Malta plans festive New Year’s Eve celebration

By Julian Zarb
VALLETA, Malta (eTN) — Malta's 16th Century baroque walled town and capital city, Valletta, will be alive with the sound of music and people on New Year's Eve and on January 6, 2007.   The initiative follows on from the success of "Notte Bianca" last September when thousands of locals and tourists descended on the historical venue which is also one of the many UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The attempt to revive the city's social and cultural aspect has been promoted by two organizations who share the same objectives although they may have different reasons. N&G promotions and Valletta Alive Foundation are a clear example of how the business community and the voluntary bodies can work together to enhance the quality of the product and service for consumers.

Valletta used to be a thriving metropolis up to 50 years ago, that was a time when private transport was still limited to certain sectors of society and when the commercial hub was centered within the town's main thoroughfare so that shopping was virtually limited to this same venue.

With the increase in car ownership and the decentralization of shopping precincts out of the capital, Valletta was turned into a hub for government offices and day time shopping – leaving the streets deserted after closing time. Yet Valletta has a number of distinctive characteristics, not least among them, are the Palazzos and houses built by the Knights of St. John, founded in Jerusalem during the Crusades.

Throughout the centuries, however, the city has been embellished by different colonists who sought to add to the charm of this place – a number of gardens built on the old ramparts to the city; monuments commemorating different battles and governors and small piazzas where the outdoor social life can really come into its own. It is these nostalgic moments that the organizers are trying to revive through these activities this coming month.

The development of a cruise line terminal along the waterside overlooking the Grand Harbor, Europe's largest natural harbor, and the rehabilitation of the 17th Century warehouses into restaurants, bars and shops have had a positive effect on the number of cruise visitors to the island this year.

Traditionally, Valletta has always been the first port of call for any visitors to the islands and, in fact, the city was described by a Royal Commission at the beginning of the 20th Century as: "The cleanest city in the Mediterranean."  Improving the product and service should certainly see an improvement in value for money and visitor experience for Valletta.

With a blend of historical enactments, dining and live entertainment including classical culture and modern music, those who visit the city on the night of December 31 and January 6 should certainly appreciate that social fabric of Valletta, that had impressed countless men of letters over the centuries and that had provided the ideal gateway to the rest of the islands. The challenge now is to make these opportunities happen more often and revive the heart of the town during the nocturnal hours.

December 29, 2006   Posted in: Malta