St. Julian's / Paceville

St. Julian's has upscale waterfront dining and Paceville's intense party scene. Daytime and early evening are fine, but Paceville at night has real safety issues including harassment, drink spiking, and aggressive crowds.

St. Julian's has two sides. The main area is a waterfront neighborhood with Balluta Bay, upscale restaurants, and a calmer evening scene. Then there's Paceville - Malta's party district, sometimes called 'Sin City' - packed with nightclubs, bars, and late-night chaos. Paceville draws 18-25 year olds who party hard, especially in summer with young British and European tourists. The area has real safety issues: drink spiking reports, aggressive behavior, pickpocketing, occasional fights, and pushy men who ignore boundaries. Multiple sources warn against walking alone in Paceville late at night. Street harassment and cat-calling are common. The mix of alcohol, crowds, and poor lighting in some spots creates actual risk. If you go to Paceville, stay in well-lit main areas, never leave your drink, go with others if you can, and book a taxi beforehand rather than trying to find one at 3am. During the day and early evening, St. Julian's (away from Paceville) is much safer and nicer, with restaurants around Spinola Bay and Balluta Bay where eating alone feels fine. Buses connect to Valletta and the rest of Malta. English is everywhere since it's tourist-heavy.