Discover St. Julians

Our Product Manager Thomas has been visiting St Julian's on inspection trips for many years — and it still surprises him. Not because it changes dramatically from one visit to the next, but because it manages to be genuinely different things to different people, all at the same time, all within the same square kilometre. That is a rare quality in any resort area, and it is what makes St Julian's the most consistently popular area on the island for our customers at GotoBeach.

St Julian's sits on the northeast coast of Malta and encompasses a remarkable collection of distinct locations — Paceville, Spinola Bay, Balluta Bay, Portomaso and St George's Bay — each with its own atmosphere, its own character and its own reason to be there. Understanding the difference between them is, in Thomas's view, the key to understanding St Julian's.

Paceville is where the energy is. Malta's most famous nightlife district is not for everyone — but for guests who want the full Mediterranean evening experience, it delivers. The bars stay open late. The casinos — Dragonara Casino and Casino Malta — are both excellent. The Eden leisure complex is one of the finest entertainment centres on the island. Thomas would not recommend it to a guest who values sleep before midnight, but for those who want energy and entertainment on their doorstep, there is nowhere in Malta that comes close.

Spinola Bay is Thomas's favourite corner of St Julian's — and arguably many people's favourite corner of Malta, whether they know the name or not. The bay is small and perfectly formed: colourful traditional fishing boats, waterfront restaurants, and an intimacy of scale that the more commercial parts of Paceville lack entirely. An evening meal overlooking Spinola Bay at dusk, when the light falls just right on the water and the whole place seems to slow down for a moment, is one of those Malta experiences that stays with you. If you are visiting St Julian's and you have not walked around Spinola Bay at least once, you have missed something important.

Balluta Bay sits just a short stroll from Spinola and has a character entirely its own — anchored by a distinctive Art Deco square that always catches the eye of guests who have not noticed it before. It is slightly quieter than the immediate Paceville strip and slightly more residential in feel, which makes it a pleasant contrast when you want to step away from the energy for a while without actually going anywhere.

Portomaso Marina is St Julian's most prestigious address — a luxury marina development that adds genuine glamour to an already impressive area. The waterfront promenade around the marina is one of the finest evening walks available anywhere in the Mediterranean. Sky Club Malta, perched at the top of the Portomaso tower, is one of the most dramatic rooftop venues on the island — the views across St Julian's and the surrounding coastline from up there are genuinely extraordinary, and it is worth a visit for the setting alone.

St George's Bay deserves a specific mention because it offers something genuinely rare on Malta's predominantly rocky coastline: a proper sandy beach. It is not enormous, but it is well-maintained, well-equipped and a genuine beach option in an area that might otherwise lack one.

On the dining side, the corridor between St Julian's and Sliema is the finest restaurant stretch in Malta. Paranga Grill at the InterContinental — sitting virtually on the sea itself — is one of the most celebrated dining experiences on the island, and it consistently delivers on its reputation. For pizza lovers, Lubelli Pizza is a St Julian's institution — genuinely excellent, unpretentious and very popular with locals and visitors alike. Two Buoys Restaurant is another local favourite that rewards guests who venture slightly off the main tourist trail — the kind of place where the food is the whole point and the setting is secondary.

For guests who want to explore beyond St Julian's, the connections are good — though it is worth being honest about the traffic. St Julian's can experience significant congestion during the day, particularly in peak season, and journeys that look short on a map can take considerably longer than expected. This is worth factoring in if you are planning regular day trips across the island.

Who is St Julian's Not Right For?

Thomas believes that being honest about where a destination falls short is just as important as celebrating what it does well. St Julian's is an outstanding area — but it is genuinely not the right choice for every type of traveller.

St Julian's is not right for guests who want peace and quiet. Paceville generates real noise — particularly on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights — and the general urban energy of the area is constant throughout the day. Guests who want a calm, unhurried Mediterranean atmosphere would be far better served by Mellieħa or the Marfa Bay area in the north.

St Julian's is not right for guests who are expecting a wide, expansive beach on their doorstep. St George's Bay is the only sandy beach in the area, and while it is pleasant and well-maintained, it is modest in size. Guests travelling with young children who need generous beach space and shallow water will find Mellieha Bay — Malta's largest sandy beach — a far more suitable base.

St Julian's is not right for families who want a large, self-contained resort environment. The area is dominated by tall hotel buildings in a dense urban setting — more city than resort in character. There are no expansive private resort grounds, no large outdoor hotel beach areas and no wide-open spaces of the kind that families with children tend to need. If that resort environment is important to you, St Paul's Bay and its larger all inclusive properties — or the Marfa Bay resorts further north — will serve you considerably better.

St Julian's is not right for guests who find urban traffic frustrating. The roads in and around St Julian's can become significantly congested during the day, particularly in July and August. What looks like a short journey on a map can take considerably longer than expected during peak hours.

For those who do choose St Julian's — and the majority of GotoBeach customers who want nightlife, world-class dining and the island's most vibrant atmosphere do — GotoBeach offers exclusive packages with flights included from a range of UK airports, low deposits and our best price guarantee. As the UK's only dedicated Malta specialist, we know this area better than anyone. Not sure if St Julian's is right for you? Read our honest Malta area guide before you book.