An estimated 25,000 people visited Auberge de Castille in Valletta when it opened its doors to the public during the fifth edition of Notte Bianca on Saturday night.

Apart from the big turnout to see the office of the Prime Minister, there was also a huge demand to view the vaults beneath the auberge and to open these more frequently, a government spokesman told The Times.

Although it was still too early to give any figures, artistic director Peter Busuttil said more people turned up for Notte Bianca than last year which had boasted an estimated 50,000 visitors.

“This year we used more spaces in Valletta and organised events for a wider audience,” Mr Busuttil said.

Also, the events were organised in such a way as to keep people there instead of just having them walk through. “We are very pleased with the outcome,” Mr Busuttil said.

Events were organised in 83 spots throughout Valletta, from St Elmo and the Lower Barrakka Gardens at one end to Hastings Gardens and Upper Barrakka at the other, as well as in all the main squares.

Besides Auberge de Castille, among the most popular were the Mount Everest Experience, set up in the old market, and the documentary about trains organised by the Department of Information.

The organisation of the event was slightly hampered by the heavy rainstorm on Friday evening during the final push to set up all the equipment.

“We were worried as a lot of things are prepared on Friday for the event but we managed to make it notwithstanding the weather,” Mr Busuttil said.

Also, a slight drizzle at 1.30 a.m. during Notte Bianca forced the organisers to call off a piano performance in the old opera house ruins. “There was a Baby Grand piano being used and we had to cover it up – everything was set up in case it rained with tents and plastic sheets prepared.”

Valletta mayor Alexiei Dingli was satisfied with the turnout. “The crowds were more spread out all over Valletta – it was a very positive evening,” he said.

This year’s event was a bigger effort which paid off, he added.

Also, true to a promise he made last week, all the rubbish had been cleared from Valletta by early morning. “Although I don’t have the final figures, we collected more than the 25 tonnes of rubbish collected last year,” he said.