| Home | O | AMENITIES | o | History | o | Fortifications | o | Books | o | Links |
This page provides the visitor with an overview of amenities in Birgu (Vittoriosa), ranging from restaurants and wine bars to the Local Council and even an outdoor flea market.
The development of the Marina waterfront has been accompanied by investment in a number of restaurants mainly in the Old Treasury Buildings. The Two and a half lemon restaurant serves very good food ... if you're prepared to wait patiently for it. One can eat outdoors (as well as indoors), and admire the marina as well as the sea view. There are other restaurants along the Marina including 'Sottovento', 'Tate' (vegetarian) and Manchurian'. Please refer to the companion directory page for links.
There are several other places to eat in Birgu, for example:
Trattoria Boccaccio is in the Couvre Porte area (and is very conveniently located close to the Council's office and the Malta at War museum ). It gives service with a smile, and is excellent value for money.
A long standing establishment is the Cafe Riche in Paul Boffa Street, just outside the fortifications of old Birgu - very close to the main bus stop and to the outdoor market mentioned below..
The Cafe du Brazil - in 'Misrah ir-Rebha' (Victory Square) 1565 ( built on the old site of the Church of St Agatha, and subsequently St Nicholas ) had a major overhaul in 2007. It is centrally situated in Birgu's main square - a good location to see the world go by, but without a view of the sea.
The narrow late medieval streets of Birgu conceal a number of wine bars such as: Del Borgo, Il-Forn (Wine Bar & Art Gallery), and l'Angolo di Vino. Depending on the day of the week, time of day, and time of year they can be quite busy. Each tends to have its own style. Il-Forn provides both indoors seating and a courtyard full of artworks. On the other hand, the 'ambience' of Del-Borgo is much more like that of a wine-cellar with vaulted stone arches.
Birgu Local Council has its office in the 'Couvre Porte' area, leading onto the Ravelin constituting the main complex of fortifications guarding access to Birgu on the landward side. The office sells some of the booklets and media described on a companion page in this website, as well as providing various services and advisory functions for residents and visitors.
There is a small public library in Birgu. It is situated in Triq il-Majjistral (Mistral Street), in a historic building which had been the Auberge d'Angleterre during the mid sixteenth century. An image of a plaque on the library wall is shown alongside - commemorating also the residence nearby of Sir Oliver Starkey who was the Turcopilier (light cavalry commander).
The building is unique in a sense since, after the 'Reformation', the Order of St John did not retain an English 'Langue' for long so it could not justify an English Auberge in the new capital (Valletta), Thus Birgu is the only place where such an English Hospitaller headquarters can be seen. Thankfully it was spared the ravages of the Second World War. The architecture of the building is typical of its time and therefore it is well worth visiting briefly.
The library is modestly stocked, with a reference section as well as books which can be borrowed (if you have the right card). The librarian is very helpful.
Although Birgu is proud to proclaim itself a city, its retail facilities are more in keeping with those of a small to medium sized Maltese village.
There are at least a dozen shops (grocers or 'general stores') in which one can find staple food of some description. Do not expect a range of choice to parallel Fortnum and Mason! The shops tend to be family-run; turnover in the shops is low, and opening hours sometimes erratic and unpredictable. However they provide the basics in a friendly environment and deserve the custom that they get.
One fairly typical example of a small grocer shop is the Malaya store (image alongside). It can be found on the left in Main Gate Street soon after old Birgu entering via the Main Gate and close to the band club associated with the feast and patron saint of the Dominican Church of the Annunciation. The visitor may well wonder what prompted the choice of name. The name 'Malaya' is not haphazard but has good historical, and probably economic reasons. It is named after the Royal Navy 'fifteen inch' battleship Malaya, one of five 'super-dreadnought' sister ships of the Queen Elizabeth Class. Malaya's history started in the First World War (including the Battle of Jutland) and ended just after the Second World War during which she served in the Mediterranean attacking the Italian enemy and escorting Malta convoys. There were once two or three establishments bearing Malaya's name and at that time the most notable (and profitable) was the bar which was frequented by British sailors (including some from the eponymous ship). Now only the grocery remains.
As one walks in the direction of Victory Square on one's right shortly before the Inquisitor's palace, there is another grocery. On the same (Main Gate) Street, other shops include a stationery on the left and a pharmacy with consulting rooms on the right. Once one gets to Victory Square itself, 'l-Arlogg' ('cash and carry') is named after the 'clock' tower (missing as a result of enemy action in World War II).
Birgu also has some stationers' shops, at least one souvenir shop, clothes shops, houseware and ironmongery shops, a couple of butchers (such as in Hilda Tabone Street), a pharmacy (jn Main Gate Street), a few hairdressers and some other establishments.
Small concerns such as these tend not to have a presence in cyberspace, but links to some which do are listed in a companion page.
