According to wholevehicles, Sliema is a city of tourists and expats. Once it was a small fishing village, and today this resort area is considered the most expensive and luxurious in Malta, not for nothing that its name is translated as “comfort”. Many luxurious hotels, restaurants and entertainment venues have been built here. Sliema is also called the shopping city, as it has the best shopping opportunities in the country: many shopping centers, boutiques and private shops.
The second advantage of the resort is the beaches. The promenade along the coast is carved directly from the rocks, and on the shore there is a rental of various sports equipment and beach bars.
How to get there
Buses Arriva (from Valletta) No. 12, 13, 15, 21; automobile; ferry Valletta – Sliema in Marsamxett harbor (departure – every half an hour, travel time – 15 minutes).
Sliema Hotels
In Sliema there are hotels for every taste – from five to two stars. Boarding houses, aparthotels and student residences have also been built here. In addition, there are many apartments for rent in this city.
- 5* hotels: Fortina Spa Resort, The Palace
- 4* hotels: Diplomat, Fortina, Kennedy Nova, Park, Preluna Hotel & Spa, Victoria Hotel
- 3* hotels: 115 Strand, Bayview, Carlton, Milano Due, Imperial, Marina, New Tower Palace, Plaza Hotel & Plaza Regency, Plevna, Roma, Sliema Chalet
City `s history
The place where modern Sliema stands was called ‘Ortin (a toponym for open spaces – indeed, this is a flat rocky coast, which is easy to land on). The port ended with a cape, which received the name of Dragut, a pirate who fought on the side of the Turkish pasha against the Knights of St. John and the Maltese during the Great Siege (1565). Here he was mortally wounded.
Sliema began to grow rapidly in the second half of the 19th century. – Wealthy residents of Valletta began to build their summer residences here. And in our time, this city is the resort, shopping and commercial center of Malta. It is prestigious for local residents to have a house or an apartment here, foreigners are also willing to buy or rent property in Sliema. There are also many hotels, apartments, and English language schools.
Cuisine and restaurants
Basically cafes, restaurants, pizzerias, bars are located in the seaside part of the city and on the streets adjacent to it. Descriptions of some restaurants can be viewed on the Webstarmalt resource, and reviews of many of them can be read in the LJ community dedicated to Maltese restaurants
- Restaurants of the 1st category: Hibiki Restaurant, Il-Giardino Restaurant, Sa Re Ga Ma Restaurant, Taste Restaurant, The Dragon Oriental Cuisine, The Peak Oriental Cuisine
- Category 2 establishments: Il Galeone Restaurant, La Vallette Restaurant, Newman’s Place, Nina’s Wine Bar & Bistro, Snoopy’s Restaurant, TGI Friday’s, The Copperfield’s Restaurant, The Corner Restaurant, The Kitchen Restaurant, The Penny Farthing Restaurant, Tigne Brasserie, Triton Restaurant
- Establishments of the 3rd category: Bombay Palace, Café Bottega, Granpa’s Restaurant, Il-Merill Restaurant, Krishna Indian Restaurant, Pomodoro Restaurant, Sea Star Restaurant, Vino Veritas
- Eateries 2 categories: Burger King (Sliema), Pizza Hut (Sliema), Portside Lounge
Shopping and shops
Sliema has two large supermarkets, Scotts and Tower Supermarket. In addition to them, on the side streets there are small grocery stores, butchers and vegetable shops, in which the goods are often cheaper and fresher than in large stores. Also in the depths of the city you can come across merchants selling vegetables and fish from cars – local residents willingly buy from them.
Where to buy everything else
The main shops in Sliema are located in The Strand (Marsamxett harbor promenade) and Bizazza Street. Among them are brands such as Benetton, Body Shop, Clarks, Diesel, Dorothy Perkins, Ecco, Geox, Levi’s, Mango, Marks & Spencer, Max Mara, Mille Ideas, Miss Selfridge, Miss Sixty, Monsoon, Motivi, Next, O’ Neill, Pool & Bear, Svarovsky, Topshop, Zara, etc. There is also a small designer clothing store on Tower road (Prada, D&G, Roberto Cavalli, etc.). At the beginning of Tigne Street there is a Teatro boutique (Escada Sport, Marc Cain, Elena Miro, Anna Rachele) with Russian-speaking staff.
