Victory Day in Malta: A Guide to Il-Vitorja, the Regatta, and the Feasts
Victory Day, or Il-Vitorja, falls on 8 September every year and it is one of Malta’s fullest public holidays: a military parade in Valletta, a traditional rowing regatta in the Grand Harbour, and village feasts in Senglea, Mellieha, Naxxar, and Xaghra in Gozo, all happening on the same day. Unlike some of Malta’s other summer festas, this one is fixed to a single date, so it is easy to plan around. Here is what Victory Day in Malta actually involves, and where to be for each part of it.
The date marks three separate historical victories at once. It commemorates the end of the Great Siege of 1565, when the Knights of St John and the Maltese population held off the Ottoman forces after months of fighting. It also marks the withdrawal of French occupying forces in 1800, and the end of the Axis siege of Malta during the Second World War in 1943. By coincidence, 8 September is also the feast of the Nativity of Mary, which is why several villages hold their titular feast on the same day.
The Grand Harbour regatta
The centrepiece of Victory Day in Malta for most people is the regatta: a traditional rowing race held in the Grand Harbour between teams from the harbour towns of Senglea, Cospicua, Vittoriosa, Kalkara, Marsa, Marsamxett, and Birzebbuga. Crews race fixed-seat wooden boats over a 1,040-metre course, with categories for open, B, and women’s races. It is the same event held twice a year, the other date being Freedom Day on 31 March, but the September edition carries the added weight of the anniversary itself. Races typically run across an afternoon programme of several hours, so check SportMalta’s official programme nearer the date for exact timings.
The best places to watch are along the bastions of Valletta, or from the waterfronts of the Three Cities themselves, with Fort St Angelo forming the backdrop. If you want the fuller picture of the Three Cities beyond the regatta, they are also covered in our guide to day trips from Sliema and Gzira, since Birgu, Senglea, and Cospicua make an easy add-on to a Valletta visit.
The military parade in Valletta
The morning of Victory Day usually opens with a military parade along Republic Street, Valletta’s main thoroughfare, with the Armed Forces of Malta saluting the Prime Minister and a wreath-laying ceremony at the Great Siege Monument. It is a formal, fairly brief event compared to the afternoon regatta, but worth timing your morning around if you want to see it. Parade timings are set closer to the date. If you want more context on the history behind the day, our guide to the history of Valletta covers the Great Siege and the building of the capital in more depth.
The Senglea feast
Senglea holds its titular feast, dedicated to the Nativity of Mary, on the same day as the regatta, which gives the town a genuinely festive atmosphere all day: the crews racing in Senglea’s colours in the harbour below, and the parish church decorated and lit for the evening procession above. It is one of the more atmospheric ways to experience Victory Day in Malta, since the regatta and the feast reinforce each other rather than competing for attention.
The Mellieha feast
Mellieha’s feast, also dedicated to the Nativity of Mary, is one of the more scenic on the calendar, with the parish sanctuary sitting on the hill above Mellieha Bay and firework displays visible from a wide stretch of the coast. It is a quieter alternative if you would rather skip the Grand Harbour crowds and combine the feast with a beach afternoon at Mellieha Bay or Ghadira.
Getting there
For the regatta and parade, Valletta is the obvious base, with the City Gate bus terminus a short walk from Republic Street and the harbour bastions. For the Three Cities and the Senglea feast, a ferry from Valletta across to Cospicua is the most direct route, though buses also run from the City Gate terminus. For Mellieha, buses run north from Valletta and take roughly thirty to forty minutes depending on traffic. Our full breakdown of getting around Malta by bus, ferry, and taxi covers all of these routes in more detail. Expect roads around Senglea and Mellieha to close to traffic in the evening for the processions, so budget extra time either way.
A few practical notes
As a public holiday, expect banks, offices, and some shops to be closed, though restaurants and cafes in tourist areas generally stay open. The regatta draws large crowds along the bastions, so arrive early if you want a clear view. Fireworks in the evening are loud and close, particularly around Mellieha and Senglea, so plan accordingly if travelling with young children or anyone sensitive to noise. Churches expect modest dress for the evening processions.
Where to Stay for Victory Day
Wherever you are staying in Sliema, Gzira, or St Julian’s, both the regatta and the Valletta parade are a short bus or ferry ride away, and Mellieha is reachable by direct bus from most of these towns within around thirty to forty minutes.
Victory Day is one of the fuller days on Malta’s calendar: a parade in the morning, a race in the harbour by afternoon, and a feast lighting up the evening. For the wider festa calendar beyond this one date, see our roundup of Malta’s summer festas for 2026, and check the Malta Tourism Authority’s events page closer to the date for the confirmed regatta and parade programme.
