1. La Semana Santa de Espana exhibition

Mqabba is home to the only exhibition in Malta that is purely dedicated to La Semana Santa de Espana (Spanish Holy week) with over 160 miniature replicas of statues of the Spanish Cities. Apart from these statues decorated with fine velvet, lace, gold and silver embroidery, the exhibition features hundreds of photos, medals and badges collections among other things. It’s held within the halls of Palazz Santa Marija and is open today (Maundy Thursday) from 10am till noon and 5pm till midnight; tomorrow (Good Friday) from 9am till 1pm and 5:30pm till 9:30pm; and Easter Sunday from 10am till noon and 5:30pm till 8:30pm.

2. ‘Ahna Nsara?!’ Holy Week pageant with a modern twist

Held in the subterranean chambers of Palazz Santa Marija, this is a 20-minute pageant of the Passion of Christ you’ll surely not get bored watching. From the Last Supper to the Crucifixion and Resurrection, featuring actors playing Christ, the Apostles and Roman soldiers, it will take a modern twist with contemporary characters entering the scene, portraying a message that is aimed at making the viewer reflect about the life we are living today. It’s on tonight (Maundy Thursday) between 7pm and midnight, and tomorrow (Good Friday) from 8:30am till noon.

3. Visit Palazz Santa Marija and the Marija Assunta Hall Artistic Centre

The La Semana Santa exhibition is held inside the halls of the fantastic Palazz, decorated with fine paintings by renowned Gozitan artist Chev. Paul Camilleri Cauchi. While there, you shouldn’t pass up the rare opportunity to take in the splendour of this relatively unknown place.

4. Buy and eat traditional Good Friday-related delicacies

At St Mary’s Band Club, you can buy and sample traditional delicacies associated with the local feast days, including bread and the famed sfineg – deep fried choux pastries filled with a savoury filling of anchovies or a sweet ricotta.

5. A rare opportunity to visit the small chapels

While in Mqabba, you can’t miss the opportunity to visit the Parish Church and a number of smaller, lesser known chapels which will be open to the public, some of which even dating as far back as the 16th century, and all decorated for the occasion! Happily, they are all within minutes of each other, leaving plenty of time to visit them all.

6. A small and quaint village with no parking problems

Take in the beauty of quaint local life which is being lost in the larger cities and towns. In small villages such as this, it’s a delight to take a short walk around the village core and admire the narrow streets and old houses, for a true taste of life in times gone by.

7. It’s a stone’s throw away from Siggiewi and Laferla Cross

If you’re intending to visit Laferla Cross this Maundy Thursday – a popular venue among locals and tourists on this feast day, you can drop in to Mqabba before. It's a stone’s throw away from Siggiewi, in an area which should definitely make it in your list of places to explore!

For more information, visit the Santa Marija Band Club’s website or facebook page.