Rabat (Malta)

Rabat is a town in Malta.

Understand
Rabat means suburb in old Arabic and this is indeed because Rabat is the town lying outside the citadel of Mdina. The two towns used to be a single one until the Arabs dug a moat across the hill and fortified its tip creating Mdina. Rabat had walls of its own in Roman times but this can only be seen today in parts of the street pattern.

Get in
There are several buslines going to Rabat, from the main bus terminal in Valletta it should take about 35 mins. 53 Valletta-Rabat, 52 Valletta-Dingli (through Rabat), 51 Valletta-Mtarfa (through Rabat)

Rabat is also only a short walk from Mdina - through regular city streets with plenty of quaint buildings and homes. Simply exit the old capital's fortress walls and keep walking; soon enough, you'll be in Rabat.

Get around
All the sights are within minutes walking distance of the bus depot located between Rabat and Mdina.

Buy
Of course there are the usual souvenir shops, the Roman Villa Souvenir Shop (on the corner near the Roman Museum) has a vast selection at reasonable prices (such as €3.50 for well-made large metal souvenirs rather than the usual plastic tat).

Go next
To the south you can visit the Buskett gardens which is without a doubt the greenest place on Malta, the Inquisitor's palace and the quiet clifftop village of Dingli.