Spinola Bay

The 'Love sign' in Spinola Bay

Spinola Bay is part of St Julians, and this little bay area has more than its fair share of restaurants, bars and cafes which line the hill on the way into St Julians. In the summer months, there's always a steady stream of tourists and locals passing through this are, either for an evening out, or on their way to one of the neighbouring towns via the coastal promenade which really begins in Spinola, and can be followed right through and beyond the town of sliema along the coast on the way to Valletta. Whilst Paceville, on the other side of St Julians serves those seeking loud music pouring into the streets from its bars, Spinola Bay offers a more often genteel alternative for leisure. The area has some really beautiful outdoor restaurants catering for people who just want to spend their time in pleasant surroundings enjoying company without the noise and lights of Pacevile. There are some popular and fashionable bars in this area too, but it seems to be an unwritten rule that this end of town wants to distance itself from the more excitable nightlife found elsewhere.

The Quayside

Spinola's quayside walkway. It's a great area for a walk down near the fishermen's huts.

Down on the right of the Spinola Bay (whilst walking up the hill to St julians proper) there's a quayside which was originally used by fishermen for their huts, nets and boats, and whilst it's still used as a working quayside, it's also been redeveloped into a walkway, with restaurants, cafes and outdoor seating. It's a lovely spot for a walk down by the water's edge, and the exit from the other side, leads close to one of the entrances to the Portomasso marina. You can also see some great examples of traditional Maltese houses along this quayside - a now rare sight as St Julians' popularity has led to many of them being pulled down to make way for apartment-style developments.

The fisherman and cat statue in Spinola

About halfway along the quayside, you'll find the bronze statue of a traditional Maltese fisherman tending to his nets, accompanied by his small cat waiting for some fish - a reminder to everyone of the historic nature of this area and its roots as a traditional fishing bay. If you look across from the quayside towards the bottom of Spinola hill, you'll see the 'love sign' built by local artist and architect Richard England with its reflection in the sea spelling the word 'Love'. Another little treasure is the fact that local Dghajsa and Luzzu fishing boats are usually moored here - the traditional boats of the Maltese fishermen with their bright colours and beautiful craftsmanship.

Spinola bay, as with all of St Julians, comes alive and takes on a different character at night, but by day, unlike neighbouring Paceville, Spinola Bay is still a fairly busy area as regards its restaurants and cafes, with many locals using the eateries for lunch all week long.

History

Spinola Bay is known for its cafes and restaurants overlooking the water

One of the oldest parts of St Julians known as 'The Gardens' is a residential area found just off spinola Bay, and the original parish church dedicated to St Julian can also be found here on Spinola hill, although the main churches of St Julians are now located elsewhere in the town. The spinola Palace, which can be seen at the very top of Spinola Hill on the way into central St Julians was, along with the church, one of the first buildings here of any note, as the whole area was agricultural originally. The palace was a summer residence of the Grandmaster Spinola, of the order of the knights Hospitallier (also known as the knights of Malta), and legend has it that he built an underground tunnel connected to the nearby sea. The gardens of the palace are split, and whilst one section is inside the palace walls, the other part has been renovated and is part of central St Julians opposite the Portomasso marina.

Sliema Strand