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Rabat.

Places to go. A little room to wander.

A local view near Rabat, Malta
A local view near Rabat, Malta. Photograph by Lysy · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Resized proportionally to at most 1200 pixels wide without upscaling or a height limit; original ICC retained; EXIF orientation applied; converted to WebP high-quality photographic compression.

THE SHORTLIST

A few places worth your time.

01Culture · DAY 1 IDEA

Rabat

The Wignacourt Museum

This was Grand Master Wignacourt's palace, and is now a dusty but charming old-style museum. It now houses a mediocre local art collection on the ground floor and a slightly random collection of historic furniture and paintings upstairs. Do see the painting of Mary proferring her bared breast to her child with a strangely lascivicious look on her face. Also do visit the cellars of the museum which connect to another set of ancient catacombs, these have not been 'streamlined' for tourism like the other catacombs which make them particularly interesting.

Allow about 90 minutes · planning estimate

Map Source
02Culture · DAY 1 IDEA

Rabat

St. Pauls' church

Also houses St. Paul's Grotto. Where the saint apparently lived after being shipwrecked on his way to being put on trial in Rome. Pope John Paul II visited this place of pilgrimage in 1990. One can take the underground passage from here to the Wignacourt Museum.

Allow about 90 minutes · planning estimate

Map Source
03Culture · DAY 1 IDEA

Rabat

The catacombs of St. Paul and St. Agatha

Early Christian underground cemeteries, particularly the latter is very interesting to visit. Earlier descriptions refer to a "grumpy tour guide", but by June 2011 there is a friendly one who makes a special effort with children!

Allow about 90 minutes · planning estimate

Map Source
04Culture · DAY 2 IDEA

Gheriexem

The Roman Museum

Houses the remains of a Roman villa. It lies in between Rabat and Mdina. This rebuilt Roman villa features mosaics and sculpture from the original house excavated on the site, along with artifacts and displays relating the Roman, Byzantine and Arab periods, from the 3rd century BC through the 10th century AD.

Allow about 90 minutes · planning estimate

Map Source

A note before you go. Start with The Wignacourt Museum, then decide whether St. Pauls' church deserves a separate visit rather than rushing both. The suggested days are an editable grouping, not a timed tour. Visit allowances exclude transfers, meals and queues; confirm the exact entrance and current visiting arrangements for The Roman Museum before setting off.

Reference material retrieved 2026-10-19. Suggested days and time allowances are editorial starting points. Check the linked visitor information for opening hours, access, and reservations.

BEFORE YOU SET OFF

A more practical kind of plan.

Build a route that makes sense

The Wignacourt Museum and St. Pauls' church are about 0.0 km apart in a straight line. Use the route link to compare the actual streets or transport connections before putting both in the same morning; the measurement is not a walking distance or a transfer estimate.

A LITTLE STRUCTURE. ROOM FOR DISCOVERY.

Your Rabat plan.

Add a few stops, choose your days, and leave space between them.

My saved trips
Location, map & reference details

Find your bearings.

Country
Malta
Area
Ir-Rabat
Time zone
Europe/Malta
Coordinates
35.8815, 14.3987

Geographic reference: GeoNames, CC BY 4.0.

Rabat

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Visitor information & sources

Reference credits & reuse

This city guide includes selected, abridged material by Wikivoyage contributors, adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. The adapted guide text is available under the same license; photographs and website design retain their separate terms. Selected and abridged reference descriptions; operational prices and timetables omitted. Elsewhere added the shortlist, geographic grouping and planning notes.

Reference material retrieved 2026-10-19. It is community-edited background, not firsthand reporting or a live opening-hours service.

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