Mdina and Rabat taste like Malta on foot. This 3.5-hour food tour threads Mdina and Rabat history through classic street snacks, wine, beer, and a stop-and-chew pacing. I love the traditional bites in the places locals actually go, and I love that the drinks feel built into the meal flow rather than tacked on at the end. One consideration: come hungry, because you’ll be eating and sipping almost the whole time.

The tour is led by a fully licensed guide in English, and guides such as Chris and Christine/Christina are praised for tying the food to Malta’s story and the Game of Thrones filming corners you’ll pass while walking. The group tends to move at a comfortable pace, so you’re not just collecting photos—you’re learning what you’re looking at.

Key highlights

• Start at Is-Serkin (Crystal Palace Bar) and settle in fast with an early Rabat snack and a soft drink
• Pastizzi to pastizzi, you snack in style with Maltese street food that’s best eaten while you’re walking
• Mdina’s old-capital lanes come with guided context, so the stones feel less random
• Beer, coffee, and tapas add variety to the classic Maltese lineup
• A proper tasting finish with rabbit, bragioli, and imqaret, plus beer and wine
• Game of Thrones filming spots are part of the walk, for extra atmosphere

Finding Your Way: Is-Serkin to Rabat Food Mode

You meet at Is-Serkin, also known as Crystal Palace Bar. It’s an easy landmark, and meeting on benches across the road keeps things simple when you arrive a little early and need a quick check-in.

From the start, the tour’s style is practical: you’re not just sightseeing and hoping you find something to eat later. You’re guided from bite to bite, which matters in Malta, where the best food can be tied to specific neighborhoods and routines.

Rabat First Bites: Pastizzi, Kinnie, and Street-Food Energy

Rabat is where this tour switches from seeing to tasting. You begin with guided stops and local snacks, including pastizzi, Malta’s famous flaky pastry that locals treat like a serious snack, not a gimmick.

You’ll also get Kinnie, a Maltese soft drink with a distinct flavor profile that’s hard to compare to anything you’d find elsewhere. It’s a nice early pairing because it wakes up your palate before the heavier dishes show up.

What I like about starting in Rabat is the pacing. You’re already in the mood for food before you move into Mdina’s more atmospheric, quieter streets. It’s also a good time to ask questions—how to pronounce dishes, what to expect, and what order to try things if you come back on your own.

Mdina Walk: Old-Capital Beauty with Guided Context

Then you hit Mdina, Malta’s old capital city. Mdina is one of those places where the view is stunning, but the meaning can be fuzzy if you’re wandering solo. On this tour, a guided hour helps you connect the buildings, walls, and street layout to the bigger story of Maltese civilization.

Mdina is also a strong match for Game of Thrones fans. The tour includes walking through filming locations, so you’re not just looking at old stone—you’re seeing why the setting worked on screen. Even if you’re not obsessed with the show, the filming stops add a fun layer to the route and give you photo moments with context.

Tip for you: Mdina rewards slow walking. Your guide’s timing is built for tasting later, so try not to race ahead. Let the route guide your steps and you’ll get more out of both the history and the scenery.

Coffee, Craft Beer, and Tapas: The Mid-Tour Flavor Shift

Back in Rabat, the tour shifts into a mix-and-match tasting rhythm. You get a coffee tasting that helps reset your palate midway through the meal run. It’s a small pause, but it makes a big difference once you’ve had salty snacks and pastries—coffee helps you keep enjoying what’s next instead of feeling like everything tastes the same.

Then comes the beer portion. You’ll try two different local craft beers, which is a smart way to sample Malta’s beer culture without turning the tour into a long pub crawl. Between sips, you also get local snacks and tapas-style bites, so you’re not stuck with one flavor profile for the whole stop.

Practical note: this portion is where you’ll feel the full “food tour” nature. You’ll be walking, then tasting again, then walking. Wear comfortable shoes and plan on taking your time with each stop—this tour works best when you treat it like a meal in motion.

The Big Tastes: Rabbit, Bragioli, and Imqaret

This tour’s heart is the traditional Maltese dishes you only fully understand after tasting them in context. The lineup includes rabbit and bragioli, plus the sweet finish imqaret.

Rabbit in Malta is a classic, not a novelty. It shows up often and it’s usually cooked with flavors that feel distinctly local—savory, filling, and made for sharing or slowing down over. Bragioli is another traditional comfort dish, and it pairs naturally with a glass of local wine later in the tour.

