This is the Dragonara Casino close to Malta's main hotels and entertainment area. It is situated on a site previously occupied by the Dragonara Palace, which I remember when I was a little boy. The Dragonara Palace was built in 1870 as a summer residence for Emanuele Scicluna, a banker who was made a marquis in 1875 on the strength of a loan to Pope Pius IX. The Palace had extensive grounds which have now made room for the Westin Dragonara 5 Star Hotel. The main gaming hall of the Casino occupies the site of a central courtyard which contained flowerbeds and fountains around which the interconnecting rooms of the colonnaded palace were built.
The Casino first opened its doors in 1964, at a time when formal evening wear was compulsory for patrons; there were only table games. Today there are also gaming machines and a brasserie offering a varied a la carte menu focusing on French / Mediterranean Cuisine
