Mdina Things to Do

I wanted to visit a place called Medieval Times at Mdina. I´m interested at that time. We walked the town three times trieing to find the place,m and when we finally noticed it´s inside of some souvenir shop and cafe, and went in, we were trying to find the ticket seller. She wasn´t behind her desk. We walked around the shop, went back no-one still and we tried to find the shop keeper, and no one came (there wasn´t even cameras I think, how can they leave it without service??). We waited for over 20min to someon to come and let us in (it said to be open at the prochure), but no-one came. So we finally left. Then we pumped into this, and choosed to visit it instead.It wasn´t as interesting, and looked little cheap done. And the idea was terrible, even if it was part of the history. It could be scary to children, but to us adults it´s only info about dark history.
No photographs allowed.

Open everyday from 10.00 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. (last admissions 4.15 p.m.)

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Another museum which I would have found very interesting but did not have time to see during our brief visit to Mdina was the Palazzo Falson Historic House Museum -- the palazzo and its notable collections.

Palazzo Falson was the former home of Capt. Olaf Frederick Gollcher, OBE. Of Swedish descent, Gollcher came from a prosperous family. Due to his fortunate circumstances, Capt. Gollcher was a generous man and somewhat of a Renaissance man as well. He was a philantropist, artist and scholar who pursued his passion of collecting art and objet d'arts, furniture, historical artifacts and antiques. His varied collections numbered in the dozens and are too vast to name but a few-- military accoutrements, antique pistols, oriental rugs, watches, manuscripts, etc. Capt. Gollcher took great pleasure in arranging his numerous and myriad collections in his Medieval palace himself, and he certainly had a beautiful building in in which to do it.

Today, through the auspices of the Capt. O.G. Gollcher, OBE Art and Archeological Foundation and the Maltese Heritage Foundation, the palace and the beloved collections of Capt. Gollcher can be viewed by the public as was his wish upon his death in 1962.

The Museum chose the palace's rooftop as the setting for its Cafe. Guests can have light snacks, cakes and hot & cold beverages while enjoying the tremendous view of the island and sea from this vantage point.

Don't miss the Museum's Gift Shop which carries books on art & history, as well as prints, postcards, gifts and souvenirs to remind you of your visit to the Palazzo Falson.

Museum hours: Tuesday through Sunday: 10am - 5pm (last entry at 4pm); Closed Mondays.
Guided tours last approximately 1 hour and are given in Maltese and English (other languages by special arrangement.
Call for group tours, after hours visits or to book special occasions.

Admission: Adults - 10 Euros including free audio guide (2008 prices); Students, Seniors & ISIC Cardholders - 5 Euros including free audio guide; children 6- 12 with accompanying adult only tour & no audio guide. Children 0 - 5 yrs - NO ENTRY!!

For an inexpensive, but assisted tour of the city of Mdina, consider taking a self-guided audio tour by "Discover Mdina." The audio-tour takes you to 18 of the most important sights in Mdina including Vilhena Palace, Mdina Gate, Palazzo Falson, St. Paul's Square, etc. (Admission fees to museums or special sites are not included.) The beauty of this self-guided tour is in the fact that you tour independently and get historical facts & information about what you're seeing, but can spend as little or as much time as you wish in each location. The audio portion is available in 6 languages: Maltese, English, French, German, Italian and Spanish.

The audio portion of the tour is narrated by a real character, Baron Phillippe Caxaro d’Antonio Murina della Verga, "who claims to be the oldest remaining member of one of the oldest remaining noble families in Mdina."

The hand-held audio phone and map can be obtained at the Vilhena Palace, just inside and to the right of the Mdina Gate, available everyday from 9am to 4pm.

Adults/Children/Students: 8 Euros; Senior citizens: 6 Euros (2008 price).

I took a photo of this sign because it mentioned "The Silent City." I believe the sign hung above a shop I visited to buy postcards and souvenirs. However, returning from our trip I researched the name and found that "Tales of the Silent City" is really a tourist attraction which highlights, in a series of animated tableaux, major events in the long history of Malta’s former capital up to the WWII. Apparently it is an excellent audio/visual show similar to the "Mdina Experience," and "The Knights of Malta," although, some research I did indicated that "Tales of the Silent City" is quite expensive compared to the other audio/visual museums.

It is housed on the top floor of the 14th century, Norman architectural gem named the Palazzo Gatto Murina.

Admission: 23.50 Euros - adults; 16.50 - children. (2008 prices) Best bet is to check prices ahead of time by phone or at the door.

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The plaque on the wall of the Monastery of St. Peter interested me initially for two reasons: 1) In general, a building housing nuns (in my country) is called a "convent" versus a "monastary" which is for priests, monks or brothers; 2) the plaque says that it is the home of Benedictine nuns and I was educated by Benedictine nuns from grades 1 - 8.

This building was difficult to obtain information for, but one source states that: "In 1418 the ancient hospital of St. Peter became a Monastery for Benedictine nuns; renovated and enlarged in 1625, it received the relics of St. Felicissima in 1833 from the Catacomb of St. Cyriaca in Rome." The highly adorned main altar alone would be worth seeing, but being in the presence of reliquary is special also. St. Peter's can also boast that Blessed Maria Adeodata Pisani spent most of her life as a cloistered nun in St. Peter's Monastery. Sister Adeodata was Abbess of the Monastery from 1851 - 1853, and died there in 1855. Miracles of cures have been attributed to her, hence her titled of "Blessed." I hope that her path to Sainthood will be accomplished soon.

Perhaps because information points to a daily mass said there, I can only assume it is open to the public.

Holy Masses: Daily: 8.00 a.m.

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This is the large square at the end of the main street of Mdina, the place, from where you have a great panorama-view of almost all directions of the island of Malta and this sqaure has some interesting buildings as well and also the only restaurant that I saw in Mdina, besides the garden-restaurant of the luxury Hotel Xara Palace.

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The main street of Mdinawill show you all the most important sights of Mdina: It will take you from Mdina-gate to the viewpoint in the north of town and you will pass by St. Aghatha's church, the cathedral and the Carmelite monastery.
Dont miss the great balconies of the governor's house, you will see them in my 2nd photo !

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This old palazzo is opposite of the luxury hotel Xara Palace and you can take a look inside its innercourt free of charge and without restrictions during daytime.
There was a flag of Malta and the flag of the EU on this building, so maybe its one of the EU-bureaus of the island there.