Mdina
Malta's former capital, a walled city where cars are banned and the streets are walked on foot.
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Mdina is a fortified city in the north of Malta and the island's old capital, used from ancient times through the medieval period. Its walls still enclose it, and it has never spread beyond them. Locals and visitors call it the Silent City. Only about 201 residents live inside the walls. Cars are banned except for a limited number of residents, emergency vehicles, wedding cars and horses, so you walk the narrow, maze-like streets.
Go for the walk itself and the sights inside the walls: St. Paul's Cathedral, the Baroque Mdina Gate, Palazzo Falson, also called the Norman House, and Palazzo Vilhena, which houses the National Museum of Natural History. Bastion Square has views over the countryside. Just outside the walls, in Rabat, the Domvs Romana is a Roman townhouse with well-preserved mosaics and statues.
Mdina in five
- Go late in the day, when the lanes emptyTour groups cluster through the middle of the day. Late afternoon and early evening leave the lanes quiet, the stone warm and the bastion views clear, so build your visit around that window rather than noon.
- Plan Palazzo Falson around its Monday closurePalazzo Falson is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 16:00 (last entry), at €12.50 for adults. Children aged 6 to 12 enter free with an adult, and children under 6 are not permitted.
- Add Rabat's Roman house and catacombsDomvs Romana and St Paul's Catacombs, both just outside the walls in Rabat, are €6 each for adults. Heritage Malta lists the catacombs at one to two hours, so pair one with Mdina rather than both.
- Treat it as a walking visitThe walled city is small and made for slow wandering, so leave the car in Rabat or arrive by bus and walk through the gate. Flat shoes matter on the worn paving.Getting around
- Choose Mdina or Valletta if you have one old-city dayValletta has far more to see and more museums to fill a day. Mdina is smaller and quieter, so it fits better as a half day alongside the temples or a dinner after the crowds go.Valletta travel guide
Things to do in Mdina
See all attractions in Mdina
Need to know
- Airport
- Malta International Airport (MLA); taxi or ride-hail is simplest
- Getting there
- Bus from Valletta or the Sliema area, or by car to Rabat
- Getting around
- On foot inside the walls; Rabat is a short walk outside
- Best base
- A day trip from Valletta or Sliema; Rabat for quiet nights
- Time needed
- Half day for Mdina, a full day with Rabat's sites
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- JanuaryPartly cloudy7 rainy daysHigh15°Low13°Mild, quietJanuaryPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 15°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 46 mm
- Rainy days
- 7
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, quiet
- FebruaryClear6 rainy daysHigh15°Low13°Mild, brightFebruaryClear
Mixed
- High
- 15°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 47 mm
- Rainy days
- 6
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, bright
- MarchClear6 rainy daysHigh16°Low14°Spring, quietMarchClear
Good
- High
- 16°
- Low
- 14°
- Precipitation
- 34 mm
- Rainy days
- 6
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Spring, quiet
- AprilClear4 rainy daysHigh17°Low15°Warm, easyAprilClear
Good
- High
- 17°
- Low
- 15°
- Precipitation
- 15 mm
- Rainy days
- 4
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, easy
- MayClear3 rainy daysHigh20°Low18°Warm, long duskMayClear
Best
- High
- 20°
- Low
- 18°
- Precipitation
- 20 mm
- Rainy days
- 3
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, long dusk
- JuneClear1 rainy dayHigh25°Low22°Hot, go lateJuneClear
Best
- High
- 25°
- Low
- 22°
- Precipitation
- 3 mm
- Rainy days
- 1
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, go late
- JulyClear0 rainy daysHigh28°Low25°Very hotJulyClear
Best
- High
- 28°
- Low
- 25°
- Precipitation
- 0 mm
- Rainy days
- 0
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Very hot
- AugustClear2 rainy daysHigh28°Low26°HottestAugustClear
Best
- High
- 28°
- Low
- 26°
- Precipitation
- 5 mm
- Rainy days
- 2
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hottest
- SeptemberClear5 rainy daysHigh27°Low24°Warm eveningsSeptemberClear
Best
- High
- 27°
- Low
- 24°
- Precipitation
- 38 mm
- Rainy days
- 5
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm evenings
- OctoberClear7 rainy daysHigh24°Low21°Warm, calmerOctoberClear
Good
- High
- 24°
- Low
- 21°
- Precipitation
- 77 mm
- Rainy days
- 7
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, calmer
- NovemberRain12 rainy daysHigh21°Low18°Mild, rainNovemberRain
Mixed
- High
- 21°
- Low
- 18°
- Precipitation
- 94 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, rain
- DecemberPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh17°Low15°Mild, festiveDecemberPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 17°
- Low
- 15°
- Precipitation
- 53 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, festive
Average daily high and low in Mdina, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Mdina
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
19
- Feels like
- 9°
- Humidity
- 61%
- Wind
- 58 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 98%
Mdina
11:37 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today18°17°98%Monday: Rain. High 18°, Low 17°. Chance of rain 98%.
