Malta for Thronies: Visiting Filming Locations from Game of Thrones via Motorhome

It may come as a surprise, but the little Mediterranean island of Malta is quite the multi-talented filming location! From Jerusalem to Rome to ancient Greece, the island’s picturesque cities have been stunt doubles for a wide variety of times and places. In 2010, it became a part of The World of Ice & Fire — and since then, Game of Thrones fans across the globe have added it to their travel bucket lists!

Crossing the Strait

A trip to Malta from the European mainland is almost as exciting as Tyrion’s crossing to Essos. Of course, when you go, you won’t be locked in a crate, and you can choose between two ferry companies. You can head out from the Italian city of Salerno to Valletta, or you can make a pit stop on Sicily first and then leave from Augusta or Pozzallo. Before you head out on your Malta adventure, though, you should know that the first campsite on the island opened in 2004 and that there aren’t many people who camp in motorhomes around here (they’re about as rare as dragons in Westeros!). Their numbers are growing, but as of right now, only the Malta Scouts Association Campsite near Mellieħa and the Malta Campsite in the north of the island are designed and equipped for motorhomes.

Ricasoli Lighthouse, Valletta Harbour © pixabay/Kirk Fisher

King’s Landing — Malta’s Capital

Although Valletta is the smallest capital of any EU member state, there’s so much for Game of Thrones fans to discover because of its uncanny resemblance to King’s Landing. The different forts on the harbour are particularly eye-catching: Each of them represents another part of the Red Keep. Arya Stark’s hiding spot in the dungeons of Red Keep is actually the cellar of Fort St. Angelo, and Fort Ricasoli lends its entrance gate to the fortress in the series. As you continue along Eagle Street, the steep stairs and stone houses will make you think that Arya was just there to trade a pigeon for some bread. The first season’s most dramatic event, the scene where Ned Stark is executed at the Sept of Baelor, was filmed just a short walk away: Here, at Fort Manoel, is where you'll wrap up your first exciting day in Westeros.

The streets of Valletta © pixabay/Gabriel LE NAOUR

The Gate to Another World

The second part of your Game of Thrones tour takes place in the towns of Mdina and Rabat. These were also filming locations used to depict the Westeros capital, King’s Landing. In Mdina, you should walk through the city gate, just as Catelyn Stark and Ser Rodrik did when they arrived at King’s Landing. From here, head to Pjazza Mesquita, where you’ll not only find Littlefinger’s Brothel, but you’ll also come across a lovely square that’s ideal for taking a break and soaking up the sun. When you’re ready to continue, head to the south of the city and visit St. Dominic’s Convent. They filmed the scene where Ned Stark tells Cersei that he knows her secret in the convent's inner garden. The last stop of the day is somewhat outside of Rabat, and it brings you from Westeros to Essos. The Verdala Palace is the Maltese president’s summer residence, but it was used in the series to depict the Pentos estate of Illyrio, the merchant-prince. This is where he hides the Targaryen siblings and where he introduces Daenerys to her fiancé, Khal Drogo, for the first time.

On Tour with the Dothraki

The last part of your tour brings you to the northwestern part of Malta and the neighbouring island of Gozo. They transformed the village of Manikata into the shepherd-village of the Lhazareen people, where the witch Mirri Maz Durr takes revenge on Khal Drogo by poisoning him. When you leave Manikata, you can choose to spend the rest of the day on Gozo, or you can stop at the cliffs of Mtahleb. These impressive cliffs would be worth seeing even if they had no connection to the series, but Game of Thrones fans know that this is where Daenerys took leadership of the khalasar after Khal Drogo’s demise. The ferry to Gozo brings you to the last stop on this tour. The famous Azure Window, a limestone arch, once stood here at an impressive 28 m tall. Unfortunately, it collapsed in March 2017 due to stormy weather. Nevertheless, you won't want to pass up the opportunity to go to the rocky coast: After all, how often do you get the chance to stand on the spot where the sun and moon married and where Daenerys was given her dragon eggs?

Unfortunately, there aren't many places to go camping on Malta, but camping.info has loads of campsites for your journey to and from this Mediterranean gem.