The authenticity of Mdina and Rabat

Abstract

The aim of this research is to discover what can be properly considered as the authenticity of Mdina and Rabat. These two localities after all have a very long and well-documented history and thus establishing what exactly is that quality which attracts tourists to the city is difficult to establish. Can the locality as a whole be considered Roman, Medieval, Baroque, or are all of these appellations and others combined together in such a small area? Therefore with this historical variety how should Mdina and Rabat be portrayed and advertised to the outside world though the large variety of media available to the modern tourist. Are there particular aspects of the current product that detract from the authenticity of the places being studied? Views of locals and tourists in respect of what they consider to be authentic and their opinion on the current state of the product are produced and analysed. The final result is a mixture of expected and surprising revelations.