Mdina & Mosta Dome Full-Day Tour: 6 Stops with Lunch

A thousand-year-old walled city, a bomb that didn't explode, and craftsmen still blowing glass the medieval way.

A full-day guided tour of Malta's most significant sites, starting in the medieval city of Mdina and ending at the Mosta Dome, with stops at the St. Cataldus Catacombs, Dingli Cliffs, San Anton Gardens and Ta' Qali Artisan Village. Pickup happens between 8:30 AM and 9:15 AM depending on your hotel location. Lunch with a glass of wine is included, as are all admissions and transport in an air-conditioned coach.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. San Anton Gardens45m
2. Ta’ Qali Crafts Village1h
3. Mosta Dome55m · entry included

Explore Malta's highlights with lunch

• Visit ancient Medieval city of Mdina
• Walk to neighbouring town of Rabat
• Visit Catacombs of St. Cataldus in Rabat
• Enjoy lunch with a glass of wine
• Visit Dingli Cliffs, highest point in Malta
• Explore San Anton Botanical Gardens
• Visit Ta’ Qali Artisan Village
• Tour the Rotunda of Mosta (Mosta Dome)

The experience

The tour opens in Mdina, the island's former capital, where you walk narrow streets that have remained largely unchanged for a thousand years. A licensed guide leads you through the medieval and baroque architecture, pointing out the opulent palaces and fortifications, and takes you to the high bastion walls for views across the island. From there you cross on foot into Rabat, the neighbouring town, to see the vernacular architecture before descending into the St. Cataldus Catacombs: burial chambers dating from the late 2nd to 3rd centuries that hold some of Malta's earliest evidence of Christianity, including a rare agape table carved from rock.

The route then climbs to Dingli Cliffs, the highest point of the Maltese islands at around 253 metres above sea level. A small chapel built in 1646 sits on the edge, and from there the views stretch across terraced fields, open sea and the uninhabited island of Filfla. Next is San Anton Gardens in Attard, laid out in the early 17th century and now home to fountains, ponds with ducks and swans, and trees and exotic plants some over three centuries old. At Ta' Qali Artisan Village, housed in a former RAF wartime airfield, you watch local craftsmen form glass using the ancient glassblowing technique and assemble filigree jewellery. The village stocks paintings, traditional Maltese lace, leather goods and ceramics made on-site.

The tour ends at the Rotunda of Mosta, a neoclassical basilica built between 1833 and the 1860s that houses the third-largest unsupported dome in the world. The church is also known for a narrow escape during World War II, when a German bomb pierced the dome on 9 April 1942 but failed to explode, sparing over 300 people inside. Lunch with a fixed menu and a glass of wine is served during one of the stops. Additional drinks are available at your own cost.

What’s included

• All transportation in an air-conditioned coach.
• admission to the Rotunda of Mosta and the St. Cataldus Catacombs.
• lunch with a fixed menu and a glass of wine.
• pickup and drop-off transfers from your chosen meeting point.
• a licensed tour guide in your selected language.

Options for this experience

6 options

With Polish-speaking guide09:45The tour is conducted either by a guide who speaks Polish or by an English-speaking guide accompanied by a native Polish translator. Meeting point and pickup time: please contact the tour operator to confirm your pickup location and time. Pickup is included.

With Spanish-speaking guide09:45The tour is conducted either by a guide who speaks Spanish or by an English-speaking guide accompanied by a Spanish-speaking translator. Meeting point and pickup time: please contact the tour operator to confirm your pickup location and time. Pickup is included.

With Italian-speaking guide09:45Meeting point and pickup time: please contact the tour operator to confirm your pickup location and time. Pickup is included.

See 3 more options

With German-speaking guide09:45Meeting point and pickup time: please contact the tour operator to confirm your pickup location and time. Pickup is included.

With French-speaking guide09:45Meeting point and pickup time: please contact the tour operator to confirm your pickup location and time. Pickup is included.

With English-speaking guide09:45Meeting point and pickup time: please contact the tour operator to confirm your pickup location and time. Pickup is included.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday and FridayDeparts at 09:45

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (4 to 12 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupUp to 52

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Polish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Robert Arrigo & Sons

Is this one for you?Choose this guided tour if you want a structured itinerary covering multiple historical sites in one day. Pick the self-guided option if you'd rather explore Mdina, Rabat, and the Catacombs at your own pace.

Traveler reviews

4.19★★★★★★★★★★

394 verified traveler reviews

5 ★202

4 ★105

3 ★55

2 ★22

1 ★10

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Polish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 12 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly is the Mosta Dome, and why is it famous?

The Rotunda of Mosta is a Roman Catholic basilica in the city of Mosta, built between 1833 and the 1860s to neoclassical designs based on the Pantheon in Rome. It is renowned for housing the third-largest unsupported dome in the world and is Malta's largest church. During World War II, a German bomb pierced the dome but failed to explode, an event locals interpreted as a miracle.

How high are Dingli Cliffs, and what will I see from the top?

Dingli Cliffs reach around 253 metres above sea level, making them the highest point of the Maltese islands. From the edge, you see terraced fields below, panoramic views of the open sea, and the uninhabited island of Filfla in the distance. A small chapel dedicated to Saint Mary Magdalene, built in 1646, sits perched on the cliff edge.

What can I do at Ta' Qali Artisan Village?

Ta' Qali Artisan Village is a working hub of local craftsmen where you can watch artisans form elaborate glass art using the ancient glassblowing technique and assemble intricate silver and filigree jewellery. The village has a wide selection of genuine goods including paintings, traditional Maltese lace, gold, silver and filigree jewellery, leather goods, furniture, ceramics and ornamental glass, all made by local artisans. There is no obligation to buy.

Is lunch included, and what does it cost extra?

Lunch with a fixed menu and one glass of wine is included in the tour price. Any additional drinks beyond the included glass of wine are available at your own cost.

How does the pickup work, and when will I be collected?

Pickup and drop-off transfers are included. You choose your preferred location from the operator's meeting points. Your pickup time falls between 8:30 AM and 9:15 AM depending on where you are staying. You should contact the tour operator at least a few days before your activity to confirm your exact pickup location and time.