Game of Thrones in Malta — The Real King’s Landing Filming Locations
When Game of Thrones Season 1 was filmed, Malta became the original face of King’s Landing.
Long before Dubrovnik. Long before the show became the most watched television series in history. Before the dragons and the White Walkers and the Red Wedding. It started here — in Malta’s honey-coloured bastions, silent medieval streets, and dramatic sea cliffs. It was these limestone walls, these ancient gates, and this extraordinary coastline that first brought Westeros to life on screen.
And for some of us, it was not just a filming location.
It was personal.
I Was There — On Set at the Dothraki Wedding
I was actually on set during the Dothraki wedding scene in Gozo — working as one of the Dothraki extras. Covered in dust, dressed in Dothraki leader-style armour, gripping a plastic scimitar, and shouting kai kai kai as the cameras rolled against the cliffs of Dwejra Bay.
A few of our skippers today were there too. We remember the heat, the dust, the scale of the production, and the strange feeling of standing on Gozo’s ancient volcanic rock wearing leather armour while HBO’s cameras moved around us.
At the time, the Azure Window still stood behind us — that magnificent natural limestone arch that disappeared into the sea in 2017. Khal Drogo and Daenerys were married beneath it. We were in the crowd. None of us imagined, back then, how global this show would become.
Years later, we still pass those same cliffs on our boat tours with guests from all over the world. People who flew to Malta specifically because of a scene that was filmed there in 2010. And every time we round the headland at Dwejra and those cliffs come into view, it genuinely feels special.
Malta was not just a backdrop for Westeros. It was the original King’s Landing. And this guide is written by people who were actually there.
Why Malta Was HBO’s First Choice
When HBO began production on Game of Thrones in 2010, they needed a location that could convincingly portray an ancient, sun-baked Mediterranean city of power. Somewhere with genuine fortifications, dramatic architecture, and a quality of light that no studio set could replicate.
Malta was the obvious answer.
The island has been continuously inhabited for over 7,000 years. The fortifications of Valletta, Mdina, and the Three Cities were built by some of the most sophisticated military architects in history — the Knights of St John. The limestone that forms every wall, every gate, and every street is the same golden-amber colour that glows in afternoon Mediterranean light. The sea caves, the clifftops, the ancient gates — all of it looked like Westeros because, at some level, Westeros was built on the aesthetic of places like this.
Additionally, Malta has a long history of hosting major film and television productions. Gladiator, Troy, and Count of Monte Cristo were all filmed here. The infrastructure, the experience, and the extraordinary variety of locations available within a small island made Malta a filmmaker’s paradise.
For Season 1, Malta provided the visual foundation that the entire world of Game of Thrones was built on.
Mdina – The First King’s Landing
Mdina Gates
Malta’s Silent City as Westeros
Before Dubrovnik took over as King’s Landing from Season 2 onwards, Mdina was the original capital of Westeros. Its narrow alleyways, limestone walls, medieval palazzos, and fortified gates created exactly the atmosphere that early King’s Landing required — ancient, powerful, and slightly forbidding.
Walking through Mdina today, it is easy to see why HBO chose it. The streets are almost entirely unchanged from the medieval period. There are very few permanent residents, which creates a silence and stillness that no constructed set could replicate. The quality of the light on the limestone in the morning is extraordinary — warm, golden, and cinematic.
Mdina Gate — Where Catelyn Stark Arrived
The main gate of Mdina — the Baroque fortified entrance to the city — appeared prominently when Catelyn Stark arrived in King’s Landing in Season 1. The scale of the gate, its imposing towers, and the drama of the approach from outside the walls made it the perfect entry point to Westeros’s capital.
Today, walking through that same gate feels different knowing what was filmed there. Particularly in the early morning before the tour groups arrive, the atmosphere is genuinely cinematic. The stone is the same. The light is the same. The sense of stepping into somewhere ancient and significant is unchanged.
Exploring Mdina as a Game of Thrones Fan
The best way to experience Mdina’s Game of Thrones locations is to arrive before 09:00. After that, tour groups begin arriving and the silent city becomes less silent. In the early morning, however, you can have entire streets completely to yourself — which is exactly what the filming crew experienced.
Beyond the main gate, the inner streets of Mdina reward wandering without a map. Republic Street, the cathedral square, and the bastion walls all featured in Season 1. The views from the bastions — which stretch across the whole of Malta on a clear day — look genuinely dramatic from above, exactly as they did on screen.
💡 Local Tip: Before or after Mdina, stop at Serkin Bar in Rabat — the village just outside the city gate — for pastizzi. €0.50–€1 each, fresh from the oven. The best quick snack on the island, and completely authentic. This is where locals eat, not tourists.
🛡 Fort Ricasoli – The Red Keep’s Gate
Located in Kalkara on the Grand Harbour, Fort Ricasoli doubled as parts of the exterior of the Red Keep. Its massive stone walls, sweeping sea views over the harbour entrance, and imposing gates made it the perfect visual representation of the Lannister stronghold at the heart of King’s Landing.
