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Sliema
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Sliema, Malta combines harbour views, rocky beaches, shopping, Maltese culture and easy Valletta access along a lively Mediterranean waterfront.

Seafront Character

Sliema stretches along Malta’s north-eastern coast opposite Valletta, its shoreline shaped by broad promenades, rocky bathing platforms and views across Marsamxett Harbour to the capital’s fortified skyline. Once a modest fishing settlement, it is now one of Malta’s most urbanised coastal towns, with apartment blocks, offices, cafés, hotels and busy commercial streets occupying the land behind the water. The town’s name is often associated with its long seafront, where residents walk, swim from the rocks in summer and watch harbour traffic move between Sliema, Valletta and the Three Cities.
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Streets, Heritage and Harbours

Sliema’s built character combines late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century town houses, Art Nouveau details, modern apartments and remnants of its military past. Stella Maris Parish Church provides a historic focal point near the centre, while Fort Tigné marks the peninsula’s strategic importance at the tip of the town. The promenade links quieter stretches near Qui-Si-Sana with the more commercial waterfront around Ferries and the modern developments near Tigné Point. Across the water, Valletta’s bastions form a constant architectural presence, making harbour crossings one of the most rewarding ways to understand Sliema’s geography.

Contemporary Malta by the Water

Sliema is a practical base for exploring Malta rather than a self-contained historic city. Its restaurants reflect Maltese, Mediterranean and international influences; its shops range from independent businesses to the large The Point complex; and its transport connections make Valletta and other parts of the island accessible. The neighbouring resort of St Julian’s extends the area’s evening activity, although its nightlife districts lie outside Sliema itself. Along the coast, the town’s appeal lies in the contrast between salt-worn stone, open harbour views and the energetic rhythm of modern island life.

When is the best time to visit Sliema?

Best: May–June, November · 24–30°C
Average daytime high and rainfall by month
MonthHigh (°C)Rainfall (mm)
January1751
February1741
March1831
April2221
May (best)2611
June (best)306
July336
August3311
September3121
October2831
November (best)2441
December2151

Getting to and around Sliema

How to get there

Sliema is served by Malta International Airport at Luqa, in the south-east of the island. From the airport, visitors can use scheduled buses, taxis or pre-arranged transfers; journey conditions depend on traffic around the central harbour area. Sliema is connected by road to Valletta, St Julian’s, Gżira and other parts of Malta, while regional buses link it with destinations across the island, although many routes require interchange. Passenger ferries cross between Sliema and Valletta when services are operating, providing a direct harbour connection rather than a railway or long-distance coach link. Malta has no rail network, so road and maritime transport are the practical options.

Transportation

Sliema is straightforward to explore on foot, particularly along the seafront and between Qui-Si-Sana, Ferries and Tigné Point, though pavements can become crowded and roads are busy. Malta Public Transport buses serve the town and connect it with Valletta, St Julian’s and wider island destinations. The passenger ferry to Valletta is useful for both commuting and sightseeing, subject to operating conditions. Taxis and app-based private-hire services are available, while driving can be inconvenient because of congestion, one-way streets and limited parking. Malta drives on the left, and pedestrians should take care when crossing roads or walking near busy junctions.

Best attractions in Sliema

Sliema’s principal attraction is its waterfront, where a long pedestrian route follows Marsamxett Harbour from Qui-Si-Sana towards Tigné Point. The rocky platforms and lidos offer a distinctly Maltese way to swim in clear coastal water, while the promenade provides broad views towards Valletta and Manoel Island. Fort Tigné, at the peninsula’s tip, adds a layer of military history to the contemporary retail and residential development around Tigné Point. In the town centre, Stella Maris Parish Church introduces visitors to Sliema’s nineteenth-century community heritage, while the surrounding streets retain fragments of older town-house architecture. The nearby Independence Garden combines open space with coastal views, and the ferry landing gives access to a memorable harbour crossing to Valletta. Sliema is also well placed for exploring neighbouring Gżira and St Julian’s, although their attractions and entertainment areas belong to separate localities rather than to Sliema itself.

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Best landmarks in Sliema

Fort Tigné is Sliema’s most important surviving military landmark, an eighteenth-century polygonal fort built by the Order of St John to help defend the entrance to Marsamxett Harbour. Its position at the peninsula’s end makes its relationship with Valletta’s fortifications especially clear. Stella Maris Parish Church, formally dedicated to Our Lady Star of the Sea, represents the nineteenth-century growth of Sliema from a coastal settlement into a substantial community; its prominent façade and religious role give the town a historic centre. The seafront’s preserved watchtower, known as the Sliema Tower, is one of several coastal towers built in Malta during the rule of the Knights and later adapted over time. The broad harbour, with Valletta’s bastions and Manoel Island opposite, is itself a defining geographical landmark that explains Sliema’s strategic and urban development.

