movies about tourism

21 Best Travel Movies That Will Inspire Your Wanderlust

By Author Jurga

Posted on Last updated: September 8, 2023

Are you looking for some good movies about travel to kindle your wanderlust? This article has some great suggestions and some of the best travel films of all time . Find out!

Have you ever found yourself inspired to travel to one or the other location just because you saw it in a movie? It happens to me all the time! So in this article, I share some of my favorite travel movies , the ones that got me googling the filming location and planning a trip before the movie was even over.

If you are looking for a good story or some travel inspiration, then you’ll definitely find it in these films. These are one by one great travel movies and stories that will get you out of the couch and booking a trip to discover new destinations.

Below is my personal selection of some of the best travel movies of all time. Take a look!

Click on the title of the movie to see reviews, get a DVD, or watch it on Amazon Prime . Some of these movies are also available on Netflix.

These are the best travel films:

Into The Wild

Into The Wild is an unbelievable true story of a top student and athlete who abandons everything he has and hitchhikes to Alaska to live in the wilderness. This movie will probably stay with you forever.

It’s an inspiring story taking place in the most incredible landscapes of Alaska. If you choose just a few movies to watch from this list, definitely include this one in your selection!

The Way is a heart-warming story of a father who heads overseas to retrace the last days of his son’s life who passed away while traveling the Camino de Santiago trail in the Pyrenees (France – Spain). Once he gets there, he decides to take the pilgrimage himself.

This movie is about family, friendships, and life choices. And of course, the beautiful places along Camino de Santiago. It’s a powerful story that will make you think deeper about the difference of the life we live and the life we choose.

Under The Tuscan Sun

Under The Tuscan Sun is a romantic story that takes place in rural Tuscany . Lovely landscapes, an Italian lifestyle, and a heart-warming life story make it a perfect choice for a relaxing evening.

This beautiful light-hearted movie will get you planning a trip to Tuscany in Italy sooner than you think.

The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty

The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty   is a light-hearted story for a movie night with friends. The movie features some of the most incredible travel destinations all over the world.

A lot of the scenes (even the ones from the Himalayas and Afghanistan) are filmed in Iceland and some in Greenland . The unbelievable adventures of Walter Mitty will leave you longing for an extraordinary adventure of your own.

This film is so good that it has inspired thousands and thousands of people to travel more and discover new places. If you watch just one movie from this list of the best travel films, make it ‘The Secret Life of Walter Mitty’. You’ll love it!

A Walk in the Woods

A Walk in the Woods movie is based on a true story and a book by Bill Bryson, A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail .

The famous writer who never hiked much sets on the Appalachian Trail. With a total length of about 2,200 miles (3,500 km), this famous American hiking trail stretches through 14 states along the east coast of the United States, from Georgia to Maine.

I haven’t read the book and the reviews are somewhat mixed (it seems that people either love or hate Bryson and his writing style). But I find that the movie is really funny, entertaining, and the scenery will definitely inspire you to get outdoors and take a hike of your own.

Out of Africa

Ok, I know it’s an old one, but Out of Africa definitely deserves a place in the all-time favorite travel movies list.

Filmed in Kenya and the UK, this classic that has won 7 Oscars and countless other prizes will definitely get you dreaming of Africa. It’s one of those movies that you can watch again and again.

The Motorcycle Diaries

The Motorcycle Diaries is an awe-inspiring film that is based on the memoirs of Che Guevara.

It will take you to the most beautiful places in South America. A beautiful story in an incredible setting.

In Bruges  is very different from all the rest of the travel movies on this list. But I just had to include this movie in the top-20 of the best travel films because it’s filmed in Belgium, where we live.

It’s a hilarious dark comedy and a great performance by all three main characters in the most fantastic setting in Belgium’s most beautiful fairytale town.

If you haven’t been to Bruges, you’ll definitely want to visit it after watching this movie! Here you can find some inspiration with our insider tips for the best things to do in Bruges .

Before Sunrise – Before Sunset – Before Midnight

If you like Europe and deep meaningful dialogues with a good dose of humor, you’ll love this trilogy called Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, and Before Midnight . We only discovered these films recently when we accidentally saw the first one, Before Sunrise, on TV. 

Regarded as one of the most significant films of the ’90s, Before Sunrise, was followed by two more sequels. We watched all three films and loved every second of it.

The first movie takes you to Vienna, Austria, the second one – to Paris, and the third – to the Greek Islands.

These travel films are probably not for everyone, but if you can appreciate this style, you’ll love them all!

Amélie

If you haven’t been to Paris yet, you will definitely want to plan a trip after watching this movie. If you have, you’ll want to return.

Amélie is a beautiful example of French cinema. It will also take you to the most inspiring locations in Paris. The film is set in the Montmartre neighborhood in Paris and shows you the more local side of living in this fascinating city.

This travel movie is based on a true story of a young woman who sets on a journey of over 1,000 miles hoping to recover after the passing of her mother.

Wild  is full of beautiful scenes throughout the Pacific Northwest in the U.S. This is one of those travel films that remind you that often the journey is more important than the destination.

Lost In Translation

A beautiful film that shows the fun and unexpected side of traveling in a new country. Lost In Translation is about the many little random travel experiences that stay with you long after you return back home.

The sights and the energy of Tokyo will get you planning a trip to Japan.

‘Lost in Translation’ is considered a real classic and one of the best travel films ever.

Midnight in Paris

Midnight in Paris is a bit different travel film than all the rest in this selection. And it’s probably not for everyone…

But if you like Woody Allen, Paris, and the artist lifestyle, then you’ll love this surreal story that takes you back to Paris of the 1920s.

A Good Year

A Good Year is a light-hearted romantic story that takes place in the most beautiful setting in the Provence region in the South of France.

This movie will not only inspire you to visit France but might also make you reconsider your life choices. It’s a story about leaving the rat race, getting back to your roots, and enjoying the simple things in life.

A truly great film!

The Way Back

The Way Back is inspired by an incredible true story of seven prisoners from very different backgrounds who try to escape from a Siberian prison in winter.

This movie is filmed in some amazing locations in India, Morocco, and Bulgaria and features some great actors.

The Beach is a great film from the ’90s that has a little bit of everything: good story, beautiful music, and amazing scenery from Thailand. Oh, and the young Leonardo DiCaprio, who once again proves that he deserves the Oscar he finally got recently.

For a while, Thailand even had to close Maya Beach on Koh Phi-Phi due to its increasing popularity which has been attributed mainly to this film. So if you feel inspired to visit Thailand after watching ‘The Beach’, you may want to look for some alternative beaches and beautiful islands.

You can find some inspiration in our Thailand island hopping itinerary .

Tracks is a beautiful adventure film of a young woman who crossed 1,700-miles over the deserts of West Australia with four camels and her faithful dog.

It’s based on a true story and featuring some amazing Australian landscapes. A beautiful film that will inspire you to visit the Australian Outback !

Encounters At The End Of The World

Encounters At The End Of The World is an incredibly beautiful and funny travel film about the people and animals who live in Antarctica.

If Antarctica was not on your travel list yet, it will be after watching this great documentary!

The Bucket List

The Bucket List is sentimental, predictable, and yet a very heart-warming story that will inspire you to tick off your bucket list sooner rather than later.

Filmed in various locations in India, China, Egypt, Tanzania, France, and the U.S., this movie will definitely give you some new ideas for the next trips.

Photos: IMDb

So, this is a list of some of my top travel films and favorite movies about travel. Have you seen any of these films? Which one is your favorite travel movie of all time?

If you found this post helpful, don’t forget to bookmark it and share it with your friends. Are you on Pinterest? Pin this image!

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Monday 18th of September 2023

When I’m always about to go on an adventure I keep coming back to this page to get inspired to travel to somewhere new

Thursday 21st of September 2023

What a great way to find some trip inspiration, Joshua. Happy travels!

Sunday 5th of March 2023

They aren’t travel movies, but The Lord of the Rings trilogy inspired me to go to New Zealand! How could those scenes in the mountains not inspire everyone?

Monday 6th of March 2023

Agree! (and New Zealand is absolutely stunning ;))

Thursday 2nd of March 2023

Thank you for sharing! This list is awesome!

Saturday 22nd of October 2022

If you wanna know one more... U can watch "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara". It means "U won't have a second Life again". It's soo good and so inspiring...thank me later.

Sunday 23rd of October 2022

Thanks for the recommendation, Asif! Will see if we can find this movie.

Sunday 10th of April 2022

Thank you for the awesome movie recommendations

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34 Movies That Will Make You Want to Get Off the Couch and See the World

From "The Holiday" to "Romancing the Stone" to "Eat Pray Love," these travel movies will inspire some serious wanderlust.

There's nothing like an epic on-screen adventure to get you acquainted with some place new and dreaming up an enviable vacation itinerary. For me (and basically all my childhood friends), this first happened following a viewing of Disney's "The Lizzie McGuire Movie" back in 2003, when Hilary Duff's character traveled to Rome to live out every teen's parent-free European fantasy. Though I've graduated to more mature travel movies over the last 18 years, one thing hasn't changed: films with gorgeous backdrops give me an unruly case of wanderlust.

From classics like "Around the World in 80 Days" and "Roman Holiday" to modern masterpieces such as "Wild" and "Crazy Rich Asians," travel films tend to ignite a longing for freedom and excitement. Maybe it's the sight of beaches on your screen triggering a phenomenon known as Blue Mind , or maybe watching a couple of pals take to the open road for a life changing road trip just makes you want to feel unconfined. Whatever it is, sometimes a travel film is all you need to provoke that feeling. That's why we've rounded up, in no particular order, 34 of the best travel movies that inspire wanderlust. Maybe they'll be cause for a change of scenery — or maybe they'll incite the adventure of a lifetime.

'Thelma & Louise' (1991)

Widely regarded as one of the best road trip movies of all time, this buddy film follows best friends Thelma (Geena Davis) and Louise (Susan Sarandon) as they drive through the American Southwest after Louise kills a man in Arkansas.

'The Holiday' (2006)

A Hollywood movie trailer producer (Cameron Diaz) and a London reporter (Kate Winslet) decide to switch homes for a few weeks after finding out their respective boyfriends have been cheating on them. The results offer enough glamor shots of Los Angeles and cozy footage of England's countryside to make you want to pack up and head to either city immediately.

'Crazy Rich Asians' (2018)

Though this movie revolves around the conflict between New Yorker Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) and her boyfriend's wealthy family, "Crazy Rich Asians" could pass as a tourism film for Singapore . If the Southeast Asian country wasn't on your bucket list before, this film's dazzling shots of Singapore, specifically the acclaimed Marina Bay Sands Hotel , may convince you.

'Wild' (2014)

Based on a true story, "Wild" sees Cheryl Strayed (Reese Witherspoon) hike more than a thousand miles from California to Washington on the Pacific Crest Trail following her divorce and the death of her mother. On her journey, Cheryl treks through the Mojave Desert , the Sierra Nevada, and Mount Hood National Forest while reflecting on her life.

'Eat Pray Love' (2010)

After her divorce, Elizabeth (Julia Roberts) sets off to explore the world with hopes of finding herself in the process. Elizabeth's inspiring and uplifting journey takes her — and viewers — to Italy , India , and Indonesia where she discovers the pleasure of nourishment, prayer, and romance.

'La La Land' (2016)

Admittedly, this musical doesn't feature much traveling (save for a brief road trip to Mia's hometown in Nevada), but the dreamy, oversaturated shots of Los Angeles in nearly every scene are enough to make anyone want to book a flight to the City of Angels.

'Before Sunrise' (1995)

Two strangers meet aboard a train from Budapest. Jesse (Ethan Hawke) is hoping to catch a flight home to the United States while Céline (Julie Delpy) is en route to Paris . Instead of sticking to their plans, the two disembark in Vienna and spend the entire night exploring the city and falling in love. A viewing of this movie will leave you longing for an epic adventure in the picturesque Austrian capital .

'National Lampoon’s Vacation' (1983)

National Lampoon 's classic comedy series is now six films strong, but it was 1983's "Vacation" that started it all. Unlike the franchise's most famous film, "Christmas Vacation," the original movie sees the Griswolds actually hit the road for a trip to Walley World, an amusement park several states away. After you watch Chevy Chase's hilarious hijinks unfold in this film, let sequels "European Vacation" and "Vegas Vacation" inspire further travels.

'The Darjeeling Limited' (2007)

After the death of their father, three estranged brothers (Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, and Jason Schwartzman) decide to hop aboard a train in India called The Darjeeling Limited to reconnect and experience spiritual self-discovery. Viewers catch glimpses of the Indian countryside, Hindu temples, and eventually the Himalayas — but not without a few jokes along the way.

'Up' (2009)

Arguably the most heart-wrenching animated film of all time, "Up" earns a spot on our list thanks to adorably grumpy widower Carl Fredricksen's determination to fulfill his own wanderlust. With the help of thousands of balloons and a young sidekick named Russell, Carl and his house soar across the world on an incredible journey that culminates at Paradise Falls (based on Angel Falls in Venezuela).

'Raiders of the Lost Ark' (1981)

"Raiders" kicks off the iconic Indiana Jones series with a quest to find the fabled Ark of the Covenant. On his journey, Indy (Harrison Ford) makes stops in Nepal , Egypt , and the Aegean Sea , and, of course, famously runs from a giant rolling boulder in a temple in Peru . Follow up this film with its sequels, "Temple of Doom" (1984), "Last Crusade" (1989), and "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" (2008), to see Indy travel to Jordan , the Amazon jungle, and beyond.

'Mamma Mia!' (2008)

Few movies offer the kind of gorgeously colorful beach imagery "Mamma Mia!" and its 2018 sequel, "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again" provide. If you haven't seen the films, you likely know them as "the movies with all the ABBA songs." But if you have seen them, you know they're actually about three men who travel to the impossibly beautiful, albeit fictional, Greek island of Kalokairi, each believing they're the father of a young bride-to-be.

'Nomadland' (2020)

After losing her job in the town of Empire, Nevada, Fern (Frances McDormand) decides to sell her belongings, buy a van, and drive across the country working odd jobs. Fern travels through deserts, small towns, and nomad communes where she works, makes new friends, and learns about life. If you've ever fantasized about dropping everything and taking to the open road, "Nomadland" will probably either convince or deter you.

'Romancing the Stone' (1984)

When New York City-based romance novelist Joan Wilder's sister is kidnapped in Cartagena , Joan (Kathleen Turner) ends up on a rescue-mission-turned-treasure-hunt with adventure-seeking Jack T. Colton (Michael Douglas). Don't be surprised if a viewing of this movie makes you want to trade in your annual beach vacation for a wild ride through the Colombian jungle .

'Paris, Je T’aime' (2006)

Paris, Je T'aime is different from the other films on this list in that it's not one film — it's 18 short films that all feature Paris as a central theme. Because the project is made up of 18 different stories in 18 different arrondissements around the city, viewers get a true, unfiltered sense of Paris, and may even find themselves inspired to visit lesser-known locales in the City of Light.

'The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert' (1994)

If you've ever longed to take a laughter-fueled road trip with your best friends, this film is worth a watch. In the flick, pals Tick (Hugo Weaving), Adam (Guy Pearce), and Bernadette (Terence Stamp) head out on a cross-country road trip through the Australian outback to perform their successful drag act in a new town. The trio takes up residence in an oversized tour bus called Priscilla, Queen of the Desert in this fun, ahead-of-its-time dramedy.

'RV' (2006)

While plenty of road trip movies have been made over the years, "RV" might be the only one that takes place in, well, an RV . Though the main characters in this movie face more bad luck than fun, family bonding, the film does feature generous desert , mountain , and wilderness scenery, as well as an all-star cast (Robin Williams, Kristin Chenoweth, Cheryl Hines, and Josh Hutcherson are just a few that appear).

'Point Break' (2015)

Yes, we're talking about the "Point Break" remake rather than the original film from 1991, but hear us out: the imagery in this movie inspires some serious wanderlust. The story takes viewers to several of the wildest places on Earth (Mexico's Cave of Swallows, Venezuela's Angel Falls, etc.) and though the plot is slightly different from the original (think eco-terrorism rather than bank robberies), it is quiet possibly the most visually stimulating travel movie ever made.

'Girls Trip' (2017)

When was the last time you took a trip with just your core group of girlfriends? A quick watch of this comedy will have you planning your next gal pal getaway faster than you can say "PTO." In the film, a group of friends (Queen Latifah, Tiffany Haddish, Regina Hall, and Jada Pinkett Smith) head to New Orleans , but you'll be ready to travel anywhere with your best buds after watching "Girls Trip" — even if it's just to the next town over.

'The Way' (2010)

After his son is killed walking the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route to Galicia, Spain, Tom Avery (Martin Sheen) sets out on the trail himself to retrieve his son's body. Along the way, Tom meets several other travelers who are walking the trail in hopes of changing their own lives for one reason or another. This inspiring film may just persuade you to make the famed pilgrimage yourself, or to book a similarly reflective trip.

'The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants' (2005)

If you were a teen or pre-teen in 2005, you have likely seen this movie and its 2008 sequel, and can attest that both inspire major wanderlust. The first film follows best friends Carmen, Lena, Bridget, and Tibby (who share a magical pair of jeans that fits them all perfectly) as they spend a summer in different parts of the world. Lena (Alexis Bledel) travels to Santorini, Greece , which makes for some seriously dreamy backdrops. In the sequel, the whole gang heads to Greece, but not before Bridget (Blake Lively) spends some time in Turkey .

'Up in the Air' (2009)

This George Clooney-led comedy-drama makes business travel and airports look glamorous — hospitable, even. Boasting just as many cityscape shots as it does plane scenes, "Up in the Air" will have you longing to be in the skies, jet setting off to some place new. Anna Kendrick and Vera Farmiga also star in this critically-acclaimed film about a man who lives out of a suitcase.

'Around the World in 80 Days' (1956)

If this classic adventure film doesn't inspire daydreams of traveling somewhere new, we're not sure what will. In 1872, Englishman Phileas Fogg makes a bet with several members of his gentleman's club that he can travel around the globe in just 80 days. On his journey, he and sidekick Jean Passepartout bring viewers along as they travel by gas balloon to France , Spain , Italy , India, Hong Kong , the United States , and more.

'Home Alone 2: Lost in New York' (1992)

The Home Alone movies usually fall under the comedy or holiday categories, but if you think about it, the second installment in the series is totally a travel movie. The film does a fantastic job of showing off the glamorous side of New York City , the place young Kevin McCallister accidentally ends up while the rest of his family vacations in Florida. From shots of the Rockefeller Christmas tree to the Manhattan skyline , this film is sure to inspire a trip to the Big Apple.

'Under the Tuscan Sun' (2003)

You won't find shots of northern Italy as serene as the ones in this feel-good film about independence, love, and friendship. After losing everything in her divorce, American writer Frances Mayes (Diane Lane) suddenly finds herself beginning a new life in the small Tuscan town of Cortona. And if you're anything like us, Googling "Tuscan villas for sale" will become a regular part of your life after watching this film.

'Angels & Demons' (2009)

Though "Angels & Demons" is classified as a thriller, it'll definitely make you want to head to Rome and dig up some history, both figuratively and literally. Based on the Dan Brown novel of the same name, the story follows Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) as he discovers secrets of the Vatican and faces off against the supposed Illuminati. If you're a fan, check out other Dan Brown adventure travel films, "The Da Vinci Code" (2006) and "Inferno" (2016).

'Easy Rider' (1969)

Our list features travel by plane, train , RV, and even hot air balloon , but "Easy Rider" is the only movie that follows a journey via motorcycle. In the film, drug smugglers Wyatt (Peter Fonda) and Billy (Dennis Hopper) ride from Los Angeles to New Orleans in hopes of reveling at Mardi Gras to celebrate their latest score. On their journey, they stop in several small towns, make a few friends, and unsuccessfully try to evade trouble.

