Visible from practically every part of Malta’s sister island of Gozo, the Cittadella has been one of the archipelago’s focal points for centuries. Now, the acropolis-turned-castle-turned-fortified-city-turned-capital is up for one of the most prestigious EU awards around, marking an absolute first in Maltese history.

The Cittadella is up against 20 other EU projects for a RegioStars Award!

Open for all European citizens, the awards are a way of recognising the best of the best when it comes to innovative projects that attract and inspire other regions around the continent.

After the Cittadella’s Visitors’ Centre received multiple awards following its extensive four-year transformation, the hilltop city will now be battling it out against 20 other EU projects in the category of Investing In Cultural Heritage.

The Cittadella masterplan spanned from February 2012 right up to New Year’s Eve 2016, and over €12 million of EU funds were channelled into the gorgeously restored heritage we have today.

Even though it’s the nominee with the smallest population, the Cittadella has been steadily climbing to the top of the finalists list

As it stands, the Cittadella is already ranked fourth out of the 20 entries, and it’s been climbing at a steady rate.

All you need to do to help our very own historical gem claim the top spot is click here and vote for Cittadella by clicking on the blue ballot box.

Voting started all the way back in July, but will officially end on 7th October

That’s right; you’ve still got some time to make a difference and help put Gozo on the European map!

What’s more, specific voting on certain social media pages like Facebook will only be open throughout the first week of October. In this case, you’ll just need to check out DG Regio’s Facebook page and cast your choice (Cittadella, duh!) from the Voting tab. Similarly, a poll will be pinned to the top of the organisation’s Twitter account from the 1st to the 7th of October.

The winner is determined by the combination of votes received via Twitter, Facebook and the website, so it’s important to remember to vote three consecutive times for the Cittadella!

To help you remember to vote and rep our unique heritage, #VoteCittadella merchandise will also be distributed at Science In The City and Notte Bianca, two of the biggest annual events to hit the streets of Malta’s capital.

So what are you waiting for? Get voting and let’s make sure Cittadella brings this prestigious EU prize to Gozo!

Featured Photo by Petr Pelikan

Tag someone who still needs to #VoteCittadella

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David Grech Urpani

Lovin Malta's Head of Content, Dave has been in journalism for the better half of the last decade. Prefers Instagram, but has been known to doomscroll on TikTok. Loves chicken, women's clothes and Kanye West (most of the time).