The best clubs in Paceville depend on the music you want: Havana is the long-running choice for hip-hop, R&B and commercial hits; Club TwentyTwo, high up in the Portomaso tower, is the dressier option with views; and Numero Uno is the name electronic fans mention for house and techno. Around them, the main strip is lined with bar-clubs that fill up after midnight. Go on a Friday or Saturday, arrive after 11pm, dress smart-casual for the upmarket rooms, and plan your way home before you go in.
Clubs in Paceville open, close, rebrand and change their music nights often, and winter hours are shorter than summer ones. Treat the list below as a guide to the type of night each place offers, and check the club’s own page for this week’s events before you head out.
Best clubs in Paceville at a glance
| Club | Music | Crowd | Dress | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Havana | Hip-hop, R&B, commercial, retro | Young, mixed locals, students and visitors | Casual to smart-casual | A classic big Paceville night |
| Club TwentyTwo | House, commercial, themed nights | Slightly older, dressed up | Smart-casual; no trainers or sportswear | Birthdays, a dressier night, views |
| Numero Uno | House, tech-house, techno | Electronic music fans | Casual | Dancing to DJs rather than hits |
| Bar-clubs on the main strip | Chart hits, Latin, reggaeton, party anthems | Groups, students, holidaymakers | Casual | Bar-hopping without committing |
| Summer open-air events (outside Paceville) | Electronic, big-name DJs | Festival crowd | Casual | Summer event nights with tickets |
The clubs, one by one
Havana
Havana is one of Paceville’s longest-running clubs, spread over two floors in the middle of the strip, with hip-hop and R&B in one room and commercial and retro hits in the other. It is loud, busy and unpretentious, and for many people it is simply what “going to Paceville” means. Expect a queue on summer weekends and a young crowd.
Club TwentyTwo
Club TwentyTwo sits on the 22nd floor of the Portomaso Business Tower, the tall building above Portomaso marina, and its selling point is the view over St Julian’s and the coast. It is the dressiest of the main options: smart-casual, no trainers or sportswear, and drinks cost more than on the strip below. It suits birthdays, couples and groups who want a club night without the sticky floors.
Numero Uno
For people who care more about the DJ than the chart hits, Numero Uno is the Paceville name associated with house, tech-house and techno. The crowd comes for the music, so it can feel different from the hen-party energy elsewhere on the strip. Check its page for guest DJ nights, which draw the biggest crowds.
The bar-clubs on the main strip
Much of Paceville is a run of bars that turn into clubs as the night goes on, with DJs, promoters on the street and drinks deals. They are good for bar-hopping and for groups who cannot agree on one place. Quality and crowds vary week to week, so follow the music you like and leave if it is not working.
Summer open-air nights beyond Paceville
Some of Malta’s biggest club nights are not in Paceville at all. In summer, open-air venues and festivals elsewhere on the island host big-name DJs, usually with advance tickets and organised transport. If you are visiting between June and September, check what is on before defaulting to the strip.
How to choose a club for your group
- Mixed tastes? Start at a bar-club on the strip and move once you know what people want.
- Celebrating something? Club TwentyTwo, or book a table where the club offers it.
- Want to dance to DJs? Numero Uno or a summer open-air event.
- First time in Paceville? Havana is the classic, but go with a group.
- Want to talk? Skip the clubs and go to one of the St Julian’s bars or Valletta first; our St Julian’s nightlife guide covers the calmer options around Spinola Bay.
When to go: nights, times and seasons
- Nights: Friday and Saturday are the big nights all year. In summer, midweek nights are busy too, thanks to holidaymakers and language students.
- Times: clubs are quiet before 11pm and fill from around midnight. Venues with extended licences keep going into the early hours, while ordinary bars wind down earlier.
- Season: June to September is peak. In winter, some venues shorten their hours or open only at weekends, so check before you go.
Entry, drinks and dress code
Many bar-clubs on the strip are free to enter, while bigger clubs and special nights can charge at the door, sometimes with a drink included. Prices change with the event, so look at the club’s page or ask the door staff; our guide to the Paceville entry fee for clubs goes into detail. Drinks deals and shots are pushed hard by promoters on the street: they can be good value, but pace yourself.
Dress codes are relaxed on the strip, but the upmarket rooms turn away trainers, shorts and sportswear. The legal drinking age in Malta is 17, and door staff check ID, so bring a passport, ID card or driving licence. Our Malta drinking age guide has the rules.
Getting home from Paceville
Getting home is the part people forget. Night buses run from Paceville and St Julian’s to different parts of the island, mainly on weekends, so check the night routes before you go out; our night bus Malta guide lists them. Ride-hailing apps work, but demand at closing time pushes prices up and waits get long. Taxi ranks near the main streets are another option. Agree with your group in advance where you will meet if you get split up, and do not drive after drinking.
A sample Paceville night, hour by hour
- 8.30pm: dinner with your group around Spinola Bay or Balluta, where restaurants are calmer and better value than on the strip.
- 10.30pm: a drink in a bar in St Julian’s where you can still hear each other. This is when you decide the plan: music, budget and who is going home when.
- Midnight: walk up to Paceville together. Start at a free-entry bar-club on the strip to warm up.
- 1am: move to the club you chose: Havana for hits, TwentyTwo for a dressier room, Numero Uno for DJs.
- Closing: meet at the spot you agreed, then take the night bus, a taxi from the rank or a shared ride.
The plan matters more than the club. Groups who arrive together, agree a budget and a meeting point, and know how they are getting home have a far better night than those who drift in separately.
Not sure Paceville is for you?
Paceville is one kind of night, not the whole of Malta’s nightlife. If you want live music, wine bars or somewhere quieter to talk, Valletta and Sliema are better bets, and Buġibba and Qawra have their own holiday-resort scene in summer. Our Malta nightlife guide compares every area, so you can pick the night that suits your group rather than defaulting to the strip.
Staying safe on a Paceville night
Paceville is busy and mostly good-natured, but it is a late-night strip with lots of alcohol. Keep an eye on your drinks and your phone, stay with your group, avoid arguments outside clubs and be careful at closing time when the streets are packed. For an honest look at the risks and how to avoid them, read is Paceville safe.
A practical tip from experience: the best Paceville nights are usually the ones that start somewhere else. Have dinner or a drink with your group in St Julian’s, decide together where to go, and arrive as a group around midnight. Turning up alone at 1am is the hardest way to enjoy the strip.
Want to turn this into an actual plan? MeetNow is a free web app for meeting people in person, starting in Malta: a host posts a plan at a public place, sets the time and seats, says who pays (host pays, split, pay your own or free) and picks who joins from the people who ask. Open MeetNow and see the plans posted in Malta.
Featured photo: St George’s Bay, at the edge of Paceville. Photo: Txllxt TxllxT, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
What is the best club in Paceville?
It depends on your music. Havana is the classic for hip-hop, R&B and commercial hits, Club TwentyTwo is the dressier option with views, and Numero Uno is the choice for house and techno.
What time do people go out in Paceville?
Most people start with drinks around 10pm and head to clubs from around midnight. Clubs are often quiet before 11pm.
Do Paceville clubs charge entry?
Many bar-clubs on the strip are free to enter, while bigger clubs and special event nights can charge at the door. Check the club’s page for the night you plan to go.
What should I wear to a club in Paceville?
Casual is fine on most of the strip. For Club TwentyTwo and other upmarket rooms, wear smart-casual and avoid trainers, shorts and sportswear.
What is the minimum age for Paceville clubs?
The legal drinking age in Malta is 17, but individual clubs can set their own entry rules. Bring valid photo ID.
