Valletta or Sliema: Where to Stay, and the Town Between Them That Gives You Both

It's the most common question people ask before booking Malta: Valletta or Sliema? They are ten minutes apart by ferry and couldn't feel more different. One is a fortified Baroque capital on a hill; the other is a seafront resort town of promenades and apartment blocks. Most people would be happy in either. The trick is knowing which trade-offs you'd rather live with.

In short: stay in Valletta for a short, atmospheric, history-led trip; stay in Sliema for the sea, the shops, a wider choice of accommodation and an easier walk to restaurants and bars. St Julian's is for nightlife. And if you want both without the downsides of either, stay in Gzira, the harbour town next to Sliema, which is a few minutes' walk from Sliema's front and a short walk and ten-minute ferry from Valletta, with quieter streets and much easier access by road.

How far is Sliema from Valletta?

Across the water, very close. The Sliema ferry crosses Marsamxett Harbour to Valletta in about ten minutes, and it is the nicest commute in Malta. By road the two are around five kilometres apart, a 15 to 30 minute bus or taxi ride depending on traffic, because the road runs around the harbour through Gzira and Msida. Walking it takes about an hour along the seafront. Our guide to the Sliema to Valletta ferry has the details.

Valletta: why you'd stay there

Valletta is a UNESCO World Heritage city, small enough to walk end to end in fifteen minutes. Staying inside the walls means the cathedral, the museums, the gardens and the best concentration of restaurants and wine bars on the island are all on your doorstep, and you get the city in the early morning and late evening, when it is at its best.

Why you might not: the streets are steep and many are stairs, which matters with luggage and on longer stays. There is no beach and few places to swim nearby. Rooms are smaller and prices higher. And for daily life (supermarkets, pharmacies, a gym) the capital is less convenient than you'd expect.

Sliema: why you'd stay there

Sliema has the sea. A long promenade, rocky swimming spots along the front, shopping streets, hundreds of restaurants and cafés, and every kind of accommodation from big hotels to small apartments. It's flat along the water, lively without being wild, and the ferry puts Valletta ten minutes away.

Why you might not: it's busy and built-up, construction is common, and traffic in and out of the peninsula's one-way system is slow at peak times. It feels more like a resort than a Maltese town.

What about St Julian's?

St Julian's, next to Sliema, has Spinola Bay, the big international hotels and Paceville, Malta's nightlife district. Is Sliema or St Julian's better? Sliema for a seafront base and the Valletta ferry, St Julian's for nightlife. If you want to sleep, stay near Paceville rather than in it.

Gzira: the town between them

Gzira sits on the harbour between Sliema and Msida, looking straight across at Manoel Island and the Valletta skyline. It solves most of the trade-offs: Sliema's promenade, shops and swimming rocks are a few minutes' walk away, the Valletta ferry is a short walk further, and the town sits on the main road rather than at the end of a peninsula, so buses and taxis get in and out easily. It is a working Maltese town with its own high street and a fast-growing restaurant scene, quieter at night than Sliema and flatter than Valletta. Our Gzira area guide and why remote workers choose Gzira over Sliema and St Julian's go into more depth.

Which should you choose?

Two or three nights, mainly sightseeing: Valletta. A week of sun, swimming and easy dinners: Sliema or Gzira. Nightlife: St Julian's. Couples, older travellers, remote workers, longer stays and anyone without a car: Gzira. For the rest of the island, including the north, the south and Gozo, see our full guide to where to stay in Malta.

Frequently asked questions

Is it better to stay in Valletta or Sliema?

Valletta is better for a short, history-led trip with the best restaurants and sights on your doorstep; Sliema is better for the sea, shopping, flatter streets and a wider choice of accommodation. Gzira, next to Sliema, combines both, with the Valletta ferry a short walk away.

How far is Sliema from Valletta?

About ten minutes by ferry across Marsamxett Harbour. By road it is around five kilometres, a 15 to 30 minute bus or taxi ride depending on traffic, or about an hour on foot along the seafront.

Is Sliema or St Julian's better?

Sliema is better for a seafront base, shopping and the ferry to Valletta; St Julian's is better for nightlife and large international hotels. For a quieter base near both, stay in Gzira or the quieter streets of Sliema.

Want Sliema and Valletta without choosing? Morrison Court is five self-contained apartments in a reimagined 1920s townhouse in Gzira, a few minutes' walk from Sliema's seafront and ten minutes from Valletta by ferry.