Are you a movie lover? Have you marvelled over movie locations as much as the script and score? Maybe you’ve thought about visiting some of the places featured in your favourite movies. Today, we bring you part one of our top ten unmissable movie locations to visit on your next holiday.
Movie Locations: Europe
We start with Rome and Naples, both featured heavily in the ‘eat’ section of Eat, Pray, Love. This iconic movie about finding one’s true self—through a combination of food, spirituality, and self-value—takes us to some beautiful locations worldwide. Hundreds of years of culture, still honoured to this day, let us discover the wealth of history that Italy has to offer. And let’s be honest—you’ll never find better pasta or pizza than in Italy!
Those who enjoyed the visual and scripted quirks of The Grand Budapest Hotel can visit parts of the hotel itself in Germany! The Görlitz department store, with its Art Nouveau style, dates from the beginning of the twentieth century. Operations ceased in 2009, and the building closed its doors in 2010. A frequent victim of vandalism, it’s interior features in The Grand Budapest Hotel. Thankfully, it is enjoying a renewal of interest and will reopen as a department store.
While the whole story is set in France, Les Miserables lovers may find it surprising to know that only one small part of the movie takes place there! Jean Valjean is out on parole and treks through mountains to find freedom. This sweeping landscape is that of Gourdon in the Alpes-Maritimes region. After securing a bag of loot from a church—and getting away with it, thanks to the kindly bishop—he continues his journey. We then find ourselves back in England’s ‘France’ for the rest of the movie.
Movie Locations: Further Afield
Buhhhh-dum. Buhhhh-dum. All of us know John Williams’ iconic two notes that hint of the approaching threat. The movie Jaws set the bar not only for thriller movies, but also box office records. Now widely seen as one of the greatest movies ever made, the movie was shot mostly on location in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. Fans today can (and do) still visit this placid island… Just watch out for sharks!
Who among us movie buffs can say that we’ve never pictured ourselves driving out of the Ghostbusters’ fire station in the ECTO-1, proton packs at the ready? Well, for most of us, that dream won’t come true. But that’s simply because the good people of the New York Fire Department will be driving out of there themselves! Hook and Ladder 8 is a working firehouse that you can visit it in Tribeca, New York.
Tune in next time for part two of our movie locations tour. In the meantime, stay safe and travel happy!
