bus returns to Valletta. October to May is the most pleasant window, with cooler temperatures for walking and lighter crowds; in summer, the stone streets reflect heat strongly and midday is best spent indoors. Early morning and late afternoon give the best light for photographs, and the walled city is atmospheric in the early evening when day visitors have left. Comfortable shoes are important because streets are cobbled and gently sloped. The town is compact, so the main sights can be covered on foot in half a day, leaving time to extend into Rabat's underground sites.