St George's Bay

What makes it special

Hotels and the Bay Street complex ring the beach on its landward side. Dragonara Point, the headland on the north-east edge, closes off one side of the bay.

The beach is largely man-made: imported sand turned a thin strip into the present beach, and part of the shore is pebbles.

Behind it spreads Paceville, the entertainment district of St Julian's, with restaurants, bars and shops around the bay. The palace on the point, built as a 19th-century summer residence, still operates as the Dragonara Casino, in view from the sand.

To the north, the coast towards Pembroke turns rockier and quieter, with reefs that suit snorkelling better than this sandy bay.

Visiting

Lay a towel on the sand, or hire a sunbed and umbrella on the beach in summer. Public toilets and facilities for disabled visitors are within a kilometre, and kiosks and beach outlets sit on the sand itself.

The swim is easy: the sea shelves gently, and the water near the shore is usually shallow and calm. It still gets deeper towards the middle of the bay, so keep children close and watch for pedalos and other hired equipment.

When you are done, walk up past Bay Street into Paceville, where dozens of restaurants and cafes are a couple of minutes from the beach.

Tips

A local beach guide reports the bay sheltered from most winds, often swimmable when the rocky spots along the Sliema front are rough. The same guide says an easterly blows straight into the mouth of the bay and advises swimming elsewhere on those days.

Natural shade is scarce, so bring a hat and sun cream unless you hire an umbrella. For a longer outing, walk south along the seafront to Spinola Bay, then on along the promenade past Balluta Bay towards Sliema.