Sliema Malta: A Modern Township

Sliema is the largest and the busiest towns of Malta with the population crossing over 20,000 people. Sliema meaning ‘peace’, was a small fishing village lying across the peninsula near Valletta. Modern architecture blended with rich heritage and culture has made Sliema a major tourism attraction and a distinguished coastal resort in the region. It has emerged as one of the outstanding place for shoppers. The town is a centre of major commercial activities across Malta and exhibits some of the beautifully constructed town houses and villas. There are around 800 commercial establishments in Sliema and is the principal revenue generating region of Malta.

photo by Xeriod

The long stretch of sea front promenade and rocky shorelines adds to the enchantment of the town leading to the establishment of many hotels and accommodations in the area. The sea promenade extends from Gzira lying south of Sliema to St Julians. It is ideal for jogging and walking with plenty of seats placed along the promenade. Sliema offers some of the breathtaking views overlooking Valletta on one side and the ravishing sea on the other. Large number of restaurants and café’s are sprawling all over the promenade. “The Strand” is an exotic boulevard on the promenade where you can enjoy the picturesque view of boats sailing in the deep sea.

Sliema is known for its fortifications. Torre di San Giuliano built by Martino de Redin is the most significant of all. Another very interesting fortification exhibiting the exquisite military Gothic architecture is Ghar id-Dud. Fort Cambridge and Fort Tigne are also visited by a large number of tourists every year. Fort Tigne built by the knights of St John is the most recent addition to the town’s fortification. Fortizza is a gothic styled defense battery point standing out from Ghar id-Dud. It has now turned into a pizzeria, although the architectural doors and vaults still look magnificent.

There are four impressive Parish churches constructed in Sliema, each dedicated to a different patron saint. The oldest of all is Stella Maris Church built up in 1878. The Church of Jesus of Nazareth is a magnanimous church showcasing some of the well defined architectural details when viewed from inside. Check the church opening time before planning the visit as it opens for a very limited number of hours each day.

There are a number of rocky beaches to be explored in and around Sliema. Some of the popular beaches stretching over kilometers are the Tigne beach, Torri beach and Exiles beach. The rocks do not pThe most interesting is the formation of rock blocks along the Font Ghadir stretch which served as the private water pools for women earlier. Tigne beach is made up smooth flat rocks whereas other beaches are constituted of uneven rocks leaving the waves to crash on the shore with a greater impact.

Sliema is the most developed town in terms of Malta tourism with all sorts of hotel and resorts available in abundance. The place is expanding exponentially as an entertainment hub for the Malta visitors.