Malta Nightlife – Ultimate Guide 2024

Finally, the Ultimate Guide for the Nightlife in Malta in 2023.

Although the Maltese islands are known for the sun, crystal clear blue waters, and fascinating history, there is also plenty of nightlife to enjoy in Malta!

You may have already heard of the nightlife that Malta has to offer.  If you haven’t, there is something for everyone! There is a wide variety of bars, clubs, pubs, restaurants and wine bars, and even festivals take place here. On this page we will tell you what you have available to do on the islands, and where the party is so that you can enjoy your trip to the fullest.

Welcome to the ultimate guide to partying in Malta in 2023:

• Boat party.
• Recommendations of the best bars, clubs and parties by areas and localities.
• How much tickets and drinks will cost you.
• Schedules.
• Outdoor discos and how to get to them.
• Special events and festivals.

During spring and summer, the best party in Malta is undoubtedly the Boat Party! Truly a unique experience that you can experience in very few places in Europe.

The first thing to note is that the Maltese waters are calm and tranquil throughout the warm seasons, meaning that the boat will rock very little, and your enjoyment won’t be marred by rough seas!

The second thing to note is the atmosphere! Going to the Blue Lagoon of Comino in a party of 240 people with an open bar and watching the sunset from the boat is unbeatable.

The third thing is the island of Comino itself – your destination. There you can bathe, jump off the boat, dance on the dance floor, order a drink at the open bar or chat on the sofas on the deck under the light of the moon and stars.

So what does the Boat party offer?

• Travel by boat from Sliema to the Blue Lagoon of Comino on a boat with capacity for 240 people.
• 6 hours of open bar with all kinds of drinks.
• Good DJs to get everyone on the dance floor.
• Being able to bathe in the Blue Lagoon and jump into the water from the boat.
• Chill area with seats and sofas to relax and chat in the light of the moon and stars.
• Watch the sunset in the middle of the sea with the 3 Maltese islands in the background.
• Professional photographer so that everything is remembered.
• Lunch in the middle of the party (Ħobż / Ftira biż-Żejt or typical Maltese open sandwiches and fruit) to recover strength! Remember that it lasts 6 hours!
• Roundtrip transfer from Paceville
• An unbeatable atmosphere and a truly unique experience you won’t find elsewhere!

The main party areas to enjoy the nightlife in Malta are as follows:

• Paceville (St. Julian’s) – It is full of bars, pubs and nightclubs.
• Buġibba, Qawra and St. Paul’s Bay – Almost everything is bars and pubs and they have small nightclubs.
• Valletta and Sliema – More for dinner and wine and beer spots.
• Birgu and Mdina – For dinner and wine and beer.

Paceville is THE PLACE to enjoy the Malta Nightlife!

All the nightclubs, pubs, bars, shot places, restaurants, and even a beach, are concentrated in the same neighbourhood. We assure you that you will find a disco, a pub or a shot bar that you like (even if it is for statistics!).

• Havana (St. George’s Road, St. Julian’s. free admission) – It has six bars and two different rooms. The music they play is hip-hop, R&B, reggaeton… in short, commercial music.

• Sky Club Malta (Dragonara Road, St Julian’s) – It is Malta’s largest indoor nightclub (over 2,000 square metres) and has a capacity of 3,400 people. The price of the ticket and the drinks varies depending on the event they have that day, so make sure that you find out before you go. If you see an event that you like, you should definitely go in order to experience this club like no other.

• Shadow Club (Triq Santa Rita, St. Julian’s. free admission) – Perfect place if you like dance and soft electronic music (EDM). It has three bars and, although they are not cheap, they make some great cocktails.

• TwentyTwo (Level 22, Portomaso Tower, St. Julian’s) – Stylish site perfect for Instagram photo. The site is the highest place in the whole country and you can see the whole island through the windows! It is worth having a drink or a cocktail on site. It is usually free, but take a look at the event they have that day because they may charge if there is a special event.

• Saddles (132 Main Street, Spinola Bay, St. Julian’s) – It is well known among the Maltese because it has cheap drinks and is full from the afternoon. It is a very small place and gets crowded fast, but there is a good atmosphere, cheap drinks and it is super well located. In short, a good place to start the night.
• The Dubliner (Address: Gorg Borg Olivier Road, St. Julian’s) – Typical Irish pub with good beer and not very expensive. Many Saturday nights around 9:30 have live music. A pint of good beer costs about 4.50€.
• The Nordic Bar (Paceville Main steps – Triq Santa Rita, St. Julian’s) – Halfway between a bar and a pub. It has good music, good atmosphere and good DJs. In addition, it is a little cheaper than the rest, with happy hour between 19:00 and 21:00.

• Bar Native (Paceville Main steps – Triq Santa Rita, St. Julian’s) – If you like Latin music and reggaeton, this is your place. Although it is open from lunchtime because they also serve food and cocktails, it is known for the nightlife for people who like Latin music.
• The Long Hall Irish Pub (Address: St. George’s Road, S. Julian’s) – Another typical Irish pub, though a little calmer than the rest! A good place to stop and have a nice beer, or meeting place for drinks to start your evening.

BONUS: If you want to try your luck a little, there is also a Casino in Paceville called Dragonara Casino (location: Westin Dragonara Resort, Paceville). In addition to all your regular slot machines, here you will find 19 tables to play blackjack, poker and roulette!