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Explore Sliema on the map

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Best restaurants in Sliema

Sliema’s dining scene reflects Malta’s position between Europe and North Africa, with Maltese cooking appearing alongside Italian, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and international styles. Traditional choices include pastizzi, savoury pastries filled with ricotta or peas, and ftira, a ring-shaped Maltese bread used in snacks and sandwiches. Menus may also feature rabbit, lampuki when in season, octopus, ġbejniet sheep’s cheese and bigilla, a seasoned broad-bean dip. Around the promenade and central shopping streets, visitors find cafés, casual restaurants, bakeries and seafront terraces, while quieter side streets offer smaller neighbourhood establishments. Malta’s harbour setting also makes seafood prominent, although menus vary with season and supply. Dining in Sliema ranges from quick pastry stops and coffee to modern restaurants that reinterpret local ingredients without abandoning the island’s strong culinary links with surrounding Mediterranean cultures.

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Best bars in Sliema

Evenings in Sliema are generally sociable and relaxed, centred on seafront cafés, hotel bars, wine venues and restaurants rather than on a concentrated club district. The promenade is particularly suited to an early drink with harbour views, while central streets provide informal places to meet after shopping or dinner. Live music and busier late-night entertainment are more strongly associated with neighbouring St Julian’s, especially the Paceville area, which lies outside Sliema and has Malta’s largest concentration of nightclubs. Visitors seeking a quieter evening can choose a harbour-side bar, attend a performance or use Sliema as a base before travelling elsewhere. As in other urban parts of Malta, venues vary considerably in atmosphere, and noise levels can change between residential streets and the more commercial waterfront.

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Best nightclubs in Sliema

Evenings in Sliema are generally sociable and relaxed, centred on seafront cafés, hotel bars, wine venues and restaurants rather than on a concentrated club district. The promenade is particularly suited to an early drink with harbour views, while central streets provide informal places to meet after shopping or dinner. Live music and busier late-night entertainment are more strongly associated with neighbouring St Julian’s, especially the Paceville area, which lies outside Sliema and has Malta’s largest concentration of nightclubs. Visitors seeking a quieter evening can choose a harbour-side bar, attend a performance or use Sliema as a base before travelling elsewhere. As in other urban parts of Malta, venues vary considerably in atmosphere, and noise levels can change between residential streets and the more commercial waterfront.

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Best shops in Sliema

Sliema is one of Malta’s principal shopping areas, combining everyday local commerce with modern retail. Bisazza Street and the roads around the town centre contain clothing shops, jewellers, cafés, pharmacies and independent businesses, while The Point at Tigné Point provides a large contemporary shopping complex beside the waterfront. The main commercial streets are busier and more conventional than Malta’s historic markets, but smaller shops still offer Maltese food products, lace, glassware, jewellery and other island-themed goods. Visitors looking for edible purchases can consider local honey, ġbejniet, olive oil, wine and traditional biscuits, provided that transport and customs requirements are taken into account. The contrast between older limestone façades, mixed-use streets and modern development around Tigné Point reflects Sliema’s transformation from a coastal residential town into Malta’s leading commercial waterfront district.

