A walking tour of the city of Mdina (Malta): to the Middle Ages and back

What a country, what a country, what a unique country… A. Luzon

Medina (pronounced Am-Dina) is undoubtedly the jewel in the Maltese crown. An ancient and beautiful city with over two thousand years of history. No one remains indifferent to the sight of the walls, alleys and palaces, so it is not surprising that quite a few films and even episodes of “Game of Thrones” were filmed here.

In order to help you get to know this magical city, I decided to create a travel itinerary that will help you discover its secrets. Since the tourist goes on his stomach, I also added some recommendations for not-so-bad restaurants in the area. And finally, if you happen to feel like living there, then I also have a recommendation on this subject. So in short, after reading this article you will be completely covered.

So let's get going!

The history of a country

I believe that the first step you should take before starting a trip is to get to know a little about the history of the destination. That's why I decided to write a summary for you, which you can read in the post. The country and city of Rabat (Malta) – thousands of years of history in one short article.

Country travel itinerary

After learning a little about the history of a country, it's time to start traveling around it. But to do this, you first need to get to the country. This can be done very cheaply (less than 2 euros per ticket) using Public TransportHowever, such a trip will take you about an hour.

If you want to get to the country faster, then I highly recommend renting a car (my unequivocal recommendation is through the website Expedia which usually offers the cheapest prices). Alternatively, you can use Bolt (A service reminiscent of Uber and active inMalta) and it will cost you about 20 euros or even less. Both of these options will take you to the country from Valletta or Salima in about 20 or 25 minutes.

If you arrived in the country via Bolt, ask the driver to take you to the main gate where our tour will begin (if you arrived with a rental car, you must find parking in nearby Rabat).

The main gate of Medina and the palace of the head of the order

We will enter it through the main gate built by the head of the Order of the Knights of Malta, Manuel de Vilhena (1663-1736). It is a beautiful baroque gate, on which you can see the symbol of the head of the order. Enter through the gate and you will reach a square where you can see several interesting things.

Tower of the standard

The tower is on your left (assuming your back is to the gate) and is now home to the city's tourist office. The tower was built in the early 16th century and was used to warn the people of the area about pirates who would invade Malta, kidnap peasants and sell them into slavery. How was this done? Every time the soldier on the lookout spotted a pirate ship approaching, he would light a bonfire. The bonfire would be seen in other towers in Malta and that's how the message was conveyed.

Vilhena's Palace

On the right you will find the palace built in 1730 by the head of the Order of the Knights of Malta, Manuel de Vilna, who also built the gate through which you entered. It is said of de Vilna that he was not chosen to be a prince but was born to be a prince and indeed his palace is certainly magnificent enough to house princes and the keen-eyed among you will detect a French influence on the design (the palace certainly resembles a Parisian urban package such as can be found inMarais District).

Today, the Medina Natural History Museum can be found inside the palace, and it contains quite a few examples of fossils, butterflies, birds, and the like. The subject is a little less interesting to me, so I haven't had the chance to visit the inside yet. However, if you go in, you will discover on the way to the ticket office a TV screen that shows you clips from films shot in Medina (including Game of Thrones Of course) and in my opinion it is worth a visit.

Medina's dungeon

Right next to the entrance to the Natural History Museum is the entrance to Medina's Dungeon. This is a 15th century prison that showcases the history of Malta through the types of torture and punishments that were common in each period. After a visit here, you will discover that there is nothing like torture and the death penalty to bring out the best in people.

However, despite the rather horrific displays, I would recommend considering a visit to the place (if you are not traveling with small children, of course), not only because of the affordable price (a few euros) but also because of the knowledge that the place adds regarding the history of a country in particular and Malta in general.

Chapel of Saint Agatha and the Inguanez family home

Continue straight and at the intersection turn left and then right onto Villegaignon Street. Here you will find the chapel dedicated to Saint Agatha. The original church was built around 1410 but was rebuilt in 1694 following the earthquake that occurred the year before. The church was built by the famous Maltese architect Lorenzo Gafà (1638-1703), who also built the Cathedral of Mdina and a long line of other churches in Malta.

