A historic city lit by candlelight - Birgufest 2018

It’s that time of the year, with the ancient city of Birgu alit with candles - Birgufest is happening this weekend! All the streets and houses are lit up with candles, chandeliers hang in the streets, and music ruminates throughout the winding pathways. 

Most of the museums and historical buildings will be open this weekend, which includes the magnificent architectural gem of Fort St. Angelo as well as the Inquisitors Palace.

Locanda La Gelsomina will be celebrating this event with it’s own display of candles. An event that cannot be missed, come join the festivities this weekend starting from Friday the 12th of October and ending on Sunday the 14th.

Art Moderne architectural beauty of Cospicua's Rialto Cinema

The Rialto Cinema, 1956

La Gelsomina is set in one of the oldest hamlets of Malta, and surrounded by architectural beauty that spans the centuries. 

A short stroll away from our doorstep in neighbouring Cospicua - one of the Three Cities alongside Birgu and Senglea - lies the Rialto Cinema. Built in 1956 on the site of an earlier cinema that was destroyed by the bombs in World War II, the building is an incredible example of the Art Moderne architectural movement.

Designed by architect Edwin England Sant Fournier, it included Cinemascope widescreen features and a stereophonic sound system. One of the largest cinemas of the time, the Rialto could hold up to 1,100 spectators and was the go-to place of the time to catch the latest flicks.

The cinema was closed in 1988 and later acquired by the local Labour Party, which has now transformed the venue into a conference hall. Although very little remains of the original fixtures and the hall is not open to the general public, a visit to admire the external Art Moderne façade is an absolute must.

Rialto Theatre, Triq il-Pellegrinaġġ, Cospicua

Views of history from Suite One

Image courtesy of Brian Grech

Locanda La Gelsomina is housed in a building bursting with history, and dates as far back as to the 1500s when the Knights of St John had made Birgu their base and the capital of Malta.

On their arrival in Birgu in 1530, the Knights concentrated their main buildings in an area which became known as the Collachio, which Locanda La Gelsomina formed part of.

At the time, Birgu was bursting at the seams with a population of over 3,500, and during their 40-year stay in the hamlet the Knights erected auberges, a state-of-the-art hospital on the outskirts of the Collachio and magnificent palaces, including the Università.

From the balcony of Suite One you can catch a view of the the Università - or Council of Jurors - which at the time was mainly responsible for the provision of essential commodities, mainly grain, for the population of the area. It was established in 1538 after Grand Master D’Homedes did not see eye to eye with the Mdina Jurors.

Step back in time and across 500-years of history. Book your sojourn at La Gelsomina by dropping us an email at info@locandalagelsomina.com.

Diving into Malta's deep blue waters

With its unspoilt dive sites, underwater cliffs, shipwrecks and clear waters, Malta is a diver's paradise. The isles are consistently ranked as one of the top dive locations in the world, alongside other hot dive spots such as Egypt and the Maldives, and in 2018, Malta was awarded the Destination Award for diving at the BOOT tradefair in Germany.

To offer our clients a glimpse into this fascinating underwater world, we have teamed up with dive experts Malta Blue Diving, without a doubt one of the isle's best scuba diving professionals around.

Offering everything from night dives for certified divers to scuba explorations for complete beginners, our unique packages are tailored to all levels and personal preferences. Between them, Malta Blue Diving co-founders Luiza and David speak 5 languages, including French, German and Dutch, making them a truly international team.

To find out more about our customised scuba diving packages, please email us at info@locandalagelsomina.com