Malta has become one of the most sought after filming locations in Europe. Discover some film locations in Malta ahead of your trip!
The Maltese islands have become one of the most sought after filming locations in Europe. The islands have been featured in several popular films and TV series including Gladiator, Troy and more recently, Game of Thrones. Discover which locations in Malta have been used as filming locations before planning your trip to Malta and visiting the locations yourself!
Mdina
The historical city of Mdina, also known as 'the silent city' has been recognised by several local and foreign directors as an ideal filming location. Mdina was used to film some scenes in the 2002 adventure film 'The Count of Monte Cristo' starring Guy Pearce and Richard Harris. More recently, the Mdina gate was used in the filming of popular TV series 'Game of Thrones' in its first series.
Valletta
Valletta, the capital city of Malta has also been featured in several films. In recent years Valletta was used as a filming location for zombie thriller 'World War Z', whose cast included Brad Pitt and Mireille Enos. Other films that have been shot in Valletta include 1995 film 'Cutthroat Island', historical drama 'Munich' as well as 'Midnight Express'.
Popeye Village
Popeye Village, located at Anchor Bay, on the north side of the island, was originally built purposely for the film 'Popeye' in 1980 starring Robin Williams. You can still visit the film set today as it now serves as an open air museum full of family entertainment - it's very popular with both locals and tourists!
Fort Ricasoli
Fort Ricasoli is a large fortification in Kalkara built between 1670 and 1693 which boasts wonderful views of Malta's Grand Harbour. It's history and charm has made it the perfect location for shooting some very popular films. These include the historical dramas 'Gladiator' starring Russel Crowe, 'Troy' and 'Agora'.
Vittoriosa
Vittoriosa is an old fortified city on the south side of the Maltese island overlooking the Grand Harbour. The city served as a film set for romantic comedy 'Swept Away' directed by Guy Ritchie and starring Madonna. Other films, such as 'The Da Vinci Code' and 'The Count of Monte Cristo' also filmed some of their scenes here.
Gozo
Malta's sister island, Gozo has also received considerable interest from the filming industry. Last summer, Mġarr ix-Xini in Gozo was used as the filming location for 'By The Sea', a dramatic film written by Angelina Jolie and starring herself and Brad Pitt, which is set for release later this year. The Azure Window in Gozo has also been featured in a number of films and TV series including the 1981 film 'Clash of the Titans', 'The Count of Monte Cristo' and TV series 'Game of Thrones'.
Comino
The beautiful clear waters surrounding the small and tranquil island of Comino have also attracted a fair amount of interest from the film industry. St Mary's Tower, built in 1618 to defend the island has been featured in 'The Count of Monte Cristo' whereas the gorgeous Blue Lagoon, pictured above, was featured in Guy Ritchie's 'Swept Away' as well as a TV mini-series called 'Helen of Troy'.
Which film location are you most looking forward to visiting when you're next in Malta?
Author: Sabine Jung
Sources: http://www.corinthia.com/insider/2014/oct/a-film-buffs-guide-to-the-best-movies-shot-in-malta/, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_shot_in_Malta, http://www.visitmalta.com/en/filming-locations, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Ricasoli
