Mdina & Trabuxu Wine Bar - Silent City

Experience Malta's wine culture in Valletta's first wine bar, housed in a 400-year-old stone-vaulted cellar on historic Strait Street. Combine with a visit to nearby Mdina, the "Silent City" founded by Phoenicians as their island capital.

What to do there

5 things to do

1. 1 Stand in Game of Thrones' King's Landing Gate History · Free

   HBO's Game of Thrones production chose this exact gate as the entrance to King's Landing in Season 1 (2011) — Catelyn Stark walks through this arch, Jaime Lannister attacks Ned's guards in the square just inside. But this gate was built in 1724 by French military architect Charles François de Mondion, replacing a gate that had stood 2000 years on the same spot where Phoenician traders entered their island capital around 800 BC. Arrive by bus 201/202 from Valletta (30 min, ~€1.50) to Mdina Main Gate (Triq San Publju, GPS: 35.8857, 14.4028). Read the coat of arms above the arch — that's Grand Master António Manoel de Vilhena, who commissioned the gate while Malta's wine industry was transforming under the Knights.

   Backup: Arriving by taxi from Valletta (~€15–20)? Ask for 'Mdina Main Gate' or 'Is-Saqqajja' — visible from the bus stop.

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2. 2 Discover Why Phoenicians Chose This Exact Limestone Plateau Adventure · Free

   Stand here and feel the Phoenician strategic genius of ~800 BC — from this terrace, you see in every direction: the entire north coast of Malta, the countryside rolling south, distant Valletta, and the sea beyond. The Phoenicians chose THIS limestone plateau as their island capital because from here you could watch ships approaching from any direction, hours before arrival. The city they called 'Ann' became Melite under Romans, Madina under Arabs, and finally Mdina — the name never really changed, neither did the view. Walk straight through the main gate at Bastion Square (Pjazza tas-Sur), follow Villegaignon Street, turn left on Bastion Street to reach the highest point of the walled city (GPS: 35.8876, 14.4021). Visit at sunset when day-trippers leave and the silence becomes absolute, watching the limestone walls shift from white to deep amber.

   Backup: If Bastion Square briefly fills with a tour group, wait 10 minutes. Groups cycle quickly. Any point along the western walls offers the same panorama.

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3. 3 Touch the Walls Where a Grand Master Slept in 1531 History · Price: moderate · Optional

   This building — the second oldest in Mdina, incorporating 13th-century stone — is where Grand Master Philippe Villiers de L'Isle-Adam actually lived from October 20 to November 5, 1531. He was the Knight who had just received the keys of Malta in 1530, beginning one of the most consequential chapters in Mediterranean history when the Knights planted vine cuttings from Europe to revitalize Malta's vineyards. Walk through 17 rooms and 45 collections at Palazzo Falson Historic House Museum (Villegaignon Street, GPS: 35.8870, 14.4035): medieval paintings, silver, weapons, jewellery, a 4,500-book library. Entry €12.50 adults, €6 students/seniors, with free audio guide available in multiple languages — budget 45–60 minutes and ask staff about the rooftop for extraordinary views.

   Backup: If Palazzo Falson is closed on your visit day, walk to St Paul's Cathedral just up the street — free to enter the square, ~€3–5 for the cathedral interior, equally medieval and atmospheric.

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4. 4 Walk The Gut — The Med's Most Notorious Alley Adventure · Free

   This 800-meter alley — the narrowest in Valletta's 16th-century grid — earned the nickname 'The Gut' from British and American sailors who made it the most notorious street in the Mediterranean from the 1850s through the 1960s. At peak World War II, every building was a bar, music hall, or brothel where Malta's most famous musicians started careers and drag queens performed Carmen Miranda impersonations. From City Gate, walk down Republic Street, turn right on St Ursula Street, then left onto Strait Street (Triq id-Dejqa, GPS: 35.8970, 14.5095). Find the old bar signs still bolted to facades: Smiling Prince, Carmen Bar, Piccadilly. Read the historical plaques and plan 20–30 minutes walking south to north (slightly downhill) before arriving at Trabuxu. Best experienced at dusk when the new bars come alive.

   Backup: For a deeper dive into The Gut's history, find the 'Sailors in the City' immersive theatre show that runs seasonally on Strait Street (check embassyvallettahotel.com for current dates).

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5. 5 Taste the Only Two Grapes That Exist Only on This Island Wine · Price: moderate

   These two grape varieties grow only in Malta — nowhere else on the planet: Girgentina (white) and Gellewza (red). The Girgentina grows in Malta's limestone producing a white with prickly pear, honey, lemon blossom, and a mineral edge that tastes like you're drinking the island itself. The Phoenicians who built Mdina 2800 years ago almost certainly grew the ancestors of this grape. Descend the steps to Trabuxu Wine Bar (2 Strait Street, VLT 1430, +356 2122 3036) — Valletta's first wine bar, open 20+ years in a 400-year-old stone-vaulted cellar. Open Tuesday–Saturday, 19:00–midnight (BOOK AHEAD on weekends). Ask the bartender for the Maltese wine section specifically, order one glass each Girgentina and Gellewza with the cheese board (ġbejna sheep's milk cheese, local honey, homemade chutney). Wine by the glass ~€5–8; cheese board ~€15–20.

   Backup: If Trabuxu is fully booked, the Trabuxu Bistro (sister venue, same ownership, a few steps away on the same street) carries similar Maltese wines. TICO on St Paul's Street also stocks indigenous Maltese varieties.

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Insider tips

• Trabuxu is famous for its cheese selection - pair with local wines

• Mdina is 20 minutes from Valletta - visit both in one day

• Evening is best for the atmospheric cellar ambiance