An appreciation of Valletta as part of Malta's tourism product

Abstract

Valletta plays a central role in our overall tourism product offer. Valletta's tourism relevance is not limited to the various sites and museums which tourists can visit. It is the general ambiance of the city, its buildings, streets and urban spaces, which make it such a magnet for our overseas visitors. Valletta is constantly a topic of discussion. More often then not, the focus is on the problems rather than on its potential. A cocktail of geography and history made Valletta what it is today. St Elmo was built at the tip of the peninsula to better protect the two harbours from invaders. The fort was not easily defendable from the landward side as the Great Siege of 1565 clearly iliustrated. Hence, a decision was taken to build a city on the Sceberras peninsula and fortify it from both the seaward and landward sides. Hence, Valletta was born.