• Free admission: Unless there is a special event or a specific party, there is no fee to enter anywhere.
• Hours: Most places open at 21:30 and close at 4:00. Arriving early is not very advisable, the atmosphere is good from 23:00.
• The legal age to enter all the venues is 18 years.
• How to get there: There are many buses as it is a super central area. If you take a taxi, this could be expensive.

• Most venues have doormen and security which works well. As it should be everywhere, avoid confrontation wherever possible. People go drinking and partying and therefore you can always find problems, however if you treat everyone with the respect and kindness you expect in return this can usually be kept to a minimum. Also avoid confrontation with the security, as they have a zero tolerance policy and will stop any type of conflict immediately and you will likely be removed and barred.
• Pickpocketing occurs in the most crowded places. It is inevitable where there are many people dancing and drinking in the same place. Avoid the most crowded places and be careful with your belongings, keep them securely on you at all times.
• Some places like Native or Havana really get crowded in the high season months like August. So bear in mind that you may have to wait a long time to be able to order a drink.

The nightlife in Valletta is much quieter than what you will find in Paceville! But certainly not worse. Here you will find a different kind of night out. Good atmosphere, classy, a town full of excellent bars. Take a walk and visit a few different places to soak up the vibe!

Bars we recommend in Valletta:

• Tico-Tico (61, Strait Street, Valletta) – A great place in the heart of Valletta. Retro-chic décor mixed with a glamorous style. Good place to have a couple of cocktails.
• Loop Bar (68, Strait Street, Valletta) – Another quirky bar from the 50s with lots of character and a fun vintage menu. The beer is cheap but the food can be quite expensive.
• The Pub (136 Archbishop St, Valletta) – It is full of local people , a good atmosphere, and it is in the very centre of Valletta.

• Trabuxu  (2, Strait Street, Valletta) – A great wine place well known by local people. But make sure you book!
• Legligin (110, St. Lucy Street, Valletta) – A small and romantic place, perfect for drinking wine! Their wine list is huge and there are some cheap ones (which are not bad) for less than €20. As with the previous place, you have to book.
• Bridge Bar – (St. Ursula Street, Valletta – A busy place throughout late spring and summer. Jazz sessions almost every Friday. If you are looking for a different and very Maltese experience you have to come! Plus, The views of Grand Harbour are breath taking.

Bonus: Take a tour along the Valletta Waterfront. The views here are truly spectacular.

It is a much calmer place than Paceville, which makes it generally frequented by more mature people (typically over 25).

It is the capital of the country, so getting there by bus is very easy from anywhere on the island.

These towns are located in the north of the island of Malta. Buġibba is notable for having a promenade that leads from Salina Bay to St. Paul’s Bay, which is popular with both tourists and locals.

Buġibba and Qawra are both popular tourist destinations, full of hotels, restaurants, pubs, nightclubs, in addition to a casino. The areas are busy in summer, although they can be a little empty in winter because the wind and rain can pick up here.

Here are a few recommendations for enjoying the Malta nightlife in these areas:

• Café del Mar Malta (Triq in-Trunciera – cerca de Fra Ben point) – It is the largest nightclub in the area, located on a cliff at the foot of the sea. It has an infinity pool that overlooks the sea and in which many pool parties are held. It also has a restaurant (with good cheap pizzas!), world-famous DJs, a chic atmosphere, cocktail bar, closed and open dancefloors over two floors … Do we have to say anything else to make you want to go?!
•  Ecstasy Lounge Bar-Club Malta (Triq il-Gandoffli, Buġibba) – A bar with a good atmosphere and good music. Although it is a bit small, the drinks are very reasonably priced.
• Velvet Lounge (Triq Il-Korp Tal-Pijunieri, Buġibba) – A stylish bar with good cocktails and food. There is also a shisha menu!
• Murphy’s Irish Pub (Triq it-Turisti, Qawra) – An Irish pub with a good atmosphere and good selection of beers.

A great area to take a walk, full of happy hour bars along a promenade with wonderful views of Valletta. The range of bars is vast so we won’t go into detail, it is just worth mentioning that the only pub with live music and events where you can dance is called “Funky Monkey”, an open pub with swings, live music and free admission. We advise you to check the website before visiting since it does not open every day and there is usually a different event every day.

The offering of open-air clubs in Malta is huge from spring to the end of summer. Entrance fees are charged in almost all of them so be prepared for this!

The most important are:

• Uno Malta (Ta’ Qali Crafts Village) – It is the largest nightclub of all the islands, with four bars and capacity for more than 4,000 people. The site is a blast in summer, with DJs from all over the world and special events every week. You can check the best weekly events by clicking here.
• Gianpula Village (Rabat) – Popular outdoor disco with varied music.
• Aria Complex (San Ġwann) – Large disco playing electronic music, with regular events every weekend.
• Medasia Playa (Sliema) – Although it is relatively small, it has several jacuzzis, a swimming pool and is at the foot of the sea! When you have an interesting event it is a good place to go.
• Café del Mar (Qawra) – We have already talked about this place a little above! Here you will find a swimming pool, great views, a restaurant, multiple rooms, chic atmosphere and internationally famous DJs … What more could you want?!

In summer, there is public transport to get to and from the clubs listed above. Check the schedules and routes by clicking here.