Opposite the church is the Casa Inguanez. This is a 14th-century building where the Inguanez family, the oldest noble family in the country, lived. In 1432, King Alfonso V of Aragon lived here, and about 5 years later, King Alfonso XIII stayed here for a few days.

The Monastery of Saint Peter

Directly opposite the Inguanz family home is the Benedictine Monastery of St. Peter. This monastery was founded in 1418 and renovated during the 17th century to its current form. It is one of the strictest monasteries in Malta and perhaps in the Catholic world.

No man has the right to enter here without the permission of the bishop, except for the doctor of the country. Likewise, the nuns are not allowed to leave the monastery grounds either during their lifetime or after death (they are buried there). Despite all these conditions, there are today about 10 nuns who engage in prayer and embroidery in the courtyard of the inner garden of the monastery.

Right next to the monastery you can find its church, which contains works by Mattia Preti (1613-1699), an Italian artist who became famous for his work on the Church of St. John in the city of Valletta.

And one last thing before we move on, pay attention to the doors on this street. The knockers (the devices used to knock on the door) are simply beautiful.

The house of the Marquis of San Vincenzo Ferrari and the “town hall” of Medina

Continue on Villegaignon Street and you will see on your right a house called Casa Testaferrata (note the marquetry). The house belonged to the Marquis of San Vincenzo Ferreri who received his title from King Philip V of Spain in 5.

On the right corner of the street (just before St. Paul's Alley) stands the impressive Banca Giuratale building. This is where the "university" of the country was located. Note that this is not an institution of higher education but a kind of parliament that governed Malta before the Knights of St. John arrived there.

In 1798, during the rebellion against theFranceThe rebels decided to establish their headquarters in this building, and from there they sent a letter to Nelson asking England to come and help them against France (which began the period of British occupation that lasted nearly 170 years).

St. Paul's Square

After you have finished admiring the door of the Banca Giuratale building, continue a little further and you will reach St. Paul's Square where the famous Cathedral of Mdina stands. In the past, the square was much smaller than it is today, but after the earthquake it was expanded to show the Cathedral in all its glory.

I know you want to run ahead and go in, but let me ask you to wait a little. We will go into the church later. In the meantime, let's continue our walk on Villegaignon Street.

Palazzo Santa Sofia and the Carmelite Church

As you continue down the street, look at the large, impressive building on your left. This is Palazzo Santa Sofia, the oldest building in the country (the first floor dates back to the 13th century).

Such buildings were built around inner courtyards with the gate facing the street. Note that all the streets in the country are narrow and at a 90-degree angle to each other. There are two reasons for this. First, the narrow streets were designed to cope with the scorching sun of the Maltese summer. The second reason is security. If the enemy manages to breach the walls of the country and get inside, it will be very difficult for him to move around in large masses in the streets and during this time he will be subject to incessant fire coming from the sides or from above.

Go ahead and take a look at the Madonna statue and the street next to it. It's definitely a great photo op, as the picture below will show you:

Continue a little further and enter the Carmelite Church, which was built in 1659. It is a magnificent church with chapels and a beautiful ceiling.

The church also has historical significance because it was here that the rebellion against the French began. The reason for the rebellion was their attempt to loot the church's sacred objects and this was the straw that broke the camel's back for the Maltese, who are devout Catholics (to this day their churches are full during prayer times, unlike churches in other European countries).

Palazzo Falzon

After leaving the church, continue down the street until you reach Palazzo Falson, which was built in 1495 for a friend of a Spanish admiral named Falson. The place hosted the first head of the Knights Templar to arrive in Malta (Philippe Villiers de L'Isle-Adam) and in the museum located in the building you will find quite a few interesting works of art, including medals, paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries, and more. The palace itself is also very beautiful in my opinion, so it is definitely worth visiting.

More information and ticket purchases can be found atLink this.