'Out of Africa' (1985)

If Africa doesn't currently have a spot on your bucket list, this film might make you rethink that. Meryl Streep and Robert Redford star in this true story about Karen Blixen, a Danish woman who moves to Nairobi with her new husband, and builds a life there despite their many marital issues. "Out of Africa" features sweeping panoramic shots of Nairobi in nearly every scene, leaving it no wonder the drama won seven Academy Awards, including one for Best Cinematography.

'Johnson Family Vacation' (2004)

This family comedy starring Cedric the Entertainer, Vanessa Williams, and Solange Knowles follows the mildly dysfunctional Johnsons as they road trip to their family reunion in Missouri. On the drive, the family hilariously encounters just about every road trip cliché, from picking up a problematic hitchhiker to running out of gas, before making it to the reunion and performing a musical number to nab the coveted Family of the Year trophy.

'Midnight in Paris' (2011)

Set in present-day Paris , this Oscar-winning film is typically a favorite among art and literature lovers. At midnight each night, screenwriter Gil (Owen Wilson) is transported back in time through different eras of Paris, where he befriends Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Pablo Picasso, and even strikes up a romance with a 1920s woman named Adriana. The film offers plenty of inspiration for a culturally rich trip to France.

'The Parent Trap' (1998)

"The Parent Trap" is another film that may not immediately stand out as a travel flick, but once you take into account the film's many settings ( London , San Francisco, Napa Valley , and the northeastern U.S.), it's easy to see that this family classic has been a travel film all along. Plus, the main characters spend lots of time on planes, boats, and camping trips throughout the movie.

'The Talented Mr. Ripley' (1999)

Carefully spliced between disturbing revelations and suspenseful plot twists are luxurious shots of Italian beaches in this Matt Damon-led film. When Tom Ripley (Damon) is paid to travel to Italy and bring Dickie Greenleaf (Jude Law) back to the States by Dickie's father, Tom ends up befriending — and later becoming obsessed with — Dickie. Despite the plot quickly darkening, viewers are treated to bright, colorful scenes in Rome and glamorous seaside villages .

'Roman Holiday' (1953)

Romance? Check. Stunning visuals of Rome ? Check. Audrey Hepburn? Check. This classic travel comedy lands at the top of many movie buffs' all-time favorite lists, and for good reason. Bored with her mundane life as a European princess while on a trip to Rome, Ann (Hepburn) ditches her duties and hits the town with journalist Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck). The two take viewers on a tour of the Eternal City and fall in love in the process.

'Pee-wee’s Big Adventure' (1985)

Before you roll your eyes, take a moment to acknowledge that this film essentially sends happy-go-lucky Pee-wee Herman (Paul Reubens) on the great American road trip in search of his stolen bicycle. In this comedy for adults and children alike, Pee-wee stops at the Alamo, the Cabazon Dinosaur park in California , and Hollywood . Traveling by car, truck, and train, Pee-wee befriends a biker gang, competes in a rodeo, and of course, famously dances to "Tequila" before his journey is through.

Hillary Maglin is a digital editor who splits most of her time between New York City and Pittsburgh. You can find her on Instagram @hillarymaglin , where her DMs are always open to discuss travel gear, wine bars, and Taylor Swift's latest record.

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20 of the best travel films

From Rome to the Amazon, in these 20 films stunning locations play a starring role – and they’re all on now at a laptop or TV near you

REAL-LIFE ADVENTURES

Wild (2014).

Cheryl Strayed decided to walk the Pacific Crest Trail to face her demons, and her memoirs were turned into this uplifting film starring Reese Witherspoon as the inexperienced hiker who turns her life around. Director Jean-Marc Vallée was adamant that the movie be shot entirely on location: the journey starts in the Mojave Desert, heads up to Mount Hood – the highest point in Oregon – and the magnificent Crater Lake, before culminating in the iconic Bridge of the Gods in Cascade Locks on the Oregon/Washington border. Netflix , Google Play , Sky Store . Read the Guardian review

Tracks (2013)

Another memoir adaptation, Tracks stars a young Mia Wasikowska as Robyn Davidson, who spent nine months trekking across the Australian desert on camels. Her journey begins in Alice Springs and takes her across scorching outback to the Indian Ocean, via sights such as Uluru and Coffin Bay. It’s an inspiration for would-be solo travellers, given that Robyn was only accompanied by her dog and, at some points, a photographer (Adam Driver). Amazon , Google Play , Sky Store Guardian review

Into The Wild (2007)

Graduate Christopher McCandless gave away all his possessions and money to charity and hitchhiked across Northern America to Alaska, where he attempted to live in the wild. This poignant account of his journey is directed by Sean Penn and stars Emile Hirsch in many of the real locations visited by Christopher, aka “Alexander Supertramp”. Feast your eyes on peaceful Lake Tahoe, camping at Beard’s Hollow, kayaking down the Colorado River and run with wild horses … There’s plenty to envy until things take a darker turn. Sky Cinema , NOW TV , Amazon Guardian review

Lion (2016)

If you fancy a good cry as well as a virtual trip to India, then Lion is for you. Based on a true story, it tells of a young Indian boy, Saroo (Sunny Pawar) who accidentally boards a train to Kolkata and becomes homeless. After being adopted by an Australian couple, the older Saroo (Dev Patel) searches his memory – and the evolving internet – in an attempt to locate his childhood home and find his family. This is a film with plenty of compassion as well as armchair travel, with locations including Tasmania as well as India. Netflix , YouTube , Google Play Guardian review

Under the Tuscan Sun (2003)

A cheerful comedy-drama about a divorcee rediscovering herself, this memoir adaptation features scenery as charming as the central performance from Diane Lane. Frances Mayes’ pals send her on a tour of Tuscany, where she ends up falling in love with a ramshackle house and buys it on a whim. She meets a plethora of interesting people, including Polish builders and an eccentric old British actor, and becomes a major fixer-upper. The film was shot in and around the town of Cortona, near Arezzo: think gorgeous little houses cut into the hillside overlooking glistening waters. Amazon , YouTube , Google Play , Sky Store Frances Mayes on writing Under the Tuscan Sun

HIKING TALES

Hunt for the wilderpeople (2016).

Go tramping in the New Zealand bush with this adorable comedy-drama directed by Oscar-winner Taika Waititi. A winning family adventure, it sees grumpy foster uncle Hec (Sam Neill) following his cheeky young charge Ricky (Julian Dennison) into the wilderness for a trek that turns into a gripping adventure – and an opportunity for the pair to try out their survival skills. Most of it was filmed around the Auckland area, and includes jaw-dropping scenery that Hec describes as “majestical”. BFI Player , Amazon , Google Play , Sky Store The landscapes behind Hunt for the Wilderpeople

The Way (2010)

Follow in the pilgrims’ footsteps with this touching, meditative drama starring Martin Sheen as a grieving father who decides to walk the ancient spiritual trail after the death of his son (played by Sheen’s son, Emilio Estevez, who also directs). The route to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia takes in sensational landscapes as well as a variety of entertaining characters, including James Nesbitt as an Irish travel writer. Amazon Prime Video , YouTube / Google Play , Sky Store Guardian review

On the Road (2012)

Based on Jack Kerouac’s novel set in the late 1940s/early 50s, literature’s most famous road trip did not make it onto the big screen until 55 years after the book was published. Sam Riley is the writer who heads to Denver, North Carolina, San Francisco and Mexico by car and occasionally bus. Head here to vicariously experience a hedonistic road trip with sexually fluid bohemians played by an array of Hollywood’s hottest, including Garrett Hedlund, Kristen Stewart, Amy Adams, Tom Sturridge and Kirsten Dunst. Amazon Prime Video , Sky Store Guardian review

Captain Fantastic (2016)

This film immediately plunges the viewer into the forests of the Pacific Northwest: you’re greeted by lush green trees, the sound of birdsong and the sight of a deer munching its way through the bush. Said deer is short-lived, however, as a pack of children led by Bodevan (George MacKay) slaughter it and take it home for tea with their father (Viggo Mortensen – who’s also in On the Road). It’s a chance to live out your off-grid fantasies, before the family are plunged back into society on a road trip with entertaining consequences. Netflix / Amazon , Sky Store Guardian review

TRAIN TRIPS

The darjeeling limited (2007).

Three brothers have madcap adventures on a train in this quirky, colourful film that could only have been made by Wes Anderson. Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody and Jason Schwartzman are the warring trio who bicker and bond their way through a scenic rail journey in India. Though the film was shot mainly in Rajasthan, the fictional route also convincingly takes in the Himalayas – and reminds you of the wonders of train travel abroad. Amazon , YouTube / Google Play , Sky Store Guardian review

Before Sunrise (1995)

A train to Vienna is the romantic setting for this cult drama starring Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke. After meeting on the journey, they spend the night walking around the city together. Their frank, naturalistic exchanges are involving and funny, and it’s easy to fall in love with the Austrian capital as the pair jump on trams and ferris wheels along the banks of the Danube. Director Richard Linklater followed this with Before Sunset and Before Midnight, but this remains by far the most romantic in the series. Amazon , YouTube , Google Play , Sky Store Guardian review

LIFE-CHANGING ADVENTURES

The secret life of walter mitty (2013).

A daydreamer finally lives out his travel fantasies in this whimsical adventure based on James Thurber’s short story. Walter (Ben Stiller) works a dull desk job at Life magazine, and goes on a globe-trotting treasure hunt in search of a missing negative by legendary photojournalist Sean O’Connell (Sean Penn). Walter’s travels take him to Greenland, Iceland and the Himalayas, and although some of the locations are stand-ins, the film captures the wonder of globe-trotting in a cosy, feelgood format. Amazon , YouTube , Google Play , Sky Store Guardian review

Patagonia (2010)

The psychological benefits of travel are at the heart of this tender drama that explores the links between Wales and Argentina. A Cardiff couple travel to Patagonia where they are guided by a Welsh-Argentine guide (Matthew Rhys). Meanwhile, an older woman journeys from Argentina to Wales to discover her roots. It’s a moving watch with a fun backstory: Rhys found out about the production when travelling through Patagonia on horseback , where he bumped into the director, Marc Evans, who was scouting for locations. Amazon , iTunes , Google Play Guardian review

Black Mountain Poets (2015)

Rural south Wales provides a handsome setting for this con artist comedy from writer-director Jamie Adams. Alice Lowe and Dolly Wells star as sisters on the run who resort to posing as a pair of famous beat poets at a retreat in the Black Mountains – what could possibly go wrong? As they camp out in nature, the remote location forms a backdrop for their potential redemption, as well as plenty of improvised humour. YouTube , Google Play , BFI Player Guardian review

HISTORICAL TRAVELS

Meek’s cutoff (2010).

You wouldn’t want to re-live the journey these characters make, but the landscape looks remarkable from the safety of your sofa. Loosely inspired by an infamous incident in 1845, it sees a small group of settlers travelling across the Oregon High Desert and becoming increasingly less confident in their guide, Stephen Meek (Bruce Greenwood). Kelly Reichardt’s western shows the gender dynamic slowly shifting as the stakes get higher, and she’s assembled an excellent cast lead by Michelle Williams, Shirley Henderson and Zoe Kazan. Amazon Prime Guardian review

The Lost City of Z (2017)

Explorer Percy Fawcett had a compulsion to travel, undertaking hugely risky journeys in the Amazon in to prove his theories about a disappeared civilisation – theories that were ridiculed by his contemporaries in the early 20th century. James Gray’s film stars Charlie Hunnam as Fawcett, Sienna Miller as his wife, and Robert Pattinson as his right hand man, who helps him navigate the rainforest, which looks tantalisingly beautiful despite the dangers that unfold. Amazon , YouTube , Google Play , Sky Store . Also showing on BBC2 Friday 27 March at 11.05pm Guardian review

Fitzcarraldo (1982)

An ambitious adventurer makes an eventful jungle voyage in Werner Herzog’s German-language classic inspired by the life of Peruvian rubber baron Carlos Fitzcarrald. Notoriously volatile actor Klaus Kinski’s wild eyes glint with lunatic abandon as he dreams of building an opera house in Iquitos, in the Peruvian Amazon, and navigating the Pachitea river in a huge steamboat. The shoot (famously as troubled as the events it depicts) took place in the wilds of Brazil and Peru, where Herzog and cinematographer Thomas Mauch vividly captured the cast’s period costumes against the sights and sounds of the jungle. BFI Player , iTunes Guardian review

CITY BREAKS

2 days in paris (2007).

Julie Delpy writes, directs and stars in this whipsmart dramedy that puts a humorous spin on the notion of a romantic city break. She plays Marion, a photographer who lives in New York and decides to spend two days in the French capital with her neurotic boyfriend Jack (Adam Goldberg). It takes in plenty of famous spots, including the Père Lachaise cemetery, the Pasteur metro station and – should you be missing the Eurostar – the Gare du Nord. Amazon Prime Guardian review

In Bruges (2008)

Who knew a film about a couple of hitmen could showcase a city’s charms so beautifully? The Irish contract killers hiding out in Belgium have very different goals: while Ray (Colin Farrell) just wants to get drunk, Ken (Brendan Gleeson) would prefer to see the cultural sights. And so Martin McDonagh’s bitterly funny black comedy takes in architectural delights such as the Belfry of Bruges as well as canal trips through the medieval city. Amazon , YouTube , Google Play Sky Store Guardian review

Roman Holiday (1953)

Take a trip back in time to Rome, circa 1953, where a princess (Audrey Hepburn) is trying to stay incognito. After she’s befriended by an American reporter (Gregory Peck), he realises her identity, but keeps his a secret in an attempt to get a scoop. Romance follows, along with iconic black and white shots of the Eternal City. Look out for a meeting on the Spanish Steps, a tour of Colosseum and Vespa ride through the city traffic. Sky Cinema , YouTube , Google Play Guardian review

Rental prices generally between £1.99 and £3.49 depending on household subscription status. Netflix and BFI Player films are included in a monthly subscription and are subject to change. Most films also available on DVD/Blu-Ray

Anna Smith is a film critic and host of the podcast, Girls On Film

• Film-inspired holidays

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60 Best Travel Movies to Inspire Wanderlust

Written By: The Planet D

Travel Movies

Updated On: February 14, 2024

What makes for great travel movies? We feel it is when the destination becomes the star. A movie that showcases beautiful cities , landscapes, and culture is a movie that inspires us to visit a destination or relive our time there when we get home. Dave and I love movies. We worked in the film business in our previous careers and lived for the cinema. So when we chose our list of the best travel movies, we took it seriously. 

Table of Contents

The Best Travel Movies

Our choices for the best travel movies are probably very different than yours, so leave a comment and let us know what you think the best travel movies are. We are always looking for new travel films to ignite our wanderlust. To rent or buy one of these travel films to inspire wanderlust right now, check out Amazon Instant Video

The Best Travel Movies to Inspire Wanderlust

1. in bruges.

This is by far the best travel movie. One of the characters actually carries around a guidebook! If you love a good caper set in an exotic location, you’ll love In Bruges. Collin Farrel and Brendan Gleeson star as two hit men who are sent to Bruges, Belgium to hide out after a job goes bad.

The more Colin Farrell’s character complained of hating Bruges (in Belgium), the more you took in the surroundings of Bruges and noticed just how picturesque the city is. While the film is primarily a crime drama and dark comedy it intertwines the city’s picturesque locations and cultural aspects with the narrative seamlessly.

Rent or Buy In Bruges on Amazon

2. banshees of inisherin trailer

I was so excited to see Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson reunite and this time, they share screen time in one of the newest travel films on our list, the Banshees of Inisherin. The movie takes place on the Aran Islands of Ireland and showcases the beauty of that destination as two friends go through some very dark times.

Gleessan’s character Colm decides he has wasted his life and cuts ties with his lifelong best friend Pádraic (Farrell) and all kinds of darkness begins. It had some of the best acting I’ve seen in years, and every one of the four main cast was nominated for Acadamy Awards.

3. One Week

One of our favorite travel movies of all time. And not because it is set in Canada. One Week follows a young man driving a motorcycle on a cross-country road trip across Canada after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. No movie has made me want to explore a country more than One Week. It showcases Canada beautifully.

I didn’t want to see this movie because of its morbid subject, but it ended up being an uplifting and enlightening film of self-discovery. It truly is the ultimate Canadian road trip movie. Rent One Week Here on Amazon

4. Secret Life of Walter Mitty

I had to watch this most popular of all travel films twice before deciding I liked The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and I can understand why it is at the top of most lists of best travel movies. This movie takes you from New York, to Iceland, Greenland and the Himalayas.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty shows how taking a risk and getting out of your comfort zone can lead to great things. The ending was my favorite, but I won’t spoil it for you. Rent it now .

5. Before Sunrise Trilogy

We have three of our favorite travel movies in one package! And each showcases the destination they are in. The Before Sunrise movies are about love but they are also very much travel films. They were filmed 10 years apart and they take place in three different locations around Europe – Vienna , Paris , and Greece .

The Before Sunrise trilogies capture the essence of each destination. And here’s a cool fact – Dave and I stayed at  Costa Navarino  in Greece where After Midnight took place!

It is probably the best of all romantic travel movies out there that literally spans three decades. (They film a movie every 10 years). Watch Before Sunrise and Sunset on Amazon Prime

6. Planes Trains and Automobiles

John Candy and Steve Martin take an unexpected cross country road trip from New York City to Chicago. This is Dave’s pick for the best travel movie.

This is considered one of the great comedy travel movies, but I look at it as a drama. John Candy’s character breaks my heart. You may think of it as a holiday film but it is also one of the funniest travel films out there. If you’re in the mood for a good heartfelt comedy,  rent it today.

7. Julie & Julia

Not only does Julie and Julia star the great Meryl Streep but this travel movie is based on blogging. It’s like it was made for us! I was surprised by how much I loved this movie based on the true story of Julia Child and I didn’t go in expecting much.

Julie & Julia follows the life of Julia Child during her time in Paris and cuts throughout to the present day in New York . It makes you crave French cuisine and a life of decadence in France. When it comes to choosing a  favorite travel movie this one is right up there. Rent it now

8. The Big Year

The Big Year follows Jack Black (who doesn’t love Jack Black?), Owen Wilson, and Steve Martin traveling around the United States with hopes of becoming the number 1 bird watcher in the world. It ended up being one of the most surprising travel films I’ve seen.

They are obsessed with spotting more species of birds than any other person in 365 days. I related to this movie because it is more about the journey and how having a great adventure can change a life. Rent it Now

Best Travel Movies for Adventure Lovers

9. into the wild.

The real-life true story chronicles the journey of  Christopher McCandless who went on a cross country road trip through the US and ended up in Alaska .

I read Into the Wild years ago and was mesmerized trying to figure out how someone could give up everything to go and live off the grid. John Krakauer dug into the psyche of McCandless and what motivates people to take risks.

Things don’t turn out as he hoped, and it is a lesson learned for would-be adventurers. Enjoy it now !

Wild is an adaptation of Cheryl Strayed’s travel memoir, From Lost To Found On The Pacific Crest Trail. Based on a true story, it follows her journey about putting a life back together after it all falls apart.

Pushing the limits physically on the Pacific Crest Trail and stepping out of her comfort zone take her on a journey of self-discovery. A struggle and journey can change a life and Reese Witherspoon is excellant as usual. Check it out on Amazon

11. Everest

Everest by John Krakauer is the true story of the catastrophe that happened on Everest in 1996. It’s a first-hand account by Krakauer who was on Everest at the time. While the movie focuses on the events, it does showcase the psyche of why people climb mountains and it shows the culture and beauty of the Everest Region.

As far as travel movies go, even though it is based on a dark subject, it does make me want to go to Everest. So we did! Plus, it stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Josh Brolin, so how can you go wrong?

