Saint Julian's Favorites

Fondest memory: Spinola Bay and Piccolo Padre was the setting and venue for a maltesse VT meet - it was so lovely to meet you all and sorry we didn't have more time to chat between mouthfuls of pasta and pizza...oh and not forgetting the cake!

Favorite thing: We arrived midday in Sliema, and having got rid of our bags in our room it was out to stretch our legs and to get our bearings...so off we went walking the promenade to St Julians, one of MAlta's bustling tourist resorts with its bays and nightlife in abundance. A pleasant stroll along the promenade, checking out some restaurants on the way for later that week.

Favorite thing: Walking from Sliema we passed the peace gardens - which certainly were that - very quiet and no-one playing here and no cats :-( Across the bay the blue tower of the Portomaso. business centre can be seen - some say a blot on the landscape...you make up your own mind on that. The Portomaso area has the swanky hotels, marina and caasino. Unfortunately we never got that far during our week...may be we will stay at he Hilton there the next time ;-)

Favorite thing: Having walked the long coastal route to St Julians - about an hour ambling, it was late now anfg getting quite cool. We decided to walk the quick route back, cutting up by the square uin Balluta By across the back strrets to Sliema. This is much quicker of course (thankls for that tip Steve) about 15 minutes - well exactly it took us when I timed it another night. Another plus is that you get to see some typical maltese streets with the colourful balconies.

Fondest memory: Spinola Bay, the next bay after Ballutta Bay from Sliema direction, was the nicest bay we found in St Julians - beside which it was where our favoutrite restaurants and cafes were located :-0. Colourful boats in the harbour surrounded a lively square.

Favorite thing: The promenadde has some interesting sculptures. This one is not very popular with locals as it has not really worked - the two concrete blocks with the word LOVE is supposed to reflect in the water of Spinola Bay -even i couldn't capture it as intended!

Favorite thing: The more you looked at the Ballutta building the more detail there is to be seen - its a shame it looked rather neglected but I think it is the subject of investment potential - would make for great apartments or a luxury hotel.

Favorite thing: Ballutta Bay was the first bay we arrived at in St Julians after our promenade walk from Sliema. Its found just after the peace gardens which were very quiet in teh winter time - look quite desserted looking down onto it. There was a large open air swimming pool and every time we passed there were swimmers in - day or night, even when it was quite cold, reckoned it must have been a swimming club.
There is a lovely art deco building here - Ballutta building that took up most of one side of the square by the bay.