The Hotel Phoenicia and the Teatro Manoel
We arrived in Valletta on the very first day of Carnival. There were lots of people around the walled city and the gates that opened to the center were closed off to the public until all the colorful cartoony floats had passed. Given that we were stuck, we decided to pass the time away at the Phoeniccia Hotel. Little did we know it was one of the city's finest. It reminded me of the Fairmont Hotel chain back in the US.
The first time we laid eyes on this hotel, there were limousines parked in front and men in dark suits stood by the entrance. We took these pictures halfway through our trip when Carnival had actually ended and all the celebrations had died down.
Here's a view of the modern lobby of the hotel.
A lovely bar inside the Phoenicia
Another attraction we decided to visit while in Valletta was the Teatro Manoel. Unlike all the major city theaters we've visited in Europe, the Manoel was quiet simple on the outside. So ordinary, it was easy to miss unless one was truly intent on finding it. Anyway, its interior, on the other hand, was very impressive.
The Teatro Manoel was small but truly beautiful. It was a nice visit. I remember paying only 5 euros to join the tour.
The impressive balconies
Here's the view from one of the boxes devoted to the rich and powerful.
A view of the stage from the main entrance
So intricate