Best things to do in Mdina

Mdina's Timeless Essentials

Mdina, Malta’s fortified medieval capital, contains a dense concentration of Baroque and Norman architecture within its bastions. This selection features the 17th-century St Paul’s Cathedral and the Vilhena Palace, which houses the National Museum of Natural History. Visitors can explore the city’s defensive history through the Mdina Dungeons and the landscaped gardens of Il-Foss tal-Imdina. The list also includes the historic Monastery of St Peter and Howard Gardens, which bridge the gap between the Silent City and neighboring Rabat.

Mdina's Timeless Essentials — Map

Antonio and Vincenzo Manno / CC BY 2.5

A

St Paul's Cathedral

The Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Paul, commonly known as St Paul's Cathedral or the Mdina Cathedral, is a Catholic cathedral in Mdina,…

Gabriela Suárez / CC-BY-SA

B

National Museum of Natural History

Housed in the 18th-century Baroque Vilhena Palace, this museum displays collections of Maltese paleontology, geology, and local ecosystems, including significant fossil remains and avian specimens.

C

The Mdina Dungeons Museum

Located beneath the Magisterial Palace, these underground passages recreate scenes of medieval justice, imprisonment, and torture in Malta through life-sized recreations and historical displays.

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D

Church of St Agatha

A 15th-century chapel rebuilt in the 17th century. It marks the site where tradition holds that Saint Agatha sought refuge during her flight from Sicily in AD 249.

Sygic Travel User / CC-BY-SA

E

Bacchus The Secret Garden

A restaurant situated within vaulted chambers dating back to the Roman era, featuring outdoor seating adjacent to the city’s medieval fortifications.

F

Monastery of St Peter

A Benedictine nunnery with origins dating to at least 1418. It remains one of the oldest monastic foundations in Malta, housing a community of cloistered nuns.

G

Howard Gardens

A large public garden forming a natural border between Mdina and Rabat, featuring citrus trees, paved walkways, and views of the city's bastions.

H

Il-Foss tal-Imdina

The former defensive moat surrounding Mdina, recently restored into a landscaped public park. The area offers a unique perspective of the city’s massive limestone fortifications from below.