Mary Schmich once said, “You can map your life through your favorite movies, and no two people’s maps will be the same.”
If you are a movie buff that loves to travel, start packing your suitcase! Directors have scoured the earth for exotic settings, and there are quite a few movie sets that you can visit. You can relive your favorite cinematic moments by visiting some of the following famous filming locations:
LORD OF THE RINGS — MATAMATA, NEW ZEALAND
If you are a fan of heroes with furry feet, you should visit Hobbiton in real life! Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy was filmed near the rural village of Matamata, in New Zealand. The Shire set took an entire year to build, and was carefully designed to emulate the fictional landscape described in J.R.R. Tolkien’s books. The movie set has now been turned into a permanent tourist attraction, and you can take a two-hour walking tour around the 12-acre set. On a Hobbiton Movie Set Tour, you will see Bilbo Baggins’ house (Bag End), other hobbit holes, the mill, The Green Dragon Inn, and the well manicured gardens.
STAR WARS — MATMATAT-AL-QADIMAL, TUNISIA
If you want to visit a galaxy far, far away, grab your lightsaber and head to Hôtel Sidi Driss in Tunisia. The now nicknamed “Star Wars Hotel” was used as a filming location in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. The structure (with its series of pits, tunnels, and staircases) is located in a Berber village in the arid Tunisian desert. It was used as the Lars homestead on Tatooine, where Luke Skywalker grew up. The hotel is open year-round and many of the original Star Wars decorations are still intact.
HARRY POTTER — OXFORD, ENGLAND
If you want to enroll at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, head to Oxford University. You can see the famous stone staircase and gothic cloisters (hallways) of Christ Church College. Its dining hall was not used as a filming location, but did serve as inspiration for the Hogwarts’ Great Hall. Another popular site for Potterheads is Duke Humfrey’s Library, where Harry used his invisibility cloak to search floor-to-ceiling stacks of books in “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.” Wizards and muggles alike can explore the classical architecture around campus with a self-guided, or professional “Harry Potter” themed, walking tour.
INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE — PETRA, JORDAN
If you are searching for the holy grail, you should head to Petra in Jordan. This wonder of the world was used as a filming location for the third installment of the Indiana Jones franchise back in 1989. The ancient city is full of historic caves, temples, and tombs carved from rose colored sandstone. It is sometimes referred to as the “Rose City.” In the movie, Al Khazneh, the treasury building in Petra, was used as the “Canyon of the Crescent Moon” where Indy finds the holy grail. You will find numerous tours to choose from if you decide to visit this spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Site.
THE SOUND OF MUSIC — SALZBURG, AUSTRIA
The hills are still alive years after the 1965 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical became a hit. You can trace the footsteps of Julie Andrews by visiting shooting locations such as Nonnberg Abbey, the Mirabell Gardens, the Gazebo at Hellbrunn, and the Residence Square Fountain. You can also learn more about the real Maria von Trapp by visiting The Trapp Villa. The family’s former residence is now a hotel that offers daily guided tours. You can explore this beautiful Austrian city on your own, or sign up for the official Sound Of Music Tour – it lasts approximately four hours.
GAME OF THRONES — DUBROVNIK, CROATIA
If you really believe “winter is coming,” you should hurry up and see the Game of Thrones filming locations in Dubrovnik. The 13th-century coastal city was the setting for King’s Landing. Its old town, now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, features gorgeous Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque structures. You can choose from dozens of Game of Thrones walking tours to see series locations such as The Red Keep, Littlefinger’s Brothel, King’s Landing Harbor, and the Steps of the Great Sept of Baelor (where Cersei Lannister did her walk of shame).
THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION — MANSFIELD, OHIO, USA
You can “do time” like famous inmates Andy Dufresne and Ellis “Red” Redding by touring the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield. The imposing nineteenth-century building used in The Shawshank Redemption was a real prison that operated until 1990. Behind its elegant, castle-like facade is one of the world’s tallest freestanding steel cell blocks, containing 600 cells. You can explore the prison via a self-guided tour, but hardcore movie fans prefer the Shawshank Tour that highlights specific filming locations, props, set pieces, and costumes used in the movie.
GLADIATOR — AIT BENHADDOU, MOROCCO
If you were entertained by Maximus Decimus Meridius, you should visit the town of Ait Benhaddou in southwestern Morocco. Its striking earthen clay architecture and red desert landscape features prominently in the film Gladiator. The scenes where Maximus is sold into slavery and trained to become a gladiator were filmed there. The ksar (fortified village) is now a Unesco World Heritage Site, and you can visit it via a day trip from Marrakech or a longer desert safari.
LARA CROFT: TOMB RAIDER — SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA
Angelina Jolie fans can travel to the Ta Prohm Buddist temple, where she kicked butt as archaeologist Lara Croft. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is located near the city of Siem Reap, approximately one kilometer east of Angkor Thom. You can explore over 50 towers with carved faces and other bas-reliefs. You can also enjoy the lush jungle surroundings and the gigantic trees growing out of the ruins. We recommend buying the Angkor Archaeological Park pass that includes access to Ta Prohm, as well as Angkor Wat, Bayon, and other famous temples.
X-MEN — VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA
Comic Book lovers can attend Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters like their favorite superheroes in the X-Men series. You simply need to visit Hatley Castle near the city of Victoria, on Vancouver Island. The opulent mansion was built In 1906 by the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, James Dunsmuir. It housed his family, then stood ready as a backup residence for the British Royal Family during WWII, then became a naval training facility. The castle now houses Royal Roads University. You can tour the castle and its beautiful gardens.
Hopefully this article has shown you that you can combine your two passions: travel and movies! You should visit at least some of the above, and research filming locations from your own favorite films.