The pale yellow city of Mdina shines impressive on a hilltop, presenting like a medieval fortress from afar. Up close, the buildings are surprisingly baroque. Entering through the gates of the city feels special somehow.

The first thing I notice is how lived-in Mdina seems, compared to the citadel, with people going about on their way to work, driving cars and trucks through the narrow streets. I almost get hit by cars with no sidewalks to escape to. Do the nice stone roads look familiar? Game of thrones fans may recognize it as the Season 1 set for Kings Landing, including Littlefinger’s brothel and a major fight scene. Don’t worry; I don’t recognize it either. 

Mdina, translating to “city,” is still charming, and even magical, as I come back at night. I walk through the dimly lit streets, imagining myself in King’s Landing. 

The surrounding village, called Rabat (literally, “suburb”), is nice too. There are lots of churches, delicious pastry pies, and some quaint neighborhoods, similar to the ones I explore later in Birkirkara, where I’m staying the night. Charming alleys with lots of plants also have tons of Christian motifs on the walls, especially the Malta cross. Full disclosure: I come back several times to Rabat, and these photos are all taken on different occasions!

The highlight is the visit to the ruins of Ħaġar Qim . It is amazing that these huge rocks are arranged in such complex shapes! I really appreciate the antiquity of this civilization, which had such different customs. They have large fertility statues and a deep understanding of the solar system. Auspiciously, I visit during the winter solstice, coinciding with when the sun aligns with a portion of the temple.

The temple is oriented around the solstices, as it is likely more than just a coincidence that the sun shines along some features of the altars (though this is only visible at dawn). The whole site is also protected from the sun with a huge tent, which makes me feel like an archeologist at an excavation walking around. 

Even cooler is Mnajdra, the next temple over. I step through the huge slab into the center of the temple. Some structure shaped like altars are still preserved, and many pillars are decorated with lots of dots that look cool. I walk along this scenic stretch of coast awaiting a beautiful sunset, setting behind an island with lots of nesting birds, now a nature preserve.