Then you get imqaret, Malta’s sweet pastry usually filled with ingredients like dates or sweet fillings. If you’ve been eating savory for hours, the sweetness feels like a true finish line rather than an afterthought. It’s also a great souvenir taste: you’ll remember it long after the flaky pastries are gone.

If you have dietary restrictions, you’ll want to plan carefully. One guest noted that the guide accommodated restrictions as best as possible. Your best move is to tell the operator during booking what you need to avoid, so the guide can adjust within what’s available at each stop.

Dinner and Wine: Ending with a Real Meal, Not Just Samples

The tour concludes with dinner and more tasting. You’ll have a wine tasting alongside the final savory bites, plus additional regional food.

This matters for value. Some tours stop after a handful of snacks and call it a day. Here, the end feels like you actually sat down with Malta’s flavors and closed the loop with something proper. You’re leaving full, not just pleasantly stuffed.

I also like that the drink choices are spread out. You’re not waiting until the last stop to try wine after drinking only soda or only beer. The wine shows up as a pairing to the deeper dishes, so the meal feels intentional.

Value Check: Why $80 for 3.5 Hours Can Make Sense

At $80 per person for about 3.5 hours, the ticket price can feel high or fair depending on how you usually travel.

Here’s the value angle that matters: a lot is included. You’re not paying separately for pastries, multiple drinks, coffee tasting, beer, wine, and a full meal with regional food. For a short, guided route that covers both Mdina and Rabat, that bundling can save time and reduce decision fatigue.

You’re also paying for the guide’s role in turning Malta into more than “pretty streets.” A good guide helps you notice what you’d otherwise walk past: why Mdina looks the way it does, what makes certain dishes Maltese, and how the filming locations fit the town’s look.

If you’re the type who likes to plan meals, you might still find this pricey. If you prefer a guided tasting route where you don’t have to think about what to eat next, it can feel like a bargain.

Who Should Book This Mdina and Rabat Food Tour

This tour is a great fit if you want three things at once: old-capital Malta, real food, and Game of Thrones filming atmosphere.

You’ll especially enjoy it if:

• You like your sightseeing with structure, so you don’t have to figure out where to eat
• You want a guided walk through Mdina with context, not just Instagram angles
• You’re curious about Maltese flavors like pastizzi, rabbit, bragioli, and imqaret
• You want a mix of drinks—Kinnie, local beer, and local wine—spread through the experience

You might skip it if you’re not into food-forward tours, or if a packed 3.5 hours of tasting sounds like too much. Also, if you’re extremely sensitive to alcohol, you should ask about how tastings are handled, since wine and beer are part of the included program.

Should You Book This Tour?

I’d book it if you want a guided day in Malta that feels like living there for a few hours. Starting in Rabat, tasting as you go, then moving into Mdina for history and Game of Thrones vibes is a smart route. Ending with dinner and wine means you won’t be chasing your next meal afterward.

If you’re on the fence, decide based on one question: do you want food to lead the trip? If yes, this tour’s setup is hard to beat. If you’d rather sightsee slowly first and eat later on your own, you might get more freedom with a lighter plan.

FAQ

Where do we meet for the tour?

You meet at Is-Serkin – Crystal Palace Bar. The meeting point is on the benches, just across the road from Is-Serkin Bar.

How long is the Malta: Mdina and Rabat food tour?

The duration is 3.5 hours.

Is the tour guided, and is it offered in English?

Yes. It includes a live tour guide, and the language is English.

What’s included in the price?

Food and drink are included in the tour price, along with the tour guide. You’ll try items like pastizzi, ħobż biż-żejt with Mediterranean foods, rabbit, bragioli, imqaret, Kinnie, Maltese beer, and local wine. The tour also includes coffee tasting, tapas, and dinner.

Do we try pastizzi on this tour?

Yes. Pastizzi is included.

Which drinks are part of the tasting?

You’ll have Kinnie (soft drink), Maltese beer (including two different local craft beers), and local wine, plus a coffee tasting.

Is Mdina and Rabat included?

Yes. The tour includes guided time in Mdina and guided food tasting around Rabat.

Are Game of Thrones filming locations part of the route?

Yes. The tour includes walking through filming locations in Mdina and Rabat.

Can the tour handle diet restrictions?

A guest reported that dietary restrictions were accommodated as best as possible. If you have restrictions, tell the operator when booking so the guide can plan around what’s available.

What’s the cancellation and payment flexibility?

Free cancellation is offered up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later.

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