It’s all happening on the 8th of December.
Heritage Malta is offering visitors a rare opportunity to step into a transformative period of Maltese maritime history with Echoes of the Fleet: Royal Navy Tour and Taste History Lunch.
This unique experience invites guests to explore the pivotal years when Fort St Angelo served as a vital hub for the British Royal Navy, followed by an immersive Taste History lunch inspired by an authentic World War II naval menu.
The story begins on 8 December 1906, when Fort St Angelo entered a new era. Transferred to the Admiralty and officially renamed HMS St Angelo, the fort quickly evolved into one of the most important naval establishments in the Mediterranean.
Over the decades that followed, it operated as a shore base and, remarkably, became the ‘base ship’ for the entire Mediterranean Fleet. Its stone walls were reshaped to meet the operational demands of the Royal Navy, with new facilities designed to accommodate the hundreds of British and Maltese sailors who lived, trained, and worked within its bastions during its 73 years of service.
On Monday, 8 December 2025, both a public holiday and the anniversary of the Admiralty handover, visitors are invited to delve deeper into this fascinating historical chapter. The guided tour will uncover the broader political and military context surrounding the transfer, highlight the architectural changes made under British command, and bring to life the extraordinary personal stories of the sailors who called HMS St Angelo home.
Following the tour, guests will be treated to a specially curated Taste History lunch inspired by a 1942 Royal Navy menu. Served in the fort’s former British recreation room, now the Egmont Hall, the meal offers an authentic and flavoursome connection to the past, completing an enriching journey through Malta’s naval heritage.
Will you be attending this event?