• You can rent this movie made in Hollywood
• You can also check out the documentary.

Tracks is another travel movie base on a true story and I really enjoyed it. It’s a film about a young woman who walks across Australia from Alice Springs to the Indian Ocean with four camels and her pet dog.

What I really liked is how the lead character Robyn Davidson learns the skills needed to survive. She is visited by a photographer from National Geographic who shared her story and was led through the sacred lands of the Outback by an Aboriginal elder. Watch this Amazing true story on Amazon ! 

13. World’s Fastest Indian 

From New Zealand to America, Anthony Hopkins takes his Indian Motorcycle to the salt flats to see how far he can go. The World’s Fastest Indian is one of my favorite performances by Hopkins and it is one of the great underrated travel movies.

He is vulnerable, lovable, and inspiring. This true story takes you on a fun road trip along the way until he reaches the Salt Flats of California and that is when you really start rooting for him to win! Rent it on Amazon Prime

14. Adventures of Pricilla Queen of the Desert

Adventures of Pricilla Queen of the Desert follows a group of drag queens taking a cross country road trip in a van named “Pricilla” from Sydney to Alice Springs where they are going to perform their drag show.

They meet a lot of characters along the way and this film introduced us to superstars Hugo Weaving and Guy Pearce who joined the already-established Terrence Stamp.

15. Motorcycle Diaries

Ever since watching one of the best travel movies about South America, (you guessed it, the Motorcycle Diaries) wanted to do a road trip through South America. (PS. I’m still dreaming of that road trip through South America one day)

Gael García Bernal stars as Che Guevera and it follows his journey on a motorcycle trip through South America before he became a part of the revolution. This movie is based on a true story where Che traveled through the continent and I believe it was traveling through South America that Che saw what people were going through and that is what sparked him to take action in his own way.

• Check it out for yourself
• Rent it on Amazon

16. The Way

Dave and I have always wanted to walk the Camino de Santiago in Spain. This movie is a bittersweet tribute to the epic hike. Acting legend Martin Sheen walks the trail to honor his son Emilio Estevez (also director) who died on the walk. This movie explores themes of grief, regret, and understanding.

Sheen’s character finishes what his son started helping him connect and understand his son while examining his own life and is one of the most moving travel movies on our list. You can watch it on Amazon

Best Classic Travel Movies

17. lawrence of arabia.

Lawrence of Arabia made us dream of the Arabian Desert and that is what travel films are meant to do. I would say that this is often considered one of the best travel movies of all time. It’s the original travel movie for sure and it really does capture the majesty of the Arabian Desert.

When we got the chance to visit Jordan and walk in the footsteps of the real Lawrence of Arabia, we couldn’t believe we were living our own travel movie. This will make you want to go on an adventure and spend the night in a Bedouin tent. Rent it on Amazon Prime Now

18. Out of Africa

If you want another Meryl Streep vehicle that is often considered one of the best travel movies, you should try  Out of Africa. Out of Africa takes place in a different time, but it captures the heart of Africa beautifully.

Based on a true story, Meryl Streep stars as a married baroness in love with big game hunter Robert Redford. Their chemistry is unmistakable. She falls in love with Africa and you will fall in love with it too.

The cinematography is outstanding. It won 7 Oscars including Best Picture and Best Cinematography. Rent Out of Africa

19. Romancing the Stone

Who didn’t fantasize about an adventure in Colombia after watching Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas in Romancing the Stone? As a kid I always thought about the line “ I need to get to Cartagena ” and while I had no idea where Cartagena was,(It’s in South America by the way) I knew it was exciting.

In the most romanticly fun of travel movies, Kathleen Turner transformed from a scared writer who merely writes about adventure, to a woman encountering an adventure and meeting a rugged mysterious man in exotic Columbia. Watch Romancing the Stone today

20. The Bucket List

With two of my favorite actors and a message to live life to the fullest, the Bucket List is one amazing movie and one of the best travel movies. I think it actually invented the term, The Bucket List. The phrase has been overused in recent years, but the message never gets old. The Bucket List is the original “live your dreams now” travel movie.

It’s beautifully acted, heartfelt, and showcases how life should be lived to the fullest. Rent or buy it here!

Most people say that Amelie is one of the best travel movies of all time. So this list wouldn’t be complete without it. I did love the views of Paris and the everyday life showcased in Montmartre.

I also enjoyed the uplifting message of a quiet young woman named, Amelie helping the people around her in the lovely district of Montmartre in Paris. If you want to watch sweeping scenes through Paris streets and if you love Paris, you can’t help but like Amelie. So check it out !

22. Roman Holiday

This did not age well in our opinion. We watched it recently and it is just downright bad. Many people will probably disagree. But as far as travel movies go, it is fun to see a princess posing as a regular young Woman zipping around Rome.

They should remake Roman Holiday, it would be fun. Rent it on Prime

23. Sideways

I admit it. After this movie came out, I didn’t drink Merlot for years! Sideways takes us on a road trip through California wine country and it really is filled with amazing performances by Paul Giamatti, Sandra Oh, Virginia Madsen, and Thomas Hayden Church.

We have been to Santa Maria, California, and this movie captures the feel of wine country perfectly. Rent or buy on Amazon Prime 

24. Up in the Air

Up in the Air makes you love the idea of travel but it shows the emptiness that the life of a vagabond can lead to if you don’t stay grounded with your family and friends. It’s not in the genre of typical travel films out there, but travel is the main theme.

I cannot go through airport security anymore without thinking of George Clooney as his character has the art of travel down to a science.

This movie also has a great message that Dave and I can relate to. We all become so consumed with our careers and our lives that we forget about what is important. Get it on Amazon Instant Video

Best Travel Movies Highlighting Destinations

25. ticket to paradise.

Our newest addition to our travel movies is from two legends, George Clooney and Julia Roberts who take us to Bali for their daughter’s wedding. The two divorced years ago, but agree that their daughter is too young to get married and decide to sabotage the wedding.

This movie showcases the culture and beauty of Bali while showing us once again how travel can be transformational and can change your life.

I love these two together, George and Julia, and great friends in real life and have amazing on-screen chemistry.

26. The Beach – Thailand

The Beach is the original backpacker slacker travel film. The Beach captures what Thailand was like before tourists started flocking to it en-masse. At one time, it was an off-the-beaten-path backpacker destination. We enjoyed the book more, but you can never go wrong with Leo.

If you want to get a sense of what it was like to travel to Thailand before mass tourism, this is a good movie for you. Plus it is beautiful and as far as travel movies go, it will make you want to go to Thailand. Not only are the people beautiful, but the scenery of southern Thailand is also out of this world.

Take in the journey as they search for a hidden beach that is pure perfection.

27. Lost in Translation – Tokyo

Tokyo is a bit strange. It is unlike anywhere else on earth, and Lost in Translation showcases the culture shock that one feels when staying in a different city.

There are different customs in Japan and the culture is much different than anywhere else and this movie captures that odd feeling you get when traveling there. Lost in Translation highlights some of the best spots in Tokyo.

The hotel where the movie takes place still has one of the best views in the city! And who doesn’t love Bill Murray? He is priceless and it’s one of Scarlett Johanson’s best performances. Check it Out

28. Slumdog Millionaire – India

We traveled to India in 2010 and Slumdog Millionaire seemed to capture the true slums of India while showcasing the heart of the people. Many of the rich cities are modern, but when traveling through rural India and the poorer areas, this is what it’s like.

Dev Patel stars as a young Indian boy who gets on a game show that could change his life. It’s heartbreaking, raw, and sometimes uncomfortable which is exactly what travel can be too hence why it made the list of our favorite travel movies. Download it here on Amazon

If you are a fan of Dev Patel (as we are) you will love him in another of our favorite travel films, Lion. Lion is based on a true story and is an emotional journey that takes audiences across India and Australia spanning cultures, and decades.

Patel plays Saroo Brierley, a young Indian boy who gets lost on a train in India at the age of five. After surviving several challenges on the streets of Kolkata and eventually being adopted by an Australian family, Saroo, as an adult, uses Google Earth to find his birth mother and the journey begins. The movie also stars Nicol Kidman.

30. Vicky, Cristina Barcelona – Spain

Admit it, we all want to go to Spain and run into beautiful people like Penelope Cruz and Javier Barden. I think this movie did so well because it inspired everyone to go to Barcelona. (That’s our criteria for choosing the best travel movies, how they inspired travel)

Vicky Cristina Barcelona makes us dream of the cities in Spain , the passion of the Spanish people and getting away for a summer in Spain.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona definitely is an inspiring travel movie and one of the best travel films out there. It really captures the energy and passion of Spain in Barcelona . Rent Vicky Christina Barcelona on Amazon

31. Under the Tuscan Sun – Italy

For the romantics out there, Under the Tuscan Sun is one of the best travel movies. Wouldn’t you just love to buy a villa in Tuscany and fall in love with a stranger?

This is one of my favorite romantic travel films and Under the Tuscan Sun based on a true story. After a bad divorce, her character takes a trip to Italy courtesy of her best friend, (The incredible Sandra Oh!) and buys a house!

This travel movie is based on a true story where our star shares the trials and tribulations of renovating a Tuscan villa. You can rent Under the Tuscan Sun on Amazon

32. Best Exotic Marigold Hotel – India

We always preach that you are never too old to try something new and you are never too old to travel and that is the premise of one of the most beloved travel movies, Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. It’s chock full of great legendary actors including Dame Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, and Maggie Smith.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel follows a group of retirees who travel to India to live out their days at a crumbling retirement hotel. All mayhem and madness ensue as things can only in India. There’s romance, tragedy, and hope. Rent it now

33. A Good Year – Provence France

A Good Year made me want to go to Provence and live a simple life…on a multi-million dollar vineyard estate. That’s reasonable, right? And that’s what travel movies make you want to do…Pick up and go somewhere.

A Good Year makes life in Provence look like the Garden of Eden and I want a piece of it. Everyone is beautiful, everyone is a wine connoisseur, and everyone is pure and good. Who wouldn’t want to go to the south of France after seeing A Good Year? Rent it now.

34. Midnight in Paris – Paris

Looking for travel movies that combine time travel this movie night? Midnight in Paris captures the golden years of Paris as Owen Wilson walks through the streets at night in search of that romantic nostalgia of the city.

Blending time travel with traditional travel, this film showcases Paris’s rich history and examines how different eras appeal to different people.

He ends up meeting the famous patrons of the 1920s including Cole Porter, Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, and more! This travel movie makes me want to hop on a flight to Paris every time! Watch it on Amazon Prime or get it on DVD

35. Australia – Australia

This movie was crucified by the critics, but I loved it and its one of the best travel movies showcasing the beauty of Australia’s landscape. Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman take her cattle across the Outback.

It also touches on the injustices of how Australia treated the Aboriginal People, reminding me of what Canada did with residential schools to our own indigenous communities.

It’s beautifully shot and is a love letter to Australia while highlighting the true story of the Aboriginal struggles. I think it deserved more love than it got. Check it out on Amazon

36. The Impossible

It took me forever to finally watch the impossible because it is based on the true story of surviving the devastating Tsunami in Southeast Asia. It follows a family from England who are vacationing in Thailand and are impacted by the Tsunami.

It showcases the huge hearts that the Thai people have. Even while going through their own trauma, they play a huge role in helping this family get back together and survive.

The movie stars Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor and Tom Holland and it is one of the best performances I think Naomi Watts has ever done.

Lighthearted Travel Movies

37. eurovision.

This is one of the funniest travel movies out there. The movie kicks off (after a brief flashback) in Iceland showcasing its beautiful landscapes and waterfalls with sweeping drone shots of the stars performing.

It has all the stereotypes and cliches of Iceland, but it is done with heart and fun. It really is a love letter to Iceland. Follow Lars and Sigrit as they try to fulfill their dream of competing in Eurovision in Edinburgh. The movie gives a nice showcase of that city too making it two travel movies in one. Rent it on Amazon

38. Darjeeling Limited

This quirkiest of travel movies takes Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, and Adrian Brody across India one year after their father’s death starting on the Darjeeling Express train. It’s strange, heartbreaking, hilarious, and pure Wes Anderson.

When they visit their mother in an Ashram, it makes me think of the strange people that run away to India to find themselves. Oh yeah, he gets it. Check it out on Amazon Prime

39. Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Set in the very real Turtle Bay Resort in Oahu this pick on our travel movies list stars Jason Seigel as a Hollywood Writer who goes to Hawaii to heal his wounds after getting dumped by his girlfriend Kristen Bell. It turns out, she is there on vacation with her new boyfriend and shenanigans ensue.

This movie makes you want to book a plane to Hawaii and have your own stay at Turtle Bay which has now become very popular. Rent it on Prime

40. Last Holiday

If you are searching for comedy travel movies, this should be at the top of your list. This is the ultimate fairytale on how travel can change a life. And how we should all strive to live a better life. It’s too short to wait.

Queen Latifa is priceless as a woman who is diagnosed with a terminal disease, so she takes her life savings to enjoy her final holiday at a luxurious resort. She does everything from base jumping to snowboarding and indulging in decadent French cuisine.

If everyone took a holiday like this, we’d all live happier lives. Rent, Buy or Watch on Amazon Prime

41. The Holiday

It may be a Christmas movie, but The Holiday is one of the best travel movies out there. We watch it every year and it shows how travel is transformational. Starring Kate Winslett, Jack Black, Jude Law and Cameron Diaz, The Holiday flips back and forth between Los Angeles and England.

The two female stars have very different vacations as they house swap, but both have their lives changed through travel.

42. French Kiss

Meg Ryan plays a woman named Kate who is afraid to travel. When her fiance falls for another woman in France, she vows to win him back and travels there despite being terrified. Hilarity ensues when she meets con man Kevin Kline and they venture across the country together following the formula of travel movies galore.

My favorite scene is when she is indulging in cheese on the train. It’s that French moment that made me daydream about traveling by train across the French countryside. Watch French Kiss for yourself

43. My Life in Ruins

While not as good as My Big Fat Greek Wedding, My Life in Ruins is a nice comeback for Nia Vardalos in a fun-loving travel film.

She plays a tour leader taking stereotypical tourists through the sites of Greece. It’s fun, it’s romantic and the setting is beautiful. It’s not going to win any Academy Awards, but for a fun Saturday afternoon movie, this will transport you to Greece. Rent it or buy it on Amazon

44. The Hangover 2

The First Hangover was far better and it too is a travel movie taking you to Vegas. But when choosing travel movies from this trilogy, I had to choose the setting of Bangkok. It captures the crazy energy of the city.

My favorite scene is when Bradly Cooper has to go to the hospital and comes out with an absurdly low hospital bill. Dave and I have been to the hospital in Thailand and can attest, it is cheap. Rent it now! 

Blockbuster Travel Movies

45. star wars: the rise of skywalker & the last jedi.

One wouldn’t think of a movie based in outer space to be a travel movie that inspires wanderlust, but the last Star Wars Trilogy featured one of our favorite destinations on Earth, Skellig M ichael

This 6th-century monastery was a star unto itself as Luke trained Rey in the ways of the Force. It has now inspired many travelers and film buffs to take the hair-raising boat ride out to these rocky islands 12 km off the coast of Ireland. Check it out

46. Mama Mia

We actually learned where Mama Mia takes place while visiting the location where it was filmed, Pelion, Greece. The Greek islands are paradise, and Mama Mia follows the story of Meryl Streep who runs a hotel on the coast. We thought it was filmed somewhere like Santorini or Mykonos.

When her daughter becomes engaged, she invites three men who might be her father. It’s a rip-roaring good time of music, fun and beautiful scenery.

The Santorini blue and white houses, the crystal clear blue sea, and the music of Abba become those who watch to travel to Greece! Watch it on Prime today

47. Once Upon a Time in Mexico Trilogy

How sexy are Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayak together? You must watch the entire trilogy to really appreciate this series by Robert Rodrigues. Once Upon A Time In Mexico ends the trilogy with Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, and Cheech Marin. El Mariachi started it all starring Carlos Gallardo. My favorite of the 3 is Desperado , but they are all entertaining.

Once Upon A Time In Mexico is a fantasy and it is a stereotype of Mexico, but it makes you want to go to Mexico and have a great adventure. The scenery is gorgeous, the film is filled with cool style, and the music is fabulous. Watch the Trilogy today!

48. The Legend of Tarzan

The $180 million dollar budget makes sure to showcase the beauty of the African Savannah, the dense jungles, and the majestic wildlife. You feel as if you have entered the heart of Africa. Seriously, rent it, you’re going to like it a lot more than you think! Rent it on Amazon

49. The Tourist

It’s a little indulgent, and Angelina Jolie is a bit annoying to watch with how amazing she thinks she is in this, but it does capture taking an international trip to Europe beautifully.

It makes you want to have a romantic tryst in Venice . It makes you want to ride a train and have a mysterious encounter. It gives you a glimpse into how the rich live and travel the world.

50. The Thing

Recently we had someone write to us with a list of their favorite movies about travel. He mentioned the first Alien vs. Predator took place in Antarctica and I remember that being a pretty entertaining film. Then I thought about the classic Kurt Russel movie, The Thing .

This thriller takes place at a scientific base camp in the Antarctic and really lets you feel how claustrophobic and isolated researchers must feel when spending the winter at the bottom of the world. Watch it now!

51. Thelma and Louise

Who would have thought that Thelma and Louise would be heralded as one of the best travel films of all time, but it has. When researching this article, I saw that everyone had it on their list, so I had to include it. Besides, I love this film. I saw it at the theatre when it came out and it blew me away.

Brad Pitt makes his debut in this dark road trip adventure. Susan Sarandon and Geena Dave about female empowerment, friendship, and the transformative power of travel.

52. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

Yes, this was a blockbuster film for teenagers. I remember working at YTV and this movie was going mad in the teen realm so I had to add it to my best travel movies list. The premise of the story revolves around four friends—Lena, Tibby, Bridget, and Carmen—who find a pair of jeans that, despite their differing body types, fits each of them perfectly. They decide to share these “magical” pants as they embark on their separate summer adventures, thus maintaining their connection with each other.

Where does the traveling come in? Well, Lena travels to Greece , Bridget goes to Mexico , Carmen visits her father in South Carolina, and Tibby stays in Maryland.

While not a “travel movie” in the traditional sense—where the main characters are often journeying together or the narrative revolves solely around their travel experiences—”Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” embodies elements of travel movies by incorporating different cultures, locations, and the concept of journeying (both physical and emotional) into its narrative.

53. Bourne Movies, James Bonds, Mission Impossible & Indiana Jones Movies

The Bourne movies, James Bond, Indian Jones, and Mission Impossible take us around the world with each movie and really are the best travel films to showcase the globe. These epic travel movies take audiences to a whole new level of taking an international trip with decadence, wealth, espionage, and romance.

I wanted to include them because if you are looking for some beautiful scenes from Europe and the Middle East, these travel films fit the bill. They are so good at taking you away to exotic places .

Our Favorites of These Epic Travel Movies are

54. the bourne identity.

The original takes us on an international trip from Switzerland through Paris. It’s the car scene in Paris that really captures the city but the entire movie is one big travel movie.

55. Casino Royal – James Bond

This makes us dream of living with the high rollers in Montenegro the beautiful people in the Bahamas. It’s as epic as epic travel movies get riding on trains, planes and yachts and it’s the best James Bond with Daniel Craig.

56. Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol

It’s not often that sequels are better than the original, but when it comes to the Mission Impossible series, each one out does the other. Tom Cruise loves to travel and push the limits creating the most epic travel movies on the planet. I chose Ghost Protocol because of its setting in Dubai and Cruise scaling the walls of the Burj Khalifa. (The tallest structure in the world)

Best Travel Movies in Fictional Settings

57. grand budapest hotel.

