Strait Street
Valletta, Malta
The narrow former red-light lane of the sailors' era, reborn as the city's nightlife and dining street of bars, jazz and small restaurants. Valletta after…
Places in Strait Street
- Piadina Caffe A cheerful little café on Strait Street for coffee, piadina and a relaxed pause between the palaces. Easy and good value.
- Strait Street bars The revived 'Gut', a narrow lane of jazz bars, wine bars and hidden drinking dens where Valletta comes to life after dark. The heart of the nightlife.
- Trabuxu Wine Bar A cosy vaulted cellar wine bar showcasing Maltese and Mediterranean wines with small plates. A warm, characterful evening.
- Yard 32 A gin-and-tapas bar on Strait Street with a huge spirits list and a lively courtyard. A dependable, fun stop.
Practical notes for Valletta
- Best time to visit
- April to June and September to October for warm, comfortable weather and the sea still swimmable. July and August are hot and busy; winters are mild and quiet.
- Getting around
- The city is tiny and walkable, if steep and stepped. Buses link to the rest of Malta; a traditional ferry crosses to Sliema and the Three Cities. A short taxi or ferry reaches the beaches and Mdina.
- Currency
- Euro (€)
- Language
- Maltese and English.
- Timezone
- CET (UTC+1, UTC+2 in summer)
- Current trends
- A serious fine-dining scene led by Malta's first two-Michelin-star restaurant; a revival of nightlife on historic Strait Street; modern takes on Maltese cuisine reclaiming rabbit and ftira; and boutique hotels filling restored palazzos.
Other neighborhoods in Valletta
- Republic Street & the centre — The grand central spine running the length of the peninsula, lined with palaces, cafés and the co-cathedral. The city's ceremonial and shopping heart.
- Upper Barrakka & the bastions — The clifftop gardens and bastions on the harbour side, with the best views over the Grand Harbour and the Three Cities. The city at its most cinematic.
- The Three Cities (Cottonera) — The older fortified towns of Vittoriosa, Senglea and Cospicua across the Grand Harbour, quieter and deeply atmospheric, reached by ferry. A step further into Maltese history.
- Sliema (across the harbour) — The modern seafront town opposite Valletta, with the best hotels, shopping and a long promenade. Handy and lively, with the city's finest skyline view back at Valletta.
Read the full Valletta guide