- Tue20°17°28%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 20°, Low 17°. Chance of rain 28%.
- Wed21°16°8%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 21°, Low 16°. Chance of rain 8%.
- Thu21°17°28%Thursday: Rain. High 21°, Low 17°. Chance of rain 28%.
- Fri20°17°65%Friday: Rain. High 20°, Low 17°. Chance of rain 65%.
- Sat21°17°26%Saturday: Cloudy. High 21°, Low 17°. Chance of rain 26%.
- Sun22°18°20%Sunday: Cloudy. High 22°, Low 18°. Chance of rain 20%.
Updated 07:23 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Every year
- JanValletta International Baroque FestivalValletta, a day trip
Day trips by train
- Vallettaby busThe capital's palaces, cathedral and the Saluting Battery.Read the guide
- Northern Maltaby bus or carThe Ta' Ħaġrat and Skorba temples in Mġarr, then the north-coast bays.Read the guide
- Southern Maltaby car, or buses with a changeĦaġar Qim and Mnajdra above the south coast, and Marsaxlokk's harbor.Read the guide
Before you go to Mdina
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Rules for Mdina, checked
- Palazzo Falson: Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 to 16:00 (last entry); adult €12.50. Closed Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.Checked Oct 3, 2026 · Source
- Domvs Romana and St Paul's Catacombs in Rabat: adult €6 each. Heritage Malta lists the catacombs as a one to two hour visit.Checked Oct 3, 2026 · Source
Plan around Mdina
The capital's palaces, forts and harbor views
Read the guideSliema and St Julian'sA coastal base with buses to Mdina
Read the guideNorthern MaltaTa' Ħaġrat and Skorba temples west of Mdina
Read the guideSouthern MaltaĦaġar Qim, Mnajdra and Marsaxlokk
Read the guideAttractions that sell outBooking windows across Europe
Read the guideAll of MaltaGozo, temples, Mdina and entry rules
Read the guideMdina FAQ
How long do you need in Mdina?
About half a day covers the lanes, the bastion views and one museum. Add Rabat's Roman house or catacombs and it becomes a full day, and an evening visit is worth it when the day trippers have gone.
Is Mdina worth visiting?
Yes if you like quiet medieval streets and views over the island's interior. It is small, so it is not a day on its own unless you add the Roman sites in Rabat or a museum.
Is Palazzo Falson worth the ticket?
It suits visitors who want to see how a noble house was furnished and collected. It is open Tuesday to Sunday, so do not plan it for a Monday.
Can you visit Mdina and Valletta in one day?
Yes, but it is a rushed day with a bus between them. Keep Valletta for the museums and go to Mdina in the late afternoon, or give each its own half day.
Is Mdina a good place to stay?
For one quiet night after the visitors leave, yes. For beaches, restaurants and transport, the Sliema and St Julian's area is easier, with Mdina as a bus trip.