Short answer: Sliema’s bars split into three kinds: seafront bars and cafés along Tower Road and the Strand with views across to Valletta; cocktail and rooftop bars such as The Skyroom on the 14th floor of the Preluna Hotel (open daily 18:00–23:00); and old-school pubs in the side streets, led by the Hole in the Wall on High Street. Next door, Gżira’s stretch of the Strand is more local and a little cheaper. Sliema is easier and calmer than Paceville and better connected than Valletta, but from 1 November the last ferry leaves early, so plan buses or a taxi home.
Sliema is where a lot of expats and visitors live, so its nightlife is mostly “a drink near home” rather than a destination. That’s its strength: you can meet friends for one drink on a Tuesday without planning a whole night. Here’s where to go in 2026, checked against the venues’ own websites in October.
Sliema bars at a glance
| Type | Where | Example (checked October 2026) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rooftop cocktail bar | Tower Road | The Skyroom, 14th floor of the Preluna Hotel; daily 18:00–23:00 | Sunset drinks, a smarter evening, visitors |
| Traditional pub | High Street | Hole in the Wall, 31 High Street; Mon and Fri 11:00–01:00, other days 17:00–01:00 | A pint with friends, small groups |
| Gastro bar | Sliema | Hammett’s Gastro Bar (Asian fusion sharing plates) | Dinner and drinks in one place |
| Latin bar and dance socials | Sliema | Barrio Latino: bachata Tuesdays, salsa Thursdays (per SalsaVida listings) | Meeting people, dancing |
| Seafront bars and cafés | Tower Road, the Strand, Tigné | Many; walk and choose | Sunset, people-watching |
| Local bar strip | The Strand, Gżira | Several small bars and restaurants | Cheaper drinks, quieter nights |
Sources: The Skyroom, Hole in the Wall, Hammett’s, SalsaVida. Hours change, especially between seasons, so check before you go.
Seafront bars
The Sliema seafront runs from the ferry landing on the Strand, past Tigné Point, and along Tower Road towards St Julian’s. It’s lined with bars, cafés and restaurants with outdoor tables facing the sea and, from the Strand side, the Valletta skyline. This is Sliema’s main appeal: a drink with a view, at sunset, without a plan.
Where you sit changes the view. On the Strand, near the ferry landing, you look across Marsamxett Harbour to Valletta’s domes and bastions, which glow at sunset. Around Tigné Point, the old fort and the open sea take over. Further along Tower Road, towards St Julian’s, the view is open water and the rocky shore where people swim in summer. If the group can’t decide, start at the Strand for the view and walk towards Tower Road as the evening goes on: it’s flat, lit and only about half an hour end to end.
Honest downsides: the seafront road is busy with traffic, many places on the front are aimed at tourists and priced accordingly, and service can be slow on summer evenings. My advice is to have one drink on the front for the view, then move a street or two inland for the second.
Cocktail and rooftop bars
The Skyroom
The Skyroom is a cocktail bar and grill on the 14th floor of the Preluna Hotel on Tower Road, with open sea views. Its website lists opening hours of Monday to Sunday, 18:00 to 23:00, and mentions occasional jazz and blues performances (announced on its Facebook page). Bookings are taken online. It’s the kind of place for a birthday drink, visiting friends or a second date, rather than a big group night out.
Other cocktail spots
Sliema has a scattering of cocktail bars along Tower Road and in hotels around Tigné. They change hands and names regularly. If you want a specific one, check its own page that week; if you just want a good drink, walk Tower Road and look for somewhere busy with locals.
Pubs: the Hole in the Wall and friends
The Hole in the Wall on High Street is a Sliema institution: a small, old-fashioned pub that has been part of the town’s nightlife for generations. Its website gives the address as 31 High Street and opening hours of 11:00 to 01:00 on Mondays and Fridays, and 17:00 to 01:00 on other days. It’s ideal for a pint with a few friends, and the kind of place where you end up talking to the people at the next table.
Sliema also has British- and Irish-style pubs showing football, which fill up on match days. Good for groups, less good for quiet conversation.
Quiet bars in Sliema
If you want somewhere to talk, Sliema is a good choice, as long as you avoid the front on summer weekends. A few rules for finding a quiet bar:
- Go one or two streets back from the seafront. The side streets between Tower Road and High Street have smaller bars and wine spots.
- Go early in the week. Monday to Wednesday evenings are calm almost everywhere.
- Look for indoor seating in winter. When the wind picks up, the front empties and the small indoor bars feel cosy.
- Hotel bars are often quieter than street bars, especially early in the evening.
- Check for live music before you go: a band is great, unless you came to talk.
Gżira bars
Gżira continues along the Strand from Sliema towards Ta’ Xbiex and Msida, facing Manoel Island. Its seafront has a run of small bars, restaurants and kebab and pizza spots that feel more local than Sliema’s: fewer tourists, simpler places, generally lower prices. It’s a good option if you live in the area, want a cheaper night, or are heading home towards Msida or Birkirkara.
