Mdina and Rabat

Mdina and Rabat sit about 12 km west of Valletta on a plateau near the centre of Malta, roughly 35-45 minutes away by public bus. Mdina was the island's capital until the Knights of St John moved to the Grand Harbour in the 16th century, and it is still known as the Silent City because cars are largely restricted inside the walls and the lanes are narrow and quiet. Rabat, the larger town immediately outside the Main Gate, shares the same hilltop and is often combined with Mdina in a single visit. Buses 51, 52 and 53 run from the Valletta bus terminus beside City Gate; fares are about EUR 0.75 with a Tallinja card or EUR 2-2.50 in cash, while a taxi from Valletta costs roughly EUR 18-25. The main sights inside Mdina are the Main Gate, the Baroque St Paul's Cathedral and its square, the lanes of palazzi and the bastion terraces, which look out across the island towards Valletta and the sea. In Rabat, the main draws are the St Paul's Catacombs, a large network of early Christian underground burial chambers, and the parish church of St Paul with its grotto. A workable one-day arc is to arrive by about 9:30AM, when the lanes are empty and the light is soft, and to spend roughly two hours walking Mdina, including the cathedral and a bastion viewpoint. Lunch fits naturally in Rabat, where bakeries sell pastizzi and cafes serve Maltese plates at lower prices than the cafes inside the walls. The afternoon is well spent at the catacombs before returning by bus. Spring and autumn offer the most comfortable walking temperatures, as the hilltop is exposed and summer afternoons are hot. Mdina becomes very quiet after about 6:00PM, so an evening visit only makes sense with a dinner reservation. Food and drink stops include cafes on the bastion terraces and in the squares of both towns, with a typical day costing about EUR 25-60 per person including lunch and entry fees.