I can’t help it, I love Wes Anderson movies. He is offbeat and quirky. Grand Budapest Hotel is one of the best travel movies that isn’t set in any real place. This is all in a fictional setting.

I like this for a travel movie because it reminds me of the grand old hotels from another era. Well, it should because it is set in another era. The hotel is fictional, but it does take you away to another world. Rent it on Prime

58. Black Panther

Wakanda may be a fictional place in Africa, but this movie captures the spirit of East and South Africa. It embraces the African culture and many of the movie’s scenes were filmed in Africa.

We have been to Africa numerous times and this movie transported us there again. It may be fictional, but Black Panther is one fo the best travel movies to make you want to discover the culture and beauty of Africa. watch it now!

59. Lord of the Rings and Hobbit

They may be set in Middle Earth, but the Lord of the Rings movies are a love letter to New Zealand. As far as setting go, the trilogy makes for epic travel movies! Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit Movies make us want to go to New Zealand and these films capture its beauty perfectly.

Rent the trilogy on Amazon today

60. Eat Pray Love

And let us end with the mother of all travel movies, Eat Pray Love. Who doesn’t love Julia Roberts? However, Eat Pray Love wasn’t my favorite travel movie at all. But The book was okay but the movie starring Julia Roberts is dreadful. If you liked it, let me know. Maybe I’ll give it another watch in case I missed something. Rent it on Amazon

We’ll be updating this list regularly and we love finding new travel movies to watch. So, if you have suggestions for your favorite travel movies, leave them in the comments below and we’ll be sure to give them a watch!

Tell me what you think are the best travel movies and we will compare notes.

You May Enjoy these other inspiring posts:

• 44 of the Best Road Trip Songs
• Best Travel Songs Playlist
• Best Travel Books to Inspire Travel
• 60 of the Best Road Trip Songs to Rock the Long Drive
• 101 Best Travel Quotes in the World with Pictures

Disclosure:  The links above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. We receive affiliate commissions, but it’s no extra cost to you!

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107 thoughts on “60 Best Travel Movies to Inspire Wanderlust”

Very interesting and thought-provoking list. Another film I think belongs in this company is “A Month by the Lake,” a 1995 work starring Vanessa Redgrave, Edward Fox, and Uma Thurman. Its setting, at the Villa del Balbianello on a peninsula in Lake Como, was used in scenes from a number of other movies, but here it gets starring role.

one of my favorite travel movies is “If it is Tuesday it must be Belgium”. it captures the travels and travails of some very uninformed American tourists on a guided tour. One of the wives, tired of the endless strings of cheese shops they visit heads back to their tour bus. The problem is it is the wrong tour bus. Hilarity ensues …

Thanks for the thoughtful list. Might I add a few more wanderlust-inducing movie recommendations/destinations that I have a hunch you will love?

Enchanted April (Italy) Shirley Valentine (Greece/Mykonos) Everything is Illuminated (Russia/Ukraine) Summer Lovers (Gene Siskel’s ‘guilty pleasure) (Greek Islands/Santorini) The Hundred Foot Journey (India/France) Local Hero (Scotland — and perfectly depicts how an enchanting location can change your view of what’s important in life) Anne of Green Gables — Kevin Sullivan version (Price Edward Island) Outsourced (India) Jean de Florette/Manon of the Spring (Provence France) The Quiet Man (Ireland) A Passage to India (India)

These are fantastic suggestions, thank sfor sharing! I’ve been wanting to see The Hundred Foot Journey. I think that will be my weekend watching!

Hi , thanks for sharing the best travel movies.

I love to watch 72 hours is my best travel movie all time.

Brilliant! Some of my teal favourites and now a list to watch. …many, many thanks. Allison

Great movies list all movies are best and all movies have a good rating on IMDb actually my favorite movie is LORD OF THE RINGS AND HOBBIT. and next, I would like to watch Star wars series.

Great choices of movies you have given a big list a great work

Great article! I will definitely choose a few movies that I haven’t seen yet. I could add a movie called “The Hundred-Foot Journey”. This film is about a Hindu family who moves to France, where they open a restaurant.

I’ve been meaning to watch that one. I think I will have to check it out this weekend and add it to the list! Thanks for the reminder.

Very comprehensive list! lots of great movies, and some of my favourites such as Seven Years inTibet and Walter Mitty.

I have to disagree with you about The Darjeeling Limited though: “When they visit their mother in an Ashram, it makes me think of the strange people that run away to India to find themselves. Oh yeah, he gets it.”

I felt the most important scene in the movie is when the guys rescue the boys in the river, and one doesn’t make it. They take part ion the family grieving and funeral, and have a very life-changing, profound experience. I felt the movie actually validates people “running away to India.”

In these difficult times especially, finding a sense of purpose, or meaning, or spirituality, or whatever you want to call it, is more important than ever. I think we will see a lot more people “running away to find themselves” and in fact, I am working on offering spiritual itineraries.

How about Red Eye and Flight Plan? I think they both portrait (fear of) commercial flying experience pretty good!

We have already watched quite a few of these ? gotta love a great movie night! Thanks for a great list, that we will start to work our way through ?

Great choices for movies! Others that come to mind are “Before Sunrise” and “Into the Wild.”

LORD OF THE RINGS AND HOBBIT is my favourite. i had watch so many times but always loved

This list couldn’t have come at a better time as we currently shelter in place and travel only through our TVs! Thank you.

All movies are great and my fav <3

great films..i watched some movie

OOH Julie and Julia is one of my all time favorites! And Eat Pray Love…It’s a good time for movies at home for sure!

Love the list. Thank you for sharing. As a classic movie buff, however, you are so wrong about Roman Holiday. This movie is a classic. I recently saw it on the big screen for the millionth time and it was amazing. How can you not love Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn?! His voice alone is worth a listen! And the old scenes of Rome are wonderful. Have to truly disagree about this one. LOVE this movie.

Anyway, thanks again!

SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY movie motivates people to dare to make a decision.

I love this list!! You hit some of my favorite movies. I’ve watched a lot of these but I have a feeling I’ll be rewatching some of them in the coming weeks. Thanks for remind me!

GREAT list, thank you! I’ve seen some Bollywood films and loved them, and would love a best of list of them!

Great site for everything

Great list, guys — you really dug deep. If you love The Sounds of Music, you have to visit Salzburg, where you can see the actual places where they shot many of the scenes, including the palace in the middle of town. You can even stay in the Von Trapps’ house. And I may have missed it in your list, but The Year of Living Dangerously absolutely captures the exotic atmosphere and the beauty of Southeast Asia — the gamelan music stays in your head for days. Also, Gandhi for a virtual trip to India.

Very well collections, Really some of the names are not heard. This type of movies are oxygen for any traveler.

Great list of movie i like slumdog millionaire once upon a time in mexico

Secret Life of Walter Mitty for sure, this movie made me so pumped to travel while ‘into the wild’ made me a little depressed and not wishing to become a mentally ill person who goes eating dead animals and rejecting society

Lovely idea, great movies! Love your blog!

I really love this movies.

Each movie is an exciting adventure, felt from the film, emotions, as well as an impressive moment. Thanks for your collection!

Thank you for your list! Lawrence of Arabia for certain, but almost any film by Werner Herzog, especially Aguirre:The Wrath of God. But I am partial to “art” or “foreign” films over Hollywood.

I loved a movie I watched and I can’t remember the name and I can’t find it. It was about a woman, maybe in her 40’s maybe 50’s that traveled to India to meet up with her husband. Her husband was detained by work and sent his male Indian assistant to meet her. While waiting for her husband to arrive, the assistant showed her the sites of India. A romance developed with the assistant over many days, but never crossed the line. Would love to watch this again….

Maybe you’re thinking of the movie ‘Cairo Time’. It’s set in Egypt, not India, but has the exact plot you’re referring to.

All are attractive and I will watch each movie

I shared the movies I shared. The movie content is very interesting and interesting, I like it very much.

This is also a very good post which I really enjoy reading

For me Motorcycle diaries is best.Thanks for list. I will check other movies too.

Nice list, you got almost all of my favorite travel films! A couple additions I would make are “The Sheltering Sky”, and “Voyager”.

The Painted Veil – gorgeous!

I hope it will be show at CGV

Definitely a great list of movies that gets us thinking about travel. Everest was one that really took our breath away and told an amazing story. In Bruges is still one of my favorite. Thanks for sharing!

Loved the post and the films. I still didn’t see 9 films and already want see. Will try found they for this weekend. But the best is to see Indiana Jones in the list.. it’s my prefer film of life <3

the beauty of this movie list is that this in includes movies in Malayalam, Hindi English and believe me these movies are the very best travel movies I have seen . kudos?

Great Choices !

Always on the lookout for movies to watch on the plane!!! Thanks for the recos!!!!

Great choices for movies

I hate you after watching only 2 of these movies from your list i feel like travelling but unfortunately my my academics. By the way best list of travel movies I have seen on internet. Good going brother. wish to see more content in future.

Mr. Bean’s Holiday. A very ridiculous movie, but the cinematography is amazing, and it’s very inspiring.

Great article and awesome collection of movies. Red balloon is my favorite movie and it’s amazing storey

Film is called Before Midnight. Not after.

Thanks for the correction. I mixed up the Trilogy in my head, thinking “the one after Before Sunset.” – There is Before Sunrise, Before Sunset and Before Midnight.

Great article, many good informations

I love watching movies ahead of travelling and often find them inspirational. For Western Australia I found ‘Rabbitproof Fence’ a very good movie. You’ve chosen some good ones!

Great collection of movies to watch. I absolutely loved The Bucket List. As usual Morgan Freeman was awesome. Great movies about travel and for when traveling.

Can you believe that I never saw Stealing Beauty? Now I am going to have to check it out. I agree with Sideways too. Loved that show. It made me want to drink Pinot Noir.

Wild is a great book and the movie is pretty true to the book. Reece Witherspoon is really good in it. Based on true story of a troubled woman who decides to hike one of Americas longest trails with little money and not enough experience. Humbling and left me feeling the wanderlust pretty hard.

The Bucket List and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty are the best travel movies in my opinion. Iceland is on my travel bucket list, hope I can visit that place.

Best Movie Collection. my favorite movies also include in these. love to see the collection of movies thanks to sharing this information with us.

Nice article! inspiring people for Traveling

Thanks for compiling this list. It’s interesting to know the place where the movie was shot. I absolutely agree on what you said about James Bond movies.

Thanks for the post. Some I have seen and some I haven’t, and looking forward to (Especially ONE WEEK)

I’d like to add LOCAL HERO. There are some melancholic moments in the film accompanied by Mark Knopfler’s beautiful soundtrack. Would make anyone jump off the couch, dump all the COMFORTS OF CITY and visit rural Scotland and walk the beaches and witness the Aurora Borealis. One of my favourites alongwith The Motorcycle Diaries and Into the Wild.

Great choices

Excellent list, but Indiana Jones really is a wonderful trip. Note 1000.

Under a Tuscan sun is my favorite!!!! Been to Tuscany because of that movie!! 🙂 Jotted down a few to watch from your list! Thanks!

thank you guys. Into the wild is my favourite one on the list.

You named quite a few of my favorites but the two I’d like to recommend are Hector and the Pursuit of Happiness starring Simon Pegg, and The Way starring Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez.

The Way inspired me to walk the Camino de Santiago which turned into an incredible trip.

Great list of best all time travel movies. I must admit that there are still so many movies I have not yet seen. I need to work on that sooner rather than later!

Great list but would certainly add :

– The way (with Martin Sheen) , very inspiring movie about Camino de Santiago – Motorcycle diaries, simply a great movie about travel and life

Fantastic films, thanks for making this kind of film! Many people should watch it! Thanks for sharing this list.

Wow! This list is great! I will surely add these in my playlist. Hopefully, I will be able to watch most of these travel movies. I plan to travel soon, I’m juts looking for more inspiration and travel tips. Glad I came by your blog!

Whoa! You gave me a completely new set of movies to add to my list here! Into the Wild is one of my favorites and the Everest is a spine-chilling movie. A great list Dave & Deb!

Check out Maindentrip, the story of the youngest girl to sail around the world, Laura Dekker. I think my wife finally believed we could do it if a 13 year old can.

Thanks for the recommendation!

These ultimate travel tips for when they have a desired of lust.

What about “Blue Hawaii” and any of the Jurassic Park videos for Hawaii?

Thank you for your list – I am constantly looking for good travel movies.

Till the date bucket list is one of my favourite movie 🙂 Thank you for the information about other movies too

Thank you for this great list. I see some old favorites on the list but also a number of movies I need to see. I’ve added them my list. You’re right about movies inspiring travel. After seeing, Under the Tuscan Sun, I’ve always wanted to visit Tuscany. I’m finally making it there soon.

What a fantastic list full of excellent movies! There’s no doubt that these titles can help to light the spark of wanderlust in anyone. I was actually lucky enough to stumble upon the making of Ridley Scott’s upcoming Alien Covenant movie in New Zealand’s Milford Sound. I’m very much looking forward to its release so I can see the spectacular panning shots of that breathtaking landscape. Movies are a great medium to translate the beauty of travel.

No way! That is so cool. I’m such a fan of Alien, it would be amazing to see them filming it. I love seeing landscapes of places I’ve been in movies.

Slumdog Millionaire and Secret Life of Walter Mitty are Good Movies

Nice list – a few of my favourites there: Everest, Into The Wild, Slumdog Millionaire, The Bucket List, Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Nothing like a good movie for inspiring travel.

A few others to consider: The Beach, Midnight Express, Kundun, Seven Years in Tibet…

“Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all of one’s lifetime.” – Mark Twain

Hi, Oh wow I really love this list, seriously is so right! Holidays is another good one that invites you to discover surrey :), I enjoyed so much Amelie, unfortunately I cannot say the same of Paris, Je t’aime, which is other of the “must seen movies”, honestly… overrated… anyways, nice list I really enjoy it.

Great list… something a lot of people leave off the list is Julia and Julia. That movie is HUGE to foodies, chefs, etc… Makes me want to hop on a flight every time I see it! Julia Child was a machine, so glad you guys included that movie on this list!

I am a movie addict person, and I loved to travel. I enjoyed all of these films. Very Inspirational lists. Thank you, Dave, for this excellent Article. Loved it:)

A lots of movies that needed to add here. I watched a few of then not all and find very inspirational and heart touching. Slumdog millionaire is one of my favourite and very heart touching.

I love this list, but I’d add almost any movie filmed in San Francisco, even if they weren’t that good (like “The Wedding Planner” or the “The Rock”). They’d actually have to be filmed there and not just set there, like the last “Godzilla” movie 😉

Thanks for the additions. I loved the wedding planner. Although I just watched it again recently and realized what a schmuck Matthew Macoughnay’s character is. He totally led Jennifer Lopez’s character on and was a jerk to his fiancé. haha. But it’s a good lighthearted romantic comdey. They don’t make enough of those anymore..

I came to this article to ensure you had Romancing the Stone..and you didnt let me down. I used to love that movie growing up. I am totally with you, on thinking about Cartagena as some exotic far away place that I had to visit. I eventually found out the movie wasn’t actually filmed in Cartagena or Colombia because of the dire security situation at that time…but when i finally visited Cartagena, i found it even more magical and exotic than the film…love the film, and love the city even more now.

I am so glad we didn’t let you down! I am also so glad that you felt the same way about Cartagena. I always envision Kathleen Turner saying “come to Cartagena with me” It was such a grand adventure. We need more movies like that!

Cool list! I would add:

– Before Sunrise (Vienna) – Waking Ned Devine (Ireland, though filmed in the Isle of Man) – Lost in Translation (Tokyo)

Great additions. I loved Before Sunrise, I can’t believe I forgot about that one. I saw it in the 90s and then watched the whole trilogy. I haven’t seen Waking Ned Devine, I’m going to check that out and yes, Lost in Translation is a good one for Tokyo. I have to watch that again. I barely remember it, but I do remember loving Bill Murray

Just what I needed, thank you guys. Into the wild is my favourite one on the list.

I don’t think any movie has made us want to travel more than Amelie.

2 Days In Paris, on the other hand, was kind of a turn off.

Amelie celebrated Paris, but 2 Days kinda made fun of it. .-= The Jetpacker´s last blog .. UFO Hotspots — 11 Best Places To See UFOs In The World =-.

I don’t need a movie to inspire me to travel. I always want to travel, but some movies make me want to travel more I guess is how to put it. BTW. I thought Up in the Air stunk and don’t get why it was so popular. I loved In Burges which many people have never seen. Guess I’m just weird. .-= Gwen´s last blog ..Kids Grease Costumes =-.

You’re not weird at all! That is what makes watching movies so great. Everyone has different opinions on them all. We didn’t love Amelie and I have never met another person that didn’t like it. We were more into the quirkiness of Two Days in Paris and nobody liked that one:-)

Great choice, I never really fancied visiting Bruges until watching the hilarious In Bruges (and I agree the film also did Colin Farrell a huge favour). Tuscany is still on my must see list after the gorgeous ‘Stealing Beauty’ and being from the UK, Sideways and Swingers always made me want to go to California.

OK, I obviously need to get myself to the nearest pirated DVD place since I’ve only seen 3 of these movies! Thanks for the advice. .-= Audrey´s last blog ..Couch Surfing with KGB Agents =-.

Fantastic post, though most of these movies I haven’t seen (yet) but Vicky Christina Barcelona has really made me want to see Barcelona. I’m really bad for being easily suggestible when it comes to travel. If a place is featured on a movie or tv have a sudden desire to go there. Like I watch a John Waters movie and I wanna go to Baltimore, or the way Shirley Valentine made me really want to go to Greece. Even places that were never really on my travel to do list, like watching Dexter has made me want to visit Miami (even though most of the show is filmed around LA). .-= Alouise´s last blog ..List 9 – How To Have A Cheesy Time At West Edmonton Mall =-.

Wonderful list! I’ve seen a few of these and just loved them (Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Julie & Julia, In Bruges, Up in the Air, and Romancing the Stone)…..and I still dream of someday going to Cartagena, Columbia because of that movie! There are so many great movies that inspire travel that I’m sure it must have been hard to winnow it down to just eight. The rest of your list I’ll have to add to my Netflix queue! .-= Trisha´s last blog .. PR-Blogger Relations Manifesto =-.

I love that you think of Cartagena because of Romancing the stone. There were so many movies that I had on a list. I could have just listed about 50 and that could have been good enough. Maybe I will do that for a post one day when I am out of ideas:) It was very difficult to narrow it down to eight, we were trying to be a little unique in our choices, but then again, it is hard to be unique when it comes to choosing great travel movies. I guess, it was more of a reminder post. Everyone thinks of the choices like The Beach, The James Bond Movies and the Bourne Movies, but we haven’t thought about Romancing the Stone or Once Upon a Time in Mexico in a while.

Great list! We think movies and books add so much to travel that we brought a bunch with us on our open ended world tour. We’re in France now, so tend to watch French ones here and ones that are family friendly since we travel with a kid. 😉 I think we love the Red Balloon and Chocolate best for France.

Two that really stick out on our trip were Troy ( watched again and again through out Greece while reading Homer, including also while we were in Troy in Turkey) and “The Medici, Godfathers of the Renaissance” a thrilling PBS special series that we watched in Florence before we toured. .-= soultravelers3´s last blog .. Captivating Colliore- France on Bastille Day =-.

Thanks for the additions. I forgot about Chocolate. I loved that movie and Johnny Depp and Juliet Binoche were both so charming. I haven’t seen Red Balloon, I will check it out. It is wonderful to watch movies for inspiration before, after and while you are at that place.

Great choices for movies! Others that come to mind are “Before Sunrise” and “Into the Wild.”

