Mdina is one of the few great architectural treats in Malta that did not result from the activities of the Knights of Malta. The oldest city on the island, going back to pre-historic times, the word Mdina derives from the Arabic word ‘medina’ which means ‘city’. Mdina was fortified in medieval times, but its protection in early times must have been its high location on a rocky crag. It is certain that either during the Byzantine or during the Arab occupation of Malta, the fortifications were retracted to the present proportions, perhaps for better defensibility. It is during this time, when the city was referred to as the ‘medina’, that Mdina got its name. The Arab legacy continued even though the Arabs were officially expelled from Malta in 1250 when the Islands were under Christian rule. Thus the name ‘Mdina’ survived even though the City was referred to as ‘Civitas’ (city in Latin) or ‘Citta Notabile’.

It may be on most postcards and is a must in all the painters’ portfolio, yet the sight of Mdina as you are driving up to Rabat is a view that does not fail to amaze every time. Standing proudly on one of Malta’s highest promontories, the old capital looks like a medieval walled city straight out of a fairy tale. It is an inspiring view; a city that hundreds of years after it was built still commands respect, awe, and curiosity about its tales. And what tales, innumerable and long-winding given the city’s long history. The fortress city, which acted as Malta’s capital city before Valletta was built, once extended to the adjoining town of Rabat. Yet the fortified city was subsequently downsized in order to defend it more effectively.

Once past the deep moat, nowadays a public garden, and inside the city’s walls, cobbled streets are lined with immaculately preserved noble houses, private chapels, palazzi, and cathedrals. The streets are narrow and winding, and walking along them feels like trying to find your way out of a warren; a feeling which adds to the element of surprise at finding large squares. Silence pervades, and is the perfect accompaniment to a walk on the bastions, and a pause to take in the view of most of Malta stretching out to the sea.

Today Mdina is a major tourist attraction recognised internationally as an important UNESCO heritage site.

Places to See in Mdina

The Norman House

Palazzo Faison, generally known as the Norman House, is the best-preserved medieval building in Mdina. Built in 1495, it was occupied by the first Grand Master in Malta, L’lsle Adam. when the Knights arrived here in 1530.

Archbishop’s Palace

Mdina has always been the seat of the Bishop of Malta. The Archbishop’s Palace, which was built in 1722, serves as the residence of the Archbishop of Malta.

Banca Giuratale

After Grandmaster Vilhena confiscated the original Ministerial Palace for his own use, the Universita (local government) found its new seat in this building. During the revolt against the French, a national assembly came together here.

Vilhena Palace

Vilhena Palace has a fine baroque facade and an impressive entrance courtyard, both of which one notices on the right, when entering Mdina through Notabile Gate.

Palazzo Santa Sophia

The basement of this house is assumed to be the oldest in “Siculo-Norman” style and dates back to 1233.

Mdina Cathedral Museum

Originally a seminary, the museum today is one of the most outstanding religious museums in Europe. A small chapel is found on the second floor exhibiting church vestments. It also exhrbits an impressive cross-section of sacred art, famous paintings, a coin collection, Roman antiquities, and original documents from the time of the Inquisition.

Cathedral of St. Paul

The skyline of Mdina, with its baroque cathedral, bastions and palaces, is an imposing landmark visible throughout central Malta, The Cathedral is the architectural heart of this elegant, walled city, and ties on the site of a much earlier Norman church destroyed by a violent earthquake in 1693.

Places to See in Rabat

Howard Gardens

Howard Gardens are one of the biggest public gardens in Malta. These gardens form a natural border between Rabat and neighbouring Mdina.

Casa Testaferrata

This house was the seat of the old noble family Testaferrata. Historians believe that in Roman times, on the site of this building there was a temple dedicated to Apollo.

Palazzo Gatto Murina

Palazza Gatto Murina, one of the earliest ‘Siculo-Norman’ structures (i.e. built between 1100 and 1530), was erected during the latter part of the 14th century. An audiovisual show “Tales of the Silent City” is housed inside the Palazzo.

Xara Palace

The Xara Palace is a small Relais & Chateaux hotel. The history of the late 27th Century Xara Palace is inextricably part of the city walls that make up its impressive bastions.

Casa Inguanez

This is the palace of the oldest noble family of Malta, and was originally built in 1370. The house contains numerous paintings and valuable documents.

St. Paul’s Catacombs

The Maltese islands are rich in late Roman and Byzantine burial sites. St. Paul’s Catacombs are a typical complex of interconnected, underground Roman cemeteries that were in use up to the 4th century AD. St Paul’s Catacombs represent the earliest archaeological evidence of Christianity in Malta.