Bastion Square

After visiting Palazzo Falzon, you are invited to continue forward and you will soon reach the square of the fortress of Medina from which you can enjoy a beautiful view (you can identify the huge dome of the Cathedral of Mosta and see the sea clearly). Here stood the synagogue of the Jews of Medina until the Jews were expelled from there as part of the Spanish Expulsion (Malta belonged to the Spanish monarchy). In place of the synagogue, a monastery was built in 1494 and later the monastery became a private house with the French name Beaulieu.

And one last thing before we continue, on the corner of the Beaulieu building and Villegaignon Street there is a really, really good ice cream parlor.

Fontanella and a visit to the Cathedral of Mdina and its museum

Continue along the walls and on your left you will see Fontanela, a restaurant known for its cakes and the lovely view it offers (the same view you saw in the Citadel Square).

Continue straight down the alley to the end, then turn right and left to reach Cathedral Square. This is the time to visit the cathedral, but for this you need to purchase a ticket at the Cathedral Museum, which is located next to it. In the museum itself you will find quite a few sacred objects made of silver and gold (a bit reminiscent of our Judaica, but of the Christians), historical documents and photos. Personally, I was not really enthusiastic about this museum, but fortunately on the second floor there was a changing exhibition on the music of Malta that was excellent (the exhibition runs until July 2019).

The cathedral itself is a completely different story. It is a beautiful church, second only to St. John's Cathedral in Valletta. According to tradition, the cathedral was built on the site of the palace of Publius, which can be read as In an article dealing with the history of a country. The church was built and destroyed several times, and the version you see today was built after the 1693 earthquake.

Inside the cathedral you will find endless treasures from the 18th and 19th centuries, and pay special attention to the beautiful statues downstairs and the frescoes on the ceilings upstairs.

Capitanale Court

After visiting the cathedral and its museum, you are invited to continue down the alley next to the cathedral museum. Continue straight until you reach the square. In front of you, you will see a beautiful balcony belonging to the courtroom, which is part of the Vilnius Palace that we saw at the beginning of the trip.

As you can see, on the right you can see justice and on the left you can see mercy, which, according to the Torture Museum, which I mentioned earlier, did not bother to reach the courts of the country.

After you have finished looking at this beautiful balcony, you are welcome to continue along the street and then turn left. You have reached the main gate and this is where our tour ends. Hope you enjoyed it!

Where can I live in the country?

There is one hotel in the city of Medina, but what a hotel! It is a boutique hotel called The Xara Palace From the luxury hotel chain Relais & Chateaux. This is a small and particularly luxurious hotel located in a 17th-century palace and offers its guests suites with antique furniture and a variety of pampering.

So if you fancy a one-of-a-kind, pampering experience in a one-of-a-kind city, you are welcome to come in.Link this And see if there are any rooms available during the period you will be in Malta.

Guided tour of the country

While it's great fun to travel around the country on your own, if you'd like to get to know the country and its fascinating history in more depth, you should take an organized tour. Here are two recommended options:

Guided walking tour of the country

This is a two-hour walking tour that costs 15 euros (really not expensive). This tour will bring you to the most beautiful buildings of Mdina (some of which are not on my itinerary due to lack of space) and will be accompanied by quite a bit of spicy information about the history of the city.

For more information and to book tickets

Daily tour of the country and the center of Malta

This is a full-day tour that includes Medina, Rabat, the Ta Qali artisan village, and more. The tour costs 50 euros per person, but it includes transportation and lunch, which makes the price much more reasonable.

For more information and to book tickets

Looking for what else to do in Malta?

As you have probably already discovered (and if not, you will soon), there is so much to do in Malta that it is very difficult to choose between the variety of attractions and activities. But don't worry, I have done the work for you and collected the most worthwhile attractions and activities. You can find them in the article What to do in Malta? Also, if you only have one day and want to see as much as possible, I highly recommend reading theThis article on the Hood Point blog.

Looking for a hotel in Malta?

Is the hotel in the country full? Don't worry! I've collected some recommended hotels for you to prevent you from making unpleasant mistakes. However, before I give you my recommendations, I need to answer one important question: Where in Malta should you live? The answer to this question and my recommendations for hotels in Malta can be found in the article Where to look for a hotel in Malta.