The Travel Sisters

Best travel movies that inspire wanderlust.

by The Travel Sisters | Nov 16, 2020 | Travel Inspiration | 23 comments

And if you are looking for more travel inspired things to do at home, here is a list of best travel shows to watch on TV, Netflix, Amazon Prime and other streaming services and fun ways to travel the world from home .

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Best Travel Movies of All Time to Inspire Wanderlust

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is a movie that wowed me. The story of a really boring guy that had always daydreamed about adventure (almost too much) gets the opportunity to take the adventure of a lifetime – and it changes him forever. The story, the imagery, the adventure, will make you quit your job, buy a ticket, get a tan, fall in love and never return.  – Megsy Collins, Travel Freedom Network

I love Wild for the stunning scenery. From the deserts to the mountains, watching it made me want to visit the regions featured in the film. It also has a powerful message. How Strayed dealt with fear and the perceptions made about women made me feel inspired. It can be summed up best in this quote from the movie – “I knew that if I allowed fear to overtake me, my journey was doomed. Fear, to a great extent is born of a story we tell ourselves, and I chose to tell myself a different story from the one women are told. I decided I was safe, I was strong, I was brave. Nothing could vanquish me”.  – Jen, The Trusted Traveller

Along the way, he faces challenges and meets other walkers with different backgrounds from all around the world. I highly recommend The Way as for me it promotes the Camino de Santiago but also the story is very inspirational with a powerful message that shows the difference between “the life we live and the life we choose”. – Dominic Down, Flashpacking Duo

I love this movie, as it is like a moving postcard on Italy. From the rolling hills of Tuscany, to the pretty seaside town of Positano, the visuals fill me with wanderlust and the heart-warming stories in the movie compliment the stunning scenery. We love Italy and often dream of moving there, buying a villa and doing it up, so until our dreams come true, it’s nice to live vicariously through this movie! – Kim-Ling,  Travel-Ling

This film resonates with me because, whether physically or mentally, we have all taken, or will take, a journey to discover what makes us happy. My favorite quote about travel : “Happiness is not a destination. It’s a state of being.” – Colby Holiday, World of a Wanderer

The movie is centered around an Eastern European tourist, Navorski, who was visiting New York City but was denied entry because of a sudden outbreak of civil war in his home nation of Krakozhia. As a result, the Department of Homeland Security didn’t recognize this as a ‘valid’ nation so refused him entry and made him stay inside the airport terminal.

The movie continues to highlight the struggles that Navorski faces, while at the same time offers a very relatable experience to anyone that has spent a considerable amount of time in an airport. I personally enjoy the experience of waiting around in the terminal, whether I am catching up on work or simply people watching, there is always something to do. If I had a similar experience to Navorski, well perhaps I wouldn’t be saying the same thing!  – Chris Boothman,  A Brit & A Southerner

The North Shore of Oahu Island in Hawaii is prominently featured and the cinematography shows off the island’s beauty. Many scenes were filmed at Turtle Bay Resort, which is gorgeous. The surfing scenes were filmed at Hale’iwa beach in Waialua Bay. Perhaps most stunning, are the cliffs where Rachel dares Peter to jump in after her. This was filmed at Laie Point, a dramatic coastline with 30 foot cliffs. With the stunning scenery, this movie gets my wanderlust focused on Hawaii!  – Natalie, Blissmersion

Roman Holiday is a 1953 Audrey Hepburn classic. This romantic comedy follows the adventures of a crown princess who escapes from the restrictions of her scheduled tour of Europe to explore Rome alone and incognito. She meets an American reporter and during various adventures around Rome, they inevitably fall in love.

Although most people think of Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s , Roman Holiday was in fact her first major role – and won her the Academy Award for Best Actress . Although Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck are the Hollywood stars of the movie, the real star of the show is the city of Rome. The city provides the perfect backdrop to a very stylish Audrey Hepburn, with all major sights featured, such as the Spanish Steps and the Bocca Della Verita. A gorgeous feel good fairytale! – Marianne,  Mum on the Move

One scene says it all – On a deserted beach in France, a young Joanna muses, ‘Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could just clap our hands and a drink would appear.’ She claps her hands and the scene cuts to the same beach years later, now a crowded construction site for condominiums being built by Mark. As a waiter hands a jaded and unhappily married Joanna a drink she says ‘ Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could just clap our hands and make all these people disappear.’ – Lyn Lindfield,  The Travelling Lindfields

I love this movie because it is not just about friendship but also about travelling to find that special place in your life. A coming of age story. There is a great deal of escapism here, and absolution is not necessarily what you will find at the end of the journey. Even though I don’t like snow and winter, the remote landscapes of northern Sweden and Finland are just beautiful, the people are tough and full of warmth, and the contrast to the grey Irish hometown couldn’t be more striking. A beautiful film throughout and not just your usual Hollywood fare. – Silke Elzner,  Happiness & Things

Watching Crazy Rich Asians would inspire anyone to visit Singapore as it showcases the wonderful and lush lifestyle and the wondrous places in the country. The movie shows the grand Changi Airport about which Rachel comments “looks like an upscale tropical resort”. It then shows popular attractions from the hawker centers to the top of the Marina Bay Sands . Instagrammable places in Singapore like Gardens by the Bay, Singapore Botanic Garden, and also the beautiful Sentosa Island are a part of the Crazy Rich Asians movie. – Sarah,  Hungryoungwoman

Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion’s starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don’t see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often, it’s not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it’s always there – fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know, none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge – they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I’ve got a sneaky feeling you’ll find that love actually is all around.”  – Paula McInerney,  Contented Traveller

Do you agree that these are the best movies about travel ? Did your favorite travel movies make the list?

23 Comments

Excellent list and some inspiration just before the big holidays start!

Thanks! We were looking for some inspiration before the holidays too!

Thanks for publishing this great list. Some of the movies are very close to heart and some other I had not even heard of. 🙂

Now time to watch some.

Same here, excited to check them all out!

So much choice! Excellent idea, thanks for featuring our Scottish contribution (subtitles may be advised!)

Thank you for your contribution! And will take your advice on the subtitles:)

Great list! I will definitely use it next time when looking for some more inspiration to travel. “Eat, Pray, Love” would be my next choice. I watched it once but I liked it so much I could gladly watch it once again. Thank you for including us here and greetings from China :)x

Yes, some movies you can just watch over and over again!

Such a lovely list! Now I have some major movie inspiration to go watch. Thanks for including me 🙂

Thank you! We can’t wait to watch all the awesome contributions too:)

Great list, perfect for a snowy weekend. I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve also submitted your article to StumbleUpon.

Of course we don’t mind! Thank you!

That’s a great list, thanks for the inspiration, ladies! There are many movies in it that I love, like the Walter Mitty one!

Woow.. That is an amazing list. Just the thing I needed before the holiday season for some binge watching sessions 🙂 Few of my own favorites to which are worth adding: The leap year, The Holiday. Under the tuscan sun, Life of Pi and Cast away are my favorites too.

Great it’s! Walter Mitty made me put Iceland almost at the top of my bucket list.

Love this list. I have some serious winter watching here! 🙂

Awesome list!!! I have seen a lot of these, but have immediately started downloading a few of the new ones!

Can I also add the African Queen?

Great list of movies! Not so sure about the Revenant inspires travel. I mean yea, great scenery though look out for the bears. 🙂

Great list! Some of them are worth watching several time. I’d suggest watching and adding A Good Year (Russell Crowe). You will be packing your bags for Provence before it is over.

There are some great suggestions here. One of my favorites is the 100 Foot Journey. Also with the Holidays almost here it is almost time to watch Love Actually!

I’m amazed how many of these I haven’t seen. The beach is the one I remember that first triggered wanderlust in a way back a long time ago. (i just realized how old that movie actually is). As for other comments the Revenant did inspire travel for me since i’m fascinated in exploring history and the “wild west”

Great list!

Definitely check out LE WEEK-END.

A few other travel recommendations: – The RED BALLOON – short film, beautiful views of Paris through eyes of a sweet little boy. – WHITE MANE – short film, capturing the wild horses of Camargue, France. (Same director as Red Balloon.) – AMELIE! – BLOW UP – 1960s London.

Thank you so much for all these inspirations!! Now we´re ready for the next rainy day!

Happy Thursday Girls!

Lots of love from Germany

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The 50 Best Travel Films of All Time

By CNT Editors

It's arguable that, more than any other piece of pop-culture ephemera, movies have the power to transport—to sweep you away on a European adventure ( Before Sunrise ), cross an African desert ( Out of Africa ), even send you to the never-before-seen Paradise Falls ( Up ). These 50 films are especially captivating, with well-told stories that evoke the magic (or harsh reality) of travel, and beautiful scenery that overwhelms the senses. Read on for the favorite travel movies of editors past and present—and get your Netflix queue ready.

This gallery was originally published in 2015 and has been updated.

Roman Holiday (1953)

What’s not to love about this black-and-white classic? It’s got Audrey Hepburn, it’s got Gregory Peck, it’s set in Rome ; there’s a quirky, comical love story. Hepburn plays a princess in town for a goodwill tour, Peck a journalist for an American news bureau who misses his big interview with HRH. When he helps a young, seemingly drunk woman one night and lets her sleep it off in his apartment, he realizes he may have the scoop of his career as the next day’s news reports say the princess has canceled her engagements due to illness. And then he pieces the two together. What follows is a grand romp, with Peck playing the regular joe and local guide to the princess, who just wants to shed the royal obligations and enjoy a little freedom for a change. Their tour of Rome proves the perfect catalyst for their budding romance, and it’s impossible not to have the same effect on the audience. –Corina Quinn

To Catch a Thief (1955)

Cary Grant as a cat burglar, Grace Kelly as a rich debutante, falling in love under the guidance of Alfred Hitchcock? Sold. This stunning thriller was filmed in Cannes and Nice and perfectly captures the Golden Age of travel we always wax poetic about, that time when bringing a gold lamé gown to the beach was a no-brainer. – Meredith Carey

Doctor Zhivago (1965)

Russia during the Soviet Revolution doesn't exactly sound like a prime tourist destination, but director David Lean makes a big argument for the country's haunting beauty in this romantic epic (even thought it was actually shot in Spain). From the opulence of Imperial Moscow to the flowering countryside of the Urals to the windswept Siberian tundra, Lean's camera is as much as in love with the landscape as it is with Julie Christie's doe-eyed Lara. – Jenna Scherer

The Endless Summer (1966)

“Catch a wave and you’re sitting on top of the world,” sang the Beach Boys; and if ever a film embodied that mindset, it’s Bruce Brown’s 1966 surfer documentary. Brown shadowed buddies Robert August and Mike Hynson on a round-the-world surfing trip, filming their travels to places like Hawaii , New Zealand, and South Africa as they crested waves and met like-minded surf obsessives. The film’s impact on surf culture and tourism was huge, thanks in no small part to Brown’s cinematography, as well as the subjects’ ability to make riding those impossibly large waves seem effortless. – Amy Plitt

Laura Kiniry

Blane Bachelor

Stacey Lastoe

Two For the Road (1967)

Travel is a constant theme in this romantic dramedy about a married couple, played by Albert Finney and Aubrey Hepburn. The movie starts off with a road trip to Saint-Tropez, and as they drive through France, the audience is treated to flashbacks of previous trips that have affected their relationship. - Jenni Miller

Easy Rider (1969)

Released the year of the Woodstock festival—perhaps the biggest event of the ’60s counterculture movement— Easy Rider couldn’t have come out at a better time in history. The film plays out like a motorcycle travelogue, following Wyatt (Peter Fonda) and Billy (Dennis Hopper) on their sojourn from Mexico to Los Angeles to New Orleans . Shot on a shoestring budget, the film is flush with desert landscapes and towns that the pair of nogoodniks (and co-stars, like a young Jack Nicholson) pass through on their drug-and-booze-fueled hippie adventure. – Will Levith

Murder on the Orient Express (1974)

While the 2017 remake of Murder on the Orient Express was pretty to look at , you simply can't beat the 1974 original. The mystery boasts an excellent ensemble cast led by Albert Finney as Agatha Christie's iconic Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. He’s minding his own business on the long-distance train when a fellow passenger is murdered in the middle of the night. Poirot agrees to investigate the murder, along with the train's first-class compartment full of characters, ranging from a Russian princess to a gorgeous young countess. Throw in the snowy Yugoslavian countryside, and train travel has never looked so glamorous. (Minus the murder, of course.) – J.M.

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Raiders of the Lost Ark was a giant-sized collaboration between two of the world's biggest blockbuster directors at the time: Steven Spielberg ( Jaws ), who directed, and George Lucas ( Star Wars ), who executive produced. The film follows hunky explorer Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) as he circles the globe on a quest to track down the legendary Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis do. With filming locations in France and Tunisia (which stood in for Egypt ), Raiders is travel porn at its mega-blockbuster best. – W.L.

National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983)

Vacation was the world’s introduction to the Griswold family, led by accident-prone dad-in-chief Clark (Chevy Chase). The film spoofs the tried-and-true American tradition of the family road trip , taking the Griswold car through at least two real-life national parks—Death Valley and Grand Canyon—on their way to the fictional amusement park, Walley World. Add in an unforgettable cameo from Christie Brinkley and a hit theme song in “Holiday Road,” and you have a movie every vacationer should watch once in their lifetime. – W.L.

Romancing the Stone (1984)

The ’80s were the era of the action movie, but Romancing the Stone took that concept and blew it out, mixing in pinches of Indiana Jones and pulpy romance novel. Co-starring Reagan Era sex-symbols Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner, the adventure begins when novelist Joan Wilder (Turner) travels to Colombia in search of her kidnapped sister. – W.L.

Out of Africa (1985)

Meryl Streep and Robert Redford star in this tragic love story about a married baroness who falls for a big-game hunter, based on the autobiographical novel by Isak Dinesen. Filmed on location in the U.K. and Kenya, including the Shaba National Game Reserve , Out of Africa feels about as epic as the doomed love affair between two very different people. – J.M.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)

Set around Thanksgiving, Planes uses the travel rush in the days leading up to the holiday as a more-than-worthy comedic vehicle. Steve Martin goofs as Neal Page, who faces a series of travel nightmares on his trip from New York City to Chicago in advance of Turkey Day. After his flight is canceled due to inclement weather, Page ends up sharing his trip home with salesman Del Griffith, played by the late, great John Candy. The actors' chemistry is hard to deny… especially when they’re sleeping in the same bed together on the road. –W.L.

Withnail & I (1987)

“We’ve gone on holiday by mistake!” Withnail’s (Richard E. Grant) desperate moan is the centerpiece of this British cult comedy, which sees two hard-drinking, unemployed actors escaping the horrors of their impoverished London flat with a trip to the countryside. Naturally, the countryside turns out to be even worse. But the desolate, windswept beauty of Cumbria, in Northern England, is the perfect setting for their self-created drama and melancholy. – J.S.

Thelma & Louise (1991)

Thelma & Louise reinvented the concept of the buddy movie by putting two women on the road, escaping good-for-nothing men and setting off on an adventure of their own making. For the first time, women were at the center of the picaresque. Ultimately, Thelma and Louise don't get their happy ending, but the best coda is knowing their movie paved the way for countless other women to hit the road on their own. – Lilit Marcus

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)

Guy Pearce, Hugo Weaving, and Terence Stamp star as two drag performers and a transwoman who travel to Alice Springs, Australia , in a lavender-hued school bus they've named Priscilla. A road trip across the Outback serves as a dusty backdrop for personal revelations and general awesomeness, like a fireside lip-sync performance of Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive." – J.M.

Before Sunrise (1995)

Richard Linklater turned the stroll-and-talk into an art form in his slow-cinema trilogy. It all began with this quiet, lovely indie, which features a baby-faced Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy flirting and philosophizing as they wander the cobblestone streets of Vienna after hours. The city becomes the third character in the romance, just as Paris would nine years later in Before Sunset, and Messenia, Greece, nine years after that in Before Midnight. All three movies are a testament to travel's power to realign your perception of your own life. – J.S.

The English Patient (1996)

From its star-crossed love story to its sweeping cinematic shots, few movies of the modern era are as lavishly romantic as this adaption of Michael Ondaatje's Booker Prize–winning novel. With a storyline split between pre-war Egypt and post-war Italy, director Anthony Minghella gives us artfully crafted glimpses of both locations: a bombed-out villa in Tuscany and Lawrence of Arabia -esque sweeps of the Egyptian desert (actually filmed in Tunisia). – J.S.

The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)

It may be creepy as hell, but The Talented Mr. Ripley also happens to be one of the most beautiful depictions of Italy ever captured on film. Set in the 1950s, the movie follows a group of pretty young things (including Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Matt Damon as the titular sociopath) on their luxurious-slash-murderous holiday, from the pristine beaches in Lazio to the opulent hotels in Venice . – Caitlin Morton

The Beach (2000)

Richard (played by a boyish Leonardo DiCaprio) finds himself tramping from one Thai hostel to the next, desperately searching for something meaningful. A tip from a fellow traveler in Bangkok sends him on a journey to a hard-to-reach island, described as the ultimate paradise—white sands, clear water, and only a handful of other travelers who’ve sworn to keep its location a secret. But, of course, paradise isn't exactly what it seems—and the same goes for real life too, as fans have since trashed the filming location , Maya Beach, forcing its closure. – Megan Spurrell

Y Tu Mamá También (2001)

Y Tu Mamá También follows two best friends and a sexy older woman as they road trip through Mexico, searching for a magical (and fictional) beach called Heaven’s Mouth. Director Alfonso Cuarón shows the beautiful nature of Oaxaca , but also gives a no-holds-bar glimpse into the poverty that exists in Mexico—an aspect that most films set there simply gloss over. – C.M.

Amélie (2001)

Paris is one big shiny confection in this sun-drenched modern fairy tale. Jean-Pierre Jeunet's camera looks at the city through candy-colored lenses, primarily following his quirky-loner heroine (Audrey Tautou) through the winding streets of Montmartre. Everything seems to be lit from within, from the green water of the Canal Saint-Martin to the lurid red lights of a Pigalle sex shop. The city has never looked so dreamy. – J.S.

L’Auberge Espagnole (2002)

For anyone who’s ever studied or lived abroad, discovering L’Auberge Espagnole (i.e. “the Spanish Inn”) is like finding the Rosetta Stone. The film follows a French student, Xavier, who travels to Barcelona in search of himself. Cooped up in a giant apartment with six other contemporaries—all from different countries—Xavier wades through the muddy waters of cohabitation with men and women who don’t share his customs or language. Look out for a fantastic post- Amélie cameo by Audrey Tautou. – W.L.

Catch Me If You Can (2002)

Steven Spielberg's stylish caper tells the real-life story of Frank Abagnale (Leonardo DiCaprio), a teenage con artist who manages to avoid the feds while pulling off elaborate schemes. Abagnale famously impersonated a Pan Am pilot, and the film plays this up with plenty of vintage air travel eye candy. – A.P.

Catch a glimpse of Eero Saarinen's space-age TWA terminal at John F. Kennedy International Airport, in a conversation between Abagnale and Carl Hanratty, played by Tom Hanks. The terminal has been turned into a hotel , which just officially opened in May 2019. – M.C.

Lost in Translation (2003)

Lost in Translation chronicles the budding friendship of two Americans in Tokyo (played with the perfect amount of resignation by Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson), shot in typically beautiful Sofia Coppola fashion. From the upmarket Park Hyatt hotel to the neon-filled karaoke bars and streets, the movie is like a tourism ad for Tokyo. But more importantly, it’s a melancholy portrayal of loneliness—even in a city filled with millions of people. – C.M.

Under the Tuscan Sun (2003)

Before there was Eat, Pray, Love , there was Under the Tuscan Sun —the story of a woman who buys a villa in Italy after her marriage falls apart. As we watch Frances (Diane Lane) renovate her gorgeous new house and take day trips to the Amalfi Coast, the thought of dropping everything to move to Tuscany suddenly doesn’t seem so ridiculous. – C.M.

