St Julian's Malta guide: Spinola Bay, nightlife, and what to skip

Two St Julian’s in one — choose the right one for your trip

St Julian’s contains two completely different experiences separated by about 500 metres.

To the south: Spinola Bay, one of the most photographed fishing bays in Malta, ringed with seafood restaurants and popular with Maltese families and young professionals eating well and watching the traditional luzzu boats bob in the water. This is the St Julian’s worth seeking out.

To the north: Paceville, Malta’s main nightlife district — a square kilometre of bars, clubs, casinos, and fast food. Functional for a late night out, occasionally problematic, and not representative of Malta at its best. More on this below.

Between them: a strip of hotels, some of Malta’s better beaches, parasailing operations, and boat departures for Blue Lagoon day trips. This middle section is St Julian’s at its most useful.

Spinola Bay — the best waterfront dining in Malta

Spinola Bay is a small, sheltered harbour with a ring of restaurants facing the water and the luzzu fishing boats traditionally moored in the middle. In the evening — particularly from May through October — it is genuinely one of the most enjoyable dinner settings in Malta.

The restaurants range from excellent to mediocre, and prices are higher than the Maltese average but justified by the setting. Specific recommendations:

Barracuda — One of the best fish restaurants in Malta. Set in a historic townhouse on the bay, consistently excellent grilled fish and local specialities. Expensive (50-70€ per person with wine) but worth it for a special dinner. Book in advance.

Peperoncino — Reliable Italian-Maltese, more casual than Barracuda, significantly cheaper (25-35€ per person). Good for a normal dinner rather than a special occasion.

The Kitchen (near Spinola) — Mediterranean sharing plates in a more modern setting. Popular with young professionals. 30-40€ per person.

Zeri’s — Traditional Maltese, quiet, a bit back from the bay. Rabbit, bragioli, and local fish at prices closer to what locals pay (20-28€ per person).

Honest note: the restaurants directly on the Spinola Bay waterfront charge a premium for the view (which is genuine). The places one street back serve equivalent food for 20-30% less.

Paceville — the honest take

Paceville is where Malta’s nightlife concentrates. It works — for what it is. The density of bars and clubs in a small area means you can move between venues on foot, and the party goes until dawn.

The concerns are also real. Documented cases of drink-spiking in some Paceville bars (additional alcohol poured without consent, or other additives) have been reported for years. Police presence has increased. The honest advice:

Stick to 2-3 bars on the main strip (Dragonara Road and immediately adjacent streets) rather than following someone who offers to show you “the real Paceville”
Watch your drink being made; do not leave it unattended
Use Bolt or a pre-arranged taxi to return to your hotel; do not negotiate with unlicensed taxi drivers on Paceville Square at 2 AM
The best and safest options are the established mainstream clubs and bars with visible security

For actual nightlife recommendations outside of Paceville: Valletta’s Strait Street has genuinely interesting bars in renovated historic buildings, with a noticeably different crowd (older, more Maltese, less tourist-oriented). See the Valletta guide.

Malta: Paceville Pub Crawl with Drinks and Games

St George’s Bay beach

Immediately north of Spinola Bay and south of Paceville, St George’s Bay has one of the few sandy beaches on this stretch of Malta. It is not large — maybe 200m of coarse sand — and it is flanked by a large hotel complex (the Intercontinental) that has some claim on the beach infrastructure. In summer it is busy but not overwhelmingly so on weekdays. Free to access.

The bay also has parasailing operations running from the beach in summer — a decent vantage point for St Julian’s and the surrounding coastline.

St. Julian's: Parasailing in Malta with Photos and Videos

Boat trips from St Julian’s

Several operators run boat trips from St Julian’s to the Blue Lagoon, Comino, and Gozo. These are alternatives to the larger operators based in Sliema. Journey times to Comino are similar. St Julian’s-based speedboat operations to Comino are particularly fast (30-40 minutes vs 90+ minutes on a large catamaran).

From St. Julian's: Gozo, Comino, Blue Lagoon by Powerboat

Getting to St Julian’s

From Sliema — 15-20 minute walk along the seafront promenade. One of the most pleasant short walks in Malta.

From Valletta — Bus routes 12, 13, 14 (check current Tallinja routes). Or ferry to Sliema and walk.

From the airport — Bus X4 runs to St Julian’s (the stop closest to Spinola Bay or Paceville, depending on destination). 35-40 minutes. 2€. Bolt costs 15-18€ and takes 25-30 minutes.

By car — Parking in St Julian’s is difficult, particularly near Spinola Bay. Use the multi-storey car park near Paceville and walk. Better to arrive by bus or Bolt.

Where to stay in St Julian’s

Intercontinental Malta — Large resort hotel directly on St George’s Bay. Full facilities, private beach access, good pool. 170-280€/night.

Hotel Le Meridien St Julian’s — On Balluta Bay (the boundary with Sliema). Good service, sea views, quieter than Paceville-facing hotels. 140-230€/night.

Luna Holiday Complex — Apartment-style accommodation at better-than-hotel rates. Popular with families. 90-150€/night.

Airbnb — Strong selection in St Julian’s, particularly for those who want a self-catering apartment with a balcony. Often more affordable and flexible than hotels. 65-130€/night for a one-bedroom.

For budget travellers — Based in Sliema (15-minute walk) gives access to St Julian’s dining and nightlife at 30-50% lower accommodation cost.

The Portomaso complex

Portomaso is a modern marina and luxury residential development at St Julian’s northern edge. The marina is open to the public and the restaurants and bars lining it are a good alternative to Spinola Bay — slightly newer, slightly less atmospheric but with good food and easier parking. The Casino di Venezia is here for those who want a sophisticated late evening.

How to fit St Julian’s into your Malta trip

As a base — Works well for travellers prioritising nightlife, dining out, and beach proximity. The Sliema ferry is only 15 minutes on foot, and bus access to Valletta is direct. Slightly louder than Sliema in the evening.

As a day/evening destination from Sliema — Walk the promenade from Sliema to Spinola Bay for dinner. The combination of Balluta Bay, Spinola Bay, and the evening promenade between them is Malta at its most relaxed and enjoyable.

For a boat day — St Julian’s powerboat and speedboat operators to Comino offer some of the fastest crossings on the island. Worth considering if you want to arrive at the Blue Lagoon before the large catamarans from Sliema.

Frequently asked questions about St Julian’s

Is St Julian’s good for families?

Yes, with caveats. Spinola Bay and the area around St George’s Bay are excellent for families — beach access, restaurants, and boat trips. Paceville is not appropriate for families (noise, late-night crowds). A family-focused stay in St Julian’s works well if your accommodation is on the Spinola Bay or St George’s Bay side.

Is Paceville safe?

Broadly yes — Malta is a safe country — but Paceville is the highest-risk area for Malta’s documented tourist-targeting issues (drink-spiking, overpriced drinks, unlicensed taxi scams). Exercise more caution here than anywhere else on the island.

Can you walk from Sliema to St Julian’s?

Yes, easily. The seafront promenade connects them continuously. 15-20 minutes, flat, pleasant in both directions. One of the better short walks in Malta.

What is Spinola Bay known for?

The traditional fishing bay with luzzu boats, seafood restaurants, and evening atmosphere. It is genuinely one of the best dinner settings in Malta — particularly from May through October when outdoor dining is comfortable.

St Julian's