Sliema

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Photograph of a sailing boat on the Strand seafront Sliema, Malta.
Valletta is in the background

Location of Sliema

Located on the Malta's east coast 5km north of Valletta by road, 0.5km by ferry

Sliema occupies a peninsular with seafronts 'The Strand (Ix-Xatt)' facing Marsamxett harbour, Valletta, Sliema Creek & Manoel island or 'Tower Road (Triq It-Torri)' the open Mediterranean sea

To the north is St Julian's The boundary is between the small headland of Balluta Bay & the Plaza / Regency hotel.

Package holiday Transfer time between Luqa airport and Sliema 30 minutes to 1 hour

Description of Sliema

Sliema is the main coastal resort on Malta, it is also a very large residential area. If you like a little sightseeing in your holiday, combined with sports and good food, Sliema fits the bill. This busy – and still growing – town focuses on The Strand, a broad promenade with views of Valletta 0.5km to 1km away. Sliema’s shops are among the best on the island - look for Maltese lace, fine silverware, pottery, and woollens. When night falls Sliema’s bars and restaurants are relaxed and mellow in mood with a cosmopolitan feel.

Ensure you see the fabulous view of the magnificent fortifications and church domes of Valletta rising high above Marsamxett harbour, from The Strand in Sliema. This is one of the best views of Valletta available.

Sliema Seafront Walk

Sliema has a seafront faces in 3 direction

• On Main Street it faces St Julian's Bay, with St Julian's to the left side and on the far shore
• On Tower Road and Oui Sana Place it faces the Mediterranean
• On Sliema Strand & Tigne seafront it faces Sliema Creek & Marsamxett Harbour with Valletta on the far shore and Manoel Island jutting into the bay on the right

Start of Walk Mediterranean seafront near Balluta

Click a thumbnail photo to Enlarge'

Take a walk along the Sliema seafront starting at the junction of Sliema seafront & St Julian's seafront

Sliema Border Sign separating Sliema seafront from St Julian's on the wide promenade with palm trees

Sliema Promenade

Sliema Main Road Promenade

Wide Promenade and Sliema Border Sign

Pier into St Julian's Bay. The background shows a cafe & fountain

Wide seafront Promenade Tower Road

• Sliema has a beautiful Promenade
• The Sliema seafront runs from St Julian's in the north to near Manoel Island and Gzira in the West. For most of this distance there is a wide promenade with seating, cafes, children's playgrounds statues and fountains. In some areas these facilities are on different levels.
• The entire length of the Mediterranean seafront is rocky, there are no sandy beaches. The majority of the rock is flat toped and suitable for sunbathing on. Being rock rather than sand ensures that the water is crystal clear.
• If going for a swim be careful entering & leaving the water, the rocks can be slippy and be aware of the black sea urchins that grow in nooks & crannies. The spines are painful if they penetrate the skin and there tip usually breaks off & remains embedded.
• Most of the promenade is backed by the busy main roads, Tower Road and The Strand. Several bus routes run along these roads see below
• The promenade overlooks a flat bed rock beach, 2 swimming pool lidos and hotel pools at the Qui Si Sana end

Small Pier

Fountain and Cafe Sliema Sea Front

Fountain and Cafe Sliema Sea Front

A small cafe located next to a round fountain with outside seating either in the sunshine or in the shade under large parasols or palm trees.

A pool table is next to the cafe

There are amazing views over Balluta Bay & St Julian's Bay to the buildings on the far shoreline

Gardens Sliema Sea Front

Gardens Sliema Sea Front

At several parts where the seafront the widens you will find gardens.

Our first photographs shows in the background the Cavalieri hotel, the large white building on St Julian's seafront.

View of Portomaso Tower

Behind the hotel to the right is the 98 metre tall Portomaso Tower, the tallest in Malta. The tower is an office & business centre but it also has a bar on the 22nd floor.

Dragonara Casino

The second photo shows in the background the Dragonara Casino located in Paceville.

Kids Playgrounds

 
Kids Playground

There are 2 large Kids Playground located on the promenade at the first level down from the road.

St Julian's Tower

St Julian's Tower

St Julians Tower Sign.

• Located on the Sliema seafront as a watchtower and overlooking St Julian's Bay.
• The tower was built in 1659. by Grand Master Martin de Redin. who built 13 similar towers
• In 1659 this area was open countyside..
• Earlier 5 Lascaris towers were built by Grand Master Juan de Lascaris-Castellar
• The total of 18 towers are known collectively as De Redin Towers and adjacent towers are in sight of each other and they also provided a communication service along the coastline to the knights headquarters.