Fort Ricasoli is one of Malta’s most impressive fortifications — built in the 17th century by the Knights of St John, covering a substantial area of land at the eastern entrance to the Grand Harbour. The scale of the fort is immediately apparent when you approach it from the sea, which is how HBO’s cameras captured it for the show.
The fort is not always open to the public, but the exterior and surrounding walls can be seen from the waterfront in Kalkara. Additionally, several boat tours pass the fort as part of the Grand Harbour circuit — giving you the same sea-level perspective that the production team used when filming the Red Keep exteriors.
San Anton Palace – The Red Keep Gardens
The elegant gardens of San Anton Palace in Attard became the Red Keep Gardens in Season 1. This is where Ned Stark and Petyr Baelish shared one of their early, tense conversations — the beautifully maintained grounds providing a deceptively peaceful backdrop for the political scheming that would define the entire series.
San Anton Palace is the official residence of the President of Malta. The gardens, however, are open to the public and are genuinely beautiful — shaded walkways, exotic plants, ornamental fountains, and the quiet that comes from being away from the city. In contrast to the rugged coastal drama of Dwejra or the fortress weight of Fort Ricasoli, the San Anton gardens offer a softer, more intimate Malta.
It is worth visiting simply as a garden, regardless of the Game of Thrones connection. The combination of Maltese botanical diversity and the historic palace setting makes it one of the more peaceful hours available in the middle of the island.
🌊 Dwejra Bay – The Dothraki Wedding
The Most Iconic Game of Thrones Location in Malta
Of all Malta’s Game of Thrones filming locations, Dwejra Bay in Gozo is the most iconic. This is where the wedding of Khal Drogo and Daenerys Targaryen was filmed — one of the most visually extraordinary scenes in Season 1, and one of the most memorable openings to any episode in the entire series.
At the time of filming, the Azure Window stood behind the wedding party — that magnificent natural limestone arch that collapsed into the sea in a storm in March 2017. Its loss was felt across the world. The arch had been one of the most photographed natural features in the Mediterranean, and its presence in the Dothraki wedding scene gave the location a mythical quality that no constructed set could have achieved.
Those of us who were there during filming remember standing on that ancient volcanic rock in the heat, wearing Dothraki costume, and looking up at the arch against the sky. Even as an extra, even surrounded by camera rigs and production equipment, the scale and drama of the location was overwhelming.
Dwejra Today — Still Extraordinary
The Azure Window is gone, but Dwejra remains one of the most dramatic landscapes in the Maltese islands. The coastline here is unlike anywhere else in Malta — volcanic rock formations shaped over millions of years, deep blue water that changes colour dramatically with the light, sea caves carved into the cliffs, and the Inland Sea — a small lagoon connected to the open sea by a narrow tunnel through the rock.
Standing at Dwejra today, you can still feel the scale of what was filmed there. The cliffs are still there. The wild, exposed character of the landscape is unchanged. And when you look out from the clifftop across the open Mediterranean, understanding why HBO chose this location over every other place they could have chosen becomes very easy.
Exploring Dwejra — The Best Ways to Experience It
The best way to experience Dwejra Bay and the surrounding Gozo coastline is from the sea. Here are the three options:
🚤 Private Boat with Skipper — The Most Rewarding
A private boat with a professional skipper gives you direct access to the Dwejra coastline from the water — the same perspective that the HBO cameras used during filming. Your skipper can navigate along the cliff faces, take you into the sea caves, and position the boat so you get the full visual impact of the landscape from sea level.
Furthermore, a private boat means you can combine Dwejra with the rest of the south Gozo coastline — Mġarr ix-Xini (where Angelina Jolie filmed By the Sea), Xlendi Bay, Ħalfa Rock — all in one tour. The skipper can share the filming stories from the perspective of someone who was actually there.
Book a private Gozo boat tour here.
🏍 Jet Ski Safari — For the Adventurous
For adrenaline lovers, the guided jet ski safari covers the full southwest Gozo coastline at speed. The 2-hour experience takes you across Mġarr ix-Xini, Xlendi Bay, Dwejra Bay, and continues to the Blue Lagoon and Crystal Lagoon on Comino. You ride along towering cliffs, past sea caves, and across open Mediterranean water.
Many guests tell us the jet ski safari is the highlight of their entire Malta trip — and the Dwejra section, with the volcanic cliffs rising on both sides and the deep blue water below, is genuinely unlike anything else available on the island.
No licence required. Book the jet ski safari here.
🛥️ Self-Drive Boat Rental — Total Freedom
If you prefer freedom and flexibility, renting a self-drive boat is an excellent way to explore Gozo’s southwest coastline at your own pace. No skipper, no schedule — cruise along the cliffs, stop for a swim, and approach Dwejra from the water whenever you like. Previous boating experience is recommended.
