Real estate · Malta

Real estate in Sliema: homes and areas

Malta's most densely populated town: a seafront of apartment blocks, cafés and shops facing Valletta across the harbour, and one of the most international places in Malta.

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Living in Sliema

Sliema sits on a peninsula on the north-east coast of Malta, across Marsamxett Harbour from Valletta. A fishing village until the 19th century, it grew into a summer resort for wealthier families from Valletta and is now one of the island's main residential and commercial areas, known for its seafront promenade, shopping streets and café life. It is the most densely populated locality in Malta.

It is also one of the most international. At the end of 2025 more than half of Sliema's residents were foreign citizens, according to the NSO, one of the highest shares in the country. English is spoken everywhere, and Sliema has long been the town where English is most often spoken at home by Maltese families too.

Many people here manage without a car. The ferry from the Strand crosses to Valletta at least every half hour, buses run along the seafront towards Valletta, St Julian's and the rest of the island, and they are free for residents with a personalised tallinja card. Parking, on the other hand, is hard to find, and traffic on the coast road is heavy.

Almost all homes are apartments: at the 2021 census about three in four households lived in a flat or penthouse, and more than half of all occupied homes had been built since 2011. The Victorian villas and townhouses that once lined the front have largely been replaced by apartment blocks, and building work is a constant feature of the streets. Tigné Point is a Special Designated Area, where foreign buyers face no extra restrictions.

Population
23,570 (2025)

Source: NSO Malta, World Population Day: 11 July 2026 (NR 120/2026), Tables 11 and 12: population by broad citizenship and locality, and population density by locality, as at 31 December 2025 (Tas-Sliema)

Neighbourhoods

Tigné Point
The redeveloped tip of the peninsula, with apartment blocks, The Point shopping mall and the restored Fort Tigné, looking across to Valletta. It is a Special Designated Area, open to buyers of any nationality without a permit.
The Strand (Ix-Xatt)
The harbour front facing Manoel Island and Valletta, lined with apartment blocks, shops and cafés. The ferry to Valletta and many harbour cruises and boat trips leave from "the Ferries" here.
Qui-Si-Sana and Tower Road
The open-sea promenade on the north side of the peninsula, with flat rocks and lidos for swimming, and a continuous wall of apartment blocks and hotels. Towards St Julian's it reaches Fond Għadir, with its old salt pans cut into the rock.
Inner Sliema
The streets inland from the two seafronts, around the Stella Maris parish church, with a mix of older townhouses and newer apartment blocks. Quieter than the front, with local shops and schools.
Gżira and Manoel Island
Next door towards Msida, Gżira has a harbour front facing Valletta. Manoel Island, joined to Gżira by a bridge, is being handed back to the government to become a public park.

Practical information

  • Ferries: boats run from the Strand to Valletta at least every half hour all year, later into the night in summer. A ticket also covers the Barrakka Lift on the same day, and holders of a personalised tallinja card travel free.
  • Airport: Malta International Airport at Luqa is linked to Gżira, Sliema and St Julian's by the direct TD3 bus, a paid service also for tallinja card holders.
  • Schools: Verdala International School in nearby Pembroke teaches the International Baccalaureate in English; the state and church schools teach in English and Maltese.
  • Healthcare: Sliema residents use the Gżira Health Centre for GP and nursing services. Mater Dei Hospital, the main public hospital, is in Msida, a short drive inland.

Frequently asked questions

How many people live in Sliema?

At the end of 2025 Sliema had 23,570 residents, according to Malta's National Statistics Office (NSO), making it the most densely populated locality in Malta.

Can foreigners buy property in Sliema?

Yes. In the Special Designated Areas of Tigné Point and Fort Cambridge anyone can buy without a permit. Elsewhere in Sliema, non-EU citizens and EU citizens buying a second home before five years of residence need an AIP permit; EU citizens buying their main home do not.

Do I need a car in Sliema?

Many residents do without one. Shops, cafés and services are within walking distance, the ferry takes you to Valletta, and buses run along the coast and across the island. Parking is scarce and the coast road is often congested.

What is the difference between Sliema and St Julian's?

They run into each other along the same coast. Sliema is more residential, with the shopping streets and the ferry to Valletta. St Julian's, further along, has Paceville's nightlife, most of the big hotels and several office towers.

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