Sliema or St Julian's: Where Should You Stay in Malta?
Two of Malta's most popular bases sit side by side on the same coast — yet they offer genuinely different holidays. Here's my honest take on which one is right for you.
Published by Thomas Kaplan, GoToBeach · Last updated June 2026
How I compare these two
Sliema and St Julian's are two of the areas we're asked about most for Malta, and we send a steady stream of British holidaymakers to both. I've spent 28 years in the travel industry and I know this stretch of coast well — our own office is in Sliema — so this guide is based on first-hand knowledge of both areas and current guest feedback.
Both areas are popular, well-connected and full of places to eat — so the right choice comes down to the kind of holiday you want. Areas and facilities can change over time, so please confirm the current details with us when you book.
From a map, Sliema and St Julian's look almost interchangeable: neighbours on Malta's north-eastern coast, joined by a single seafront promenade. On the ground they are not. One leans towards calm, upmarket seafront living; the other towards marinas, restaurants and a livelier evening pulse.
For me, the single most important question is what you actually want from the trip. If it's fun and atmosphere you're after, it's St Julian's, no question. If it's calm, easy days and good coffee by the water, it's Sliema. Pick the one that matches how you really like to spend a holiday and the rest falls into place. Below is the honest version — who each area suits, where each one falls short, and how to choose without second-guessing yourself.
Where they sit, and how close they really are
Both areas line the coast a short drive north of Valletta. From Malta International Airport you're looking at roughly 5 miles — typically a 25 to 35 minute transfer depending on traffic. The two resorts share a continuous seafront, so the walk from central Sliema to St Julian's along the promenade is around 1.5 miles, comfortable in well under an hour.
That closeness matters. Whichever you choose, the other is a short stroll away — you can base yourself in calm Sliema and wander into St Julian's for dinner, or stay in buzzy St Julian's and escape to Sliema's promenade for a quieter morning. Both connect easily to Valletta, and Sliema also has a regular passenger ferry across the harbour to the capital.
Sliema: the smart, easygoing choice
Sliema is Malta's polished face. Once a quiet fishing town, it has grown into the island's most sought-after residential and shopping district, and that shows in the feel of the place. The seafront is its centrepiece: a broad promenade running for well over a mile, busy with walkers, runners and families from early morning to late evening.
Swimming here is off the rocks rather than sand. The coastline is flat limestone shelf, with lidos, ladder access and small swimming spots cut into the rock — excellent for a morning dip and sunbathing, but if a wide sandy beach is non-negotiable, Sliema isn't it. Shopping, on the other hand, is its quiet superpower: Tigné Point and The Point centre give you high-street and international brands under one roof, while the surrounding lanes are lined with shops and cafés. Evenings are relaxed rather than raucous.
Why I keep coming back to Sliema
I'll be honest about my own bias here. Because our office is in Sliema, I spend a lot of time in this part of Malta — that probably tilts me towards it, but it also means I know the seafront, the cafés and the hotel locations very well. The restaurants and cafés along the front are some of my favourite places to sit anywhere on the island.
When I stay in this area I tend to choose a simple seafront hotel rather than anything flashy, because for me Sliema is all about location. The Plaza Regency is a good example of that kind of stay — not about heavy luxury, but about waking up close to the water, to the sound of the seabirds, and being able to walk everywhere.
Best hotel zones in Sliema
| Zone | Good for |
|---|---|
| Tigné Point | Modern feel and closest to the shopping |
| Tower Road | Sea views and the promenade on your doorstep |
| Sliema Ferries | Handiest for the ferry across to Valletta |
Sliema is a strong fit for
- Couples and families who want a calm, well-connected base
- Keen shoppers — the best retail on this coast
- Anyone who values an easy promenade and quieter nights
- Car-free holidays, with the ferry and buses on the doorstep
Less suitable if you want
- A sandy beach right outside your hotel
- Lively nightlife — the late scene is a walk away
- A compact, all-in-one-spot resort feel
St Julian's: the lively, by-the-water choice
St Julian's wraps around a string of pretty inlets — Spinola Bay and Balluta Bay chief among them — where fishing boats still bob in front of waterfront restaurants. It's more compact and more animated than Sliema, with the densest concentration of dining and bars on this part of the coast. If your ideal evening is choosing between dozens of restaurants and then finding somewhere for a drink afterwards, this is your area.
