Malta: Mdina and Rabat Food Tour

Mdina and Rabat make a fine pair for a food walk: one is Malta’s silent old capital, the other a living town with cafés, bars, and family-run food spots. In three and a half hours, you move from pastizzi and Kinnie to rabbit, bragioli, wine, beer, and imqaret while your guide explains the streets around you.

I like the way the tour joins food with place. You are not simply handed a plate and told what it is. You walk through 3,000 years of Maltese history, hear about local life, and pass Game of Thrones filming locations along the way. I also like that the tasting menu includes proper Maltese dishes, not only easy snacks.

The main consideration is pace. You will eat a lot in a short time, and the tour includes walking through Mdina and Rabat. Food restrictions can be accommodated as well as possible, but you should raise them before setting out. The tour is conducted in English.

Key Points at a Glance

• A full Maltese tasting menu: Try pastizzi, ħobż biż-żejt, rabbit, bragioli, imqaret, Kinnie, beer, wine, and coffee.
• Two historic towns in one outing: See Mdina’s fortified streets and Rabat’s more lived-in local setting.
• A guide-led history walk: Guides such as Chris, Christina, and Christine bring personal knowledge of Malta and its food traditions.
• Food and drink are included: The $80 price covers all listed tastings, drinks, and the guide.
• A small-group feel may be possible: One account describes a relatively small group with time for conversation, though group size is not specified as a fixed feature.
• A useful first-day introduction: The tour gives you a taste of local dishes and helps you get oriented to central Malta.

Starting Across From Crystal Palace Bar

The meeting point is on benches across the road from Is-Serkin, also called Crystal Palace Bar. This is in Rabat, and the tour returns to the same spot at the end.

That fixed start and finish makes the outing easy to fit into a day. You do not need to arrange a separate transfer between Mdina and Rabat, and you can plan another activity afterward without ending in an unfamiliar part of Malta. Still, check the exact start time when booking, since several departure times may be available.

Your guide leads the tour in English. The named guides associated with this experience include Chris, Christina, and Christine. Their backgrounds differ, but the useful common thread is a focus on local history, culture, and food rather than a simple restaurant crawl.

I would arrive a little early. The meeting point is described clearly, but a bench across from a well-known bar is easier to find when you are not rushing.

Pastizzi and Kinnie: Malta’s Savory Welcome

The first food stop introduces you to two familiar Maltese tastes: pastizzi and Kinnie. Pastizzi are small, flaky pastries filled with either ricotta or a pea mixture, and they are among Malta’s best-known street foods. Kinnie is Malta’s local soft drink, with a distinctive bitter citrus flavor.

This is a smart opening. Pastizzi are inexpensive, everyday food, so they tell you something about how people in Malta eat between meals. Kinnie gives you a local drink to compare with the sweeter soft drinks you may already know.

The tasting is listed as a 20-minute stop in Rabat, with local snacks and a guided introduction. That is enough time to eat, listen, and ask questions without turning the first stop into a long sit-down meal.

If you have never tried Kinnie, keep an open mind. It is not designed to taste like cola or lemonade. The slightly bitter flavor is part of the point, and trying it with a savory pastry gives you a better sense of how Maltese food balances rich, salty, and sharp flavors.

Mdina’s Silent Streets and Film Locations

After the first snack, the tour moves into Mdina for about an hour of guided sightseeing. Mdina was Malta’s old capital, and its compact fortified center is one of the island’s most atmospheric places to walk.

The value here is not only the architecture. A guide gives the narrow streets and stone buildings a human scale. You can connect the city’s walls, lanes, and old civic spaces with Malta’s long story instead of treating Mdina as a quick photo stop.

The tour also passes several Game of Thrones filming locations in Mdina and Rabat. That will appeal to fans, but the filming connection is best treated as an extra layer. The real reason to visit Mdina is the town itself, with its old streets, defensive setting, and sense of a former capital.

