St. Paul's Catacombs, Rabat

An extensive underground cemetery on the edge of Rabat, cut into the soft rock and used for burials from the Roman and early Christian periods. Narrow passages open into chambers lined with rock-hewn tombs, including round 'agape' tables where mourners are thought to have shared funeral meals. The complex is one of the clearest surviving traces of early Christian and Jewish communities on the island. A modern visitor centre explains the burial customs before descending into the cool, dimly lit galleries.