The Roman Domus

The mosaic pavements in the ‘Roman house’ at Rabat rank among the finest and oldest mosaic compositions from the western Mediterranean, alongside those of Pompeii and Sicily. They were discovered in 1881 just outside Mdina in the remains of a rich and sumptuously decorated town house of the Roman period.

Valletta is the capital city of Malta and is located in the central-eastern part of main island Malta. Valletta is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, thanks to its rich historical value and links to the Knights of Malta, who built the city in the second half of the 16th century. With 320 recognised monuments situated within an area of just 0.55 km2, Malta’s capital city is one of the most concentrated historic areas in the world. The city is named after its founder, Grand Master of the Order of St. John, Jean Pirot de la Valette and is also known as “a city built by gentlemen for gentlemen”.

Valletta is also the smallest capital city in the EU, and is Malta’s foremost commercial and financial centre, which is visited by scores of tourists who are curious to see the city’s rich history and abundance in sites of interest. The peninsula on which Valletta is built has two natural harbours on each site, of which the most important to Valletta is the Grand Harbour.

History of Valletta

Under Grandmaster Jean Parisot de la Valette (of the Order of St. John, aka. the Knights of Malta) the first foundation stone of Valletta was laid on 28 March 1566. Valletta was built on what used to be Mount Sceberras which is a tongue of land that lies between the island’s two natural harbours. All that existed on these bare rocks was a small watch tower called St. Elmo (later to be extended and renamed Fort St. Elmo). The location was chosen to help fortify the Order’s position in Malta and provide the Knights with a stronger foothold on the island. The Siege of Malta had just taken place a year earlier and victorious Grand Master de le Valette was set on improving the island’s defences, in order for the Order of St. John to maintain its hold on the island.

The design of Valletta moved away completely from earlier medieval Maltese city planning, which had mostly consisted of irregular winding streets and alleys that were easier to defend in the event of a siege by foreign powers. Francesco Laparelli designed Valletta based on rectangular grids of streets that were wide and straight. The grid starts at the City Gate to end on the other side of Valletta at Fort St. Elmo, which overlooks both sea ports near Valletta: The Grand Harbour on the East side and Marsamxett on the West side. To fortify the city against attacks from outside, the city was surrounded by bastions, some of which were built up to 153 feet or 47 meters tall.

Francesco Laparelli, a military engineer, provided his services on request of Pope Pius V, who, together with King Philip II of Spain, supported the project with financial aid as well. Both had vested interests in maintaining a Roman-Catholic rule over strategically placed Malta and were obviously supportive of efforts to defend the Maltese islands against attacks from the Ottoman empire (a Muslim rule from present day Turkey).

Some of the street planning in Valletta is truly unique, which was planned with the city’s defence in mind. Some of its streets fall steeply as you get closer towards the back of the city, making it difficult for enemy troops to manoeuvre. These streets have stairs that were built in such a way that knights in heavy armour would be able to climb the steps.

At the turn of the 17th century, Valletta had grown into a sizeable city for the standards of those days. The city was a popular place to settle among the local population, considering its safe fortification, while former capital Mdina had lost much of its allure after the Great Siege.

During World War II, Valletta was heavily bombarded by Nazi fighter planes and many historical buildings were damaged or destroyed. The most well-known example of this is the Royal Opera House, of which the ruins are still visible as you enter Valletta through the City Gate. The site has been at the centre of political debate in Malta ever since, with Maltese MPs unfortunately unable to decide how the site should be developed.

After the war, parts of Valletta fell into disrepair and lost its popularity as a locality for new families to settle. Many of its former citizens also moved out to more modern housing in other localities in Malta. Over the past years interest in living in Valletta has increased, however, now that more people seem to appreciate the old architecture and are willing to invest in old properties.

Getting to Valletta

Getting to Valletta is easiest by public transport. All bus routes start and end in the capital city, but be sure to ask the bus driver whether he’s heading on his way back to the capital city or whether you need to cross the road to catch the right bus. Valletta’s bus terminus lies right in front of the City Gate, which you simply can’t miss.

If you’ve hired a car, you’ll be able to find the capital quite easily since many road signs point in the direction of Valletta. Please note that you’re not allowed to drive onto the bus terminus roundabout itself, which you can recognize by the fountain located in the centre. Parking within Valletta (which you can access from side entrances to the city) is restricted by a congestion charge system on weekdays from 0800 – 1800h and Saturdays from 0800 – 1300h. Parking is free outside of those hours, as well as on a few locations just outside Valletta. Going around the streets within Valletta by car is difficult, because some streets are pedestrian zones while others are one way streets. Right in front of the bus terminus a large parking garage is located, which is the easy option if you don’t mind paying a fee for parking.

