Films and TV Shows Filmed in Malta: Locations to Visit

Malta’s screen locations range from streets you can stroll to a surviving film set you can enter. One caveat for Game of Thrones fans: Malta’s first-season connection is clear, but Screen Malta’s own location page gives mismatched lists, so treat individual sites as leads—not a guaranteed itinerary.

Situation	What to know
Where can I start a Malta film-location walk?	Mdina Gate is identified by Screen Malta as King’s Landing’s entrance in Game of Thrones. The same page’s location list differs from its description, so use it as a clue rather than a complete map.
Which surviving film set can visitors enter?	Popeye Village at Anchor Bay is the original set built for the 1980 Popeye film and operates as a visitor attraction. Check the operator’s current hours and tickets before travelling.
Can I visit Fort Ricasoli?	Its film-backlot history is documented, but that does not establish routine visitor access. Confirm access directly with the responsible site or operator before making the trip.

Begin at Mdina Gate, then read the credits carefully

At Mdina Gate, the real stone arch carries an extra layer of make-believe: Screen Malta says it doubled as the entrance to King’s Landing in Game of Thrones. Mdina also appeared in The Count of Monte Cristo. These are places in a living old city, not a reconstructed studio street; the pleasure is noticing how a familiar frame fits the actual place.

There is a small but important wrinkle in the Game of Thrones paper trail. Screen Malta’s description names Mdina Gate, Birgu streets, Fort Ricasoli and San Anton Palace gardens, while the separate location list on that same page names Mdina, Rabat and Fort Manoel. Pellikola, the local production company that serviced the show, confirms Malta’s first-season shoot and lists locations including Mdina, Fort Ricasoli, Fort Manoel and Fort Sant’Angelo. The lists are useful leads, not a neat scene-by-scene map.

So, was all of Game of Thrones filmed in Malta? The evidence here supports a first-season Malta trail, not the claim that the whole series was shot on the islands. Keep the distinction in mind when a fan map turns one season’s locations into a grand tour of Westeros.

Follow the credits through Valletta and Birgu

For a city-and-harbour stretch, Screen Malta lists Lower Barrakka Gardens, Valletta streets, St John’s Co-Cathedral and Vittoriosa (Birgu) streets as locations for Death and Other Details. That is a promising trail of named places, but a filming credit does not mean every interior is open, or that a particular scene can be identified from the street.

Birgu has another named Game of Thrones connection: Pellikola includes Fort Sant’Angelo among the first-season locations. Heritage Malta separately lists Fort St Angelo as a visitor site. Check Heritage Malta’s current visitor information for access and hours; the filming credit itself does not set the terms of a visit.

The credits reach beyond the capital. Screen Malta lists Mdina and Mellieħa for Napoleon (2023); Visit Malta also names Gladiator, Captain Phillips and World War Z among productions filmed in Malta. Those wider credits make a good viewing list, but they do not always pinpoint a scene or a public entrance.

Popeye Village: the set that stayed

At Anchor Bay in Mellieħa, the set is the destination. Popeye Village was built for the 1980 musical Popeye and still operates as an open-air museum and family attraction. Unlike a street or fort that merely appeared in a production, this is a surviving set visitors can enter.

As of September 30, 2026, the operator’s published schedule says its Mid Season runs from October 1 to November 5, with daily hours of 09:30–17:30; Low Season is listed from November 6, 2026, to April 30, 2027, with daily hours of 09:30–17:00. The operator also lists seasonal ticket prices and direct online booking. These are changeable business details, so check the live page before setting out.

A film backlot is not automatically a visitor attraction

Fort Ricasoli has played a striking role behind the scenes: a 2019 government release describes it as a film backlot and names Gladiator, Troy, Agora and Assassin’s Creed among productions filmed there. That establishes production use, not present-day public access. Check with the responsible operator for current access arrangements before going; do not assume a film credit means you can walk in.

For other locations, use Screen Malta’s filmography to identify a title and place, then check the site’s own visitor information. Streets, gardens, religious sites, palaces and production facilities can have very different access rules; a screen credit alone settles none of them.

Questions people ask

Was every season of Game of Thrones filmed in Malta?

Pellikola confirms that it serviced the first season, which was shot in Malta. That supports a first-season Malta connection, not the claim that the whole series was filmed there.

Which Malta film set can visitors enter?

Popeye Village at Anchor Bay is the original set built for the 1980 Popeye film and operates as a visitor attraction. Check the operator’s current hours, prices and ticket information before visiting.

Can I visit Fort Ricasoli?

Its use as a film backlot is documented, but the sources do not establish routine visitor access. Confirm current access directly with the responsible operator before travelling.

Mdina Gate has played a part on screen. The trail goes further.