5 - Sliema, Malta

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Sliema, which roughly translates as 'peace' or 'comfort', is a city on the northeast coast of Malta and a cozy and sun-spotted centre for shopping, restaurants and café life. It was once a quiet fishing village on the peninsula across Marsamxett Harbour from Valletta, but has now become a holiday hotspot, and is just a short cab ride from the neighboring party resort of St. Julien's. The tiny capital, built in the mid-16th century, is one of the architectural gems of the Mediterranean and a walk through its golden sandstone streets and around its fortifications is time very well spent. Find a sun-warmed rock to lie on, or if you want a little more action, choose from a number of water sports, fishing, and boating trips. If you're travelling with the whole family, don't miss the Marine Park and Splash & Fun Water Park which share a site on the coast road at White Rocks, 8km (5 miles) northwest of town. Sliema also offers some of the best shopping in Malta, with fashionable boutiques and stylish shops, especially along 'The Strand'. Most of the sightseeing buses start from here or have a station where you can join the tours, and a ferryboat sails on a regular basis from the Strand to Valetta. Malta is a very small island and it's possible to visit anywhere quite comfortably within a day from Sliema. With prehistoric temples, the baroque architecture of Valletta, festas and fireworks, rickety buses and colorful fishing boats, Malta offers lots to leave you charmed.

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