10 Famous movie destinations to visit

Film Famous: 10 Movie destinations to visit in your lifetime

Amanda Lim

30 Sep 2015

updated the 6 October 2015 à 22:22

1/10
Grand Bazaar, Istanbul
The Grand Bazaar of Istanbul is the heart of the city and has been featured in numerous films. Most recently, Daniel Craig famously rode a motorcycle atop the iconic market in Skyfall, while Ben Affleck chose it to represent Iran in Argo.

Photo: Getty Images
2/10
Café des Deux Moulins, Paris
This quaint art deco café where Amelie (Audrey Tatou) worked as a waitress has become an iconic symbol of the Parisian Montmartre.
3/10
Christchurch College, Oxford
Of all the films that have featured Oxford University, the Harry Potter Franchise would be the most famous. Not only were several scenes shot in Christchurch College, the building’s hall also served as the main inspiration for the great hall of Hogwarts.
Photo: Getty Images
4/10
Matamata, New Zealand
A trip to New Zealand would not be complete without a mandatory visit to Hobbiton (yes, it’s real now!). While you won’t be able to spend a night in the quaint Hobbit holes, a day surrounded by the streams and sheep will have you believing you’ve stepped into Middle-Earth.
Photo: Getty Images
5/10
Savoca, Italy
The rustic Italian town of Savoca served as the backdrop to the 70s classic, The Godfather. Although the Corleone family came from the Corleone town, filming was shifted to Savoca because the former looked too developed.
6/10
Cesar’s Palace, Las Vegas
While most of you may recognise the suite at Cesar’s Palace from The Hangover, it was also the place where Charlie (Tom Cruise) taught Raymond (Dustin Hoffman) to dance in the 80s hit flick, Rainman.
Photo: Getty Images
7/10
Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles
A visit to Griffith Observatory not only gives you a picturesque view, but also puts you in the exact location where they filmed the legendary Rebel Without a Cause. The observatory also is home to a monument to the late James Dean that is aptly framed by the Hollywood sign in the background.
Photo: Getty Images
8/10
Timberline Lodge, Oregon
The famous Overlook Hotel in psychological film, The Shining, was actually filmed in two locations. The interior was shot in a film studio while the exterior was shot in a ski lodge in Northern Oregon.
9/10
Hotel Sidi Driss, Tunisia
Located in a small Berber’s village, this traditional troglodyte underground building became famous when George Lucas selected it as Luke Skywalker’s childhood home. After the movie, the hotel faded slowly into obscurity till a French Star Wars fan restored it so his fellow fans could have an authentic experience.
10/10
Salzburg, Austria
The hills of Salzburg were once alive with the bright singing voice of Julie Andrews. From the luxurious VonTrapp family home to the convent Maria grew up in, you can visit all the landmarks in Salzburg itself with a dedicated tour.

Has watching a movie ever stirred your wanderlust? We round up 10 travel destinations inspired by our Hollywood favourites.

Is this real life, or just movie fantasy? In this era of Hollywood, filmmakers have chosen to step out of the studios and make their films in real locations. Naturally, this causes the locations themselves to skyrocket to fame.

Thankfully for us, visiting a famous movie location (a.k.a. set-jetting) has been made so easy in recent years thanks to dedicated movie tours and die-hard movie buffs.

It is easy to understand the appeal of movie-inspired travels. Being in a place you’ve seen countless of times that seeing places through a television screen has a magical feeling. Not to mention, it’s great fun to watch your friends get excited when you casually mention you went to the same Parisian café where Amelie was filmed.

If a film has ever inspired you to take off to a far off location, check out our list of countries, cities and landmarks that have been made famous thanks to Hollywood.

Amanda Lim

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