Rabat & Mdina are main attractions in the heart of Malta, far away from sea and well visible from the plane when you're landing.
Mdina is a sort of "isolated" historical village where almost nothing moves (neither flies nor leaves on trees), they call it the "silent city" cause within its borders there's really an incredible silence (even if outside there's an incredible confusion !).
Rabat has born as a surrounding neighborhood of Mdina but now it is much wider than the original: it is intended as to be the expanding part of Mdina which will remain a sort of "monument" even if people still lives in there.