Sideways (2004)

The allure of California’s fantastic vineyards is well known (and documented), but wine culture still has a sniff of exclusivity. That’s what makes Sideways, whose wine-touring protagonist is actually a middle-aged slob, so relatable—and hilarious. Aside from telling a great story with great characters, the movie also happens to showcase some of the most beautiful vineyards and tasting rooms in Santa Barbara. Have a glass while you watch—just not merlot. – C.M.

The Motorcycle Diaries (2004)

This is where it all began for Ernesto "Che" Guevara (Gael García Bernal), whose road trip across Latin America with his pal Alberto Granado (Rodrigo de la Serna) opened Che's eyes to political injustice. Director Walter Salles filmed their travels through major landmarks in South America, as per Che's memoir, from the Andes mountain range to Machu Picchu and even a leper colony in San Pablo. – J.M.

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

And you thought your family road trips were dysfunctional. How about cramming your elderly father-in-law, voluntarily mute son, suicidal brother, overworked husband, and quirky daughter with beauty queen aspirations into a lemon of a VW bus? Toni Collette manages just fine (sort of). I'm stressed just thinking about it, but somehow Little Miss Sunshine manages to find that perfect intersection of humor and nostalgia that makes you feel warm and fuzzy by the time the movie ends. – M.C.

The Darjeeling Limited (2007)

Wes Anderson reimagines the all-American family road trip as a rail journey across India. Set on a cramped train rattling across the subcontinent, Darjeeling juxtaposes the claustrophobia of travel against the backdrop of Rajasthan's vast open spaces . Anderson's love of strange and beautiful objects is very much at home in the colorful, busy aesthetic of India; but the movie's most arresting visuals come in the form of barren desert and mountain landscapes. – J.S.

Into the Wild (2007)

The true story of Christopher "Alexander Supertramp" McCandless's disappearance and demise in the Alaskan wilderness can be viewed as poetic or moronic, depending who you talk to. But there's no denying the essential sense of beauty and desolation in Sean Penn's filmic take on the story. As McCandless, Emile Hirsch rides the rails, kayaks the Colorado River, summits snowy peaks, races into the Pacific, and embodies a classically American vision of unchecked wanderlust—exuberant, unstoppable, and foolish. – J.S.

In Bruges (2008)

"Maybe that's what hell is: The entire rest of eternity spent in effin' Bruges ." Cinema has given us few vacationers as reluctant as Ray (Colin Farrell), an Irish hit man lying low in Belgium's most picturesque city. With its gentle, touristy beauty, the medieval town makes an unlikely setting for Martin McDonagh's darkly comic tale of mob justice—which, of course, only makes it funnier. – J.S.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)

Woody Allen movies usually pay homage to New York City, but he switched geographical gears for 2008’s Vicky Cristina Barcelona . The film shows the adventures and subsequent love affairs of two young women visiting Barcelona , and the city ends up becoming a character itself. As you see all of the gorgeous architecture and landscapes through these tourists’ eyes, you’ll want to hop on a plane and listen to acoustic Spanish guitar immediately. – C.M.

Up might have been rendered as a digital “cartoon” in the vein of Toy Story , but it’s anything but a kid's film. A heart-wrenching tale of love and loss, the film follows septuagenarian Carl (voiced to crotchety perfection by Ed Asner) and his young friend, Russell, as they travel to South America together in Carl’s house-turned-dirigible (we’ll leave it up to your imagination). Up is one of those rare travel films that makes you realize that you’re just floating on like everybody else is on this giant, blue orb called Earth, with nothing holding you down except maybe a little gravity. Have a box of tissues handy. – W.L.

Up in the Air (2009)

George Clooney stars as Ryan, a “downsizing expert” (i.e., companies hire him to fly all across the country to inform strangers they’ve lost their job) who loves life on the road. An obsessive frequent flyer, he’s also about to reach his goal of getting a million miles. The arrival of a young upstart Natalie (Anna Kendrick) who wants to downsize via video conferencing—possibly eliminating their need to travel—sets the two on the road, for him to mentor her. He also meets Alex (Vera Farmiga), a woman equally in love with her transient life, and the two begin meeting up when their schedules overlap. Natalie’s growing disillusionment with the business they’re in, along with Ryan’s deepening relationship with Alex, begin to challenge his cherished way of life, and make him question what that collection of miles is really worth. – C.Q.

Away We Go (2009)

A few months before their baby is due, Verona (Maya Rudolph) and Burt (John Krasinski) decide to take a road trip to find the perfect location to raise their family. Their journey takes them from Phoenix and Tucson to Madison and Montreal , a city that has never seemed more friendly or inviting. The movie is a wonderful tour of North America’s cities, as well as a touching tribute to love and family. – C.M.

The Trip (2010)

Not quite a buddy comedy—you get the sense that the characters played by British comedians Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan may not even like each other very much—this meandering 2010 film is hilarious nevertheless. Brydon and Coogan road-trip through England to dine in fancy restaurants, all the while one-upping each other’s jokes and pondering the meaning of life, death, and relationships. Come for the beautiful shots of the English countryside , but stay for the goofy jokes—particularly the brilliant bit riffing on Michael Caine and Sean Connery impressions. – A.P.

Midnight in Paris (2011)

Gil Pender, played by Owen Wilson, is a wide-eyed screenwriter and aspiring novelist on a trip to Paris with his fiancée (Rachel McAdams). Like many tourists in the City of Light, he retraces the steps of Parisian creatives past, drinking coffee (and absinthe) in the same places they once did—until, late one night, a car of these very icons appears, sweeping him back in time to an evening of revelry among the literati of the 1920s. Sure it's time travel, but past or present, Paris always enchants. – M.S.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011)

Facing widowhood, and the realities of aging, a handful of Brits decide to flip retirement on its head. Rather than succumb to creaking stairlifts and hospital-grade linens that come with retirement at home, they follow advertisements for the Marigold Hotel in Jaipur, India , which promises grandiose accommodations at a bargain—and an exhilarating second act. Cue tangled love stories, easy laughs, and endearing fish-out-of-water moments delivered by a crowd-pleasing ensemble cast (including Judi Dench, Celia Imrie, and Bill Nighy), who prove how deeply travel can stir us, at any age. – M.S.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)

Walter Mitty is the visual embodiment of "wanderlust," following a daydreaming, work-laden Life magazine employee (played by Ben Stiller) as he embarks on a journey his own imagination couldn't have conjured. Looking for one lost, cover-worthy photo slide from renowned photojournalist Sean O'Connell (Sean Penn), Mitty heads from the streets of Manhattan to Greenland to Iceland and even to the Himalayas. It's a stunning, fantastical movie that'll get even an armchair traveler up to the passport office. – M.C.

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

Of all the fictional hotels in the cinematic world, none come close to rivaling the top-notch service of the Grand Budapest Hotel, Wes Anderson's hyper-stylized confection. Complete with a world-class dining room and pink façade, the hotel owes much of its success to Monsieur Gustave (Ralph Fiennes), the most dedicated concierge of all time. Whether he’s fighting off murderous armies or providing, er, "company" to the older female guests, it becomes immediately clear that Gustave would truly do anything for his beloved GBH. – C.M.

Tracks (2014)

Standing in for real-life writer Robyn Davidson, Mia Wasikowska travels across the breathtaking landscape of Western Australia with only four camels and a beloved dog for company. Her occasional human visitors include a photographer for National Geographic (Adam Driver), an indigenous Australian elder named Mr. Eddy who guides her through sacred lands, and various tourists who come to gawk at the so-called Camel Lady. Davidson’s solo trip was beyond the pale for a woman in the '70s, but it's still incredibly inspiring today. We'll just leave the camel-training to someone else. – J.M.

Wild (2014)

Reese Witherspoon donned a pair of ill-fitting hiking boots and a giant backpack for her role as Cheryl Strayed , a writer who trekked 1,100 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail after the devastating loss of her mother. (The film is based on Strayed’s best-selling 2012 book of the same name.) Strayed crosses the dusty Mojave, crazy forests, snowy fields, and muddy trails, losing toenails but gaining mental clarity—or at least self-acceptance—along the way. – J.M.

Spectre (2015)

Art imitates life, but this time it was the other way around. The 26th James Bond movie's intro scene follows Daniel Craig through a Mexico City Dia de los Muertos parade that didn't actually exist until enough tourists showed up that the city decided to create one in the movie's image . As in most Bond movies, the plot crosses a multitude of borders, from Austria to Italy to Morocco, as the MI6 agent fights the global criminal organization Spectre and a perfectly villainous Christoph Waltz. – M.C.

Carol (2015)

A forbidden 1950s love affair between shop girl and photographer Therese (Rooney Mara) and soon-to-be divorcee Carol (Cate Blanchett) grows stronger on a winding road trip, that takes the couple from New York City through Ohio, Illinois, and Iowa, before reality catches up. The Oscar and Golden Globe nominee is a great period piece as well as a love letter to road trips. – M.C.

Call Me By Your Name (2017)

Consider Luca Guadagnino's Call Be By Your Name a starter guide to the Italian countryside life (specifically in Bergamo, and greater Lombardy) you've always wanted: Riding bikes through hundred-year-old piazzas, fossil-diving in Lake Garda, and waking up to a breakfast of soft-boiled eggs and freshly picked peaches. – Rachel Coleman

Roma (2018)

Another Mexico-based film directed by Alfonso Cuarón, Netflix’s Roma follows the story of Cleo, an indigenous woman working as a maid in 1970s Mexico City (Cuarón hometown). The sweeping black-and-white masterpiece provides glimpses of CMDX's Colonia Roma neighborhood, complete with shuttered house-fronts and laundry fluttering on clothes lines across the rooftops. While Colonia Roma is a tad more gentrified today (think lots of coffee shops and Airbnb properties ), Cuarón's film perfectly captures the neighborhood he grew up in some 50 years ago. – C.M.

Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

Crazy Rich Asians tells the story of Rachel Chu, a Chinese-American professor who travels to Singapore to meet her fiancé's wealthy family. The world of Singapore's old-money elite is filled with yacht parties and royal weddings, but between all that extravagance, Rachel—and viewers—get glimpses of the city's greatest hits: Gardens by the Bay , the infinity pool of Marina Bay Sands , Chinatown's pastel-colored shophouses, and allll the hawker center street food . If you saw the movie and immediately started researching your next trip to Singapore, you're not alone: Orbitz reportedly saw a 20% spike in inquiries to the city in the week following the movie's premiere. Now if only we could figure out how to spend the night in the Young family mansion... – C.M.

Midsommar (2019)

Midsommar was easily one of the most discomforting movies of 2019. But two things shone beautifully through all the creepy cult rituals: Florence Pugh’s performance, and the sunny countryside of Sweden. (Most scenes of the Hårga village were actually filmed just outside of Budapest, but the filmmakers definitely tricked us into wanting to visit Sweden in June.) Scandinavia’s famous midnight sun was used as a tool to warp time and unsettle viewers, but it sure did shed some serious light on northern Sweden’s decorated farmhouses, verdant meadows, and coniferous forests. Just stay away from the mushroom tea, and you’ll be fine. – C.M.

The Farewell (2019)

Golden Globe award–winning Awkwafina stars in this movie about the Chinese-American experience, the power of family, and the importance of levity in the face of grief. The movie follows Billi (played by Awkwafina) as she heads from her home in New York City to visit her grandmother and extended family in Changchun, in northeast China. Visiting under the guise of a wedding—and the reality of a secret cancer diagnosis for her grandmother, Nai Nai—Billi struggles to adjust to mainland Chinese life, and the reality that her grandmother may not always be around. It's absolutely a tear jerker. But it's also funny, sweet, and ultimately heart-warming, with the lives of first-generation Americans and daily life in China taking center stage. –M.C.  

Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood (2019)

Quentin Tarantino’s films tend to focus more on plot and character development than setting, but the director still knows how to incorporate location into his complex storylines. (I’d lie if I said the Kill Bill movies didn’t make me want to visit Japan even more than I already did.) The best example of this technique can be seen in his latest movie, Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood . Rather than relying on mood and language alone, Tarantino uses slow pans across Hollywood Boulevard and backdrops of recognizable sites like Westwood Village to give us a (slightly fantastical) sense of Los Angeles in the late 1960s. Many scenes were filmed in still-standing bars in restaurants , in case you want to recreate some of the less murder-y storylines for yourself. – C.M.

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25 travel films that will make you feel like you're on holiday

By Antonia Quirke

The best films don’t just inspire us to travel, or even make us feel like we have – they are much more. They are time travel. Taking us directly into other eras. Some recreate a different epoch with set-dressing and costumes. Others are actual documents of worlds now lost, such as Mohsen Makhmalbaf’s unforgettable Gabbeh from 1996, about the rural carpet weavers of Iran, capturing with spectacular colour and romance a landscape and community that no longer exists. With such a film we go where we otherwise literally cannot.

We make friends with characters in films similar to the way we make friends on our travels – intensely, fleetingly. We take trips to revisit those people and places when we rewatch our favourites. We travel in our own heads whenever we think of them. That’s where the movies actually live. In our minds, reorganising images and location. The marvellous, muddled movie brain. It’s deeply poetic. Here are 25 films to transport the viewer.

Into The Wild (2007)

Some of the best travel films are based on a true story and Into the Wild , which follows the Alaskan adventure and ultimate demise of Christopher 'Alexander Supertramp' McCandless. Sean Penn's take follows McCandless, played by Emile Hirsch, kayaking the Colorado River, summiting snowy peaks, and embodying unchecked wanderlust. It's adventure travel at its best and most reckless, which of course makes for a great film.

Stream it on NOW TV

MAMMA MIA! (2008): THE GREEK ISLANDS

When it was released in 2008, this sunny tribute to ABBA was the most successful movie musical ever. But the onslaught of Scandi pop from Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan and Meryl Streep is somehow less central to the film’s success than its location. It’s set on the fictional Greek island of Kalokairi, and the cast and crew set up in the Sporades island of Skopelos. Amanda Seyfried (Sophie) and Dominic Cooper (Sky) romp about in unspoiled Mediterranean coves such as Kastani Beach. In bad news for fans making the pilgrimage to the island, though, the jetty – where we see Sky’s stag-do mates memorably dance in flippers – was temporarily added for the film. Perhaps most striking is Agios Ioannis, where Sophie and Sky are due to be married. This dinky church sits precariously above a 100-metre cliff face in the north of the island, with 202 steps leading to the summit. Sarah James

Stream on Netflix

Where was Mamma Mia! filmed in Greece?

REBECCA (2020): CORNWALL

The 2020 Netflix adaptation of Daphne Du Maurier’s Gothic classic Rebecca travelled all across England to recreate Manderley, arguably the most famous fictional house ever dreamt up. The vast Cornish estate belonging to Maxim de Winter (Armie Hammer) is said to be one of the most beautiful properties in the country – but in real life, the crew took elements of several locations to create a composite of this impressive mansion. The exterior was shot at 17th-century Cranborne Manor in Dorset, while most of the interior was filmed at Hatfield House in Hertfordshire (also used in The Favourite and The Crown ). Back in Dorset, Mapperton House’s 15 acres of gardens stand in as Manderley’s grounds. Away from Manderley, we see Lily James (Mrs de Winter) and Armie Hammer strolling the wild Cornish coast, actually filmed in Devon’s Hartland Quay. And further afield, Monaco’s Jardin Exotique and the Belle Epoque Ancien Hôtel Régina in Nice also make star appearances. Sarah James

Where was Rebecca filmed? A locations guide

MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN (2018): CROATIA

While its predecessor made use of a thriving Greek isle for its sunny location shots, the sequel – filmed a whole decade later – moved the production to a sleepy Croatian outlet, Vis. This rugged 35 square-mile island, one and a half hours from mainland Croatia , was home to the cast and crew for six weeks. Lily James, who plays a young Donna (played by Meryl Streep in later life) strolls around Srebrna Bay with her lover Sam (Jeremy Irvine), while Vis harbour also stars. Kalokairi’s famous jetty from the first film appears again in the sequel, this time set up on the western tip of the island, Barjaci. Greek food was even imported to the island, to add to the all-important authenticity. Sarah James

Where 'Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again' was filmed

Carol (2015)

The film follows a young clerk at a department store (Rooney Mara) who falls for the titular Carol (Cate Blanchett), a glamorous older woman who comes into the shop one day and leaves with more than a new scarf. The two embark on a tentative affair which leads them through Fifties New York and on a road trip across America.

Stream it on Amazon Prime

THE DARJEELING LIMITED (2007): RAJASTHAN

Three brothers head across Rajasthan by train, truck and scooter in a film that feels it’s in perpetual motion; a flick-book of vividly coloured paintings of Hindu gods, and people in their multitudinous safas and ghagra cholis . Even the dust of the Rajasthani plains looks infused with pale saffron – in one scene the sand almost seems to be aflame, while the soundtrack plays Debussy’s ‘Clair de lune’: moon and fire combined. Ice and heat. The best scenes, on a cross-country train, take place in an antiquated, super-florid luxury dining car that seems fantastical but might very well be an immaculate reconstruction of the real thing. Anybody who’s been to this part of India knows it’s more than possible. Chandeliers hugger-mugger with those intricate paintings of princes hunting gazelles or Shiva bringing the Ganges down from heaven or Vishnu Vaikuntha defeating the king of Kangra. All the while, carriage windows flash past camels and scared cows, parakeets, doves and crows, old tombs and thorn scrub and the ruins of temples, to the rattle of Raj-era cutlery and the boiling of perpetual chai.

Stream on Amazon Prime

ROMA (2018): MEXCIO CITY

Director Alfonso Cuarón has a thing about beaches – they represent liberty and potency to him. His adored 2001 road movie Y Tu Mamá También , about two randy teenagers heading down Mexico ’s southern coast, shows a beach so analgesically romantic it’s since become a very specific and celebrated destination for fans (Bahías de Huatulco, about 70 miles east of Puerto Escondido, in case you’re interested). In the movie, that cove with sand like cool velvet looks like a defining image of excitement tinged with vital regret. All summers must end. The director’s autobiographical mega-hit Roma is mostly set in Seventies Mexico City , where he was raised, and the scenes when the family at the centre of the story head to the beaches at Tuxpan for a holiday completely knocks our heads off. Huge breakers, salt and wind, children’s voices bouncing hard across the water, enlivening both the family on screen and the audience. Beaches: beautiful and dangerous. In full view of your loved ones you can be eaten by a shark. Or drown. Get swept away. When I interviewed Cuarón a couple of years ago and mentioned the beaches in his films, he hooted and nodded. And said there was nothing in his childhood like that thrilling, nervy sensation of leaving Mexico City and heading towards the sea: ‘I longed for those moments.’

Where was Roma filmed?

LITTLE WOMEN (2019): NEW ENGLAND

On the subject of beaches, if there are better seaside scenes in a recent movie than the ones shot along Crane Beach in Massachusetts for Greta Gerwig’s cherished new adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s 1868 novel, I’d like to see them. The rest of the film centres mostly on the house of the March family: a near-cloying mirage of heritage clapboard, open fires, American quilts, dried-flower swags, lanterns in the snow, Christmas feasts, Marmee hurrying forth with still-warm bread in a wicker basket. But when the girls head to Crane Beach for a picnic one spring day, the camera tracks the grass-fringed dunes and waters of one of north-east America’s most spectacular shores, studded with rare piping plovers – just outside the town of Ipswich and along towards the Essex River Estuary and salt marshes. Suddenly the film gulps in fresh air. Laurie flirts madly with an oblivious Jo all along the water’s edge as the sun throws armfuls of pure light across white sand out from the screen right across us.

Where is the new 'Little Women' filmed?

