The medieval city of Mdina, the ancient capital of Malta, stands proudly on top of a hill in central Malta. Known to be first fortified by the Phoenicians around 700 BC, this walled city has withstood centuries of invasions, battles and occupiers, and is an integral part of Maltese history.
Today it is a tourist mecca and is a must see for any visitor to the islands. Just walking around the narrow, cobble stoned streets gives one a sense of its past and takes you back to time that will never be seen again.
On this occasion I went for an evening stroll and was confronted by these sentries holding flamed torches at the entrance to the main gate. It turned out there was a special event on and they were there to greet the guests. It would have almost been a setting “from the past” had it not been for the modern day motor vehicle driving out of the main entrance.
Mdina is one of the few places I’ve been that’s, in my experience, unlike any other. I thought it so beautiful on my first visit that I booked a room in the closest hotel just outside this gate and spent several days exploring it and the adjacent town of Rabat. Lunch at the restaurant of, I believe, the only hotel in Mdina, the Xara Palace, was memorable, wonderful service and food and a small compensation for not staying in the 5 star hotel. Thanks for the memory, IslandMan.