Where to Stay in Malta: 6 Reasons Sliema Is the Best Location

Where to stay in Malta? For many travellers, including myself, Sliema is the ideal base for exploring Malta. Here’s why.

Malta as a travel destination is an excellent choice. An island in the Mediterranean Sea which is steeped in history, with unique architecture, beautiful beaches, a warm climate and vibrant atmosphere – it sure has its draws! But where to stay when visiting Malta? A top choice, whatever your budget may be, and whoever you many be travelling with (including if solo), is the east coast town of Sliema.

On my 3 week trip to Malta, I predominantly stayed in Sliema. I did spend a few nights in neighboring St. Julian’s (at the Sliema end, not the party central Paceville side – if it’s a party scene you’re looking for, St. Julian’s is for you!), along with a few nights on Gozo, but Sliema was my base. I hadn’t pre-planned my accommodation, and moved around various times. That said, I continued to stick around the Sliema area, for good reason!

So, if you’re wondering where to stay when visiting Malta, Sliema is an amazing choice. Here are 6 reasons why:

Reason 2: Prime location and easy access to exploring Malta

Sliema is a super convenient base for exploring Malta. Its excellent transport links and location (around half-way up the east coast) make it ideal for taking day trips around the island. Nowhere is ever too far away on a small island like Malta, but staying in Sliema really lands you in a great middle-ground for exploring.

Sliema is also only around 10km from Malta International Airport, making it very convenient to reach on arrival – no time wasted on long transfers. I definitely appreciated this since I landed later a night as a solo traveller.

There’s also really no need to hire a car if you stay in Sliema – it’s a bit of a transport hub. Sliema is well served by public buses, has its own ferry terminal, and hailing Bolt rides couldn’t be easier.

If you’d rather travel without too much planning, many organised boat tours and day trips also depart directly from Sliema, making it easy to visit places like Comino, Gozo, and the Blue Lagoon.

I like to explore, or at least have the option to explore, a new place as much as possible with as little hassle as possible. Staying in Sliema meant I never felt stuck or out of the way, but instead in a prime spot to discover Malta (even while solo and sticking to a budget!).

🌟 Planning to explore the island? Check out my guide: Best Day Trips from Sliema, Malta Without a Car (Cheap & Solo-Friendly)

So, let’s take a closer look at the different transport methods from Sliema and how having these at your fingertips make exploring Malta easy.

Ferry and boat trips from Sliema:

Many boat tours leave from Sliema. It is one of the most popular places from where to embark on a boat tour, alongside Valletta and Buġibba. That said, Valletta doesn’t offer tours directly to Comino Island, for example, and Buġibba is further north – not so conveniently located to explore the island as a whole.

Valletta

• Can be reached in 5-10 minutes by ferry from Sliema. This is the fastest and most scenic way to reach Valletta. It really is just across the water!

Comino Island (including the Blue Lagoon)

• Comino Island (location of Malta’s Blue Lagoon) is a must visit! There are various boat trip options which leave from Sliema, such as the Comino, Crystal Lagoon, and Blue Lagoon Cruise. This cruise gives you plenty of free time to enjoy the lagoons and go for an explore of Comino. There is also the option to add in a 3 hour stop at Gozo with this cruise (with less free time at the Blue Lagoon), but this is a great option if short on time, and don’t have a whole day (or more) to dedicate to Gozo. Book your Comino Island trip here.

If a slightly shorter day trip (5 hours) on a smaller boat (power boat) more takes your fancy, then this Boat Trip to Comino Blue Lagoon, Gozo, and Caves could be for you. It is another very popular option from Sliema!!

Three Cities

Valletta and the Three Cities Scenic Cruise is a great, short boat trip option (90 minutes) to take in Malta’s Three Cities from the water. I chose to visit the Three Cities by bus from Sliema, but this is also an excellent option with a unique viewpoint to make for an excellent short day trip!!

That’s just a few examples of the day trips on offer from Sliema by boat, which helps make Sliema an excellent accommodation location! You can check out more boat trips from Sliema here.

Bus travel from Sliema

If you’re planning to travel around Malta mainly by public bus (the most budget-friendly option), Sliema is one of the best places to stay. Buses going in all directions pass through the town, so it’s super easy to get around this way. This is how I mainly travelled for most of my solo, budget Malta adventures.

There are direct routes to many of Malta’s most popular destinations, including:

• Valletta
• Mdina
• St. Paul’s Bay
• Golden Bay
• Mellieħa & Għadira Bay
• Marsaxlokk

For me, one of the best things about staying in Sliema and travelling by bus was how spontaneous I could be – I could just decide on the day a place to go and hop on a bus there. So if you’re a no plans budget traveller like me, this works well!

The downside? Malta’s buses are notoriously late and get very crowded. I visited in May (so before peak summer), and even then buses on certain routes were full. But since I stayed for 3 weeks, I wasn’t in a rush to visit multiple places in a day. If you’re short on time though, organized tours might be a better option for some destinations.

Bolt rides from Sliema

Bolt (a ride-hailing service similar to Uber) is another very popular way to travel around Malta. With plenty of Bolt drivers around Sliema, it’s super convenient to hail a ride whenever you need one. Since Sliema is well-located and not too far from most major attractions, most journeys won’t be too long so you won’t end up paying for unnecessary mileage!

