St Julian's Promenade: A Walking Guide to the Seafront

Where the promenade runs and how the two ends work

Start at Balluta Bay, the inlet on the St Julian's side, and finish at Tigné Point on the Sliema side. A coastal walk described from Sliema begins at Tigné Point, where you get panoramic views of Valletta across the harbour, then follows the Sliema promenade past shops, cafés and Fort Tigné, and ends at Balluta Bay in St Julian's.

The Sliema stretch is described as a wide, well-maintained path that makes for an easy stroll, ideal for families and casual walkers rather than a hike. Walking it in the Sliema-to-St-Julian's direction puts the Valletta views first and the restaurants last, which suits an evening finish; reversing it means you end with the harbour panorama.

Balluta Bay: the parish church and the waterfront

Balluta Bay is the St Julian's anchor of the walk, known for its bay views, seaside restaurants and the neo-Gothic Balluta Parish Church. It is the natural place to end a one-way walk, with a meal on the waterfront before you decide how to get back.

Eating places you may pass along the promenade include Charles Grech Bistro, Little Argentina and Surfside. If you want to compare the bays before committing to a table, work through the bay-by-bay picks in our guide to the best restaurants in St Julian's and book around the end point of your walk.

The promenade passes bays along the seafront, so you are never far from a stopping point. Use them to break the walk rather than pushing straight through, especially if you started at Tigné Point in the morning.

Walking from Balluta Bay to Sliema, stop by stop

Heading north out of Balluta Bay, the first stop is Exiles Beach, a relaxed local favourite away from the main tourist spots where you can dip your toes in the water or pick up a snack from a nearby kiosk. It sits between the St Julian's end and the busier Sliema stretch, which makes it the best pause early in the walk.

From Exiles Beach you join the Sliema promenade proper, passing shops, cafés and the historic Fort Tigné on the way to Tigné Point. The promenade also holds art deco buildings and has direct Valletta ferry connections along its length, so the walk doubles as a route to the crossing.

The seafront here looks across the bay towards Valletta, with restaurants and cafés lining the water. Allow time for the views rather than treating the Sliema section as a corridor between the two bays.

Tigné Point and Fort Tigné: the harbour views

Tigné Point closes the walk at the Sliema end, with panoramic scenery of Valletta across the harbour and a quick photo stop before you turn back or carry on into Sliema. Fort Tigné sits on the same stretch, so you pass it on the way.

If you are working out how the bays relate to each other before you set off, plot the route on a St Julian's map first and decide which end to start from. Beginning at Tigné Point puts the crossing to Valletta within reach at the finish.

Connecting to the Valletta ferry

The Valletta ferry is the natural return leg for a one-way walk. The Sliema promenade has direct ferry connections to Valletta, so you can finish at the Sliema end, cross the harbour and avoid retracing the whole route on foot.

Ferry timetables and fares change with the season, so check the operator's published schedule on the day you travel rather than planning around a remembered crossing time. Build the crossing into the walk as the return leg, not as an afterthought at the end of a hot afternoon.

How long the walk takes and how to get back

Plan the walk by stops rather than minutes: Balluta Bay, Exiles Beach, Fort Tigné and Tigné Point, with the Sliema promenade shops and cafés between the last two. Adding a meal or a swim at Exiles Beach easily turns a straightforward seafront stroll into an afternoon.

For the return, you have three honest options: walk back the way you came, take the ferry across to Valletta from the Sliema end, or use road transport back to St Julian's. The walk is described as relatively easy, so the return on foot is realistic if you have kept the pace steady and started early enough to avoid the midday heat.

If you are weighing up whether the seafront justifies a day of your trip, read our straight answer on whether St Julian's is worth visiting before you commit the time.

Footwear, water and sun on this stretch

Wear proper walking shoes or supportive sandals rather than flip-flops. The route is easy, but the full length out and back needs more support than beach footwear gives, and the Sliema stretch is paved for walking rather than sand.

Carry a water bottle even though cafés and kiosks line the route, particularly in the warmer months. The coastal breeze and the reflection off the sea intensify sun exposure, so apply a high-factor sunscreen before you start and reapply if you stop to sit in the sun.

Keep your bag light: a hat, sunglasses and a light layer are enough. A light jacket is worth packing because conditions on the coast can shift, and a heavy bag makes the return leg harder than it needs to be.

If shopping is part of the plan, the Sliema promenade passes shops along the seafront, and our guide to shopping in St Julian's covers where to browse on the St Julian's side.

Which way should you walk it?

Walk from Balluta Bay to Tigné Point if you want the Valletta views and the ferry as your finish, and reverse it if you would rather end with a meal at Balluta Bay. Either way, start early, wear supportive shoes and carry water for the stretch between the bays.

For the rest of your day around the town, from Spinola Bay to the quieter corners, the wider list of things to do in St Julian's picks up where the promenade leaves off.