Northern Harbour
Sliema and St Julian's
Where most UK visitors to Malta actually sleep: base in Sliema for the promenade and the five-minute Valletta ferry, with St Julian's and late-night Paceville running on from it, and swimming off rocks rather than sand.
Best length
2-4 nights as an island base
Airport
Malta International (MLA), ~9km / 20-25 min south
Airport to strip
Tallinja Direct TD2/TD3 ~€3, 30-40 min; Bolt €18-25, 20-25 min
Best base
Sliema for first-timers; St Julian's for resort hotels and nightlife
In short
Sliema and St Julian's at a glance
Sliema and St Julian's are one continuous seafront strip on the north-east coast — the modern, hotel-heavy side of Malta where most UK visitors actually stay. Base in Sliema for the easiest first trip: a long promenade, a 5-minute ferry straight to Valletta, and buses to the whole island. St Julian's runs on from it with the bigger resort hotels and the late-night Paceville quarter. Swimming is off flat rocks and lidos, not sand, so pack water shoes — and pick your end of the strip carefully, because Paceville is loud until dawn.
The short version
- Stay in Sliema for the easiest base: seafront promenade, the Valletta ferry and island-wide buses on the doorstep.
- St Julian's has the big resort hotels and Spinola Bay restaurants; Paceville at its top is loud until 3am — sleep away from it.
- The Sliema-Valletta ferry takes 5 minutes and costs €1.50 single — far faster than the 30-45 minute bus round the harbour.
- Don't expect sand: swimming is off flat rocks and lidos (Exiles, Fond Ghadir, Qui-si-Sana), so bring water shoes.
- Two or three nights here works as a base for Valletta, Mdina and a Blue Lagoon boat trip, all reachable by bus or ferry.
Sliema and St Julian’s aren’t really two places — they’re one continuous run of seafront on Malta’s north-east coast, the modern, hotel-heavy side of the island where most UK visitors actually sleep. There’s no old town here and no headline sight; the appeal is practical. You get a long, flat promenade, a 5-minute ferry straight across the harbour to Valletta, restaurants and lidos on the water, and buses to the whole island. As a base it’s hard to beat — which is exactly why nearly everyone ends up here.
The two ends have different characters, and choosing wrongly is the classic mistake. Sliema is the calmer, more convenient half: The Strand for the ferry and harbour hotels, Tower Road for the seafront lidos. St Julian’s runs on from it with the bigger resort hotels and the painted-boat charm of Spinola Bay — but it climbs up into Paceville, Malta’s clubbing quarter, where the music plays until 3am and even double-glazing loses the fight. Base in Sliema, or down by Spinola Bay, unless a nightlife trip is the whole point.
One thing to set expectations on before you book: there’s almost no sand. Swimming here is off flat rocks and ladder-access lidos like Exiles and Fond Ghadir, straight into clear, deep water — bring water shoes, and head up to Golden Bay or Mellieha in the north if you want a proper beach day. The structured planning below — which end to base in, the ferry fare, airport transfers and a realistic budget in pounds — picks up from here.
Plan your Sliema and St Julian's trip
Keep a first trip focused: book the big timed sights, then leave room for neighbourhoods and food.
Top things to do in Sliema and St Julian's
Sliema-Valletta ferry
The Sliema–Valletta ferry is a short harbour crossing linking the Sliema waterfront with Valletta in roughly five minutes — far quicker than the bus that loops round Marsamxett Creek. A single is around €1.50 and a day return about €2.80, paid separately from the Tallinja bus card. The capital's skyline from the water is a small pleasure in itself.
The Sliema seafront promenade
Sliema's seafront is a flat, paved strip running from Tigne Point round the bay to St Julian's. There is no sand — swimming is off the flat rocks and at lidos cut into them — but it is the social heart of the area, busy with joggers at dawn and strollers at dusk. It is free, always open, and the sunset view across the harbour to Valletta is the best reason to walk it.
Where to stay first
The areas that make a first visit easier — not an exhaustive directory.
Sliema (The Strand & Tower Road)
££ mid-rangeThe practical all-rounder and the easiest first-trip base. The Strand has the ferry and harbour-view hotels; Tower Road runs the seafront with the lidos and restaurants. Buses radiate everywhere and Valletta is a 5-minute boat away. No sand, but nowhere on the island is more convenient.
Best for: First-timers, couples, anyone island-hopping by bus
St Julian's & Spinola Bay
£££ premiumRuns on from Sliema along the coast with the bigger resort hotels (Westin, Hilton, Corinthia) and the best fish restaurants around Spinola Bay. Livelier and more hotel-led than Sliema, with good facilities — but stay down by the bay, not up towards Paceville, if you want sleep.
Best for: Resort-hotel stays, couples wanting facilities, dining
Paceville
£ valueThe 3-4 streets at the top of St Julian's that are Malta's clubbing district — bars, clubs and music pumping until 3am or dawn most nights. Brilliant if that's the trip; a mistake for anyone else, because the noise carries and even double-glazing struggles.
Best for: Younger groups and a nightlife-led trip
Gzira
£ valueThe quieter, cheaper neighbour just before Sliema, on the same harbour front facing Manoel Island. A more laid-back, residential feel with a waterfront walk and easy buses; you trade a little buzz for better value and an easy stroll into Sliema.
Best for: Value-seekers and a calmer base near the action
Airport to city centre
| Option | Time | Cost | Book ahead? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tallinja Direct TD2 / TD3 bus | 30-40 min | about €3 | Cheapest; TD2/TD3 serve St Julian's and Sliema (X2 is discontinued) |
| Bolt or eCabs app taxi | 20-25 min | €18-25 | Quickest and easiest with luggage |
| Pre-booked private transfer | 20-25 min | from ~€25 | Worth it for late arrivals or groups |
| Regular Tallinja bus (e.g. 71/72/73 area routes) | 45-55 min | €2.50 summer / €2.00 winter single | Cheapest but slow and luggage-unfriendly |
When to go
Sweet spot: April to June and mid-September to October: 20-28°C, the sea warm enough for the lidos (above 20°C from June, still ~24°C in October), and prices and crowds well below the July-August peak. May and October are the sweet spot on the strip — warm enough to swim off the rocks but not the high-summer crush.
High summer (July-August) is hot at 31°C+, the seafront and lidos are packed and hotels book out; if you go then, swim early and keep midday for shaded Valletta sights. Winter is mild at 12-18°C — too cool for the lidos but cheap, and the ferry and buses still run, making it a fine quiet base for the cities. Paceville is loud year-round; pick your hotel accordingly.
What it costs
UK return flights to Malta run from about £40-£90 off-peak on a budget carrier booked ahead, rising to £150-£280 in school holidays or at short notice. Everything lands at Malta International (MLA), about 20-25 minutes south of the strip.
Daily budget per person
| Sliema-Valletta ferry single (day) | €1.50 / £1.30 |
|---|---|
| Ferry weekly pass | €10 / £8.60 |
| 7-day Explore bus card (unlimited) | €25 / £21.50 |
| Airport to strip by Bolt | €18-25 / £15-£21 |
| Casual restaurant main | €12-€20 / £10-£17 |
The seafront restaurants on Tower Road and around Spinola Bay charge a tourist premium — walk one street back off the water for the same plate cheaper, the same trick that works across Malta. A pint of local Cisk is about €3.50-€5.50 (£3-£4.70) and pastizzi are under £1 from hole-in-the-wall shops.
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