Photos: Diego Delso, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Marika Caruana, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo credits
Photos: Diego Delso, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Marika Caruana, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Palazzo Vilhena, from noble palace to museum
Your local guide
Karmenu Zammit
View profile
Highlights
- A palace that became a hospital, then a museum
- Baroque architecture just inside the walls
- Grand Masters' residence, explained on site
- A building with several centuries of uses
- Mdina's history in one facade
About this tour
This session looks at Palazzo Vilhena, a Baroque palace just inside Mdina's main gate that has served as a noble residence, a hospital and now a museum. You see the palace's facade and its position just inside the walls. The camera stays on the public street in front of the palace throughout.
I start with the palace's changing uses over the centuries, then walk back toward the gate to show its position within the old city. I take questions throughout and send a short note on the building's history afterwards.
It suits anyone interested in how a single building can serve very different purposes over time. It also works well as a short add-on to the gate and cathedral session.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
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Welcome and sound check 5 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Mdina before heading out.
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The palace facade 15 min
The camera holds on Palazzo Vilhena's Baroque facade, and I explain how it once served as the residence of Malta's Grand Masters before later becoming a hospital and then a museum.
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The approach from the gate 15 min
Walking back toward the main gate, you see how the palace sits just inside the walls, one of the first buildings visitors would have seen arriving at the old capital.
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Your questions 7 min
Time to ask anything about Mdina: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 3 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Rabbit stew (fenkata) and Rabat, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Malta time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 7 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Mdina, showing you The palace facade and The approach from the gate live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Do I need to know the history already?
No background needed. The guide explains everything as it comes up.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We meet on Google Meet; the link comes with your booking. I walk Mdina live with my phone.
Times shown in Malta time (CET)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
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Next: Thu 29 Oct · 7 seats left From 20,00 €
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