Our chauffeur noses the car over a stone bridge, across a moat and through the city gates of Mdina. It’s as though time stopped in 1530 when the seafaring Knights of St. John arrived and side-lined Mdina as capital in favour of Grand Harbour. A short walk down a narrow lane brings us to Palazzo Bifora’s austere limestone façade. We step into a sanctuary of calm, and spiral up ancient stairs to a rooftop pool deck and cocktail bar where all Mdina is spread out before us like a storybook fantasy.
This a stylish, classically decorated boutique hotel, ideal for romantic breaks. Each of its 6 luxury suites is decorated to a theme, and extra insulation guarantees absolute silence in this ‘Silent City’ – so named because of its car-free streets. The palazzo’s meticulous renovation by husband-and-wife team Omar and Sandra was geared towards comfort and elegance, with temperature-controlled interiors and friendly staff always on hand. The rooftop restaurant and heated pool offer a bird’s eye view of the city, high above the tourists thronging the medieval streets below.
Highs
- A spectacular roof deck to escape Mdina’s crowds, with the only swimming pool in the city – ideal for hot summer days, and heated in winter
- Omar, Sandra and the rest of the team are friendly hosts and are full of recommendations about what to see and where to go
- A fine rooftop restaurant serving local and Mediterranean dishes
- Beds come with an à la carte sleeping menu offering five types of pillow and three kinds of mattress
- The rooms are elegant, silent and serene; the décor in calming tones, the bathrooms with classical Burlington fittings
Lows
- The hotel is rather small and compact with limited outdoor space
- You can’t park in the city, so either use the palazzo’s chauffeur service, or park outside the walls (2-3 mins’ walk)
- The rooms don’t have much of a view, but this is compensated by the lovely rooftop terrace
- No kids under 12
Best time to go
The best time to visit Malta is in the spring (May-Jun) and autumn (Sept-Oct) when the weather is at its most temperate. Midsummer can be crowded and hot in Mdina, but the palazzo’s rooftop pool is a lifesaver, as are its temperature-controlled interiors. Winters can get cold, but the heated pool and underfloor heating throughout make Palazzo Bifora a good year-round option.
Our top tips
Visit the terrace of Xara Palace atop the city walls. When Malta was besieged during World War II, RAF pilots were billeted in this palazzo and relaxed on the terrace when off duty. It had a great view of their aerodrome, Ta’ Qali, and Valletta in the distance, regularly pounded by Italian and German bombers. If your interest is piqued (as ours was), visit Ta’ Qali’s Aviation Museum and see its collection of aircraft, including a Spitfire and a Hurricane.