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Sliema essentials

Currency and Payment
Malta uses the euro, with the international currency code EUR. Cards and contactless payments are widely accepted in hotels, larger shops, supermarkets, restaurants and many cafés, but smaller businesses, kiosks and some market traders may still prefer cash. ATMs are available in the central commercial areas, although visitors should check any displayed charges and choose a reputable machine attached to a bank where possible. Carrying a modest amount of euros is useful for small purchases, transport-related payments and businesses with minimum card limits. International visitors should select euros rather than their home currency when a payment terminal offers a choice, unless their card provider advises otherwise.
Safety
Sliema is a busy urban and visitor-oriented area, but ordinary precautions remain appropriate. Keep wallets, phones and bags secure in crowded shopping streets, on buses and around ferry boarding areas, and avoid leaving belongings unattended on the seafront or at swimming spots. Traffic can be heavy, and pavements may be uneven or narrow in older streets, so take care when crossing roads. The rocky shoreline can become slippery, particularly after waves or spray; use designated access points and observe local notices. At night, remain aware of surroundings in quieter waterfront stretches and use licensed taxis or established transport services when returning late.
Emergency Situations
In Malta, call 112 for urgent police, fire or medical assistance; the number is the main emergency service contact and can be used by visitors. Give the operator Sliema’s street name, a nearby landmark and a clear description of the situation, particularly because addresses around the harbour can be confusing. For non-urgent medical needs, pharmacies and health centres can advise on local services, while travel insurance details should be kept accessible. Visitors with regular medication should carry it in its original packaging and bring relevant prescriptions. In a serious incident, follow instructions from emergency personnel and contact your embassy or consulate when appropriate.
Do's and Don'ts
Dress respectfully when entering Stella Maris Parish Church or other religious buildings, keeping shoulders and legs appropriately covered and observing any instructions at the entrance. Do not climb on historic fortifications or touch fragile stonework, and avoid blocking narrow pavements or ferry boarding areas. At rocky bathing places, respect safety signs and other swimmers, and do not assume that every edge is suitable for diving. Malta’s service customs vary, but rounding up or leaving a modest tip for good service is generally appreciated rather than obligatory. Remember that Sliema is a residential town as well as a visitor area, so keep noise low near homes, especially at night.
Local Tips
Sliema’s geography is easiest to understand through a harbour walk: begin near Qui-Si-Sana, pass the waterfront cafés and swimming platforms, and continue towards Tigné Point. Ferries and buses are useful for reaching Valletta, but traffic can make road journeys around the harbour slower than the map suggests. The central streets provide everyday services and shopping, while the waterfront is best suited to walking, sunset views and informal swimming rather than sandy beach life. For a quieter architectural impression, look away from the main commercial roads and notice the surviving limestone houses, enclosed balconies and older façades among newer apartment buildings.
Eve, your Evendo local guide

From Eve

Local phrases worth knowing

You don't need to get them perfect. A few words go a long way, and locals appreciate the effort.

6 phrase groups · English, local and pronunciation

Basics
EnglishLocalSay it
HelloBongu[bon-goo]
GoodbyeĊaw[chow]
YesIva[ee-va]
NoLe[leh]
Please/You're welcomeJekk jogħġbok[yekk yoj-bok]
Thank youGrazzi[grat-see]
Excuse me/SorrySkuzi[skoo-zee]
How are you?Kif int?[keef eent]
Fine. And you?Tajjeb. U int?[tay-yeb. oo eent]
Do you speak English?Titkellem bl-Ingliz?[tit-kel-lem bl-ing-lees]
I don't understandMa nifhimx[ma neef-heems]
Eating & Drinking
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to see the menu, pleaseNixtieq inara l-menu, jekk jogħġbok[nix-tee-ek ee-nara l-may-noo, yekk yoj-bok]
I don't eat meatMa niekolx laħam[ma nee-e-kolsh la-ham]
Cheers!Saħħa[sa-ha]
I would like to pay, pleaseNixtieq inħallas, jekk jogħġbok[nix-tee-ek in-hal-las, yekk yoj-bok]
Emergencies
EnglishLocalSay it
Help!Għajni![ay-nee]
Go away!Mur lejn[moor layn]
Call the Police!Ibqa' lill-Pulizija![ib-ka lil-poo-leet-see-ya]
Call a doctor!Ibqa' lill-tabib![ib-ka lil-ta-beeb]
I'm lostInkejt[ink-edge]
I'm illJien ma ħasniex sew[yee-en ma has-neex so]
Shopping
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to buy...Nixtieq inkun[nix-tee-ek in-koon]
I'm just lookingQed nara biss[ked na-ra beess]
How much is it?Kemm huwa?[kem hoo-wa]
That's too expensiveDan huwa wisq għoli[dan hoo-wa wees gho-li]
Can you lower the price?Tista' tgħaqqad il-prezz?[tis-ta tag-gad il-prezz]
Time & Numbers
EnglishLocalSay it
What time is it?X'ħin huwa?[shin hoo-wa]
It's one o'clockHuwa l-ewwel siegħa[hoo-wa l-ew-wel see-ga]
Half past (10)Nofs il-għaxra[noffs il-aakra]
MorningFilgħodu[fil-gdo]
AfternoonWaranofsinhar[wa-ra-no-fsi-nar]
EveningFl-ewwel lejl[fl-ew-wel layl]
YesterdayIlbieraħ[il-byer-ah]
TodayIllum[illum]
TomorrowGħada[gada]
1Wieħed[wee-hed]
2Tnejn[tnejn]
3Tlieta[tlee-ta]
4Erba'[er-ba]
5Ħamsa[hamsa]
6Sitta[sit-ta]
7Seba'[se-ba]
8Tmintax[tmin-tax]
9Disgħa[dis-gha]
10Għaxra[aakra]
Transport & Directions
EnglishLocalSay it
Where's a/the...?Fejn hemm...[fayne hemm]
What's the address?X'inhu l-indirizz?[shin-hoo l-indi-reez]
Can you show me (on the map)?Tista' turienejja (fuq il-mappa)?[tis-ta too-ree-ne-ya fooq il-map-pa]
When's the next (bus)?Meta hu l-ġurnata li ġejja (il-karozza)?[me-ta hoo l-jur-na-ta lee jay-ya il-ka-rot-za]
A ticket (to ....)Biljett (għal ....)[bil-yet tal]

