Your Practical Guide to the Battle of Malta 2026 Autumn Edition
The Battle of Malta 2026 autumn edition brings live poker back to St Julian’s from Tuesday 27 October to Wednesday 4 November, with a €600 Main Event carrying a €1,500,000 guarantee. That’s nine days of flights, side events and late finishes, so where you sleep, eat and switch off matters almost as much as your starting stack.
This guide covers the practical side of the trip: getting to the venue from Gżira and Sliema, recovering between sessions, eating well on a tournament schedule, and making good use of a rest day.
What to Expect at the Battle of Malta 2026
The Battle of Malta 2026 autumn festival is held at Casino Malta in St Julian’s, beside the InterContinental at St George’s Bay, with play spread across the casino and the hotel’s Eden Arena. The full schedule carries a €2,000,000 guarantee, and the €600 Main Event is the centrepiece, supported by satellites and a full programme of side events for players who bust early.
The festival began in 2012 and now runs twice a year, with the summer edition held from 27 May to 3 June. The autumn stop is the bigger of the two in 2026. You must be 18 or over to play.
Getting to Casino Malta from Gżira and Sliema
Our properties sit in Gżira, on and just behind the Strand facing Manoel Island. St George’s Bay is further up the coast, past Sliema and Balluta Bay, so most players travel to the casino by bus or taxi rather than on foot.
After a late session, a taxi or ride-hailing app such as Bolt or eCabs is the easiest way back. During the day, public buses run along the coast road between Gżira, Sliema and St Julian’s, and a Tallinja card makes repeat trips cheaper over a long stay. Our guide to getting around Malta by bus, ferry and taxi covers fares and options in more detail.
If the weather’s fair and you have time before your flight, the seafront walk through Sliema and around Balluta Bay is one of the best on the island. It takes a while, so treat it as a warm-up rather than a commute.
Recharging Between Flights
Long tournament days are hard on the back and the brain. Bayview Hotel & Spa is the only property in our portfolio with an indoor pool, sauna, jacuzzi and the Sea Salt Spa, which makes it the natural choice for anyone who wants a proper reset between Day 1 and Day 2. By late October, an indoor pool earns its place.
If you’d rather work the tension off, Azur Hotel has an on-site fitness centre, ideal for a morning session before the afternoon flights.
Or simply walk. The Strand in Gżira looks across Marsamxett Harbour toward the Valletta skyline, and a slow loop along the water clears the head after a bad beat far better than replaying the hand.
Eating Well on a Tournament Schedule
Dinner breaks are short and rarely line up with a reservation. Spinola Bay and the streets around it in St Julian’s have plenty of places for a quick sit-down meal within easy reach of the casino. For something properly Maltese, Ta’ Kris in Sliema serves traditional home-style cooking, including rabbit, the national dish.
For a cheap snack between levels, look for a pastizzeria. Pastizzi, flaky pastries filled with ricotta or mushy peas, are Malta’s everyday fuel and cost very little.
Players on longer stays often prefer to control their own meals. Every unit at Blubay Apartments in Gżira has a kitchen or kitchenette, so you can cook a proper breakfast before a long day at the tables. And when you’re done for the night, the rooftop bar at Alavits Hotel is a calmer spot for a nightcap than the bars of Paceville.
How to Spend a Rest Day During the Battle of Malta 2026
Busted early, or waiting for a later flight? Take the ferry from Sliema across Marsamxett Harbour to Valletta. It’s a short crossing, and Valletta View Apartments and Bayview Hotel & Spa are both around five minutes’ walk from the ferry landing.
Once in the capital, walk up to the Upper Barrakka Gardens for the view over the Grand Harbour, then visit St John’s Co-Cathedral. Our guide to the history of Valletta gives you the background before you go, and turns a few hours off the felt into a proper day out.
Where to Stay for the Battle of Malta 2026
Bayview Hotel & Spa suits players who return late and need to recover, with 24-hour reception, an indoor pool, sauna and spa. Azur Hotel fits early risers who want a workout before play, thanks to its on-site fitness centre. Alavits Hotel offers a rooftop pool and bar for winding down, and its Junior Suite with a Terrace gives you room to spread out over a nine-day festival. Blubay Apartments works well for groups of players sharing a two- or three-bedroom apartment with a full kitchen, and it’s the only property in our portfolio that accepts pets. Valletta View Apartments puts you on the Strand close to the Valletta ferry, with inland two- and three-bedroom apartments that include two bathrooms and a washing machine, useful when you’re packing for a long stay.
Planning to stay on after the final table? Our guide to day trips from Sliema has ideas for Gozo, Mdina and beyond. For wider travel information and what’s on across the islands, visit the Malta Tourism Authority.
