Colors of Valletta - traditions, festivals, mentality and lifestyle

Local people are very friendly and open-minded. They are always glad to meet new guests and treat foreign tourists with curiosity and trust. Valetta locals do not like to hurry. They will never try to finish all tasks in one day and can easily postpone all non-urgent tasks. Foreign tourists always mention friendliness and openness of local people and say that Valetta inhabitants are always ready to help. Love for events and celebrations is also a distinguishing feature of local people. Starting from May till September, the city hosts interesting carnivals, solemn events, and performances virtually every weekend.

Many celebrations have a long history, and some events have appeared relatively not long ago. Despite the age and reason, all celebrations are well-organized and interesting to attend. Regatta remains one of the most popular and beloved celebrations among local people. Traditionally, the regatta starts in the Grand Harbor on September 8. This holiday is a tribute to a very important historic event that happened in 1565. On September 8, 1565, the city managed to counter a powerful attack of Turkish conquerors and keep independence. For more than four centuries, local people have been keeping the important event in their memory. Besides the traditional regatta, there are many other interesting events that take place in the city during the celebration, including performances of music bands, special events for children, and colorful fair trades that lure visitors with interesting souvenirs and delicious food.

Beautiful religious holidays are also not rare in Valetta. The majority of the city’s population is Catholics. Local religious holidays are also very interesting and attractive. As a rule, processions and parades are an essential part of these events. During the days of the national holidays, tourists can often see local people dressed in the national costumes. Men wear fancy jackets with ruffled sleeves, and women wear long skirts and beautiful capes called faldettas. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Local souvenirs deserve a separate mention. As a rule, tourists prefer to purchase gorgeous glassware and jewelry, home decorations made of straw, and various crafts. There are many artisans in the city’s neighborhoods, and they produce the majority of souvenirs sold in local shops. Despite the fact that Valetta is a modern and actively developing city, local people carefully preserve their national traditions, and crafts are a part of the country’s heritage.

Many interesting celebrations take place during the Holy Week. As a rule, the solemn events start on Friday that precedes Good Friday. A solemn procession takes place on the streets of Valetta, and people are carrying the statue of Our Lady of Sorrows. On Maundy Tuesday, a very interesting event takes place in the city. It is called the “seven visits”. It is believed that one needs to visit seven different churches on this day and pay homage to the Altars of Repose. On Good Friday, churches of Valetta lose their traditional style for most of the day. Closer to the evening, a solemn procession dedicated to the Passion of the Christ starts it the city. Local people carry different statues, each of which describes a particular episode from the Passions of the Christ. People in the procession look fancy as they are dressed as biblical characters.

On Sunday, bells start ringing, commemorating the Resurrection of Christ. A solemn procession walks on streets of Valetta, holding the statue of the Risen Christ. Easter is traditionally a family holiday in the city. This is the time when local people visit their friends and family members, make good wishes to each other, exchange small gifts, give chocolate eggs to children, and eat figolla (a rabbit-shaped pastry with almond filling).