This was my second trip to Malta and my second visit to Mdina, the beautiful walled city often called the
My first visit was all about exploring. I wanted to walk every street and alleyway, take as many pictures as possible, and simply see where the day took me. I even stopped for lunch at a cute little sandwich shop tucked away inside the city.
This visit was different.Silent City.
This time my niece, Ashley, was traveling with us, and she had a list of places she wanted to photograph. At the top of that list were the famous blue door and several locations used in Game of Thrones.
Another friend in our group had eaten at the Fontanella Tea Garden during our previous visit and had talked about the wonderful food and decadent cakes ever since. So, naturally, lunch at Fontanella was going to happen!
If you missed my post about my first visit to Mdina, you can find it HERE. I went into more detail about the history of Mdina and what makes this ancient walled city so special, so I won't repeat all of that here.
Instead, this post is about what to see and do when you visit Mdina — including a few of my favorite things that aren't necessarily found on every tourist checklist.
1. ENTER THROUGH MDINA CITY GATE
For most visitors, Mdina City Gate is where the adventure begins.
You cross the stone bridge and pass through the impressive entrance into the walled city. The area around the gate is beautiful enough to make you want to stop and take pictures before you've even walked inside.
The gate also has a connection to Game of Thrones, which made it especially interesting for my niece. Mdina was used as a filming location during the first season of the series, with the city standing in for King's Landing.
If you are a Game of Thrones fan, you'll recognize several locations as you explore.
 |
| Game of Thrones fans may recognize it from the first season. |
2. FIND PIAZZA MESQUITA
My niece Ashley is a huge Game of Thrones fan, so finding the filming locations around Mdina was high on her list.
Piazza Mesquita was one of the places she especially wanted to see.
The square and surrounding streets were used during the filming of the first season, and it is fun to stand there and imagine the same location transformed into King's Landing for the show.
Even if you aren't a Game of Thrones fan, the little square is worth seeing. Like so many places in Mdina, the architecture and narrow streets are incredibly photogenic.
Game of Thrones fans will probably recognize it immediately!
3. LOOK FOR THE FAMOUS BLUE DOOR
If you've spent any time looking at photographs of Malta on Instagram or Pinterest, chances are you've seen Mdina's famous blue door.
It was definitely on Ashley's list.
I had photographed the door during my first visit, but there was one problem — I hadn't gotten a picture of myself standing beside it!
So this time, I made sure to fix that.
One of the fun things about Mdina is that you don't have to visit a major attraction to find something worth photographing. Sometimes it is simply a colorful door, an unusual knocker, an old balcony, or a tiny alleyway.
And if you have a thing for doors like I do, Mdina is dangerous territory!.
4. WALK ALONG THE CITY WALLS
One of my favorite things about Mdina is the opportunity to look beyond the walls and take in the views of Malta.
If you have lunch at the Fontanella Tea Garden, you'll get to enjoy spectacular views while you eat. You can also make your way toward the bastions and find places where you can look out across the surrounding countryside.
This is one of those places where I recommend slowing down.
Don't just take the picture and leave.
Stop for a few minutes and enjoy the view.
5. VISIT ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL
St. Paul's Cathedral is one of the most recognizable buildings in Mdina and is located in the heart of the city.
The present cathedral dates from the late 17th century and was rebuilt in the Baroque style after the earthquake of 1693.
Even if you don't go inside, the cathedral and the square surrounding it are worth seeing.
And don't stop with the cathedral itself. As you wander through Mdina, you'll find smaller churches and chapels tucked into the streets.
Some of my photographs from this visit included St. Roque's Church, St. Peter in Chains, and the Chapel of Saint Agatha.
One of the things I love about Mdina is that you never quite know what you'll find around the next corner.
 |
| St Peter in Chains |
 |
Chapel of Saint Agatha
|
6. HAVE LUNCH AT FONTANELLA TEA GARDEN
I was really looking forward to lunch at Fontanella Tea Garden.
The restaurant sits along the city walls and is known for its views as well as its food and desserts.
There were five people in our group, and we decided to make the most of the opportunity by ordering different things so we could sample as much as possible.