It's also home to Paceville, Malta's main nightlife district, packed with bars and clubs and busiest in high season. That's a real draw for some and a clear warning for others — pick the wrong hotel right on top of it and late-night noise can take the shine off your holiday, which is exactly why the building you choose within St Julian's matters so much. Get the location right and it's one of the best-value, liveliest bases in the Mediterranean.
My St Julian's, honestly
If you want Malta with a proper evening buzz, St Julian's is the obvious choice. Paceville isn't for everyone, but for travellers who want bars, music and late nights it's part of the area's identity. I usually try to eat by the water when I'm there — Paranga is one of the places I personally enjoy — because St Julian's is at its best when the evening is built around the marina, the restaurants and a walk along the bay.
Best hotel zones in St Julian's
| Zone | Good for |
|---|---|
| Spinola Bay | Restaurants and the prettiest views |
| Balluta Bay | More balanced and very walkable |
| Portomaso | Smarter, marina atmosphere |
| Around Paceville | Best for nightlife — risky if you want calm |
St Julian's is a strong fit for
- Younger couples and groups of friends
- Food-and-drink-led holidaymakers — the widest choice
- First-time visitors who want everything on the doorstep
- Anyone who likes a lively evening atmosphere
Less suitable if you want
- Quiet nights — especially close to Paceville
- A peaceful hotel area with small children
- A wide sandy beach (Balluta's sand is modest)
What about the beach? The honest answer
This is the part I'd want a friend to tell me straight. If your idea of Malta is a sandy beach directly outside the hotel, neither Sliema nor St Julian's is the right first choice. The coast here is rocky limestone — brilliant for clear-water swimming off lidos and platforms, but these are city-coast bases, not classic beach resorts.
Malta's best sandy beaches sit on the north and north-west of the island: Mellieħa Bay, Golden Bay and Għajn Tuffieħa. From either area these are a manageable day trip by bus or taxi, typically 30 to 45 minutes. If a sandy beach is the main reason you're booking Malta, look north before you commit to either Sliema or St Julian's — and talk to us, because we'll point you to the right base for that.
So which should you choose?
If you want a refined, easygoing base with the best shopping and quieter evenings, choose Sliema. If you want energy, the widest choice of restaurants and bars, and nightlife within reach, choose St Julian's. Because the two are only a short stroll apart, neither choice cuts you off from the other.
Choose Sliema if…
- Quiet evenings and a calm base
- Shopping and seafront cafés
- The Valletta ferry on your doorstep
- Couples, older travellers, easy family days
Choose St Julian's if…
- Restaurants, bars and marina life
- Nightlife and a buzzy atmosphere
- Younger couples, friends, short breaks
- Everything within walking distance
Avoid Sliema if…
- You want a sandy beach by the hotel
- You're after a resort-style holiday
- Nightlife is the point of the trip
Avoid St Julian's if…
- You're sensitive to late-night noise
- You're travelling with small children
- You want a peaceful, low-key hotel area
My honest recommendation
Choose Sliema if you want Malta to feel easy, calm and practical. Choose St Julian's if your holiday is built around restaurants, bars and evenings out. Both are excellent at what they do, and the deciding factor is almost always the exact spot within the area — the quiet end of Sliema, the marina side of St Julian's, or right in the thick of things.
But if a sandy beach is the main reason you're booking Malta, look north before you book either of them. That's the honest steer — and it's exactly the sort of detail my team and I check before we put a holiday together for you.
