St. Julian’s and Paceville, Malta

The village of St. Julian’s is located alongside the Northern coastline of Malta, adjacent to Sliema and a few miles to the West of the capital city Valletta. Paceville is an area at the core of St. Julian’s which is known as Malta’s centre of nightlife, offering a variety of bars and nightclubs for a great night out.

Despite the various package deals offered for St. Julian’s, the town is mostly popular among teenagers for its nightlife and young couples who appreciate the nightlife but enjoy fine dining, wine bars and who don’t mind a regular commute to get to beaches and places of interest. Nevertheless, St. Julian’s has something to offer for people of all ages and walks of life.

Spinola Bay (one of St. Julian’s more popular bays) in particular is an excellent location for an evening stroll around the marina which plays host to fishing boats which are berthed there all year round. You’ll also find a few restaurants serving great food and offering a great view of this picturesque bay and its surroundings.

History of St. Julian’s

St. Julian’s as it is known today is a relatively young village which was practically undeveloped until the 1800’s, having traditionally been a fisherman’s village. Most of the Northern coastline of Malta had been left undeveloped for fear of making the area vulnerable to attack from the Ottoman empire, which posed a threat to Maltese security in the 15th and 16th centuries.

The building of Spinola Palace, overseeing what is nowadays called Spinola Bay, started in 1688 and proved to be a first step in the slow development of the coastal area of St. Julian’s. Under British rule (starting with the defeat of Napoleon and ending with Malta’s independence in 1964), St. Julian’s was transformed into an important seaside village boasting several prestigious residences.

Beaches in St. Julian’s and Paceville

Although St. Julian’s is a seaside town, there’s only one public beach that is suitable for swimming. St. George’s Bay offers a small sandy beach and is located on the Paceville side of St. Julian’s. The town’s two other bays, Spinola Bay and Balluta Bay don’t have a beach and are rarely used for swimming. The bays are used mostly to berth fishing boats, giving the area a very distinctive feel but not favouring avid swimmers.

Nightlife in St. Julian’s and Paceville

Paceville is the place to be for clubbing and a bustling nightlife, with a mixed audience and various styles of music. From R&B and Hiphop over at Havana, to club/trance at Axis or Sky Club and Salsa and other Latin styles at Fuego… and a lot more to check out. Entrance fees are low, although not all clubs actually have an entrance fee at all, which makes Paceville ideal for simply hopping from one bar/club to another.

St. Julian’s offers mainly restaurants, wine bars and pubs, which all come in different flavours and in the case of restaurants, cater for different budgets. Check out the map for a couple of suggestions for bars/clubs to visit.

St. Julian’s and Paceville facts

• Thinking of renting a car? Unless your accommodation offers free parking, be aware that finding space to park can be a real headache in St. Julian’s, particularly during the summer months as well as on weekends

Popular Bus Routes

Routes 62, 64, 66, 67 and 68, to:

• Valletta (30 min)

Route 65, to:

• Mosta (30 min)
• Ta` Qali Crafts Village (40 min)
• Mdina/Rabat (45 min)

Route 70, to:

• Bugibba/Qawra (30 min)

Route 167 (summer only), to:

• Mellieha Bay (45 min)
• Cirkewwa – Gozo ferry (55 min)

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Map of St. Julian’s and Paceville