Sliema offers several clearly distinct points of reference when choosing a place to stay: a long seafront promenade, named swimming areas, architectural history and the ferry connection to Valletta. If you are considering Sliema as a destination, you can first ask whether the coast, historic sites or access to Valletta is more important for your plans. The following features of the area can help make that decision more specific.

The ferry and coast as planning anchors

A scheduled ferry service runs between Sliema and Valletta at 30-minute intervals. On the Sliema side, ferries depart from Sliema Ferries at The Strand. Operating details vary by season; check the current timetable and landing point before travelling. If Valletta is part of your travel plans, you can take the ferry connection into account as a specific starting point.

Sliema has a three-kilometre seafront promenade with views of rugged rocks. The swimming areas also differ in their descriptions: Fond Għadir is one of the official swimming areas in 2026. As swimming conditions can change, check the latest notices before swimming. The Qui-Si-Sana swimming area is at the corner of Tower Road and Qui Si Sana Road and is considered a rocky beach.

The Sliema Aquatic Sports Club has a beach club in central Sliema. If you would like to include it in your plans, check the current operating conditions in advance.

The town’s history among forts, churches and architecture

Various Victorian buildings once stood along the seafront promenade. Fort Tigne was developed by the Knights of St John in the late 18th century; the British developed it further in later years. Stella Maris Church was built in 1855. By 1878, it had been declared an independent parish and separated from Birkirkara. The Church of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (Madonna tas-Sacro Cuor) in Tas-Sliema was completed in June 1881.

Six traditional houses with Maltese balconies remain remarkably intact at Belvedere Terrace. The houses are protected historic buildings and overlook Manoel Island across Sliema Creek. Here, a specific feature of architectural history can be linked to a clearly identified view.

Gardens, water supply and sporting history

An abandoned plot of farmland in Sliema was converted into the coastal garden Ġnien Indipendenza (Independence Garden) in 1990. The island’s first seawater distillery was built in Sliema in 1881 and supplied water to the British barracks. Its building still stands; from 1882, it was used as a printing works. The Għar id-Dud promenade lies below Tower Road; water polo developed at Għar id-Dud.

Considering Sliema as a place to stay

When choosing a place to stay in Sliema, you can weigh up which priority will shape your trip: the ferry connection to Valletta, the coast, or the town’s architectural and urban history. The checks needed in advance also differ: for the ferry, check seasonal departures and the landing point; for swimming, check the current conditions. These features of the area offer specific criteria for comparing Sliema with your travel plans.

Discover more destinations: San Pawl Il-Baħar, Zeitun, Żurrieq, Marsalforn, Attard, Iklin, Gozo, Kercem

Go to the main travel overview: Malta.