St Julians

St Julians marina

Known as the entertainment and hospitality centre of Malta, St Julians' mix of nightlife, restaurants and hotels attract a great deal of visitors St Julians St. Julians is located North of Valletta, Malta's capital on the East of the island, and is a popular and lively coastal town frequented by locals and tourists alike. Many of the island’s top hotels are located in and around St. Julians, its reputation for high-end services running alongside the town’s reputation as the centre of nightlife and entertainment on the island.

There's a whole residential area which is part of St Julians, but if you're coming for a visit, then the centre is made up of four main areas : Spinola Bay - with it's waterfront walkway, cafes and restaurants, Central St Julians / - home of the small Spinola Palace garden, Portomaso marina, Hilton Hotel, cafes and restaurants, Paceville - Malta's centre for nightlife, with clubs, bars, pubs and restaurants open till the early hours, and Bay Steet / St George's Bay with it's cinemas, shopping and small sandy beach.

Spinola Bay

Spinola Bay in St Julians

Firstly, the approach from Spinola Bay, leading up to St Julians is lined with cafes and restaurants which in summer are filled with people taking in the night air and sea breezes. The restaurants here are good, but can be a little more expensive than other parts of the island, but they're well worth it, with some great places to choose from. There are always walkers and joggers passing through Spinola bay, as the coast between here and neighbouring Sliema are connected by a continuous promenade which is a favourite walk with locals and visitors alike. Walking up Spinola hill towards St Julians, you can see the waterside area to the right where seating and a small quayside allow strollers to take in some sea air next to the old fishermen's huts and open air restaurants. Walking through to the other side of this area will bring you to the back of the Portomasso marina.

Use this link to find out more about Spinola Bay

Portomaso

The Portomaso marina is part of the portomaso development in central St Julians

Entering St Julians from Spinola Bay, you can see the small Spinola Palace gardens renovated in 2007, which take their name from the historic Spinola Palace which sits adjacent to them. The palace gardens are very small and provide a central seating area year round, although they're often closed at night. Beyond the gardens, you'll see the Portomaso marina with its luxury yachts, restaurants and cafes. It's a lovely area which has been designed for entertainment and leisure, with the Hilton hotel taking centre stage near the marina. The beach down beyond the marina is usually full of swimmers and sunbathers during the summer, as are most places on the island, and there are shops and cafes selling take away food and sandwhiches within easy reach.

Use this link to find out more about the Portomaso / central st julians area

Paceville

The third area is known as Paceville, and is the main centre for nightlife on the island. It's just a short stroll from the centre of St Julians, and is full of bars and clubs - the streets in summer full of tourists and locals alike. It's a hectic place, with neon and lights shining out of everywhere, and loud music pumping out from every bar. It's open all night during summer, but quieter during the winter months, except for weekends and the occassional Wednesday when the nation's youth decides it's earned itself a break, and heads towards the lights for festivities. If noise, lights and a swirling crowd are your thing, Paceville's the place for you, but if you're not, it's best to stick to the Spinola hill end of town, or Portomasso where the restaurants and bars cater for a slightly more relaxed crowd. The Casino is also located in Paceville, slightly away from the centre, and is easy to find if you ask anyone directions.

Use this link to find out more about Paceville

Bay Street / St George's Bay

Bay Street shopping centre

Bay Street is connected to Paceville, but serves as a shopping area during the day, so it's worth mentioning seperately. This whole area has been developed in recent years, and has lots of clothing and other shops as well as restaurants and cafes all within a shopping-mall style area. The island's largest cinemas are also in Bay Street, as well as a bowling alley, and just down the road, a small man-made beach called St George's Bay is full of students and tourists soaking up the sun during the summer months (it's usually very crowded).

Use this link to find out more about Bay Street or St George's Bay

St Julians in general ...

A cafe in the Spinola area of St Julians known for it's beautiful bay and quayside walkway with fishermen's boathouses

St. Julians, or ‘San Giljan’ as it’s known in Maltese Informally encompasses the areas of Paceville, Ta' Giorni, Tal-Ghoqod, and St. Andrew's, as well as the regions surrounding St. George's Bay, Spinola Bay, Balluta Bay, and Il-Qaliet cliffs. During the day, St Julians is a small working town with shops and restaurants, and the odd tourist supplier selling Malta-themed merchandise, beach towels and flip flops - Bay Street serves the more serious clothes shopper, and the hotels are always on hand to offer an air-conditioned place to relax if it all gets a little too warm in summer. You'll see a lot of students of all ages here in the summer months, as some of the top language schools are located in St Julians.

Bus Routes

Bus routes serve the town well, with services running from the capital Valletta and all stops along the coast. Check the last bus times though to avoid getting stuck - late services do run on the weekend owing to the poularity of St. Julians as a centre for nightlife. The neighbouring town of Sliema is another centre for shopping and café life, and a coastal promenade stretches between the two towns making it a lovely walk. Exploring St, Julians and its surrounding areas, you’ll find a mixture of old and new, from traditional churches, to the Spinola waterfront, to the vibrant nightlife of . Restaurants of all types serve the town’s many visitors, and cafes abound.

The coast around St. Julians is rocky (except for man-made St George's Bay), and very popular with sunbathers and swimmers all summer long. The island’s only skyscraper, the ‘Portomaso Tower’ is also located in St. Julians, close to the recently developed marina.

St Julians History

The history of St Julians Named after Saint Julian, widely known as ‘Julian The Hospitaller’ and ‘Julian the Poor’, the town has a mixed history; its status as a comfortable residential area for the well-to-do only really surfaced under British rule. Before that, St. Julians was a town of little note, the church from which it derives its name is thought to have been built in 1580, at which time, only the building known as ‘Spinola palace’, a few fisherman’s huts, and farmers’ homes dotted the otherwise unpopulated countryside. The patron saint, St.Julian, belonged to the famous order of ‘The Knights Hospitaller’, also known as ‘The Knights of Malta’, and although his feast is celebrated on February 12, one of Malta’s famous summer ‘festas’ celebrates the life of St. Julian with characteristic Mediterranean flair on the last Sunday of each August. All are welcome to enjoy this festa as the street swell with families and revellers of all ages, as a mixture of religiosity and carnival combine in a characteristic Maltese way. Stalls open to serve local foods and sweets to the crowds and fireworks light the night sky. It's quite a show!

Location

St Julians is on the East Coast of Malta (although the West coast is only 14 km away). It's Just North of the capital City Valletta , and the coastal town of Sliema , and it's easily accessible via bus routes which run from Valletta, right along the coast through Sliema. From the North of the island - Mellieha , Bugibba , Qawra , St Pauls' Bay, buses also run directly through St Julians, although they're less frequent than buses coming from the Valletta direction. There are several taxi companies in St Julians - check who offers you the best rate, as they can vary.

Sliema Strand