Mdina: a guide to the Silent City

Mdina is a wonderful little gem in the middle of the countryside in Malta that cannot be skipped in any visit to the country. This little medieval time-machine has an outstandingly small population of under 300, but it is definitely worth a visit.

Mdina, formerly known as Maleth, was founded around the 8th century BC by Phoenician settlers. It changed hands (as most of Malta) from the Romans, to the Byzanthine and Arabs (from whom it takes its current name). During this time, this little city became the capital of Malta until the arrival of the Order of St. John. Due to the decline of the city after the capital was moved away, it is popularly known as the Silent City, but also Città Vecchia or Città Notabile.

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1. Enter through its magnificent city gate

The first thing you will do is, no doubt, enter the walled city through the Mdina Gate. This gate was built in 1724 by a French architect by command of the Grand Master of Vilhena.

This gate is a sign of the second rise of the city, which regained some power after its decline when it stopped being the capital.

2. Wander the medieval streets

Mdina is not a monumental city, it is a monument on itself. Thus, there is no better way to enjoy it than to get lost in its web of narrow cobblestone streets and alleys that are oblivious to the passing of time.

Travel tip: it is a very tiny city so, if possible, stay away from the horse-powered carriages. It is a rip-off and, most importantly, we should be concious to the effect that this kind of recreational activities do to the animals.

3. St. Paul’s Cathedral

The Metropolitan Cathedral of St. Paul is the second cathedral opposite the St. John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta. The cathedral, dedicated to St. Paul the Apostle, was built in the 12th century on the site where Roman governor Publius met St. Paul after his shipwreck on Malta.

The original building was severely damaged in the 1693 Sicily earthquake and it was rebuilt in the Baroque style. The interior has a Latin cross plan and, very much like St. John’s in Valletta, it contains tombstones and commemorative marble slabs. The ceiling contains frescoes depicting the life of St. Paul.

4. View over Malta’s countryside

The city of Mdina is elevated over a hill, so there are several points that offer a priviledged view over the whole island, including its countryside. Some of the best viewing points are the L-Imdina gardens in front of the gelateria Fior di Latte or the coffee shop Fontanella Tea Garden.

5. Don’t forget to see some of Mdina’s other landmarks

Despite the city not being monumental, there are some sites, besides St. Paul’s Cathedral, that you should not miss! One of them is the beautiful Church of the Annunciation of Our Lord, which is, in my opinion, even more beautiful than the cathedral (at least from the outside).

Have a look at the palazzos of Maltese nobility spread around the city, but mostly in the northern and eastern part of the city.

And just look for little cozy corners, like the tiny church of St. Peter in Chains or the beautiful (and instagrammable) house with the blue door and the bougainvillea.

Other sites include St. Nicholas’ Chapel, St. Agatha’s Chapel and the Carmelite Priory (damn, this city has a lot of churches for less than 300 people).

6. Fight for the Iron Throne

The city of Mdina was used, among other spots in Malta, as a filming location for the HBO hit series Game of Thrones. The Silent City was used as the set for some scenes in Westeros’ capital King’s Landing, such as Mdina Gate as the King’s Landing gate or Mesquita Square as Littlefinger’s brothel and the square in front of it. Find more GoT filming locations in Malta here:

→ ‘Game of Thrones’ locations that you can visit in Malta

How to get to Mdina

Getting to Mdina is extremely straightforward, like most itineraries in Malta. If you are staying in Valletta, simply go to the bus station and take buses 51, 52 or 53 and it will take around 30 minutes. If you are anywhere else in the island, you may have to exchange buses in Valletta or some other city. All trips in Malta cost 2€ paid directly to the driver.

If you are a few in your group and are not located anywhere near the capital, you can also hire a private taxi using the Maltese app eCabs, which works very similarly to Uber, with a pre-fixed price. It is generally not expensive and they have A/C (quite necessary during the summer months!).

Closing statement

Mdina is without a doubt one of the most beautiful towns in Malta and I would really recommend you to make space in your itinerary to fit this little gem. It won’t take long, you can easily see Mdina in half a day, but if you have more time, spend a few hours in the outskirts of Mdina: Rabat, which is also a charming little city, more modern than Mdina, but with some sites to visit, such as St. Paul’s Catacomb or St. Dominic’s Priory.

You can continue reading about Malta in these posts:

→ What to do in Valletta, Malta

→ ‘Game of Thrones’ locations that you can visit in Malta

If you’re staying in Malta for a few days, it may be a good idea to get the Malta Discount Card. This card will get you discounts of up to 50% in over 150 museums, restaurants, transportations and activities. This card doesn’t only cover the card holder, but also an accompanying guest and up to 3 children under 12!

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