The one-hour Mdina section is a good length for a food tour. You get enough time to see the main character of the city, but the schedule does not leave you waiting around while meals are being prepared. Wear shoes suitable for walking on historic streets, and leave room for stops where the guide may pause to explain what you are seeing.

Rabat’s Local Side and the Coffee Stop

The tour returns to Rabat for another short tasting, listed at around 20 minutes. This stop includes food and coffee, with local snacks and cheese included in the experience as described by the available details.

Rabat feels different from Mdina. Mdina is the fortified former capital, while Rabat has a more everyday town atmosphere. Putting the two together helps you see Malta as more than a set of monuments. You get the grand old center and the nearby place where ordinary local life continues.

Coffee may sound like a small part of the route, but it helps break up the larger meal. It also gives the guide a chance to explain the social side of food in Malta. The food stops are short, so you can expect tasting rather than a leisurely café visit.

The practical issue is fullness. By this point, you have already had pastries and a soft drink, and the larger savory dishes are still ahead. I would avoid eating a heavy breakfast before the tour. You do not need to arrive starving, but you should leave room.

Making Ħobż Biż-Żejt With Two Maltese Beers

The next Rabat stop lasts about 30 minutes and includes two local craft beers, more snacks, and a chance to prepare your own ħobż biż-żejt with Mediterranean foods.

Ħobż biż-żejt is a simple Maltese bread dish, usually built around crusty bread, olive oil, tomato, and other savory additions. The hands-on part matters because it turns the tasting into something you take part in. You learn how a basic local staple is assembled rather than receiving another finished course.

The two-beer tasting gives you a useful comparison between local drinks. Beer can be a good match for the salty bread and Mediterranean ingredients, and the small portions keep this from becoming a separate pub session.

This is also one of the more social parts of the tour. A relatively small group can make the preparation and conversation more relaxed, though the tour does not promise a set group size. If you prefer a quiet, private meal, this format may feel more communal than you want.

Rabbit, Bragioli, Wine, and Imqaret

The final food section is the most substantial. It lasts about 45 minutes and includes dinner, a glass of local red wine, rabbit, bragioli, regional food, and the Maltese sweet imqaret.

Rabbit is one of the dishes most closely linked with traditional Maltese cooking. It is not included as a token bite here. It forms part of the main meal, which makes the tasting more useful if your goal is to understand what people in Malta actually eat beyond pastries and snacks.

Bragioli is another classic Maltese dish, usually made with thin slices of beef wrapped around a filling and cooked in sauce. Together, rabbit and bragioli show a heartier side of the cuisine. The red wine gives you a local drink with the main course instead of treating wine as an unrelated add-on.

The meal ends with imqaret, a sweet pastry filled with dates. It is a fitting finish after the savory dishes, and it gives you a Maltese dessert that is different from the more familiar European cakes and ice creams.

I appreciate this sequence because the food moves from street snack to homemade-style bread, then to a full regional meal and dessert. You get a broad sample of Maltese eating in one afternoon or evening. The drawback is that the quantity may be substantial, especially when paired with beer, wine, coffee, and Kinnie. Go hungry, but do not assume every stop is only a tiny sample.

What the $80 Price Covers

The price is $80 per person. That may seem high if you compare it with the cost of buying one pastizz or a local soft drink, but this is not priced as a collection of snacks.

The fee includes the English-speaking guide, all the listed food, and the drinks. That means pastizzi, Kinnie, ħobż biż-żejt with Mediterranean foods, rabbit, bragioli, imqaret, Maltese beer, and local wine are covered. The tour also folds a guided Mdina and Rabat walk into the same price.

For me, the value depends on how you would otherwise visit the towns. If you would pay separately for a meal, drinks, and a guided history walk, the total could come close to the tour price. You also avoid guessing which dishes to order or choosing restaurants without knowing what is genuinely local.

The price is less appealing if you mainly want a quick look at Mdina and do not care about food. In that case, you would be paying for a long tasting route you may not use fully. It is best suited to someone who wants sightseeing and a proper introduction to Maltese cuisine in one outing.

