The centre of Valletta falls very quiet when the last office workers and shopkeepers leave for the evening and the only regular nightlife to speak of are events at the Manoel Theatre and the St James Centre (see Culture below) plus a handful of bars. However, a buzzing new scene has just opened on the Valletta Waterfront by the cruise passenger terminal just below the city walls. Here warehouses and facades have been artfully renovated and are now home to fashionable bars, restaurants, two clubs and shops. Large outdoor seating areas face onto the harbour.

In the city centre is Trabuxu, 1D Strait Street, a classic underground wine bar, while just a few doors away Maestro e Fresco, 8-9 South Street, is a more bohemian-style wine bar which hosts live music most nights. Café Jubilee, 125 St Lucia Street, is a pleasant and friendly little bar decorated Parisian brasserie style, where you can get decent bar food and a late drink. Sacha's Bar & Bistro, 37 South Street, is run by one of Malta's top musicians and offers a variety of live music most nights, from classical and jazz to pop and folk. On the Waterfront, Q Bar is the best after-hours venue serving up Asian-fusion food, top DJs and live bands. Theme nights at neighbouring V5 include jazz, latino, country and western and classic rock.

For nightclubs and a larger choice of bars you have to go to St Julian's 8km (5 miles) by road where Paceville (pronounced patch-ay ville) is the island's nightlife hub. The vast majority of clubs and bars here are aimed at holidaymakers in their late teens/early 20s.