History of Sliema

From Coastal Fields to Fishing Village

Before urban development, the Sliema peninsula formed part of the rural landscape outside Valletta and the harbour settlements. The area was associated with fields, country residences and the coast rather than with a substantial town. Its name is commonly linked to the Maltese word sliem, associated with peace, although explanations of local place names are not always definitive. During the early modern period, small-scale fishing and coastal activity developed alongside the grander settlements around the harbour. The shoreline’s relationship with Marsamxett Harbour later became central to Sliema’s growth, while its position opposite Valletta gave it strategic and commercial importance.

Fort Tigné and Harbour Defence

Sliema’s military history is represented most clearly by Fort Tigné, built by the Order of St John in the late eighteenth century on the peninsula’s eastern extremity. The fort formed part of the defensive system protecting the entrance to Marsamxett Harbour and complemented the fortified positions around Valletta. Its unusual polygonal design reflected changing ideas about coastal artillery and allowed defenders to cover approaches that older fortifications did not fully command. Under British rule, the fort continued to serve a military purpose and was later incorporated into wider defensive works. Today, its surviving structure provides evidence of the harbour’s importance before Sliema became a dense residential and commercial town.

Nineteenth-Century Urban Expansion

Sliema began to change substantially during the nineteenth century as Malta’s harbour region expanded under British administration. Improved communications, the growth of commerce and the appeal of the coast encouraged affluent residents to build summer houses and permanent residences outside Valletta. Roads, villas and rows of town houses gradually replaced much of the earlier rural character. Stella Maris Parish Church, founded in the nineteenth century and repeatedly enlarged, became an important religious and civic focus for the growing community. The town’s broad streets and seafront residences reflected a new suburban pattern, linking Sliema more closely to Valletta and the other harbour districts.

A Resort and Residential Town

By the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Sliema had developed into a fashionable residential and seaside district. Families associated with commerce, government and the British military were drawn to its healthier coastal setting, while bathing and promenading became established leisure activities. The architecture of this period included Maltese limestone town houses, balconies, villas and commercial premises adapted to a growing population. The waterfront also became a place of public sociability, with cafés and bathing facilities alongside working harbour activity. Sliema’s prosperity reinforced its role as one of the principal urban communities around Marsamxett Harbour, distinct from but closely connected to Valletta.

Post-War Modernisation and the Present Town

The Second World War and the decades that followed brought major changes to Sliema’s appearance and economy. Reconstruction, rising land values and Malta’s development as an independent Mediterranean state accelerated the replacement of many older villas with apartment buildings, offices, hotels and retail premises. Tourism and service industries became increasingly important, while the waterfront was reshaped for pedestrians, leisure and commerce. The Tigné peninsula underwent extensive redevelopment in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, adding contemporary residential, retail and public spaces around the historic fort. Present-day Sliema consequently combines fragments of its village and military past with the dense urban character of Malta’s central harbour region.

Sliema in Photos

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Evendo: Your Ultimate App-Based Travel Guide to Sliema, Malta

Free travel guide app to Sliema with detailed info on attractions, landmarks, restaurants, hotels, and more. Plan and book your entire trip effortlessly.

  • Detailed information on attractions, landmarks, shops, bars, nightclubs, restaurants, hotels, tours, experiences, and activities
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Discover the best of Sliema, Malta with Evendo, your free, all-in-one travel guide app. Explore landmarks, attractions, restaurants, and more with ease.

  • History of Sliema and travel essentials
  • Tons of local advice to get the most out of your visit
  • Easy navigation through the app and the city/destination
  • "Near me" feature to easily see what's around you
  • Curated local tips to experience the city like a local
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Welcome to Sliema, Malta, a vibrant coastal town known for its stunning seafront, bustling shopping districts, and rich history. With Evendo, your ultimate app-based travel guide, you can make the most of your trip to Sliema with ease and convenience.

Explore iconic landmarks like the Sliema Promenade, where you can take a leisurely stroll along the waterfront, or visit the historic Fort Tigné. Discover the best attractions, including the beautiful beaches of Fond Għadir and Exiles Bay. For a taste of local culture, check out the various shops and boutiques along Tower Road.

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Download Evendo today and start your journey to discovering the best of Sliema. With our comprehensive travel guide, you'll have everything you need at your fingertips, from travel essentials to curated local tips. Make your trip unforgettable with Evendo.

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