CNT Editors

Charley Ward

Olivia Morelli

Arati Menon

ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD (2019): LOS ANGELES

Tarantino’s lauded love letter to late-Sixties LA, and a semi-fantasy version of the city, now (natch) a popular bus tour all of its own. The seductive and enthralling locations are countless – the 1938 Aquarius Theatre, the Puerco Canyon in Malibu , Casa Vega on Ventura Boulevard... How well Tarantino captures the sense of the sprawling movie lots, the vacant extras, the catering trucks, the everyday strangeness of it all. The tone of the movie is phenomenal, capturing not just a fascinating place in time but a newly famous, and doomed, woman in that specific place in time: Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie), filmed bowling down the freeway in her convertible, or watching herself in a movie in amazement, or just dancing and laughing at a party in a modernist bohemian enclave of the Hollywood Hills (away from ‘the tired old men and tired old money,’ as Raymond Chandler once put it to describe other Californian neighbourhoods). A woman at the high point of her happiness. ‘Good air, and a view of the mountains,’ Chandler also declared, was the best LA (ie, life) could offer. What more could any of us want?

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood locations – the LA filming spots

Stream on Now TV

MUD (2012): MISSISSIPPI

‘This way of life ain’t long for this world…’ A story set today but with a woozy, antique feel – from its opening moments you suspect it’s a remake of a much older movie (it’s not). Or at least inspired by something written by Mark Twain, especially when one of the characters turns out to be called Tom Blankenship, the name of Twain’s childhood friend and the real-life Huckleberry Finn. The characters live along the Mississippi in wooden houseboats that crouch low along the water, hand to mouth, fishing for crawfish and mussels, and occasionally bringing up pearls. Two kind children meet Mud, an unfrightening convict hiding out on an uninhabited island in the river – Matthew McConaughey, the most handsome of Magwitch types, despite being drenched in perpetual sweat and wearing unlovely dentures. It’s filmed in the Arkansas Delta Lowlands and an island outside Eudora, and the Mississippi itself is ever-present, verdant and varied. Mystical, historical, aesthetic. Sometimes big as a sea, other times full of winding creeks and inlets edged in low-slung trees and the soft furze of mossy stones. In one scene in the morning, a dreamlike mist hovers and a snake curls through the water, geese languidly flying in a crescent overhead. You want to enter the frame as the river’s slow green flow crinkles in the occasional breeze.

Stream on Amazon/Google

CALL ME BY YOUR NAME (2017): ITALY

Teenage Elio falls for handsome doctoral student Oliver, who’s spending the summer with his family. It’s not that the Italian town and its surrounds here – Crema, in Lombardy – is devastatingly gorgeous. Or that the villa where it’s set is headturningly historic. Or any of the too-unctuous things that usually oversell locations in movies: it’s the weirdly accurate sense of time and milieu that it grasps. Of being just ‘somewhere in Italy’, in 1983, seeing out the summer. The cardboardy towels. The wrong-sized bike. Nesquik on the breakfast table. Plates of over-bruised cherries. The endless cigarettes, and clanging of church bells. You’ve been to that town during an unreliably warm July. You’ve sat in a Fiat picking at the door-catch. Endured evenings in the living room while someone has a go on the piano and others watch telly. Gone to bed early, listless. Had a cold swim in a local river. Crushed on the exchange student’s middle brother. And even though it’s a film about love and passionate sex and quashed dreams – and so upliftingly sad – it’s also the safest and familiar-feeling movie of all time. Like Wordsworth’s bright ‘spots of time’, it could be your own memories.

Where was Call Me By Your Name filmed?

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (2011): Paris

‘How is anybody ever going to come up with a book or a painting or a symphony or a sculpture that can compete with a great city?’ Specifically, Paris . So many shots in Woody Allen’s relentlessly charming amusement about an American writer (Owen Wilson) accidentally travelling back in time to Paris in the 1920s and meeting such panjandrums as Ernest Hemingway (Corey Stoll, incandescent) show the city drenched in rain. Absolutely pelting down. Rain racing in the gutters. Rain hammering on the Seine, turning it white. The shots, though brief, seem to go on for long moments. The narcotic beauty of it! The insatiable longing that descends on us as the movie goes on – to be negotiating some café chair yourself, under an awning off the Pont Neuf, with your coat collar up, ordering coffee swilling with Armagnac while your shopping bags dissolve in the deluge. ‘How drop-dead gorgeous this city is in the rain!’ says Wilson. The same might be said for all cities, really – they magically turn into mirrors in the rain. Street puddles reflect light glimmeringly back upon itself. But Paris, being rain-coloured to begin with (those silver-grey apartment buildings), does rain best.

PHANTOM THREAD (2017): London

A masterpiece, especially for the way it conjures London . Rarely is the city filmed in wide-shot (we never see a whole street), and yet you come away completely immersed in the place and era. It’s set circa 1953, with Daniel Day-Lewis playing a couture designer living and working in a smart London square off the Marylebone Road. His house is a high-stretching, late-Georgian caress of a building: polished parquet, stucco, white shutters, immaculate cupola and a vaulted staircase that winds into infinity past rooms filled with assiduous seamstresses. Here is the air of wealth. European royalty come and go, immaculately lipsticked, being fitted for weddings. And yet at the same time there’s something very close and secretive and quintessentially Fifties to the movie – it has the tone of a Muriel Sharp novel. The city reveals itself in alluring details only. Doors slightly ajar reveal shadows of the square beyond. Through tall sashed windows, as a countess is swathed in tulle and pinned, we see plane trees and sky and elegant brick. Perhaps the red blur of a London bus. You marvel that this is all we need to so successfully locate us in a place. A certain corner. A statue. Beautiful Sanderson wallpaper. Whenever I’m in the area I find myself walking out of my way especially to sit in Fitzroy Square where it was filmed, thinking about Daniel Day-Lewis eating a plate of porridge with cream for breakfast and drinking his lapsang, frowning and sketching while London wakes up beyond his casement.

INTO THE WILD (2007): ALASKA

‘I love not Man the less, but Nature more,’ Byron wrote. This movie is as much as anything about travelling alone. Christopher McCandless was a restless young American seeking personal revitalisation by hitching towards Alaska in the early 1990s, inspired in part by Walt Whitman (‘I take to the open road’). Emile Hirsch’s McCandless grows ever thinner in leaky boots, his rucksack brimming with guides to edible plants, his hair a dustbowl, scrawny arms eternally on the brink of throwing each meagre item in his possession off a bridge just to ensure he won’t lose the focus of his ideals. Living on what he can forage, he strikes up brief friendships – in that intense, addictive way that any backpacker will recognise – with a catalogue of characters en route. The suspiciously buoyant Swedish campers. The caring older couple keen to offer their advice. The watchful girl with a guitar and a sheaf of sad songs. From the wheat fields of South Dakota and the blue water of the Topock Gorge, everything we see looks gorgeous. Especially the very guts of Alaska itself when we get there – huge skies of winter sunshine. It’s a landscape that eventually consumed McCandless, and its vigour and immensity feel overwhelming.

UNCUT GEMS (2019): NEW YORK CITY

The most exciting crime thriller in years, about a New York City jeweller (Adam Sandler) perpetually on the crazed lookout for the next big score. It’s a movie completely charged by a desire to evoke the thrum of the diamond district and all the stories that the directors – the obsessive, hard-working Safdie brothers – heard their father tell about that part of the city. Stories that sounded to them like irresistible mini pulp-genre flicks as teenagers. It’s mostly filmed on 47th Street. An outdated, antiquated world; a cash-based economy of gemstones and bartering. The movie comes at you yelling. There are scenes where you feel like every argument, every deal, every scam is being drilled right into your head, the sound mix is so chaotic and vivid. Layers and layers of conversation and alarms and traffic and mobile phones. The Safdies didn’t close the area off for their exterior shots – they just went right out on the street, real pedestrians mixing unknowingly with extras (in that way of other indelible New York movies including Marathon Man , or Tootsie , when Dustin Hoffman, dressed as Dorothy for the first time, totters with prim perfection past unsuspecting members of the actual public). But more than anything, it’s the way that 47th Street itself is clearly utterly alive for everyone involved, a living thing that they just can't stop thinking about. A knockout.

TRACKS (2013): DESERTS

Of all films shot in the desert , this one feels most saturated in a hypnotic, sunbaked, slow-blooded yellowness. A thirsty, seductive amber. It is perhaps the ultimate cinematic dream of aloneness. Mia Wasikowska stars in the true story of Australian writer Robyn Davidson , who, aged 27, walked 1,700 miles across bone-dry west Australia – for the hell of it, for the thrill, the peace – with just a few doting camels for company. ‘I’d always been drawn to the purity of the desert. The hot wind and the wide open spaces,’ she says. Occasionally she’s followed by a Time magazine photographer (played by a then-unknown and thrillingly idiosyncratic Adam Driver), who gazes at Mia’s upturned freckled frown approaching through heat-shimmers with a kind of existential longing we all share by the end of the movie : Tracks makes you want to be a different sort of person. Happier with solitude. Braver.

THE TALENTED MR RIPLEY (1999): ITALY

The look on Matt Damon’s face says it all. His character, Tom Ripley – low-born American charlatan, villainous but compelling impersonator – has come, in the late 1950s, to ‘Mongibello’, an amalgam of southern Italy’s Positano , Procida and Ischia , to spy on Jude Law’s Dickie Greenleaf, a WASP trust-fund brat. It’s not just Law’s startling eyes (blue as borage) and insolently expensive caramel curls that Ripley desires. Everything Tom sees, he covets. The candy-coloured houses clambering up the sparkling coast. The scooters and tans, the rattan bags and sandals. Espresso taken under citrus trees whilst playing at writing novels in the cobbled Amalfi afternoons; to the sound of Chet Baker and swifts and clapping masts in the bay below. But here’s Rome , too, at Christmas , with fairy lights swagged across chilly fountains. And Venice on a vivid blue day out of season, boats transporting socialites in cashmere. The freedom, the glamour and history of Italy! Away from the ‘subways and taxis and starched collars’ of America . All captured in Damon’s expression.

A BIGGER SPLASH (2015): PANTELLERIA

This movie, about a British rock singer hiding from the world on a Sicilian island, and wrangling her troublesome lovers, is pretty much perfect. Sexy, hilarious and, absurd, it’s shot on a large, elegant old estate dotted with traditional houses (called dammusi; they look like scarab beetles), crimson hibiscus and Maiolica ceramics. A vivid yellow and blue swimming pool sits by a walled Arabian garden with a citrus tree that catches the movement of the light throughout the day like a sundial. In some of the best scenes, Matthias Schoenaerts drives an old Citroën Méhari (they’re everywhere here), sexily negotiating the pitted tracks and potholes of the roads, flooring the clutch in trodden-down deck shoes and blasting Captain Beefheart while Tilda Swinton hangs off his neck. Flowing fields of capers give way to sudden swathes of amber flowers that look like waving hedgerows of Champagne. There’s a lagoon in the opening scene that islanders call the Mirror of Venus – an ancient caldera coloured the outlandish blue of a Himalayan poppy, where Swinton and Schoenaerts spend the morning crusted in skin-softening mud, snogging and sleeping. Where is this? you ask just about every time the scenery changes. The location glowers and shadows, and by the end you’re wind-blasted, ensnared. Interviewing the director, Luca Guadagnino , once, I told him I’d visited Pantelleria in tribute to the movie . ‘When you were there, did you dream?’ he asked. ‘Oh the dreams on Pantelleria! So dramatic. So tempestuous. Oh, the dreams….’

BOY ON A DOLPHIN (1957): HYDRA

Leonard Cohen would have put the Greek island of Hydra on the map when he made it his home in 1960, if this film hadn’t pipped him to the post. Sophia Loren stars as a sponge diver in a patently ridiculous tale of skulduggery and salvaged ancient statues, and many of those still living on the island appeared in the film as children, and talk about it like it all happened yesterday. However foolish the plot, the film is mesmeric, the camera capturing so much of what makes Hydra (then, and still) a kind of paradise. Sere thistles and Judas trees punctuate the shore as we swoop past grand villas and smaller overhanging-flowered cottages, water glistering off rocky shores, sponges in the underwater shots the colour of caramel, coming up from abyssal depths. And up comes Sophia too, time and again, clutching one to her historic décolleté after a dive (‘Her double was even more beautiful!’ the harbour master here once told me.) Watching the movie you see how little the island’s one main town has changed. Shaped like a horseshoe, the port backing into a natural amphitheatre dotted with russet and citrine, 18th-century, Genoese-designed millionaire-mariner’s mansions; coiling around these houses, intensely warm coloured in the sun, are white labyrinths of high steps and streets which take on a honeysuckle glow in the pale evening shadows. They sometimes show the film in the port during the summer , and people shout ‘There’s my house!’ and whoop and applaud.

IN BRUGES (2008): BRUGES

A movie that seems to have been made in part as an advert for its location, In Bruges simultaneously – so cleverly, so irresistibly – offers a challenge to any prospective visitor. Writer-director Martin McDonagh knows that we are all sitting there silently earmarking the city as a MUST VISIT IMMEDIATELY, as he sends his two antiheroes, Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson – soft-hearted, doomed Irish hitmen both – to hang out in the medieval capital of the County of Flanders, waiting for instructions from their nutty, Bruges-fanatic boss (an incandescent Ralph Fiennes ). Where Farrell is furiously bored by the town (history is ‘all just a load of stuff that’s already happened’), Gleeson is completely charmed (‘all those canals and bridges and cobbled streets…’) and the camera flits down the waterways and through the squares, picking out glowering swans and moonlight reflected off leaded windows as Farrell rants and Gleeson goes assiduously to museums. Oh, the bloodied wintry sunsets over 13th-century stone belfries. Bruges is famously photogenic – but what the film comprehends is its more menacing thrum and darkness, its greater sense of fate. The film’s a taunt to the traveller, an enticement.

KING KONG (1933): NEW YORK

The only film to have debuted simultaneously at the two largest movie theatres in NYC , the Roxy and Radio City Music Hall – 10 screenings a day, each sold out. And not just because of the magnificent scenes of the giant ape, cinema’s favourite misfit, uprooted from his prehistoric Skull Island lair, where he had lived in roaring disharmony with dinosaurs. But it’s loved more, I think, for the scenes in New York , where his co-star Fay Wray is first discovered, pale under a little cloche hat, stealing an apple from a stall off Broadway. The lights of Times Square – ads for Pepsodent and Chevrolet – glisten in a winter fog. The Manhattan skyline is seen from the New Jersey side of the Hudson, with the sharp jag of the Chrysler Building looking like an arrow to the heavens. It seems to impersonate the slimness and sparkle of Wray herself. And when Kong hangs off the top of the Empire State at the end of the movie, a furious dawn sun breaks through the clouds as in Titian’s painting of Goliath, and we spot Central Park below, a patch of wild space in this most designed and thrusting of cities. With this backdrop, Wray struggles in the monster’s grip in a powerful image of unrequited love.

BRIGHT STAR (2009): HAMPSTEAD HEATH

‘The grass, the thicket, and the fruit-tree wild…’ wrote the incomparable Romantic poet John Keats, in a verse composed while sitting under a plum tree in a garden on Hampstead Heath in 1819. Then, Hampstead was his adopted locale, in a house that still stands up by the Spaniards pub, when the village was a day’s march from the city of London. The heath area there today remains 800 acres of ancient parkland, woodland and meadow. This film, about Keats’s time in Hampstead, might send you directly there – and the reality won’t disappoint. ‘I’ve explored all these paths,’ explains Ben Whishaw’s unbearably tender, dying Keats to his beloved neighbour and betrothed Fanny Brawne, ‘which are more in number than your eyelashes…’ Moments in the film are so sad and beautiful that audiences openly wept. Here’s drama and plot and love and tragedy, and yet sometimes the whole thing feels like a super-feminine, drowsy montage of sensations and beauty; a spring bower of magnolia buds and bluebells, butterflies and dew-drenched poppies. High reeds around the swimming ponds, blurred dragonflies, the occasional glimpse of St Paul’s in the grey distance reminding you that a whole city beckons below, with all its hardness and reality. Death is inescapable. If only we could dawdle forever in this high Hampstead dell.

FINAL PORTRAIT (2017): PARIS

To the Montparnasse studio of the great Swiss sculptor Alberto Giacometti, in 1964. This wasn’t even filmed in the city and yet still manages to give that most charismatic, celebrated of terrains – the Left Bank of the Seine – more than its due. Director Stanley Tucci used to joke that this was the easiest job he’d ever had – walking to the Twickenham set to film, from his home by the Thames. On those walks he would think about how to bring Paris to the audience, in this cluttered, grimy art-studio setting that its owner once called ‘the prettiest and humblest of them all’. Magically, Tucci pulls it off. The belted macs on the hurrying extras in the street, the cigarettes and cigarettes, Geoffrey Rush as the artist with his tremendous uprush of grey curls, head held in concentration and then growing impatience over red wine and espressos gulped in neighbouring cafés. The bells of – is it? Yes… – Notre-Dame pealing eerily as the grey winter light ekes its way through the glass while Giacometti works with frozen hands. ‘Everything is about to dissolve, everything is floating,’ noted the writer Jean Genet once, of the studio that Tucci has recreated with such spirit. ‘And yet it all appears to be captured in an absolute reality.’

CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON (2000): CHINA

Ang Lee’s swooning Chinese martial-arts fable involving two sets of lovers, a missing sword and the theft of an ivory comb, is set under the Qing dynasty, during the 19th-century – and yet the story feels far, far older. It seems to inhabit some indefinite, painted past, with a teeming hinterland of Mongol invaders and a heart-poundingly romantic closing scene showing steps leading up a forested, moss-bursting mountain towards an ageless temple. The characters literally float when in combat (the actors were hoisted frighteningly high on wires), silk robes streaming, and what we see and hear beneath them makes us twitch to be there: pink-throbbing cherry blossom , the whistling of fighters in vast woodlands, horses tearing across the Gobi Desert. Paper lanterns in the dusk of antique Chinese courtyards, the sort of architecture that seems to unfold in the dim light, like a delicate paper scroll, while Yo-Yo Ma bursts the life out of his cello on the soundtrack.

HOTEL SALVATION (2016): VARANASI

It could be morbid: a film about the hostels in the holy city on the Ganges where elderly Hindus take themselves off to die, having decided enough is enough. They buy their time-slot and simply prepare, seemingly unquestioningly, for the end – families visit, pyres are built along the riverbank, the days tick by. Such hostels exist. And yet… young director Shubhashish Bhutiani, with little to no budget, moves with instinctive swagger and tenderness amongst the crowds with his cinematographer – especially in the scenes along the river, which are pure vérité, catching faces in rhapsodic moments of grief and humour and wonder. There’s a scene during a mass prayer ceremony where many celebrants have been drinking lassi laced with mango and marijuana, singing on the steps of old temples, boats hugger-mugger, flares lit, stars hanging like lamps over green-blossomed champak trees, voices rising in urgent unison. Such wit in every shot, but love, too, and also that sense of a film learning new and quite mystical things about an old, old religion – and an even older country.

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The 40 best travel movies

Hit the trail with some of cinema’s most magical destination films

There’s loads to be said for the transportive power of cinema – that magical ability to whisk us off to places we’d never otherwise go – but we’re often glad of its power to bring us back again. It’s fun to pay a visit to Mos Eisley or Twin Peaks but you probably wouldn’t want to linger too long. Occasionally, though, a movie will leave you with itchy feet and an urge to hit the trail (or at least, low-cost airline website) for real. Here are 40 films that’ll have you reaching for your passport.

