The King of Spain should be the first head of state to tread the new paving of a revamped St George's Square, which is set to be completed by the end of November if the project does not trip up.
King Juan Carlos is expected to visit Malta next month.
The 17 water jets of the ground fountain and the surrounding drains have taken shape, offering a flexible feature that can be switched off and sealed in the event of a parade or concert, Resources Minister George Pullicino said during a recent site visit.
These have been incorporated with lighting, and a subtle synchronised show of water, light and music will be held regularly throughout the day, offering an added attraction.
The square was being overhauled to enhance Valletta's "second" most important building, the President's Palace, which had been "slaughtered" and was currently undergoing restoration, the minister said.
But even the buildings opposite had to be upgraded. In fact, the Main Guard was undergoing restoration and the clock on its portico should be back in its central position.
However, a legal conflict between the owners of the property that houses Bank of Valletta and the bank was not yet resolved to allow the tenants to upgrade the building, he continued.
Mr Pullicino commented about an unsightly banner hanging over a restaurant overlooking the square from Archbishop Street, which also needed restoration, and the jarring doorway to another café on Old Theatre Street, which, somehow, had the necessary permits.
The planning authority has just approved the square's "reversible" street furniture, Mr Pullicino said. Citrus trees will be planted in stone troughs, which could also be removed.
The ministry would also be embarking on a drive to sort out street furniture in Valletta: operators had to realise they were located in a "dignified" city.
The facelift would also move across to Pjazza Reġina, where the loggias will be restored and cleaned up. Projecting signs and neon cases would be removed as they were not in keeping with planning authority's policy, Mr Pullicino said.
While the square was being dug up, down to the stone level, the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage recorded every single finding before it was covered with the lava, porfido and hard stone non-slip paving. Services have also been laid under it so no cables would be seen during concerts and it would be a question of "plug and play".
The Sette Giugno monument will be moving with Parliament to City Gate, Mr Pullicino said, and the original railings on the edge have been restored to be replaced.
The St George's Square project did not go down too well with everyone but Mr Pullicino boiled it down to a matter of taste, saying this was the case with every design and decisions had to be taken.
He justified the transformation of a "cemetery of cars" to a pedestrianised square for the public that would be an animated cultural centre.
In particular, the lighting for the square had come under fire. But artistic director Carlo Schembri, who designed it and was accused of plagiarising, said that to properly light the public area, which needed to be secure, it was either a question of floodlights, overhead cables, or as many as 22 of the previous lamps.
The current design was the most minimal intervention, he said. It consisted of a mere two, central, 12-metre-high poles, with five lamps each, complete with CCTV cameras and WiFi that could be accessed by 200 persons at a go.