Bolt journeys are pretty affordable (compared to a taxi, anyway!) and definitely make travelling more comfortable and faster than by bus. I’m usually a super-budget public transport kinda gal, but even I gave in and took a Bolt to the airport – it only cost around €7 and saved me time compared to the bus (I did not want to leave the beach that day!).

All in all, you can see there is no reason not to day trip from Sliema – it’s so easy to do so!!!

Reason 3: Waterfront promenade and coastal views

Sliema has a lovely waterfront promenade, which is always a little location highlight. If you love a seaside stroll or want a picturesque running route, Sliema promenade has you covered. I loved both my morning and nights runs along the promenade, which is well-paved and extends to St.Julian’s in one direction, or into Gzira, past Manoel Island and along to Msida Yacht Marina in the other. Essentially, the waterfront route just keeps going!

Moreover, from Sliema there are views across to the capital city, Valletta. So while you may not be staying in Valletta, you are reminded it is never far away!! Some hotels even look out over the water to Valletta. I loved a sunset stroll on the promenade, with the sky turning pink and views over to Valletta – it was beautiful!

On the other side of Sliema, the promenade faces St. Julian’s, which also provides very nice scenes! You can see this popular town is just a short walk away, just following the coastline round with sea views all the way.

Reason 4: Sunbathing and swimming in Sliema

Malta’s Mediterranean climate will likely, at least in the summer months, have you looking for a nearby spot to relax, go for a dip and take the heat off. Luckily, there are various sunbathing and swimming spots in Sliema.

I often found myself heading to Exiles Bay beach, relaxing on the rocks by the water. This is definitely a popular spot and is where Sliema joins with St. Julian’s.

It is important to note that the coastline in Sliema is rocky. Balluta Bay Beach (at the Sliema end of St. Julian’s – easily reachable from Sliema) is the closest sandy beach, but it is very small!! St. George’s Bay, on the far side of St. Julian’s, is also a sandy beach.

Do remember, you can easily take a day trip to visit some of the more desirable sandy beaches on the island, such as Għadira Bay or Golden Bay. You can check out my blog post on the day trip I took to Golden Bay by bus from Sliema – Golden Bay to Gnejna Bay Coastal Hike: Malta’s Sandy Beaches.

I’m not telling you you have to stay in Sliema, just advising you it’s a great idea to! That being said, if not having a sandy beach nearby is a deal breaker for you, I would recommend considering a stay in Mellieħa. Here, you can find Malta’s longest, sandy beach – Għadira Bay, along with a good sized town. I loved the beach there but was happy to just hop on the bus there from Sliema! Explore accommodation in in Mellieħa here.

Reason 5: Relaxed yet lively atmosphere

Lively without being overbearing:

Sliema is a lively place to stay in Malta, but not overbearingly lively or chaotic. On a whole, Sliema offers a chill coastal vibe, alongside enough nightlife for a fun evening but nothing too wild!

Both day and night, Sliema is lively to a good extent. Day time there is the bustle of tourists and locals alike enjoying the waterfront, while night-time is perfect for frequenting one of the many bars and restaurants in town. You can easily have a fun evening in Sliema! In contrast, for example, St. Julian’s (in particular Paceville), is a prime example of a more chaotic, late night party scene. Sliema, however, has a very good balance of being lively but relaxed at the same time. You can easily head to St. Julian’s if you do want to dance the night away. If you don’t want to be overwhelmingly among that scene for your whole trip, then Sliema is an excellent option.

Good, safe atmosphere:

As a solo female traveller, I felt safe in Sliema. For example, I went out running later at night in the dark and it was great – thanks to being in a safe area, with the lit up promenade, which is neither too quiet nor busy, the atmosphere remains welcoming! Again in comparison to St. Julian’s, for example, it’s not as overly busy, and therefore less prone to any incidents (of course still always be careful especially if wandering around in the dark).

Reason 6: Dining and shopping options

Food options:

Sliema has so many dining options. Whether you’re looking for traditional bakeries for a breakfast bite, wish for a waterfront afternoon or evening meal, or you’re looking for a cool café spot or an ice-cream treat, you will find this in Sliema. Ice-cream tip – head to Sottozero, it’s great!!

If you are travelling on a budget, on the other hand, know that staying in Sliema also has you in a great location to access larger supermarkets where you can buy food for cheap. If you stay in a hostel (with a kitchen), or an apartment, for example, you can easily buy some food and cook it there, or grab some cheap snacks/make up a lunch picnic to take for any day trips. I was mainly cooking on my trip, so was a fan of being close by to (good sized) supermarkets.

Shopping:

Shopping-wise, Sliema is also an excellent place for shops. The Point Mall can be found at Tigné Point, and is home to popular stores such as Zara, Adidas, Nike, Mango, Pull & Bear etc. There are also more mainstream stores along and just up from the waterfront, for example on Tower Road and Triq Bisazza. So while you may not be heading to Malta to shop, it is (usually) nice to have that option, and places you can wander into (especially if you visit in summer – take a look in the stores and enjoy the air-con!).

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Overall, you can see choosing to stay in Sliema when in Malta has its perks!! Staying in Sliema definitely made my Malta travels hassle-free, allowing me to maximize my time and see and experience a lot of Malta!!