Gżira also has one of the island’s late-opening padel clubs on Triq il-Forti Manoel, if your group wants a game before drinks.
Dancing in Sliema: Latin socials
Sliema is the centre of Malta’s salsa and bachata scene. According to SalsaVida listings checked in October 2026, Barrio Latino runs a free bachata night on Tuesdays and a free salsa night on Thursdays, from about 20:30, and La Sociale at the Barceló Fortina runs on Saturdays with a workshop at 20:30 and €10 entry. Socials are one of the easiest ways to meet people on a night out: you’re expected to dance with strangers.
Which kind of bar for which plan?
After-work drinks with colleagues
A pub or a side-street bar near the Strand. Everyone can get there by bus, the ferry is right there in summer, and nobody has to dress up. Go before 19:00 on a weekday and you’ll usually find a table.
A birthday or a small celebration
Book a table at a rooftop or cocktail bar for sunset, then move somewhere more relaxed. Booking matters at the rooftop places, which are small and fill up on Friday and Saturday.
Meeting someone for the first time
A busy seafront café or a quiet bar one street back. It’s public, easy to find, and easy to leave. Avoid places where you’ll need to shout.
Match day
The sports pubs fill up for big football games. Arrive early if you want a seat with a view of the screen, and expect noise.
Friends visiting from abroad
Sunset on the Strand looking across to Valletta, then dinner. It’s the view everybody remembers, and it costs the price of a drink.
Sliema through the seasons
In summer, the seafront is the place to be, and it’s busy every evening, with tables full until late and the ferry running into the night. In autumn, it’s at its best: warm evenings, fewer crowds and still-swimmable sea. From November, wind and rain push everyone indoors and the front goes quiet on stormy nights, while the pubs and small bars fill up. Winter is the best time to find a seat anywhere without booking, as long as you’ve sorted the bus home.
Tips for going out in a group
- Pick a meeting point everyone knows: the Sliema ferry landing or the Tigné seafront.
- Agree how you’ll pay: rounds for small groups, pay your own for bigger ones.
- Book if you’re more than six, especially on Friday and Saturday.
- Decide early whether the night continues to St Julian’s, so people can plan their way home.
Prices and what to budget
Last checked October 2026, on operators’ pages.
| Item | Price (EUR) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Sliema–Valletta ferry, adult single | €3.00 day / €3.50 from 19:30 | Valletta Ferry Services; winter timetable from 1 November |
| Bus, day route single | €2.00 winter / €2.50 summer | Malta Public Transport |
| Bus, night route single | €3.00 | Free with a personalised tallinja card, per MPT |
| La Sociale (Latin social) | €10 | SalsaVida listing |
| Drinks | Varies by venue | Seafront and rooftop bars cost more than side-street pubs and Gżira bars |
I don’t print “typical” drink prices that I can’t check on a current menu. A rough rule that holds: the better the view, the higher the price.
Getting home from Sliema
A Sliema evening, start to finish
- Sunset: a drink on the Strand facing Valletta, or at The Skyroom if you’ve booked.
- Dinner: somewhere one street back from the front, or a gastro bar.
- After: a pint at the Hole in the Wall, a dance social if it’s Tuesday or Thursday, or a short walk to St Julian’s if the group wants a later night.
For other areas, see the St Julian’s nightlife guide, the Valletta nightlife guide and the island-wide Malta nightlife guide.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best bars in Sliema?
For views, the seafront bars and The Skyroom on the 14th floor of the Preluna Hotel; for a classic pub, the Hole in the Wall on High Street; for dancing and meeting people, the Latin socials at Barrio Latino. Venues change often, so check their pages before you go.
Are there quiet bars in Sliema?
Yes. Go one or two streets back from the seafront, go early in the week, or try a hotel bar. The front is busiest on summer weekends.
What are Gżira bars like?
Gżira’s stretch of the Strand has small, local bars and restaurants that are generally quieter and cheaper than Sliema’s seafront. It’s a good choice for a relaxed night close to Sliema.
How do I get home from Sliema at night?
Walk, take a bus along the coast road (check night routes in the tallinja app), or book a taxi. From 1 November, the Valletta ferry stops in the early evening.
Is Sliema good for nightlife?
It’s good for relaxed drinks, views and pubs, not clubs. For clubbing, walk or take a short ride to Paceville in St Julian’s.
Make it a plan
Sliema works best for the easy plans: one drink after work, a sunset with friends, a dance social on a Thursday. Pick one, pick a time, and send the message.
Want to turn this into an actual plan? MeetNow is a free app for meeting people in person: a host posts a plan at a public place, says who pays (host pays, split, pay your own or free) and picks who joins. It is live in Malta now on the web, with the iPhone and Android apps coming to the App Store and Google Play soon: open MeetNow and see this week’s plans in Valletta, Sliema and St Julian’s.
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