The Guides and the Human Side of the Tour

The guide can make or break a combined food and history tour. Here, the experience is built around a licensed tourist guide who explains the towns and introduces the dishes.

Chris is described as Malta-born, with strong local connections and broad background knowledge of Maltese history. Christina and Christine are also named as guides connected with the experience. You should not assume which guide you will have on a particular date, but the range of named guides suggests an operation built around local storytelling rather than a self-guided audio route.

I like that the guide is expected to handle both sides of the experience. You need someone who can explain why Mdina matters, then switch to the difference between pastizzi fillings or the role of Kinnie at a snack stop. The best moments should come from those links between place, food, and daily life.

The format also leaves room for conversation. One account describes enough time for friendly exchanges with the guide and other people in the group. That is useful if you want to ask about Maltese customs, food, or places to eat after the tour.

Who Should Book This Food Walk?

I would recommend this tour to you if you want a strong first taste of Malta without spending several days researching dishes and historic sites yourself. It suits couples, solo visitors, and small groups who enjoy walking, listening, and eating a broad selection of local food.

It is especially useful early in a Malta visit. After three and a half hours, you will know several Maltese foods by name and flavor, and you will have seen Mdina and Rabat with historical context. You can then decide which parts deserve a longer return visit.

The tour also works for Game of Thrones fans who want filming locations alongside a real look at the towns. The series connection is included, but it does not take over the outing.

I would think twice if you need a fully customized menu. Dietary restrictions have been accommodated as well as possible, but the food route is built around specific Maltese dishes, including rabbit, bragioli, dairy-based items, bread, pastries, and alcohol. Ask about your needs before booking.

You should also consider the pace if you dislike eating several times in a row. This is a food-heavy walk, not a light snack tour. The included beer and wine make it less suitable for anyone avoiding alcohol, even though the route also includes nonalcoholic choices such as Kinnie and coffee.

Booking Details That Matter

The tour lasts three and a half hours, and the listed starting times vary, so check availability for your date. It is conducted in English with a live guide.

Cancellation is free up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund, and you can reserve while paying later. Those terms are useful if your Malta plans are still shifting, but the main practical point remains the meeting location: benches across from Is-Serkin, also known as Crystal Palace Bar.

The tour returns to the same place. Since the route includes food, drinks, and historic streets rather than a bus ride, plan your clothing and footwear for walking. No separate transport is listed as part of the experience.

Should You Book the Mdina and Rabat Food Tour?

Book it if you want a guided history walk and a full food introduction in one package. The route covers the two towns that make the most sense together, and the menu goes well beyond the usual tourist snack. Pastizzi, Kinnie, ħobż biż-żejt, rabbit, bragioli, imqaret, beer, and wine give you a clear taste of Malta’s everyday and traditional table.

Skip it if you want only a quick visit to Mdina, a private tour, or a tightly controlled dietary menu. For everyone else, $80 is a fair price for the amount of food, drink, guiding, and sightseeing included. Arrive hungry, wear comfortable shoes, and expect to leave with a better sense of both Malta’s old capital and its kitchen.

FAQ

Where does the Mdina and Rabat food tour start?

The meeting point is on the benches across the road from Is-Serkin, also known as Crystal Palace Bar, in Rabat.

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts three and a half hours.

What language is the tour conducted in?

The live tour is conducted in English.

What food and drinks are included?

The included items are pastizzi, ħobż biż-żejt with Mediterranean foods, rabbit, bragioli, imqaret, Kinnie soft drink, Maltese beer, and local wine. Coffee and local snacks are also part of the tasting route.

Does the tour visit both Mdina and Rabat?

Yes. You receive a guided visit in Mdina and food tastings in Rabat, with the tour starting and ending at the same Rabat meeting point.

Can I cancel the booking?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. The activity also allows you to reserve now and pay later.