Area guide
Sliema
Sliema is Malta's seafront strip and most cosmopolitan address.
Sliema is Malta's coastal flagship, a dense urban strip running along the Marsamxett harbour from Tigné Point in the south to St Julian's in the north. Originally a 19th century summer retreat for Valletta nobility, today it is the country's most cosmopolitan address, packed with high-rise apartments, retail towers, and an unbroken seafront promenade.
Property market snapshot
Live median asking prices and listing counts for Sliema, refreshed daily.
- Median sale price
- €805,000
- Median rent
- €1,800
- For sale
- 142
- For rent
- 374
Prices by property type
| Property type | Listings | Median asking price |
|---|---|---|
| apartment | 84 | €831,000 |
| penthouse | 21 | €850,000 |
| town house | 7 | €1,100,000 |
| maisonette | 6 | €472,500 |
Live figures as of 26 September 2026, from asking prices on Darscover.
What it is like to live here
Sliema reads as Malta's Manhattan: walkable, dense, retail-heavy, and overwhelmingly geared to international residents and short-let tenants.
Best for
- expats
- young professionals
- buy-to-let investors
- short-let operators
Neighbourhoods and sub areas
Tigné Point, The Strand, Tower Road, Qui-si-Sana
Getting around
The Sliema Ferry runs every 30 minutes to Valletta in roughly 10 minutes, and the seafront sits on Malta's busiest bus corridor.
Driving times
- Valletta15 min
- Malta International Airport20 min
- Mater Dei Hospital12 min
- Golden Bay30 min
Nearby
- Valletta: 10 min (ferry)
- Valletta: 15 min (drive)
- Malta International Airport: 20 min (drive)
- Mater Dei Hospital: 12 min (drive)
- University of Malta: 12 min (drive)
Bus routes
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 16
- 21
- 212
- 222
Parking: Street parking is contested across the seafront and Tigne; most modern blocks include underground spaces and many SDA towers offer secure parking by separate title.
Schools
Sliema sits within easy reach of several private schools clustered along the upper Sliema and St Julian's border.
- St Clare College Sliema Primary (state)
- St Anne's School (Independent) (independent)
- Stella Maris College (church)
- St Aloysius College (church)
- Verdala International School (international)
Notable developments
Tigné Point
Tigné Point sits on the southern tip of the Sliema peninsula and is Malta's flagship Special Designated Area. The masterplan layered apartments, retail, and a public piazza onto former British military land, with direct ferry access to Valletta across the harbour.
Fort Cambridge
Fort Cambridge is the Special Designated Area immediately above Tigné, a mid-rise apartment cluster organised around a private pool deck with views over Manoel Island and Valletta.
The Strand
The seafront strip running from Sliema Ferries north toward Balluta, lined with high-rise apartments that face directly onto the Marsamxett harbour and the Valletta bastions opposite.
Notes for buyers
Sliema is one of Malta's Special Designated Areas (SDAs) at Tigné Point and Fort Cambridge, which lets non-EU buyers purchase without an AIP permit and without the standard one-property restriction.
- Entry-level 1-bed apartments start around 280k euro; new-build seafront units cross 1m euro for two bedrooms.
- Tigne Point and Fort Cambridge SDA stock is open to non-EU buyers without an AIP permit and without the one-property restriction.
- Outside the SDAs, expect older third-floor walk-ups; lift retrofit is rare and adds a 30k to 60k euro premium.
- Short-let yields concentrate on the Strand and Tower Road; hosts must register with the Malta Tourism Authority.
- Sliema and St Julian's share the same Local Plan; height waivers on internal blocks are not granted lightly.
Who lives here
- Population
- 22,500
- Median age
- 43
- Foreign born
- 38%
- Homeowners
- 52%
- Walkability
- 92/100
Frequently asked questions
Is Sliema a good place to live?
Sliema suits expats, young professionals, buy-to-let investors and short-let operators. Sliema reads as Malta's Manhattan: walkable, dense, retail-heavy, and overwhelmingly geared to international residents and short-let tenants. Read the lifestyle and transport notes above to judge the fit for your own plans.
How much does property cost in Sliema?
The median asking sale price in Sliema is €805,000 and the median asking rent is €1,800 per month, from live Darscover listings. See the snapshot above for listing counts and prices by type.
How do you get around Sliema?
The Sliema Ferry runs every 30 minutes to Valletta in roughly 10 minutes, and the seafront sits on Malta's busiest bus corridor.
See homes in this area
Browse live listings in Sliema, or open the full market report for the numbers behind these medians.