You can also enter Valletta by boat, with a small ferry that leaves at the seafront of Sliema to take you across Marsamxett harbour and past Manoel Island for a small fee. Another option is to travel to Vittoriosa, which lies on the Grand Harbour (Eastern) side of Valletta and is one of the Three Cities, and getting on a Maltese type of gondola (or Dghajsa in Maltese) which takes you across Grand Harbour and drops you off at Victoria Gate, through which you can enter Valletta.

Visiting Valletta

Like other older villages such as Mdina and the Three Cities, you get this really authentic feeling when you walk through the streets of Valletta. There’s so much history there that you can almost visualize scenes of days gone by, just looking at the various historical buildings. The famous Auberges, most of which underwent restoration works in recent years, date back to the 16th century and their architecture is truly amazing.

Nightlife in Valletta

For one of Europe’s capital cities, Valletta offers relatively few options for going out. The most popular nighttime venues are wine bars, which offer a very relaxed atmosphere, a wide variety of wines but also regular drinks.

Got any tips/reviews to share about Valletta? Leave a comment!

Map of Valletta

Malta’s nightlife is unique and exciting, with a large choice of venues in close proximity and offering a new clubbing experience from what you’re used to back home. Nightlife in Malta consists mainly of clubs concentrated nearby St. Julian’s (in the Central/North part of Malta), referred to as Paceville, and open air clubs that are particularly popular on Friday and Sunday nights.

Paceville

Paceville (St. Julian’s area) offers a wide array of clubs and bars to suit most musical tastes. All clubs are concentrated in the center of Paceville and the area’s always full of party people on weekends and radiates with energy. There’s something for everyone: trance clubs, R&B and hip-hop joints, salsa bars and alternative/rock bars. Besides clubs you’ll also find other kinds of entertainment in Paceville, including Malta’s largest cinema, a bowling alley, sports bars and gentlemen’s clubs.

Paceville is pretty easy to reach from practically anywhere in Malta by public transport. The cheapest way to get there is probably a trip by bus, although regular line buses do not cater for late night trips. There are very good alternatives though: Extra line buses depart from Paceville between midnight and 1am, with various destinations all over the island, and for those who prefer partying till the early hours of the morning the so-called “Free phone taxis” are a good option to keep in mind. This is a taxi service which offers grouped taxi rides at highly reduced rates!

Open air clubs in Malta

If you love clubbing then you should definitely not miss out on the fantastic open air parties that take place in a number of venues in Malta and Gozo. Look out for well-known clubs like Gianpula and Numero Uno. They’re not easy to reach by public transport, but hiring bus transport for the evening is not very expensive and well worth it!

Gianpula is a club situated a more rural area, surrounded by fields, close to the old cities of Mdina and Rabat in the Eastern part of Malta. The club’s based in the huge back yard of a classic villa and is divided up in two areas, to suit trance/club and R&B/Hip-hop fans alike. Great and friendly atmosphere, particularly on Fridays when many Maltese youths come to unwind after a long week of work/studying.

Related article: Clubbing in Malta

External links:

• Gianpula (open air club – summer only)
• Numero Uno (open air club – summer only)
• Axis (Paceville)
• Havana (Paceville)

Over the past decade, scuba diving in Malta has grown in popularity significantly. This is no surprise considering the many scenic dive sites that can be found around Malta, Gozo and Comino. Scuba divers will encounter dive sites with beautifully coloured coral reefs, dark caves reaching deep into some of Malta’s tall cliffs and sea-wrecks which over the years have become the habitat for various species of fish and other marine life.

What makes Malta so attractive for scuba diving is the unique topographic structure, friendly weather, their relatively clean waters and rich marine life. Apart from other positive aspects, one of the most important is that diving in Malta is an all-year-round option for divers. Even in the middle of winter the sea temperature never drops below 13 degrees Celsius. The climate and duration of sunshine at that time of year are similar to an average North European summer, sometimes even better. In stormy weather, sheltered coasts offer a sufficient number of interesting scuba diving sites.

In summer, the warm sea temperature (averaging 26 degrees Celsius) makes it possible for divers  to wear a light 3mm diving suit. Diving in winter offers the advantage that many species of fish move inshore to shallower, slightly warmer waters which are not disturbed by swimmers in winter. This offers divers a much better opportunity to observe and photograph marine life.