Sliema vs St Julian's at a glance
| Sliema | St Julian's | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall feel | Smart, calm, residential | Lively, compact, resort buzz |
| Best for | Couples, families, shoppers | Groups, foodies, evening energy |
| Evenings | Relaxed dining and bars | Wide choice plus Paceville nightlife |
| Swimming | Rocky lidos and platforms | Rocky bays, small sand at Balluta |
| Shopping | Excellent (Tigné Point, The Point) | Good, more dining-led |
| Noise at night | Generally quiet | Varies — quieter away from Paceville |
| To Valletta | Bus or ferry | Bus |
Booking & protection
Low deposit: a deposit of just £60 per person, plus the cost of your flights, secures the holiday at the time of booking — flights are dynamically priced, so seats are confirmed straight away. The remaining balance (hotel, transfers and any extras) is then due around 12 weeks before departure.
Financial protection: your package is ATOL protected under licence 11211 (Caria Holidays Ltd). ATOL covers the failure of the package itself; it is not travel insurance and does not cover operational disruptions, so we always recommend taking out appropriate travel insurance as well.
Our price policy: if you find the same package on a like-for-like basis elsewhere, send it to us and we'll review it under our price policy.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sliema or St Julian's better for families?
Sliema tends to suit families better thanks to its calmer atmosphere, long promenade and easy shopping, though plenty of families enjoy St Julian's too. In St Julian's the key is choosing a hotel away from the Paceville nightlife area so evenings stay peaceful.
Which area is best for nightlife?
St Julian's, comfortably. It is home to Paceville, Malta's main cluster of bars and clubs, alongside the island's densest concentration of restaurants. Sliema has good dining and wine bars but a much gentler late-night scene.
Are there sandy beaches in Sliema or St Julian's?
Not really. Both have rocky limestone coastline with lidos and swimming platforms rather than sand. St Julian's has a small sandy patch at Balluta Bay. For proper sandy beaches you would take a short trip north to Mellieħa Bay, Golden Bay or Għajn Tuffieħa.
How far apart are Sliema and St Julian's?
Around 1.5 miles along the seafront — a pleasant walk of well under an hour, or a short bus or taxi ride. Staying in one and visiting the other is easy.
How far is the airport from Sliema and St Julian's?
Roughly 5 miles, which usually means a transfer of around 25 to 35 minutes depending on traffic. Both areas are equally convenient for the airport.
Can you walk between the two areas along the sea?
Yes. A continuous promenade links Sliema and St Julian's along the coast, and the walk is one of the nicest things to do in either area, especially in the early evening.
Is Sliema more expensive than St Julian's?
The two are broadly comparable, with prices driven more by the individual hotel and how close it sits to the seafront than by the area itself. Both offer options across a range of budgets.
Which is better for couples?
Both work well. Sliema suits couples after a relaxed, refined break with good dining and quiet evenings; St Julian's suits couples who want more buzz, marina views and a wider choice of restaurants and bars.
How do you get to Valletta from each area?
Both connect to Valletta by frequent buses. Sliema has an added bonus: a regular passenger ferry across Marsamxett Harbour, a quick and scenic way into the capital.
Which area should I pick for a short break?
For a long weekend either works, since both are close to the airport and full of restaurants. If you want to pack in shopping and gentle strolls choose Sliema; if you want maximum dining and evening choice in a compact area, choose St Julian's.
Not sure which suits you?
Tell us your dates, your party and the kind of holiday you're after, and we'll match you to the right area — and the right hotel within it — across Malta.
See Malta holidays →This guide was written by Thomas Kaplan, who has spent 28 years in the travel industry, and last updated in June 2026. Areas, facilities and operational details can change, and figures here were drawn from first-hand knowledge and public sources at the time of writing — please confirm the specifics with a GoToBeach specialist before booking. For our wider range, see our Malta holidays. If you believe any detail has changed, email us at hi@gotobeach.co.uk.
Questions or ready to book? Email hi@gotobeach.co.uk.
GoToBeach is a trading name of Caria Holidays Ltd, Enfield, UK. ATOL protected — licence 11211. Details are selected, contracted or reviewed by our product team and were correct at the time of writing; please confirm current details when you book.