View self-drive rental options here.
Other Game of Thrones Locations Worth Visiting
Azure Window Memorial, Dwejra
Although the Azure Window itself collapsed in 2017, the site at Dwejra still draws visitors from around the world. A small information marker notes the location of the arch. The Blue Hole dive site immediately adjacent — one of the best diving sites in Malta — is accessible from the same car park.
Victoria (Rabat), Gozo — The Citadella
The Citadella in Victoria featured in several Season 1 scenes as part of the visual language of the show’s fortified cities. Today it is one of the most complete medieval hilltop fortifications in the Mediterranean — cathedral, museums, bastions with panoramic views, and narrow streets that are almost entirely unchanged from the medieval period.
Fort St Angelo, Birgu
Although not directly used in Game of Thrones filming, Fort St Angelo’s visual similarity to the Red Keep — and its position commanding the Grand Harbour — makes it a natural complement to the Fort Ricasoli visit. Additionally, for anyone interested in the fortification aesthetic that made Malta such a convincing Westeros, Fort St Angelo is one of the most impressive examples available.
Planning Your Game of Thrones Malta Visit
Day Trip Itinerary for Game of Thrones Fans
If you want to cover the key locations in one day:
- Morning: Mdina — arrive before 09:00 for the cinematic silence. Walk through Mdina Gate, explore the streets, visit the bastions
- Mid-morning: Fort Ricasoli exterior and Kalkara waterfront
- Lunch: San Anton Gardens in Attard — peaceful, beautiful, and genuinely worth an hour
- Afternoon: Gozo by ferry from Cirkewwa — drive to Dwejra Bay, stand where the Dothraki wedding was filmed
- Late afternoon: Citadella in Victoria, sunset from the bastions
By Private Boat from Gozo
For the Dwejra section specifically, arriving by private boat rather than driving gives you the same sea-level perspective that HBO’s cameras captured. The cliffs from the water are dramatically different from the view on land — more imposing, more textured, and more cinematic.
Book your private Gozo boat tour here. Ask your skipper specifically to take you past Dwejra — and ask them about filming. Several of our team were extras on the day.
Frequently Asked Questions — Game of Thrones Malta
Where was Game of Thrones filmed in Malta?
Season 1 of Game of Thrones was filmed across multiple Malta and Gozo locations including Mdina (which served as the original King’s Landing), Fort Ricasoli in Kalkara (parts of the Red Keep exterior), San Anton Palace gardens in Attard (Red Keep gardens), and Dwejra Bay in Gozo (the Dothraki wedding scene, filmed with the Azure Window as a backdrop).
Is the Azure Window still there?
No — the Azure Window collapsed into the sea during a storm on 8th March 2017. However, the Dwejra Bay location where the Dothraki wedding was filmed is still there, still dramatic, and still worth visiting. The coastline, the volcanic rock formations, and the sea caves are all unchanged.
Can you visit all the Game of Thrones Malta locations in one day?
Yes — with a car, the main locations (Mdina, San Anton Gardens, Fort Ricasoli, and the Gozo ferry to Dwejra) can all be covered in a full day. The Gozo section benefits significantly from being done by private boat rather than by road — the sea-level perspective of Dwejra’s cliffs is genuinely extraordinary and far more cinematic than the view from land.
Were Game of Thrones extras local Maltese people?
Yes — many of the extras for the Malta and Gozo filming were local. The Dothraki wedding scene at Dwejra in particular used a large number of Gozitan and Maltese extras dressed as Dothraki warriors and wedding guests. Several members of our team were there on the day, including in the crowd for the wedding scene itself.
Is Dwejra Bay still worth visiting after the Azure Window collapsed?
Absolutely. The Azure Window was one element of a dramatically beautiful coastline that has been forming for millions of years. The cliffs, the volcanic rock, the Inland Sea, the Blue Hole dive site, and the wild character of the southwest Gozo landscape are all unchanged. In many ways, the removal of the arch has made the wider landscape more visible — the full drama of the Dwejra coastline is easier to appreciate now that attention is not focused on a single feature.
How do I get to Dwejra Bay in Gozo?
By car from Mġarr Harbour — approximately 20 minutes drive. By private boat along the south Gozo coastline from Mġarr — the sea approach gives you the best visual experience of the cliffs and is the same perspective that HBO used during filming. Book a private Gozo boat tour here.
A personal note: When we filmed the Dothraki wedding at Dwejra in 2010, none of us imagined how global Game of Thrones would become. Today, years later, we still pass those same cliffs with guests from all over the world — and it genuinely feels special every time. Malta was not just a backdrop for Westeros. It was the original King’s Landing. And if you explore it by sea, you will understand why HBO chose it in the first place.
👉 Book a private boat tour and see the Game of Thrones filming locations from the sea. | Contact us here.
