Local amenities at Grand Harbour include a selection of restaurants and bars on the waterfront catering for every taste from traditional rustic Maltese food to acclaimed international cuisine. Overlooking the marina and Valletta, the iconic and sumptuous Casino di Venezia has an open air rooftop restaurant offering an exquisite menu consisting mainly of fresh fish and other Mediterranean delicacies. On the ground floor Scamps wine bar offers a wide variety of wines from various countries as well as sophisticated cocktails.
Chic and cosmopolitan Malta
Within Vittoriosa’s narrow streets, situated in a restored 18th century cellar is the fashionable Del Bongo Restaurant and Wine Bar. Il Forn and Trattoria Boccaccio are within close proximity and offer traditional Maltese or regional food with distinct and individual atmospheres. Cafe Brazil, The Olde City Pub and other local bars within the area also provide a substantial snack or light meal.
The nearby shops provide all the essentials and also include a growing number of international boutiques. Slightly further afield, Valletta holds the island’s prime shopping district, centred on the 2km long Republic Street which is particularly famous for its many jewellers. The whole area is abuzz from 8am to noon and from 4pm to 8pm, with siesta time intervening in between.
Elsewhere, the expansive Bay Street shopping centre in Paceville covers 3 floors and houses shops, cafes and bars. Similar “total shopping” experiences can be found in the Plaza mall in the centre of Sliema and the Portomaso complex near the Portomaso Tower in Paceville.
