Valetta, Malta #2

Valletta – Rabat, Mdina, and a Taste of Malta

This was our second time in Valletta on this cruise, and today we joined a private tour for eight people. Our first stop was the ancient town of Rabat.

Rabat lies in west-central Malta, just outside the fortified city of Mdina, and is one of the island’s oldest settlements. In Roman times, it formed part of Melite—the Roman city that served as Malta’s capital. When the Arabs later captured Malta, they reduced the size of the capital, fortified the inner area, and renamed it Mdina. The surrounding area became known as Rabat, meaning “the suburb.”
After the Arab period, the Knights of St. John turned Rabat into an important center due to its proximity to Mdina, its association with St. Paul’s Grotto, and the presence of several religious orders. The town continued to expand, and under British rule, modern services were introduced. After World War II, Rabat grew significantly with new residential development.

From Rabat, we moved on to Mdina itself. Founded more than 4,000 years ago, the city served as Malta’s capital through the classical and early medieval periods. Over the centuries it was shaped by the Phoenicians, Romans, and Arabs. Known as the “Silent City,” Mdina lives up to its name with its peaceful atmosphere, a small resident population, and restrictions on cars. Everywhere you look, the architecture is stunning.

We had about 20 minutes to visit St. Paul’s Cathedral and the museum across the square. The Cathedral, rebuilt at the end of the 17th century after an earthquake, is beautiful—and the museum was so interesting that we easily could have spent an entire day there.

Our next few stops were brief photo opportunities at several additional churches. Malta famously has 366 churches—one for every day of the year.

We then paused to photograph a natural arch before continuing on to a fishing village for a delicious seafood lunch.

After lunch, it was time to return to the ship.Leggi altro