Best of Rabat

St. Paul's Bay Essentials

Explore the fortified medieval city of Mdina and the adjacent town of Rabat. This collection highlights the Baroque architecture of St. Paul's Cathedral, the Roman mosaics at Domus Romana, and the extensive underground Christian catacombs of St. Paul and St. Agatha. Key sites include the 13th-century Palazzo Falson, the 18th-century Mdina Gate, and the National Museum of Natural History. Local culinary landmarks like Crystal Palace and Fontanella Tea Garden offer traditional flavors and panoramic views over the island’s bastions.

St. Paul's Bay Essentials — Map

Antonio and Vincenzo Manno / CC BY 2.5

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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,…

Balazs Sudar / CC BY-SA 3.0

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St Agatha's Catacombs

St. Paul's Catacombs are some of the most prominent features of Malta's early Christianity archeology.

Sudika / CC BY-SA 3.0

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Domus Romana

The Domus Romana, stylized as the Domvs Romana, is a ruined Roman-era house located on the boundary between Mdina and Rabat, Malta.

Karelj / CC BY 3.0

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St. Paul's Catacombs

St. Paul's Catacombs are some of the most prominent features of Malta's early Christianity archeology.

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Mdina

Known as the "Silent City," this fortified medieval town served as Malta's capital until the 16th century. It features narrow winding streets, noble palaces, and Baroque architecture enclosed within high bastions.

rene boulay / CC BY-SA 3.0

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Palazzo Falson

Palazzo Falson, formerly known as Palazzo Cumbo-Navarra, Casa dei Castelletti, and the Norman House, is a medieval townhouse in Mdina,…

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Mdina Gate

Also known as the Vilhena Gate, this Baroque limestone entrance was built in 1724. It features the coats of arms of the Order of St. John and provides the main access into the fortified city of Mdina.

Continentaleurope / CC BY-SA 3.0

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Casa Bernard

A 16th-century noble house in Rabat featuring a mix of Romanesque and Baroque elements. Still a private residence, it houses a collection of antique furniture, paintings, and historical artifacts.

Gabriela Suárez / CC-BY-SA

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National Museum of Natural History

Located in the 18th-century Vilhena Palace, the museum displays geological, paleontological, and biological collections, including fossils and specimens native to the Maltese Islands.

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Crystal palace

A traditional Maltese coffee shop in Rabat, famous for its pastizzi—savory flaky pastries filled with ricotta or mushy peas—baked in a wood-fired oven.

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Fontanella Tea Garden

Situated on the bastions of Mdina, this café is known for its selection of homemade cakes and panoramic views of the Maltese countryside and coastline.

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Wignacourt Museum and Saint Paul's Grotto

An 18th-century Baroque palace housing ecclesiastical artifacts and art, with access to a subterranean grotto where St. Paul is said to have stayed after his shipwreck in 60 AD.

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Greeks' Gate

The secondary entrance to Mdina, featuring a medieval inner gate and a Baroque outer gate added in 1724. It historically provided access for the city's Greek community.

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