Rock Pools Sliema

Rock Pools Sliema

Rock Pools Sliema

Surfside Sports Bar and Grill

• Built right on the rocky foreshore ensuring fantastic 180⁰ views of the Mediterranean.
• Showing Premier League Football Matches
• All Day Food
• FREE Wi-Fi internet.

Located on the seawood side of Tower Road.

Roman Baths Sliema

• Rectangular holes cut into the rock at the seas edge
• With modern smimming pool ladder added the make an ideal area to have a swim

Il Fortizza Fort & Restaurant

Il Fortizza Fort & Restaurant

Il Fortizza Restaurant

Il Fortizza Restaurant

The Fort was built in the 1880's by the British

• It is now an Itallian Restaurant
• Originaly the old Sliema Point Battery, British built in 1872. The Gothic-style doors and vaulting remain.
• The observation tall tower was an addition in 1905
• The fort has a central courtyard
• The fort was surrounded by a ditch of which some still survives.
• The musket loop holes are clearly visible

Barracuda Restaurant

The Barracuda menu amongst other items, offers a variety of Mediterranean fish and shellfish specialities with a common theme-extravagant credibility and total satisfaction

194 Main Street, St Julian's - SLM05, Malta

Website

Piccolo Padre Pizzeria

• Try one of their exciting pizzas and the goodness of taste will linger in your memory until you return for more and join custom with our happy guests.
• The very large limestone block walls of the interior, give the restaurant a rusic charm.
• Located right on the waterfront

195 Main Street, St Julian's - SLM05 Malta

Website

Sliema Strand seafront with Valletta on the far side

Sliema Strand Sea Front

• Sliema "The Strand"  Waterfront & Promenade. Sliema Creek is on the left . 
• Buses can be seen at "The ferries" bus stops.
• Shops, cafes, restaurants and hotels line the other side of "the Strand" the main road.  
• The Sliema Strand seafront runs along Sliema Creek on the northern side of the massive bay of Marsamxett Harbour
• Views across the harbour are magnificent with the massive fortifications and skyline of Valletta on the far shore.

Ferry Sliema Strand

Ferry Sliema Strand

• The very popular Ferry from Sliema Strand to Valletta (Water polo) is a regular every 30 minutes & fast service, far faster than the bus, but you have the hill to climb.
• The ferry leaves "Sliema ferries" on the Strand waterfront near the junction with Trig Bisazza, off Tower road.
• The ferry arrives near the water polo pitch fairly central under the northern walls of Valletta.Unless you are going to Fort Elmo the ascent to Valletta is short but very steep.
• The crossing allows for some great photogenic sights.
• The every 30 minutes frequency is the same thoughout the year but the first & last times alter between Summer, Winter, Sunday & Public Holidays The journey offers good photographic opportunities.

Boats

• Sliema Creek is always an interesting seafront, especially for boat lovers
• In the distance across the other side of Sliema Creek is Valletta.
• The seafront is lined with stalls selling a selection of boat trips with popular ones being:
  • Marsamxett Harbour & Grand Harbour cruises.
  • Around Malta Cruise
  • Evening Cruises
  • Comino Island & the Blue Lagoon
  • Malta, Gozo & Comino
• Private boats are also tied up to quayside

Sliema Strand Small Garden

Video of Sliema Ferries

Sliema Strand Small Garden

• This garden is located between the 2 carriageways of the Sliema Strand.
• Beneath the garden is a large underground car park.
• In the distance across the other side of Sliema Creek is Valletta. 
• The dome on the sky line is the Carmalite church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. The dome was replaced after bomb damage in World War II.
• The tall 65 metre spire can be seen next to the dome is St. Paul's Anglican Cathedral

• The second photo shows an usual stone sculpture
• In the background are the very popular cafes that are plentiful and popular in this very busy area

Tigne peninsula seafront

 The tip of the Peninsular separates the Mediterranean seafront from the Sliema Strand seafront

• The tip of the Tigne peninsula has been under development with the building of modern living apartments, shopping centre, bars & cafes and the restoration of Tigne Fort is still in progress.

Views from the Balluta Bay are of Sliema seafront looking over St Julian's Bay to St Julian's and Paceville on the high ground beyond

Sliema Beaches

There is a very small strip of golden sand in St Julian's near to where it meets Sliema at Balluta. The Sliema coast along Tower road consists of wide promenades fronted with flat, rocky beaches with water sports and 2 swimming pool lidos. Besides hotel pools and sun terraces the golden flat rocks are popular with sun worshippers. There is easy access to the sea for a cool down in the hot summer months.

Shopping in Sliema

Sliema attracts the sophisticates of Maltese society. This is where the fashionable shops and boutiques can be found, most congregate in an area called "The Ferries" which will cater for all your expensive tastes, and a new shopping centre has opened on Tigne point.

