Mdina
L-Imdina
Malta's medieval former capital, a walled town on the island's central hilltop known as the 'Silent City' and the filming location of King's Landing in Game of Thrones.
L-Imdina is Malta's ancient capital, with a history stretching back to the Phoenician period. After the Knights moved the capital to the harbour, it gradually fell quiet. Only about 300 people live inside the walls, and apart from residents, vehicles are not allowed in, which earned it the nickname 'Silent City'. You enter through a Baroque main gate that spans a dry moat; this gate appeared as the gate of King's Landing in the first season of Game of Thrones. Inside, honey-coloured limestone buildings line winding narrow lanes. Highlights include St Paul's Cathedral and the Cathedral Museum, Palazzo Falson, a museum housed in a historic mansion, and the Bastion Square viewpoint on the walls, which looks out over much of Malta. The Fontanella tea room by the walls is famous for its chocolate cake and terrace views. Outside the walls, Rabat has St Paul's Catacombs and St Agatha's Catacombs, as well as St Paul's Grotto, where the Apostle Paul is said to have lived, and these can be visited together. From Valletta, the bus takes about 30 minutes.
Opening hours
Open all day; museum about 09:30–17:00
Nearby sights
- St. Paul's Catacombs
- Rotunda of Mosta
- Dingli Cliffs
- Ħaġar Qim & Mnajdra Temples
- Golden Bay
- Blue Grotto
- St. Julian's & Spinola Bay
- Popeye Village