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Sliema is probably the number one go-to place for your holiday in Malta. It is the home of lush restaurants, beautiful seaside cafes and beach clubs. Tourists here flock in their thousands for sun, food and fun.
Sliema
and the coastline up to neighbouring St Julian's constitute Malta's main coastal
resort. It is a busy town located on a peninsula with views of Valletta and
Floriana on one side and the open sea on the other.
Located
fairly centrally on the eastern side of Malta, Sliema is a great place to shop,
enjoy the café culture and eat out. It is also the place to catch the ferry to
Valletta, buses to many places and also boat trips round the harbours and round
the island.
Within
walking distance of St Julian’s and Paceville you will have easy access to the
best nightlife of the island, more restaurants and other places of
entertainment.
Sliema has no sand beaches. On Tower
Road, in front of the Preluna Hotel, a broad expanse of large smooth sandstone rock slabs
bordering the sea becomes a summer ‘beach' with metal handrails (set into the
rocks) giving safe access for bathers. Alternative swimming and sunbathing is
offered by a number of seafront lidos,
both on Tower Road and on the point of the peninsula, known as Qui-Si-Sana.
Like the
rest of the island, Sliema enjoys a warm
climate with ample sunshine throughout the year. In July and August, the
average temperature during the day is 30°C; winters are mild.
The
average monthly temperatures are:
|
°C |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
|
Day |
15 |
15 |
17 |
19 |
23 |
27 |
30 |
30 |
28 |
24 |
20 |
17 |
|
Night |
9 |
9 |
10 |
12 |
15 |
19 |
21 |
22 |
20 |
17 |
14 |
11 |
The island of Malta isn’t exactly an
internationally renowned shopping paradise, but Sliema does have a reasonable
selection of shops.
Most of them are in malls on and around
Bisazza Street and The Strand. The island's most interesting shopping is to be
found just across the water, at Valletta. Here there are many independent shops
along Merchant's Street and St Paul's Street selling shoes, leather, silver and gold filigree.
The Valletta Sunday market (St James Ditch, outside City Gate), a mix of flea market
and regular goods, is a draw to tourists and locals across the island. Many of
the same items reappear at Valletta's daily market on Merchant's Street though
it lacks the atmosphere and crowds of the Sunday meeting.
In Sliema
the passegiata, or
promenade, is a nightly ritual indulged by hundreds of locals strolling along
the Tower Road seafront. As the
tourists join in with this local tradition the beachside cafes soon become full. In summer musicians and singers
add to the festive atmosphere.
There is
a lively café scene down at Sliema Ferries and watching the sun go
down on Valletta from beside the Fortina
Spa Resort hotel (Tigné Seafront, ‘The Strand'), is a holiday
highlight. Popular bars are Ta’Bajri Wine Bar, Lady Di Bar and Rawhide.
The Crowne Plaza hotel (Tigné Street),
hosts the popular Frenchies nightclub.
But those in search of some serious nightlife make the short journey (some
3-4km/ 2-2.5 miles) along Tower Road, around the bay to St Julian's and Paceville.
Malta is
a very small island and it's possible to visit anywhere quite comfortably
within a day from Sliema.
Places of
interest are Valletta, Mdina, the Hypogeum (a fascinating prehistoric underground temple) and the
neighbouring island of Gozo.
Other possibilities for you to explore are:
The tap
water is perfectly safe to drink here.
Sliema is a
safe area but you should take the normal precautions with your valuables.