And yes — the food lived up to the expectations!
We had sandwiches, salads and pizza, and everyone seemed happy with their choices. The chicken salad was especially good.
And then there were the desserts.
If you have a sweet tooth, you are going to want to save room. There were so many tempting choices that choosing just one was difficult.
Before visiting, check the restaurant's current website for its menu, opening hours and other details, since those can change. My advice: don't skip dessert.
7. VISIT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
I've visited the courtyard and entrance area of the National Museum of Natural History several times, mostly because I love the architecture of the building.
But I'll admit something...
I've never actually made time for the museum itself.
I was always too excited to get back outside and explore Mdina!
The museum is housed in Vilhena Palace, an impressive 18th-century Baroque building. Today, the museum's collections include subjects such as Maltese geology and palaeontology, local biodiversity, marine life, insects, shells, birds and human evolution.
8. WANDER THE STREETS — AND GET A LITTLE LOST
This may actually be my favorite thing to do in Mdina.
Just walk.
There is something wonderful about wandering through the narrow streets and alleys without knowing exactly what you'll find.
Some visitors like to follow a map and make sure they see every attraction. Others say you should put the map away and simply get lost.
I recommend a combination of the two.
Make a short list of the places you really don't want to miss, then give yourself permission to wander.
That's what I did.
I found the places on our list, but I also wandered down streets simply because they looked interesting.
And because Mdina is surrounded by walls, getting a little lost here isn't nearly as frightening as getting lost in a huge city.
I found myself stopping constantly to photograph details.
A doorway.
A balcony.
A window.
A street.
A building tucked behind another building.
You could easily spend an entire afternoon here without visiting a single museum or attraction.
And that brings me to one of my favorite things to photograph...
 |
| Bastion Square |
 |
| Near the Mdina Cathedral is an unusual Neo-Gothic style house. |
10. DOORS, DOORS & MORE DOORS
I'm not sure exactly when my door obsession began, but I can pinpoint the moment I realized I had one.
It was after my first trip to Europe.
When I started looking through my photographs — especially the ones from Tunisia — I discovered that I had taken a ridiculous number of pictures of doors.
Apparently, I had a thing for them.
And the obsession is still alive and well!
Mdina certainly doesn't help.
The doors come in all different sizes, shapes and colors, and many have interesting door knockers and architectural details.
If you are a photographer, don't forget to look down the streets and alleys as you walk. Some of the best photographs aren't necessarily the famous landmarks.
Sometimes they're the little details.
12. LOOK BEYOND THE OBVIOUS
There is more to Mdina than the most photographed streets and famous landmarks.
If you have additional time, there are several attractions in Mdina and nearby Rabat that are worth considering.
Some of these are places I did not visit during this trip, but they are on my list for the next one.
THE MDINA EXPERIENCE
The Mdina Experience offers visitors a historical introduction to the city through an audiovisual presentation.
It's a good option if you'd like to learn more about Mdina's history without spending hours inside a museum.
ST. AGATHA'S CATACOMBS
Located in nearby Rabat, St. Agatha's Catacombs are another option for visitors interested in Malta's underground history.
This is one I would like to explore on a future visit.
ST. PAUL'S CATACOMBS
St. Paul's Catacombs are also located in Rabat, just outside Mdina.
The site contains an extensive complex of underground burial spaces and offers a very different experience from walking the streets of the Silent City. Heritage Malta currently lists St. Paul's Catacombs as an archaeological site and museum.
PALAZZO FALSON
Palazzo Falson, also known as the Norman House, is another historic building inside Mdina.
It was once the home of Captain Olof Frederick Gollcher and contains collections of art, antiques and historical objects.
This is another place I'd like to see on a future visit.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I've now visited Mdina twice, and I'm not sure I've even scratched the surface.
That's one of the things I love about this city.
My first visit was about simply wandering and discovering what was around every corner.
My second visit was more intentional. We had places we wanted to photograph, Game of Thrones locations to find, a famous blue door to visit, and a lunch reservation at Fontanella.
And yet, I still spent plenty of time simply wandering.
If you are visiting Malta, I would definitely put Mdina on your list.
No comments:
Post a Comment