MT
Mdina
Malta’s walled hilltop “Silent City”, with Baroque palaces and catacombs nearby
Malta’s walled hilltop “Silent City”, with Baroque palaces and catacombs nearby
Rebuilt by architect Lorenzo Gafà after the 1693 earthquake, the Baroque cathedral has a richly decorated interior and a museum nearby.
Modest dress is required.
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0
Narrow streets lead past noble houses such as Palazzo Falson, a historic house museum.
Photo: Sebastiaan ter Burg, CC BY 2.0
The ramparts give wide views across Malta to the coast.
Photo: C T Johansson, CC BY-SA 4.0
In Rabat, just outside the walls, a network of Roman and early Christian burial chambers runs underground.
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0
Try pastizzi (flaky pastries with ricotta or peas), rabbit stew, and Maltese ftira bread.
Rabat has cafés and bakeries; Mdina’s restaurants are pricier.
Buses run from Valletta in about 30 minutes, and from other towns around Malta. Malta International Airport is about 20 minutes by car.
Mdina is pedestrian-only for visitors.
Malta uses the euro (€).
Prices are approximate; check current rates.
City and catacombs.
Enter through the Main Gate, visit the cathedral and Palazzo Falson, enjoy the views from Bastion Square, then explore the catacombs in Rabat.
🛂 Entry rules: EES and ETIAS
Malta is in the Schengen area, which has two EU border systems for non-EU visitors.
EES (in force): since 10 April 2026 the EU’s Entry/Exit System registers non-EU visitors’ passport details, fingerprints and a photo the first time they enter the Schengen area, replacing passport stamps. Allow extra time at the border on your first trip; later crossings are quicker. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens are not registered.
ETIAS (not yet running): a €20 online travel authorisation for visitors who don’t need a visa, such as UK, US, Canadian and Australian citizens. It hasn’t started and no start date has been confirmed, so nobody can apply yet; ignore websites that offer to “pre-register” you for a fee.
Visa-free visitors can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the whole Schengen area, not per country.
Official information: EU: Travel to Europe (EES & ETIAS) · Reviewed September 2026
Visit early or in the evening, when the city is quiet.
July and August are very hot; carry water.
Cover shoulders and knees in churches.
Mdina has been used as a filming location, including for Game of Thrones.
Quick answers for planning time in Mdina.
Because cars are restricted and its lanes are quiet.
By bus in about 30 minutes.
St Paul’s Catacombs and St Paul’s Grotto.
Half a day to a full day with Rabat.
April to June and September to October.
Planning a wider trip? Our Malta travel guide covers getting there, costs, when to go and more.