The new BBC drama Two Weeks in August follows a group of holidaymakers at a Mediterranean villa whose relaxing break slowly curdles as secrets surface — and the island itself may not be what it seems. On screen it reads as a remote Greek island. In reality, not a single frame was shot in Greece. The whole series was filmed in Malta and Gozo, and the locations are just as tempting in real life.
The opening episode's island-establishing scenes were shot at Imġiebaħ Beach on Malta's northern coast. It's a secluded, undeveloped stretch of dark sand with clear turquoise water and a genuinely quiet atmosphere — a rarity on an island that can get crowded in summer.
The rugged cliff and terraced dry-stone field shots come from Wied il-Mielah on Gozo, near the Għar tal-Qrewis sea cave. This is the same northwestern corner of Gozo where the famous Azure Window arch once stood at Dwejra Bay, before it collapsed into the sea in 2017. The limestone scenery remains dramatic even without its former star landmark.
As for the villa itself, fans hoping to book 'Villa Paradeisos' for their own getaway will be disappointed. According to CN Traveller, the villa was pieced together from several locations, including a purpose-built set near the cliffs of southern Malta — so there's no Airbnb listing to snap up.
One filming spot you can absolutely visit is the small harbour and fish market, filmed at Mġarr ix-Xini. This narrow bay near the village of Sannat on Gozo sits well away from the main tourist trail, with calm turquoise water and an appealingly undeveloped feel. Some viewers also think a later beach scene (episode two) was shot at San Blas Bay, another secluded Gozo cove — a tip worth testing if you're retracing the series.
For travellers, this is a handy reminder that Malta and Gozo can double for Greece convincingly — and often for less money and with easier connections. Gozo, Malta's slower, greener sister island, rewards visitors who venture past the ferry port: coastal walks between coves, fishing villages, and swimming spots like Mġarr ix-Xini that feel far removed from the resort crowds. If the show's mix of sun, secrecy and slow-burning tension appeals, you can walk the same cliff paths and swim the same bays — no plot twists required.
