My Adventures 3: Sliema,Valetta & Bugibba Malta 30th August 2025

On Saturday 30th August 2025 we awoke in our hotel and after Breakfast we made our way to Bugibba Bus Terminal to catch the bus to Sliema.

We alighted on the promenade after about half hour and had iconic views across the water to Valletta ,the one you see on all the postcards.

Below our feet in the water was a load of fish, anyone know what they are?

There were a couple of men fishing here.

Sliema is a major residential and commercial area and a centre for shopping, bars, dining, and café life. It is also the most densely populated town on the island.

One of Malta's old vintage buses here had been repurposed as a shop on the front.

We visited the shops here and a small shopping centre. We stopped for a cold drink in a restaurant on the front, it is still so hot and its only early.

Lining the coastline is a promenade known as the Sliema Front that has become the ideal spot for joggers and walkers as well as a prolific meeting place for locals during the summer season. Sliema is also known for its numerous rocky beaches, water sports and hotels.

Sliema, which means 'peace or comfort', was once a quiet fishing village on the peninsula across Marsamxett Harbour from Valletta and has views of the capital city. The population began to grow in 1853 and the town was declared a parish in 1878. Now Sliema and the coastline up to neighbouring St. Julian's constitute Malta's main coastal resort.

We decide to catch a traditional ferry across to Valletta. What a wonderful way to see both Sliema and Valletta from the water on these old style boats.

At the Great Siege of 1565, il-Qortin, as it was then known, was a camp centre for Turkish troops led by Dragut. He met his fate there, having been killed by a bombardment from Fort St. Elmo at the other flank of Marsamxett Harbour, where Sliema stands. Fort Tigné was eventually built by the Knights of St. John in the late 18th century and further developed by the British in later years.

We are approaching Valletta, a beautiful city and a view we didn't get yesterday when we visited.

We pay the ferryman 3 euros each and walk off onto Boat Street.

We walk up Triq San Gwann and have views to Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

The story of Our Lady of Mount Carmel begins with hermits on Mount Carmel in Israel dedicating their chapel to the Virgin Mary in the 13th century, leading to the formation of the Carmelite Order. A tradition holds that in the 13th century, Our Lady appeared to Carmelite leader St. Simon Stock, giving him a brown scapular as a sign of maternal protection and devotion. This feast day honors Mary as the Queen and Mother of the Carmelite Order, a devotion that has spread to the universal Church.

We walk to the Museum Cafe on Melita Street, that I've seen highly recently on YouTube. It was closed yesterday but open today, so we stop for lunch.

I have a fantastic omelette, still very a little queasy but loads better after doctor visit and course of antibiotics.

We walk on and reach St Catherine's of Italy.

The Church of St Catherine of Alexandria, commonly known as the Church of St Catherine of Italy is a Roman Catholic church in Valletta, Malta. It was built by the Hospitaller Langue of Italy and it serves as the parish church of the Italian community of Malta.

The church was built in 1576 by the Italian knights of St John to serve as their church. It was built adjacent to the Auberge d'Italie. Girolamo Cassar was commissioned to draw up the plans. In the 17th century the church was enlarged. An octagonal church was added to the existing chapel. The original chapel was changed into the sanctuary of the church. The church underwent a major restoration from 2001 till 2011. Today the church still serves as the parish church of the Italian community of Malta.