Malta scuba diving is very attractive for experienced divers but also ideal for beginners to explore underwater locations around the Maltese islands.  There are a number of PADI certified scuba diving schools in Malta who offer short beginner courses. Course instructors will take beginning divers to the more shallow waters around Qawra or Slieme, to be able to teach them the basic techniques of diving. Later on, diving instructors will move to more interesting sites, such as Ghar Lapsi (in the South, near Zurrieq and the Blue Grotto) or the Zonqor Point Tug boat wrecks.

Dive sites around Malta

Um El Faroud

Location: Wied Iz-Zurrieq, near the Blue Grotto.

Type: Shipwreck. (10,000 Ton container ship)

Facts:

• 10,000 Ton container ship
• 110 m (361 ft) in length
• Lies at a depth of 36 m (118 ft), with top of the funnel at 12 m (40 ft) and lowest deck at 25m (82 ft)
• Good visibility down to 30m (100 ft)

The Um El Faroud is a wreck with a tragic history: Nine Maltese dockworkers were killed when a gas explosion on board ripped through the ship in 1995. Three years after the accident, the ship was taken to its current location and scuttled to serve as a dive site. As a memorial to those who died in the accident, a brass plaque was placed on the wreck. The ship is a huge vessel at 10,000 tons and well worth the dive, but the swimming distance is relatively lengthy, which means that the time on the wreck is reduced to around 10-15 minutes if diving on a single cylinder. The ship offers multiple swim-throughs around the decks and the bridge and the wheelhouse is accessible as well. There is plenty of sea life around, including barracuda, sea bream and scorpion fish.

Qawra Reef

Location: Qawra (North of Malta, nearby Bugibba and St. Paul’s Bay)

Type: Reef

Facts:

• 20m (65 ft) Depth
• Good visibility down to 20m (65 ft)
• Beatiful location with plenty of marine life

This site offers quick access from shore and offers a reef dive with a maximum depth of 20m. This is a very popular site with beginner and intermediate level divers, with rich marine life and very clear waters.

HMS Maori

Location: Marsamxett Harbour, Valletta, Malta.

Type: Shipwreck (Destroyer)

Facts:

• WWII Destroyer, bombed and sank in 1942
• 35m (115 ft) in length (when still intact)
• Lies at 8-16m  (26-52 ft) depth
• Good visibility down to 10m (30 ft)

The HMS Maori is a WWII Birtish Destroyer, bombed and sank on February 14th, 1942 in Valletta Grand Harbour. The ship received a direct hit to the engine room, killing one person but thankfully no other crew members were on board at the time of bombing. At one point it blocked a major shipping lane inside the harbour so it was towed out of the way, which broke up the wreck into two parts, one of which is diveable. Although it is partly buried in sand, the swim through is relatively straightforward and despite lack of good visibility (for Maltese waters) this still makes for a good dive. This is a relaxed and easy dive.

Blenheim Bomber

Location: 800m (2600 ft) off the coast of Delimara (East Malta)

Type: Plane wreck

Facts:

• WWII RAF Bomber, shot down on approach to Malta
• Lies at 42m  (138 ft) depth
• Good visibility down to 35-40m (115-130 ft)
• For experienced divers

Little is known about the Bristol Blenheim Bomber, which served the British Army (RAF) during WWII, but it is suspected to have been shot down on its approach to Malta. The plane wreck lies below sport diving limits and is therefore advisable only to experienced divers. Engine, wings and propellers can still be seen but due to the plane’s violent crash into the sea many parts are unrecognisable. The wreck hosts a variety of interesting species of marine life and seeing the wreck appear from the deep blue on your approach is truly magical. Be sure to use a dive boat and go only in calm waters, using GPS to get to its exact location. Guidance by local divers is highly recommended.

Dive sites around Gozo

Inland Sea (and Blue Hole)

Location: San Lawrenz/Dwejra, Gozo

Type: Reef dive

Facts:

• Dive from a small inland bay through an underwater cave to the open sea
• Depth of 60m max (200 ft)
• Good visibility down to 30m (100 ft)

The inland sea at San Lawrenz/Dwejra in Gozo is a small inland bay surrounded by tall cliffs and open sea access through a large cave. As you enter the water at the inland sea (easy to reach, convenient location) the first part of the dive takes you through an arch in the rock with clear blue water and colourful reef, inhabited by a variety of species of fish (including tuna). Further down the dive you will get to the Blue Hole, which is a sink hole in the limestone where you can enter for a safety stop and then surface from. You can walk back to the Inland Sea, which is not easy due to rough limestone, but well worth the effort for a spectacular dive.