St. Paul's Catacombs

St Paul's Catacombs are located in the Maltese city of Rabat and are one of the biggest tourist attractions on the island. It's believed that the origin of these underground galleries dates back to the Phoenicians and that they were later used by the Romans and Christians.

During the Muslim occupation, the Catacombs were abandoned and rediscovered in the 19th century. The 4 kilometres (2.4 miles) of underground galleries had a capacity for more than 1000 bodies, stored in different burial chambers that make up a real underground labyrinth.

It's believed that Saint Paul sought refuge in one of these caves during his stay in Malta.

Visiting the catacombs

Before descending into the catacombs, you'll find a museum that explains how these tunnels were discovered and their importance in the history of Malta.

You can also visit the church built over the catacombs and the cave where St. Paul is thought to have taken refuge.

How to get there from Valletta

The most convenient way to reach St. Paul's Catacombs from Valletta is to take buses 51, 52, 53 or 56 from the Maltese capital's Central Bus Station. The bus journey takes just over 30 minutes and you'll get off at the Rabat stop.

From there, just follow the road straight up towards the centre of Rabat and in less than 10 minutes you'll be at the Catacombs!