• You will find several of the UK's High Street Shops in Sileama. such as Boots (the chemist), British Home Stores, Marks and Spencers, Miss Selfridge

Shopping Centres

• The Point Shopping Mall
  Level 8, Bisazza Street, Sliema. SLM 1640, Malta
  Website http://www.plaza-shopping.com/
• The Point Shopping Mall,
  . Tigne Point, Malta's newest & biggest
  Website:http://www.thepointmalta.com/

Nightlife in Sliema

• This is a place to see and be seen. Watching the world go by whilst enjoying an evening meal, or taking in the views over the floodlit bastions of Valletta are stylish ways to wind down and prepare for a night in one of Sliema's many bars and clubs.
• Sliema is more up market than the nearby Paceville area, Malta's Nightlife capital for the younger crowd.

Sliema Restaurants & Cuisine

• Sliema restaurants offer international style cuisine from across the globe including Italian to Indian & Chinese.
• Many restaurants are along the coast.
• Ensure you try some traditional Maltese cuisine especially the fresh fish dishes and rabbit dishes- Fenech, fried or baked rabbit in a casserole. Regarded as national dish
• 2 extremely popular cafes can be found on either side of Tower road at the bottom of the hill where it meets The Strand.

Some of the better quality restaurants in Sliema

Ristorante Fumia

first

Regarded by many as the best in Sliema - A great seafood restaurant

Address: 16 High Str / Triq il Kbira

Sayame Thai restaurant

first

Thai & Chinese cuisine

Address: Graham Str

The Dragon Oriental cuisine

first

Oriental cuisine

Qui-Si-Sana

The Peak Oriental restaurant

first

Oriental cuisine

Address: Level 8 Plaza Complex, Bisazza Str

Anni Venti restaurant

second

Address: 11 The Strand

Cafe Tigne restaurant

second

Address: 21 Tigne Seafront

Giorgio's restaurant & cafe

second

Specializes in Maltese food & pastries

Address: 17 Tigne Seafront

Hole in The Wall restaurant

second

Address: 32 High Str / Triq il Kbira

Il galeone restaurant

second

Address: 36 Tigne Seafront

La Vigna restaurant

second

Address: 7 Tigne Str

Magic Kiosk restaurant

second

Address: St. Anne Square

Mamma Mia restaurant

second

Very popular Italian cuisine restaurant

Address: 8Address: Qui-Si-Sana

Marianna's Tex-Mex restaurant

second

Mexican style restaurant & cuisine

Address: 132 Tower Road

Marojja restaurant

second

Address: Qui-Si-Sana

MV Mecklenbrurg restaurant

second

Address: Tigne Seafront

New Strand Pebbles restaurant

second

Address: 89 The Strand

Ponte Vecchio restaurant

second

Address: Tower Road

Porto Palo restaurant

second

Address: 30 Tigne Seafront

Sea Cliff restaurant

second

Address: 220 Tower Road

T.G.I. Friday's restaurant

Marvelous location that adds to the atmosphere. Steakhouse/ American cuisine. Well knownrestaurant chain in UK. American restaurant group

Address: Il-Fortizza (Sliema for)t, Tower Road

Ta' Kris restaurant & Maltese bistro

second

Address: 80 Fawwara Lane, off Bisazza Str, Tigne Seafront

Ta' Kolina restaurant

second

Maltese & international cuisine.

Address: 151 Tower Road

Tal-lanca restaurant

second

Address: Tigne Seafront / Bisazza Str

Trattoria Dico

second

Address: 67a St Domenic Str

Vino Veritas restaurant

second

Address: 65 Dingli Str

Sports

SCUBA Diving and Training

• Scuba Diving for beginners and experienced divers is available from Diving schools along Tower Road
  • Oxygène Malta 
    Planet Court Ground floor, Tigne Seafront, Sliema SLM15Malta
• Snorkelling in the sea along Tower Road and the eastern end of the Tigne seafront
• The Marsa Sports Club, about 12km, offers golf, tennis and squash.
• Sliema Wanderers Football club Website

Sliema / Valletta Ferry service

A regular ferry service operates between Sliema, near the meeting of The Strand and Tower Road, and Valletta across Marsamxett harbour

Note it is a very steep accent to Valletta from the quay side

Sliema Bus Services

Plenty of buses run along Sliema's seafronts going either to Valletta or further north on the island. 

Bus routes 60, 62, 63, 64, 66, 67, 68 Night service 62

More about bus services

Hotels

see Sliema hotel & aparthotels

Important telephone numbers:

Sliema Police Station 2133 0502

Sliema Churches.

• THE PARISH CHURCH OF STELLA MARIS  

Stella Maris Band

• Stella Maris Band