Corinne CrawfordToday I headed inland to Mdina and Rabat for a walking tour. I had purchased a seven-day unlimited bus pass, which in theory sounded fantastic. In practice, Malta’s buses operate on what can only be described as “flexible interpretations of time.” Buses were often late, overcrowded, or simply too full to stop. If you absolutely need to be somewhere on schedule in Malta, just pay for the Bolt and save yourself the stress.
Mdina, known as the “Silent City,” was the original capital of Malta and dates back more than 4,000 years. The city was fortified first by the Phoenicians and later expanded by the Romans, who called it Melite. During the medieval period, Maltese nobility lived behind its walls, and even today it feels frozen in time. And apparently, the noble families still do. Descendants of those nobles still live in the original houses there and our tour guide pointed out a family in the playground as one of the longest living noble families living in Mdina. The grandma is called The Lady of Mdina.
Adjacent Rabat developed outside Mdina’s walls and became important during Roman rule. The contrast between the two towns is interesting — Mdina feels aristocratic and preserved, while Rabat feels more lived-in and local.
The tour made me realize how little I actually knew about Maltese history despite this being my second visit. I searched for a good general history book and eventually downloaded Malta History Unveiled on Kindle. Thankfully it was free, because that was about what it was worth. Honestly, it felt like it may have been AI-generated. It added almost nothing beyond what I had already learned from museum placards and tour guides.
After the tour, I stayed in Rabat to visit St. Paul’s Catacombs, one of the most fascinating sites I saw in Malta. Dating largely from the Roman period between the 3rd and 8th centuries AD, the catacombs formed an enormous underground burial complex used because Roman law prohibited burials within city walls. The maze of interconnected tomb chambers, narrow passages, and communal burial areas gives a remarkable glimpse into early Christian communities on the island. Walking underground through those ancient stone chambers was both eerie and fascinating.
Afterward, I grabbed a beer and a simple meal before bussing back to the apartment.
The next morning I was supposed to finally do something I missed during my previous Malta trip: a boat tour to the Blue Lagoon and Crystal Lagoon. I had been looking forward to it all week. But just as I was getting ready for bed — with plans to wake up early for the hour-long bus ride to St. Paul’s Bay — the tour operator messaged to cancel due to high winds.
Bummer.
I rescheduled for Saturday.
Instead, I pivoted and headed to the colorful fishing village of Marsaxlokk. The harbor is lined with traditional luzzu fishing boats painted in bright blues, reds, and yellows, many featuring the “Eye of Osiris,” a symbol fishermen traditionally used for protection at sea. It was sunny, calm, and relaxing to simply wander along the waterfront.
Since the weather was pleasant but not overly hot, I thought about heading to a nearby swimming beach. Malta’s coastline is beautiful, but much of it consists of rocky cliffs and rugged shorelines rather than sandy beaches. After waiting forever at a bus stop with no bus ever appearing, I gave up and changed plans again — a recurring Malta theme.
Instead, I took a bus to Tarxien to visit the Tarxien Temples, a prehistoric temple complex older than both Stonehenge and the pyramids of Egypt. Built between roughly 3600 and 2500 BC, the temples are among the oldest free-standing stone structures in the world. The carvings, spirals, and massive stone blocks are remarkable when you consider their age. Malta’s ancient history is easy to overlook because the Knights of St. John dominate so much of the island’s identity, but these prehistoric sites are arguably even more extraordinary.
Afterward, I returned to Valletta and found a great outdoor table where I sat reading with a beer. Eventually a live band started playing, and the entire atmosphere transformed. The place filled up quickly, and I ended up staying far longer than planned simply enjoying the music, energy, and warm evening air before finally heading back to Sliema.