There is a large outdoor market / 'flea market
' called 'il-Monti'
every Tuesday morning just outside the fortified walls of old Birgu. The hustle and
bustle is evident in the image alongside. The streets alongside and in between
the old and newer lines of fortifications are closed to motor vehicle traffic
and hundreds of hawkers' stalls are set up early in the morning. Goods
sold range from clothing, to housewares, foodstuffs, plants and many more items
besides. By 11.00 am some of the vendors begin to pack up, though others stay
open for longer. 
Incidentally the fortified Notre Dame de Grace gate in the background of the market is young by Birgu's standards as it is part of the outer defences of the Three Cities constructed in the 18th century. It leads on to Zabbar.
The following establishments in Birgu (Vittoriosa) participate in Fair pricing Agreements in Retailing (FAIR):
Antoine Borg , Barbara Store, Barocco Store , Cassar Bakery ,
De La Salle Bookshop , De La Salle Clothes Shop ,
Flumish Petshop , Fortini Kiosk , Franka Lira Bazaar , Franka Lira Ironmonger , Freddie’s Salon ,
Hanut Tal-Laham (Mario Mifsud) , Highlight Stationery ,
L-Arlogg Cash & Carry , Limelite Confectionery ,
Malaya Store , Mary Green Grocer , Mifsud Garage Ltd , Mix Appeal ,
Old City Marine Supplies , Old City Pub , Old Tommy’s Confectionery ,
Parascandalo , Pjazzetta Self Service , Popular Store ,
Quattro Stagioni , Rita Green Grocer , Rock Gate Bar ,
Sala Dumnika Bar , Seasons of Style , Shelton , Sottovento Pizzeria , St Lawrence Discount Store , Step In Bazaar/DVD Rentals ,
The 3 Gates Gift Gallery , Tommy Self Service , & Vittoriosa Pharmacy.
If you're looking for beaches, then Birgu is not the place for you. Sewage and other pollution in the Grand Harbour generally is a problem, and all 'closed' harbour areas are official 'non-bathing' areas.
It is (just) possible to swim in Kalkara creek, the inlet on the East side of the Birgu promontory, but the sea water here is polluted. Moreover the Government announced plans in January 2008 to remove the tank cleaning 'farm' at Rinella and to establish a (small) sandy beach in Kalkara creek. This would clearly entail an overhaul of the surrounding sewerage system, the deposition of thousands of tons of sand, as well as a design such that the sea does not wash it away again. Fingers crossed - pigs may yet fly!
There is a short cut to the Kalkara water front from Birgu through the Gate of Auvergne which is a small tunnel within St James' Bastion just to the East of St James Cavalier (between it and the Post of Castille) thence over a bridge crossing the ditch (moat), and then down several steps - while carefully dodging the business cards of irresponsible dog walkers.
Moreover if one walks through Kalkara it is also possible to swim in the very small sandy bay of Rinella, and a swimmers' zone has been officially designated here. Unfortunately this is overshadowed by the 'tank cleaning farm' but there are plans to remove this and so to make the beach less vulnerable to pollution from this source at least.
The nearest beach subject to the 'bathing water monitoring programme' with a likelihood of being relatively 'safe' from pollution is at Xghajra.
Birgu is apparently too small to have a branch of any bank, or even an ATM.
Bormla (Cospicua) the adjacent youngest one of 'The Three Cities', has branches of the following two banks:
HSBC: 50 Triq il-Pellegrinagg BML 1580 (Tel: 23802380), is the closest bank to Birgu if one walks along the main waterfront (the one facing Isla / Senglea ) in the direction of Bormla (Cospicua) past the old 'Number One Dock'.
Bank of Valletta: 53, Gavino Gulia Square, CSP 02 (Tel: 21312020) is not much further on - in the heart of Bormla.
Letter box No. Street
152
Main Gate Street
153
Victory Square
165
St.Philip Street
166
St. Lawrence Street
167
St. Edward Street
Up to date information should be obtained from the Public Transport Association.
However in summary at the time of writing, the buses usually running from, through or close by the Birgu (Vittoriosa) terminus (just outside the landward city walls) are:
Bus No. Routes [ Summer
and Winter
]
1
Valletta - Marsa - Paola - Drydocks -Three Cities - Birgu
2
Valletta - Marsa - Paola - Drydocks - Three Cities - Birgu
4
Valletta - Marsa - Paola - Drydocks - Three Cities (Birgu) - Kalkara.
6
Valletta - Marsa - Paola - Drydocks - Three Cities (Birgu) - Cospicua.
14 (
an occasional combination of routes 1 and 4 )
.
[ 'Direct'
service i.e. avoiding interchange at Valletta ]
627 Bugibba - Paceville - Sliema - Three Cities (Birgu) - Marsaxlokk
.
[ Night Service ]
118 Paceville
Terminus - Corradino - Senglea - Cospicua - Vittoriosa Terminus (then
it goes on to Zabbar etc)
.
[according to the 2008 timetable this service starts at midnight at 30 mins.
intervals; the last bus is at 01.30 in winter and at 03.00 in summer ]
A family run taxi firm operates from the centre of Birgu
A water taxi service is also available from the Marina entrance