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Family fun for young and old
In the middle of the bright blue Mediterranean Sea, just south of Sicily, lie the islands of Malta, Gozo and Comino. They are characterized by their mild climate, beautiful landscapes and diverse cultural heritage.
The Mediterranean islands are especially popular with divers. Whether you are looking for coastal dives or are more into boat dives, the choice of dive sites is as diverse as the life underwater.
In addition to sheer countless wrecks, steep coastlines, underwater tunnels and canyons, Malta also offers a variety of fish and other marine life. The countless caves, reefs and wrecks can be reached either from shore or by boat and are suitable for beginners and advanced divers. Thanks to minimal tides, a rocky bottom and clear sea water, you can enjoy excellent underwater visibility in Malta.
But Malta is also an unforgettable destination for a family vacation. Child-friendly beaches, theme and aqua parks, as well as zoos provide a special experience for adults and for children at the same time.
Especially interesting, for young and old, are the various film locations on Malta. More than 300 movies and series have been filmed on Malta and its sister islands Gozo and Comino. Some of the most famous were blockbusters like the hit series Game of Thrones, the Da Vinci Code after Dan Brown, Gladiator and World War Z. But family films like Popeye, whose set village Popeye Village can still be visited today, and heroes like Asterix and Vicky the Viking also found their way onto the world's screens here. Currently, the third part of the international success Jurassic World: Dominion is being completed on site.
Whether it's 19th century Rome or Marseille or King's Landing in the fictional Westeros from Game of Thrones - multifaceted Malta can be anything. In the alleys of the old capital Mdina with its mixture of medieval and baroque architecture, the characters of Game of Thrones already loved and died in King's Landing or King's Landing, the capital of the Seven Kingdoms.
The bright rocky bays on the turquoise seashore of the archipelago are literally "picture-perfect" as a setting - Madonna already stepped out of the turquoise blue waters there with siren-like elegance. But the capital Valletta is also rich in film locations such as East Street or the imposing Fort St. Elmo, where scenes from Midnight Express were shot in 1978. For the multi-million dollar production Munich from 2005, Steven Spielberg relocated seven different countries on the screen to Malta - so East Street in Valletta becomes a street in Greece; the piazza in front of the National Library becomes Rome, another one Jerusalem.
It is not only as a film set that Malta makes "bella figura": famous filmmakers such as Steven Spielberg, Ridley Scott and Guy Ritchie have also succumbed to the charm of the sun-drenched archipelago in their private lives. Film stars such as Russell Crowe, Madonna, Sean Connery and Brad Pitt also worked successfully on location and come back there.
"Mini Hollywood" on Malta
With huge water tanks off the vastness of the Mediterranean, Mediterranean Film Studios specializes in spectacular overwater and underwater effects: James Bond's Casino Royaleand the submarine film U-571 as well as the German-international Sky production Das Boot have already been staged in the tanks.
The Malta Film Commission, as the official authority, aims to promote these international moving image productions in the country. It advocates for filming and also published the Malta edition of the World Film Locations series in 2015. The Malta Tourism Authority additionally supports projects in planning and implementing their ideas on location.
Malta invites you on a journey through film history
The Malta Film Tours offer exclusive tours of the most popular film locations such as the "perennial favorite" among adults, the Game of Thrones tour. What makes the tours special: Local extras Malcolm and Elizabeth Ellul, dressed in appropriate costumes, offer small groups and private tours personal insights into the production on set, anecdotes about the original locations and a unique experience following in the footsteps of the stars. As a starting point for the journey of discovery in the footsteps of Hollywood stars, we recommend The Phoenicia just outside the capital city of Valletta. In this peaceful, luxurious urban oasis, you can stay like the stars themselves - during the filming of Gladiator, for example, it already accommodated the British actor Oliver Reed and his U.S. colleague Joaquin Phoenix, as well as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jeremy Jordan and Antonio Banderas.
The hotel, which is just a two-minute walk from the city center, even became an actor itself recently: at the end of 2020, the feature film Mix up in the Mediterranean was filmed here, which is scheduled to be broadcast this month.
Starting from The Phoenicia, other important locations can also be visited: Popeye the Sailor and sailor wife Olivia provide family fun at Popeye Village. The film set of the 1980 musical production, with 19 houses, a playground and its own bay, is now an open-air museum of a different kind: a popular tourist attraction, just three kilometers from the town of Mellieha. Young and old can dance with professional performers to witty choreographies, safely splash around in the crystal-clear, shallow waters of Anchor Bay, or simply bask in the sun on the beach and comfortable bathing islands - a Malta vacation that will linger long with visitors young and old.
Profit play: A journey for two
Who would like to go once even on the traces of Hollywoodstars, magic film locations and genuine actors, can seize a journey for two persons in the current profit play of the tourism office Malta in co-operation with Malta film Tours and The Phoenicia Malta.
As profit lures a stay on the sun-spoiled island inclusive flights with Air Malta from Germany, three overnight accomodation with breakfast in the five-star hotel The Phoenicia Malta, a member of The Leading Hotels OF the World, as well as a private film route with Malcolm and Elizabeth Ellul. The Maltese acting couple have themselves been involved in the filming of more than 100 movies on location, from Games of Thrones to Troy to Assassin's Creed. For his guests, the two will reveal all sorts of secrets from the set in a four-hour excursion for two.
To participate, go to https://malta.reise/filmtourismus-auf-malta.
The picturesque island state Malta offers as vacation goal more than the heart desires.
Further Information
MTA - Malta Tourism Authority
Visit Malta - Official Destination Partner
Malta on Taucher.Net