Bank branches/currency exchange
- HSBC (bank branch, 2 ATMs, currency exchange, deposits, safe for valuables, Internet banking) are located on High Street. Opening hours: Monday-Thursday – from 08:30 to 13:30, Friday – from 08:30 to 16:30, Saturday – from 08:30 to 12:30; Monday-Friday: from 17:00 to 20:00 (the bank is open, but cash transactions are not performed).
- HSBC (bank branch and ATM) is located at 112 Manwel Dimech Street. Opening hours: Monday-Thursday – from 08:30 to 13:30, Friday – from 08:30 to 16:30, Saturday – from 08:30 to 12:thirty.
- HSBC (ATM) is located on Bisazza Street (Plaza Complex).
- Bank of Valletta (BOV) (bank and ATM) are located on Tower Road (Preluna Towers). Opening hours: Monday-Thursday – from 08:30 to 14:00, Friday – from 08:30 to 15:30, Saturday – from 08:30 to 12:30.
- The currency exchange office is located at The Strand, 20.
Pharmacies
- Chemimart Ltd. Pharmacy 4,5,6, Il-Piazzetta, Triq it-Torri Sliema
- Drug Store: Anglo Maltese Dispensary Ltd. 382, Triq Manwel Dimech, Sliema
- Edward’s Pharmacy 115 Triq Manwel Dimech Sliema
- Harley Pharmacy 1,Triq Nathalie Poutiatin Tabone Sliema
- Mrabat Pharmacy 5, Triq l-Imrabat, Sliema
- Norman’s Pharmacy 133, High Street, Sliema
- Rudolph Pharmacy 133
- Francis Pharmacy 293, Triq Manwel Dimech, Sliema
- Stella Maris Pharmacy 34, Millner Street Sliema
- The Economical Dispensary 86/87, Triq Sir Adrian Dingli Sliema
- Victor’s Pharmacy 9, Triqit-Torri, Sliema
- Wales Pharmacy 183, Triq Manwel Dimech Sliema
Beaches
Qui-Si-Sana, Għar id-Dud, Fond Għadir, The Exiles.
It is prestigious for local residents to have a house or apartment here, foreigners are also willing to buy or rent property in Sliema.
The main attractions of Sliema
Fortifications
- Fortizza Sliema (il-Fortizza) (19th century). This coastal battery was built by the British. Currently, the building houses a restaurant and a pizzeria.
- Julians Watch Tower (17th century). It was built by the Grand Master of the Order of John de Redin, among other watchtowers of the same type that protected all the main coasts of the island.
- Fort Tigne (18th century).
Palaces and villas
- Villa Portelli
- Palazzo Capua (19th century) – a noble residence in the neoclassical style. Currently it is part of the Voctoria Hotel, where various events are held (weddings, banquets, conferences, etc.)
- Villa Alhambra
- In the old part of Sliema, there are a lot of old mansions in general, so it’s definitely worth a stroll through the quiet city center (Rudolf Street area).
Churches and chapels
- Parish Church of Jesus of Nazareth (built at the end of the 19th century, given to the Dominicans).
- Parish Church of Our Lady of the Heart of Jesus (built in the second half of the 19th century, given to the Franciscans)
- Parish Church of Our Lady of the Star of the Seas (built in the second half of the 19th century)
- Parish Church of Gregory the Great (built in the first half of the 20th century)
- Chapel of Our Lady of Divine Mercy (built in the early 19th century)
- Anglican Church of the Holy Trinity (built in the second half of the 19th century)
The patron saint of Sliema is the Mother of God of the Star of the Seas (her symbol is displayed on the coat of arms of the city).
Fests
- Mother of God of the Heart of Jesus – first week of July
- Our Lady of the Star of the Seas – third week of August
- Gregory – the first week of September
