Western Region
Mdina
Malta's walled Silent City is a half-day at most, so bus in from Valletta early before the coaches, pair it with Rabat next door, and spend almost nothing wandering the lanes.
Best length
Half a day (2-4 hours), with Rabat
Getting in
Bus to Rabat terminus, then walk through Mdina Gate
From Valletta
Routes 51/52/53, ~35-45 min
From Sliema/St Julian's
Route 202 / X3, ~45-60 min
Cost to wander
Free; sights are paid extras
In short
Mdina at a glance
Mdina is a half-day trip, not an overnight base: a tiny walled hilltop city you walk through for free, ideally arriving before 10am or in the evening to miss the tour coaches, then rolling straight into Rabat next door for the catacombs and lunch.
The short version
- Treat Mdina as a half-day from Valletta, Sliema or St Julian's rather than somewhere to sleep; the walls lock down and the streets empty after the day-trippers leave.
- Go before 10am or after the coaches clear in late afternoon and evening: the 'Silent City' nickname only holds when you avoid the 11am-3pm crush.
- Wandering the lanes, ramparts and Mdina Gate costs nothing; you only pay for St Paul's Cathedral, Palazzo Falson and Rabat's catacombs if you want to go in.
- Pair it with Rabat, which starts the moment you step back out through the gate, for St Paul's Catacombs and a far cheaper lunch than inside the walls.
- Game of Thrones fans: the Baroque Mdina Gate stood in for the entrance to King's Landing in series one, and Mesquita Square nearby was Littlefinger's brothel exterior.
Mdina is a half-day, not a holiday. The whole walled city is a handful of honey-stone lanes on a hilltop that you can walk end to end in twenty minutes, which is exactly why it works as a morning or evening from a base in Sliema, St Julian’s or Valletta rather than somewhere to sleep. Entering through the Baroque main gate — the one that played the entrance to King’s Landing in the first series of Game of Thrones — costs nothing, and so does wandering the ramparts to the bastion view at the back. The only spending decisions are which one or two indoor sights to pay for: St Paul’s Cathedral and Palazzo Falson inside the walls, and St Paul’s Catacombs just outside in Rabat.
Timing is the trick. The “Silent City” label only holds before about 10am and again in the late afternoon and evening; in between, tour coaches fill the lanes and the silence evaporates. Come early or stay late, then walk straight back out through the gate into Rabat, which begins the moment you leave the walls and has the catacombs, cheaper cafes and the bus terminus all on the flat.
Below, the structured detail — the bus routes from each base, what each sight actually costs in pounds, and a realistic half-day budget — picks up from here.
Plan your Mdina trip
Keep a first trip focused: book the big timed sights, then leave room for neighbourhoods and food.
Top things to do in Mdina
Mdina Old City
The walled Mdina old city is free to walk, and that wander through the honey-stone lanes and out onto the bastion walls is the whole experience — the paid museums inside are an optional add-on, not the reason to come. Go before 10am or after about 4pm: the coaches arrive around 11am and the 'Silent City' nickname only holds when you avoid the midday crush. Allow 1.5–2 hours for the streets, gate and ramparts, longer if you go inside St Paul's Cathedral.
Mdina Gate and the main streets
Mdina's Baroque main gate, rebuilt in 1724 and used as King's Landing in Game of Thrones series one, opens onto a small grid of narrow, honey-coloured stone lanes you can walk end to end in about twenty minutes. The walk itself is the attraction — there's no ticket and no fixed hours. The catch is the crowds: by mid-morning the tour groups fill the lanes, so go early or in the evening when the Silent City lives up to its name.
Where to stay first
The areas that make a first visit easier — not an exhaustive directory.
Sliema / St Julian's (recommended base)
££ mid-rangeWhere most UK visitors actually sleep: hotels, restaurants, the seafront and direct buses. Use it as your base and ride out to Mdina for a few hours rather than trying to stay in the walled city.
Best for: First trips, families, easy transport
Valletta
££ mid-rangeThe capital is the other sensible base, with the most direct Mdina buses (51/52/53) and a half-hour-shorter run than Sliema. Pair an Mdina morning with a Valletta afternoon.
Best for: Culture-first stays, walkers
Inside Mdina
£££ premiumThere is a small number of luxury rooms within the walls. Atmospheric once the gate clears at night, but pricey, with no cars to your door and almost nothing open late; only worth it if the after-dark silence is the whole point of your trip.
Best for: A one-night splurge for the evening atmosphere
Airport to city centre
| Option | Time | Cost | Book ahead? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bus from Valletta (routes 51/52/53) | ~35-45 min | €2 winter / €2.50 summer single | Drops at Rabat, then walk through the gate |
| Bus from Sliema / St Julian's (202 or X3) | ~45-60 min | €2 winter / €2.50 summer single | Free transfers for 2 hours if you change at Valletta |
| Taxi / ride-hail from Sliema | ~20-25 min | around €20-€30 each way | Quicker than the bus, splits well for 3-4 people |
| Half-day Mdina + Rabat tour | Varies | from around €25-€45 pp | Easiest if you want the catacombs and history explained |
When to go
Sweet spot: Come before 10am or in the late afternoon and evening. Tour coaches arrive from roughly 11am and the lanes fill until mid-afternoon, which is exactly when the 'Silent City' is at its least silent. April, May, September and October give the best walking weather; July and August are hot and busy.
Summer fares and crowds peak from mid-June to October; spring and autumn are quieter and cooler for the uphill streets. Evening is the standout time year-round, when the day-trippers have gone, the limestone glows and the dimly lit lanes earn the city its nickname.
What it costs
There are no Mdina-specific flights: you fly to Malta International (MLA) near Valletta, where UK return fares are often £40-£120 outside school holidays and summer peaks. Mdina is then a cheap bus or short taxi ride.
Daily budget per person
The walls, gate and ramparts are free, so a tight budget Mdina trip is just the bus fare. The easy money trap is lunch inside the walls, which is pitched at coach tourists; walk into Rabat for the same food at lower prices.
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