Gzira Holidays
Gzira Holidays – Access all areas!
The town of Gzira adjoins Sliema on the peninsula opposite Malta’s historic fortified capital Valletta of which it offers dramatic views especially at night. Gzira is very well served for facilities – shops, banks and transport – and with Sliema next door there are plenty of restaurants too.
Gzira makes a good base for exploring the islands. From the waterfront where Gzira joins Sliema, the ferry crosses to Valletta in a few minutes offering easy access to the delights of the capital built in the sixteenth century by the Hopitaller Knights of St John (The ‘Knights of Malta’).
Many enjoyable boat trips leave from the same spot: you can tour Malta’s famous harbours, circumnavigate the island or take a day trip over to the tiny island of Comino and Malta’s favourite swimming spot, the shimmering Blue Lagoon.
When to go
Gzira is open for business throughout the year so it just depends what you are looking for. Sun and sea are at their most tempting in the summer, while spring and autumn are better for sightseeing and exploring. Sea temperatures remain comfortable for swimming well into October (although it is best not to swim off the rocks when it is windy). Even winter can be very pleasant and both accommodation and flights are dramatically cheaper at this time of year.
The weather in Gzira
Summers are hot and dry with temperatures regularly topping 30 ºC in July and August and hardly a drop of rain. Autumn is warm too with daytime highs well into the twenties throughout September and October though it can get windy. Spring highs tend to be in the lower twenties but it is drier than the autumn. Even in January you can expect five hours a day of sunshine and highs around 15 ºC.
Getting the best deal
If you are looking to travel on a budget, winter is the time to go. Except over Christmas and New Year, prices in winter are a fraction of the cost in summer. Even spring and autumn can be much cheaper than the peak months of July, August and September. You never know what you might find, though, at any time of year, so take a look at our best deals below and our late offers here.
Airport and transport need to know
Malta is easy to get to; just three hours flying time from Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Bristol, Leeds-Bradford, Edinburgh or East Midlands Airport. Flights arrive at Malta International Airport, where you will rarely find much of a queue.
It is less than a 45-minute drive to Gzira. Malta has a good bus system with a 2-hour ticket costing just €2.20 (under £2) but to get to Gzira you have to change making it not ideal with luggage. If the budget will stretch a taxi might be better.
Cabs are readily available and fares from the airport are regulated. The journey to Gzira should cost €20 (about £16). Agree this with your driver before travelling.
You could, of course, hire a car. However, parking in Gzira is regulated and driving in Malta, though officially on the left as in the UK, can be erratic.
The best beaches in Sliema
Malta has plenty of places to swim. A few are sandy beaches, many rocky foreshores, where Maltese and visitors alike gather to sunbathe and enjoy some of the clearest waters in Europe. The sandy beaches are mainly in the north of the island, particularly at Mellieha Bay – as well as on Gozo and Comino, while rocky ‘beaches’ are everywhere.
The closest sandy beach to Gzira is the man-made beach at St George’s Bay, just the other side of St Julian’s and Paceville. This was Malta’s first blue flag beach – and it continues to receive this accolade. It has all the usual beach facilities as well as being close to lots of bars, restaurants, takeaways, a cinema and bowling alley.
For rocky shore swimming and plenty of ‘beach life’ just head to neighbouring Sliema where 3km of seafront attract plenty of swimmers, snorkellers and water sports enthusiasts throughout the summer. Cafes and bars are dotted along the seafront, right on the rocks, and there are lidos too if you prefer your swimming enclosed.
If you are looking for seclusion, take off to Peter’s Pool, a rocky cove on the Delimara Peninsula. Here you will find few people (probably none outside peak summer season) and inviting swimming water (in calm seas only). A five minute walk from the road, Peter’s Pool has no facilities except rocks to laze on and access to the clear blue Mediterranean Sea.