An email you’ll actually love

Sideways (2004)

Destination: Santa Ynez Valley, California, USA

They may be insufferable wine bores cursed in perpetuity by merlot producers the world over, but it’s hard not to kinda love pent-up Miles (Paul Giamatti) and laconic Jack (Thomas Haden Church) in Alexander Payne’s Oscar-winning comedy-drama. For one thing, the hapless roadtrippers are never dull; for another, they introduced the moviegoing world to California’s lush Santa Ynez Valley and its array of sun-kissed valleys, bountiful vineyards and roadside staging posts. If you’re ever following in their footsteps, be sure to stop in at Miles’s favourite restaurant, The Hitching Post II . PDS  

Into the Wild (2007)

• Action and adventure

Destination :  Denali National Park, Alaska, USA

Things go south when Christopher McCandless (Emile Hirsch) heads north in Sean Penn’s moving biopic of the young hiker’s journey from comfortable middle-class life to the vast Alaskan wilderness. This true-life adventure may have a heartbreaking ending but the journey there is pretty special, backdropped by unforgettable American landscapes and life-changing encounters in the spirit of all great road-trip movies. The vast solitude of Alaska’s Denali National Park, five hours’ drive from Anchorage and overshadowed by North America’s highest peak, Mount Denali (aka Mount McKinley), leaves a haunting impression. PDS

Wild (2014)

Destination: The Pacific Crest Trail, USA

There was a reason thousands of solo hikers set off on the Pacific Crest Trail IRL after seeing this movie. Based on Cheryl Strayed’s bestselling memoir of the same name and starring Reese Witherspoon, ‘Wild’ paints a vivid picture of life off-grid and on-foot on the PCT, an equal parts gruelling and stunning hiking route which weaves through the Cascade and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges on America’s west coast. The urge to pack up your water purifier and your emotional baggage and hit the trail as the credits roll is hard to ignore. EWA

The Sheltering Sky (1990)

Destination: Aït Benhaddou, Morocco

Paul Bowles’s bohemian account of post-war life in north Africa is hardly the greatest advertisement for tourism – the jaded American couple at its heart aren’t the most open-minded pair – but Bernardo Bertolucci’s visually rich adaptation makes it all seem well worth the trip anyway. It has Debra Winger and John Malkovich as the pair of slightly insufferable roamers (‘We’re travellers,’ they’re at pains to point out, ‘not tourists’) but the real stars of the show are the Saharan landscapes, Tangier souks and dusty villages. One of those villages, the ancient fort of Aït Benhaddou, is a film star in its own right, having appeared in ‘Gladiator’, ‘Babel’, ‘Kundun’ and ‘The Mummy’, among others. PDS  

Lost in Translation (2003)

Destination: Tokyo, Japan Sofia Coppola’s classic is one of the quintessential travel movies, not just for its Japanese locations, both postcard-famous and off-the-beaten-track, but in perfectly capturing that unmistakable sense of dislocation that can come with hitting the trail. Here, it’s magnified by deeper life crises for Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray’s two lonely travellers, but their existential woes spark a powerful connection – and we’ve all been there. As far as the travelling goes, they’re doing it the luxe way, staying in the now-very-famous and expensive Park Hyatt Tokyo and taking day trips to Kyoto soundtracked by Air. Other hotels (and Spotify) are available. PDS

A United Kingdom (2016)

Destination: Serowe, Botswana

This true-life love story between Bechuanaland royal heir Seretse Khama (David Oyelowo) and Londoner Ruth Williams (Rosamund Pike) plays like a cross between a Disney fairy tale and a bracing slug of social realism. The couple are subjected to prejudice and disapproval in all its guises – straight-up racism in post-war Britain and prescriptive protocols in Africa – but coolly face it down to make history. The story is inspiring and the backdrops scarcely less so. Director Amma Asante filmed on location in Seretse’s home village of Serowe, so head there for a two-in-one cinematic and historical pilgrimage (and check out the rhinos while you’re there). PDS

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)

Destination: Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia

This comedy-drama is at once an Aussie classic, a road trip gem and a glorious celebration of difference – all crammed on to a bus called Priscilla and driven across Australia’s Outback to a gig in Alice Springs. The movie’s spiritual home – as its website proudly points out – is The Palace Hotel in hardscrabble Broken Hill, where a night in the tacky-flamboyant Priscilla Suite will set you back around A$200. It’s here that Bernadette Bassenger (Terence Stamp), Mitzi Del Bra (Hugo Weaving) and Felicia Jollygoodfellow (Guy Pearce) stay over en route to the Northern Territory. Or if you want to keep things strictly underground, head for the subterranean White Cliffs motel in the bizarre town of Coober Pedy– another port of call for the trio. PDS

A Room with a View (1985)

Destination: Florence, Italy

What’s most charming about this 1980s Merchant Ivory classic, which follows the  first visit to Italy of the young Lucy Honeychurch (Helena Bonham Carter)? It’s a tough call between the sun-soaked streets of Florence and all those becoming Edwardian ruffles. Though it does a very good job of capturing England’s bucolic countryside too, it’s the first half of the film, full of glorious views of the languid Arno river, the city’s terracotta rooftops and ochre-coloured landmarks that lingers in the memory. EWA

A Walk in the Woods (2015)

Destination: The Appalachian Trail, USA

According to the Bill Bryson memoir from which this warm-hearted outdoorsy adventure is adapted, 2,000 people attempt the 2,200-mile-long Appalachian Trail every year, but only 10 percent make it. Attempting to beat the stats are Robert Redford and Nick Nolte’s old-timers. The trail – the longest hiking-only path in the world – runs from Maine to Georgia, with glorious, Ansel Adams-esque scenery and killer hills all the way. Will our grizzled heroes make it? Do bears shit in the woods? Finally, a movie that can answer both questions. PDS

Monos (2019)

Destination: Chingaza National Natural Park, Colombia

The brilliant ‘Monos’ sometimes feels like a war film, sometimes like a sci-fi and sometimes like some new genre we’ve never encountered before. Its high-altitude locations are guaranteed to have intrepid types reaching for their passports. Rising to more than four kilometres above sea level, Colombia’s Chingaza National Natural Park, where it is filmed, feels like the roof of the world and director Alejandro Landes gives its cloud forests, waterfalls and rocky outcrops the full widescreen treatment. Within range of Bogotá, it’s catapulted straight on to our bucket list. PDS  

Journey to Italy (1954)

Destination: Naples, Italy

This influential Roberto Rossellini film follows discontented marrieds Katherine (Ingrid Bergman) and Alex Joyce (George Sanders) as they drive to Naples and bicker their way towards something that looks likely to involve eye-watering legal costs and a painful conversation about who gets to keep the Frank Sinatra LPs. Watching these sophisticated travellers slugging it out can be an emotionally arduous ride, but they find calm and beauty amid the city’s archaeological treasures. For her, it’s the volcanic Phlegraean Fields and the ancient artefacts of the Naples Museum; for him, a ferry ride to Capri. For us? A trip to the EasyJet website.  PDS

The Way (2010)

Destination: El Camino de Santiago, Spain 

Whether it’s to the football, the pub or just to Homebase for something to de-grease the barbecue, a father-and-son pilgrimage is a special thing. It’s arguably even more special when there’s an actual pilgrimage involved, as is the case in this touching 2010 drama directed by Emilio Estevez and starring his dad, Martin Sheen. The movie follows the path of Galicia’s Camino de Santiago, a UNESCO listed network of hiking trails that leads pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela. With its stunning landscapes and moments of footsore camaraderie, it’ll have you itching to follow in its footsteps. PDS

Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)

Destination: Oahu, Hawaii, USA Boy meets girl. Boy loses girl. Boy tracks down girl in far-flung corner of Hawaii. Boy discovers girl is now having mindblowing sex with a rockstar (Russell Brand). Major bummer. Still, on the upside for Jason Segel’s lovelorn musician – and everyone else in the film – this lol-some romantic-comedy unfolds on Oahu’s stunning north shore. Specifically, the Turtle Bay Resort , a honeymooners’ paradise that comes equal first with Bora Bora from ‘Couple’s Retreat’ in a list of dream destinations Kristen Bell has managed to visit for work . PDS

Midnight in Paris (2011)

Destination: Paris, France

Americans swooning over the City of Light is nothing new. But rarely are their chansons d’amour so persuasive as Woody Allen’s ‘Midnight in Paris’. Gil (Owen Wilson) is a jobbing Hollywood screenwriter on vacation in gay Paree with fiancée Inez (Rachel McAdams) and her parents. Each night he wanders off alone, and on midnight’s chime, is transported into a magical-realist time warp: first the 1920s (hello, Ernest, Zelda and Scott), then the Belle Époque of Degas, Gauguin and Toulouse-Lautrec. From Rodin’s hôtel particulier to abandoned fairground the Musée des Arts Forains , Gil is swept up by the city’s charms, and as he falls deeper in love, so do we. HO

The Passenger (1975)

Destination: Vera, Spain

From the nocturnal streets of Milan to the Aeolian Islands and even south-east  London, Michaelangelo Antonioni’s locations often got as much screen time as his actors. Even larger-than-life Jack Nicholson feels swallowed up by the epic sweep of southern Spain, the last stop for his journalist-gone-rogue David Locke after an almost 007-worthy itinerary (Algeria, London, Munich, Barcelona). The dusty Andalusian hilltop town of Vera, with its dilapidated bullring and now-demolished Hotel de la Gloria, is the filming location for the famous six-minute tracking shot in which Locke’s fate is sealed – in typically cryptic Antonioni style, naturalmente . JM

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)

Destination:  Seyðisfjörður,  Iceland Timid Life magazine staffer Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller) heads off to track down grizzled photojournalist Sean O’Connell (Sean Penn) and finds himself along the way. It’s basically a mega-budget version of that gap year your mate Charlie still goes on about. But if Walter’s fantastical daydreams of superpowered adventure and heart-stopping romance are eclipsed by the rugged Icelandic landscapes, what landscapes to be eclipsed by. If you want to recreate his high-speed longboard ride , just head for Seyðisfjörður on the eastern edge of Iceland. Just be sure to check the terms of your travel insurance first. PDS

Leap Year (2010)

Destination: Aran Islands, Ireland It may not be a great advertisement for filmmaking but this romcom is an excellent billboard for the Irish counties of Wicklow, Mayo and Galway. Matthew Goode plays Irish innkeeper Declan O’Callaghan and Amy Adams is Anna Brady, the American visitor looking to exploit an arcane tradition whereby a man proposed to on a Leap Day must accept (because no marriage is more likely to last than one you’ve been forced into by an ancient form of blackmail). Forget the plot contortions and focus instead on the glorious Irish vistas, especially those of the rocky Aran Islands where much of the movie was filmed. PDS

L'Avventura (1960)

Destination: Aeolian Islands, Italy In Michelangelo Antonioni’s languid classic, a young woman (Lea Massari) vanishes during a yachting trip to the rocky, mysterious Aeolian Islands and her boyfriend Sandro (Gabriele Ferzetti) and BFF Claudia (Monica Vitti) make a slightly half-hearted attempt to find her (think Tommy Lee Jones in ‘The Fugitive’, only on Xanax). The disappearance itself takes place on the tiny volcanic outcrop of Lisca Bianca, which can be visited only by private boat, but Sandro and Claudia’s ensuing wanderings will have you adding Sicily to your holiday wishlist too. Even in black and white, the Tyrrhenian Sea sparkles enticingly. PDS

Mamma Mia! (2008)

Destination: Skopelos, Greece Abba-inspired ‘Mamma Mia!’ is movie Marmite, but it’s impossible to watch the film, or it’s more recent sequel ‘Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again’, and not be left pining for Greece’s many paradise-like islands. And if you’re into tales of friendship, motherhood, a secret search to find a father figure and a dungare ed Meryl Streep singing ’70s hits, they are pure joy. Oh, to be skipping through a Greek orange grove, falling in love in an intimate taverna or diving off a boat into the clear waters that surround sunny Skopelos right now…  EWA

Tracks (2013)

Destination: Western Australia

Australia’s dusty town of Alice Springs is the jump-off point for an outback adventure that’s based on a true story. Mia Wasikowska plays Robyn Davidson who, in 1977, trekked 1,700 miles across the continent with only her dog, Diggity, and four dromedaries for company. At least, until National Geographic photographer Rick Smolan (Adam Driver) pitches up to cover her incredible undertaking. It’s a pure travel movie: a celebration of the dangers and majesty of the great outdoors that captures the spirituality of Aboriginal lands, the vastness of ever-shifting deserts and the spellbinding starscapes of the Australian night sky. PDS

The Two Faces of January (2014)

Destination: Crete, Greece Like ‘The Talented Mr Ripley’, this underrated thriller has everything you could possibly want from a Patricia Highsmith adaptation: gorgeous costumes, slippery characters and exotic European settings. Oh, and foul deeds – let’s not forget about them. Here the double-dealing and betrayals take place in Greece rather than Italy, but the soft Mediterranean light and shimmering seaside backdrops are equally to die for as Viggo Mortensen and Oscar Isaac’s vying tricksters, and Kirsten Dunst’s beautiful sorta-moll, journey from the tourist traps of Athens to Crete’s sun-baked hills and its Minoan ruins. PDS

Jeremiah Johnson (1972)

Destination: Zion National Park, Utah, USA In movie terms, Utah is most famous as home to Monument Valley, a landmark in all those great John Ford westerns. Head a few hours west, though, and you’ll find the even more remote dream destination for the hardcore western lover-cum-outdoors type: Utah’s mountainous Zion National Park, where Robert Redford western and handy gif generator ‘Jeremiah Johnson’ was partly filmed. The real-life Johnson was the nineteenth century’s answer to Bear Grylls and probably smelled badly of bison liver and fetid beard, but needless to say, Redford makes him a total thirst trap(per). PDS

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

Destination :  Ventura, California, USA It may not be Big Sur or Malibu but Ventura is famous for a few things: its sandy beaches, long pier, surfing and – surely the topper – hosting the climactic moments of ‘Little Miss Sunshine’. It’s in this sun-kissed corner of California that the dysfunctional Hoover clan pull up in their yellow VW microbus and unleash comedy mayhem. In the film, the setting is actually Redondo Beach, 70-odd miles south, but Ventura was the real-life stand-in for the pier scene . If you really want to get close to the action, check in to the Crowne Plaza Hotel Ventura Beach where Olive Hoover (Abigail Breslin) unleashes her superbly inappropriate ‘Super Freak’ on that unsuspecting beauty pageant. PDS

The Motorcycle Diaries (2004)

Destination: Machu Picchu, Peru Before becoming a doctor, rebranding as ‘Che’ and becoming the last word in revolutionary chic, Ernesto Guevara (Gael García Bernal) embarked on a roadtrip across South America with his old friend Alberto Granado that is faithfully recorded in Walter Salles’s excellent 2004 biopic. The pair visit the spectacular Incan citadel of Machu Picchu without once referring to ‘Lonely Planet’ and set about exchanging revolutionary ideas and posing for snapshots. If they’d had Instagram back in 1952, @Che would have been lapping up the likes. PDS

Local Hero (1983)

Destination: Pennan, Scotland

Home, as they say, is where the heart is, and in this enduring delight that means Scotland’s unspoiled east coast, with its tiny fishing villages, crystal-clear skies and mystical vibes. It’s here – the fictional seaside village of Ferness, specifically – that oil company exec (Peter Riegert) is sent with a brief to buy the place so it can be turned into a refinery. Unexpectedly, the villagers like the idea because, well, fishing is hard work. It’s a lovely comic twist that throws the whole film winningly off its axis. Any ‘Local Hero’ pilgrims should head for the village of Pennan in Aberdeenshire, Ferness’s real-life stand-in, and grab a selfie by that famous phonebox. PDS

Patagonia (2010)

Destination: Trelew, Patagonia, Argentina This gentle travelogue has Welsh photographer Rhys and his partner Gwen discovering the charms of Patagonia, where their guide (Matthew Rhys) introduces them to the region’s Welsh heritage and the chapels built by Welsh settlers. If you’re intrepid – or Welsh and fancy undertaking a similar pilgrimage – head for the Welsh town of Trelew in Argentina and saddle up for a horse ride into the dusty desert. Bizarrely, it’s exactly what Rhys was doing when he bumped into ‘Patagonia’ director Marc Evans location-scouting the film. PDS

Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter… and Spring (2003)

Destination: Juwangsan National Park , South Korea This lushly located Korean masterpiece exudes seriously serene vibes as it charts a young Buddhist monk’s rocky spiritual journey under the tutelage of his master across 40 or so years. Since the film came out in 2003, its location – a purpose-built floating monastery on Jusanji Lake in Juwangsan National Park – has gone from hidden secret to national treasure, with visitors making the trek to sit in the shade of its willow trees and get zen by its tranquil waters. It’s a tricky trek to get there, though: Juwangsan is one of Korea’s most inaccessible national parks and the hike to the lake is a real glute-burner. PDS

Roman Holiday (1953)

Destination: Rome, Italy Sly but chivalrous American journo Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck) shows Audrey Hepburn’s royal fugitive, Princess Ann, around the Eternal City in a classic romance that’s fizzier than a flute of prosecco. He takes her on a whirlwind Vespa tour of Rome’s famous tourist attractions – Joe isn’t one for the hipster haunts – taking in the Spanish Steps, the Mouth of Truth and the Colosseum. Other films have majored on the city’s jaded hedonism (‘La Dolce Vita’, ‘The Great Beauty’) and social ills (‘Bicycle Thieves’); this one just makes Rome feel like a dream. PDS

Seven Years in Tibet (1997)

Destination: Lhasa, Tibet

A Sun-In blond Brad Pitt plays Heinrich Harrer, an Austrian mountaineer who sets out to climb the Himalayan peak of Nanga Parbat in 1939 only to end up in a POW camp. He escapes, crosses the border into Tibet and becomes tutor to the Dalai Lama in Lhasa – then the Chinese plan an invasion and things get complicated. The film faced a couple of problems: Harrer turned out to be a Nazi IRL and Tibet itself was off-limits to the production. Scorsese had the same issue on ‘Kundun’ and recreated it in Morocco; here, it is Argentina and the Canadian Rockies. But director Jean-Jacques Annaud’s time in Tibet recce-ing the country pays off and he does a fine job capturing its rugged beauty on screen. PDS

The Piano (1993)

Destination: Karekare Beach, New Zealand If you’re looking for a beach holiday with a movie pilgrimage thrown in, head for New Zealand’s west coast where Jane Campion’s period drama is set. The gripping emotional journeys of Holly Hunter’s mute immigrant and her young daughter (Anna Paquin) as they deal with the harshness of nineteenth-century life steered the film to eight Oscar nominations. It was all filmed on the black sands of Karekare Beach, only 30 minutes’ drive from Auckland but stretched out at the foot of rugged cliffs in splendid isolation. If there was an Oscar for beaches, it’d be a shoo-in. PDS

Australia (2008)

Destination: East Kimberley, Western Australia

With its glorious shots of the outback and Hugh Jackman taking his kit off, Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Australia’ celebrates the continent’s rugged natural phenomena in all its forms. Sure, the film – an homage to the old westerns of John Ford – is a mite corny, but it showcases the scenery of Western Australia so beautifully, you’d think the tourist board funded it. And sure enough, they did: to the tune of $1 million. Luhrmann also filmed in Sydney and Queensland, but if you want the proper ‘Australia’ experience, head for Kununurra and from there the Kimberley, approximately a bazillion square miles of canyons, cattle stations and beaches. Saddle up. PDS

Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)

Destination: Barcelona, Spain

Set in a world full of beautiful people doing impossibly bohemian things at extreme short notice, ‘Vicky Cristina Barcelona’ is the life we’d all lead if we weren’t at home worrying about loo roll. It’s a seductive love letter to Catalonia and, in particular, a billboard for the beauties of Barcelona: as the title implies, the city itself shares top billing with Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and Cristina (Scarlett Johansson), two friends who fall under the spell of Javier Bardem’s artist while visiting. Needless to say, the movie is full of Barca landmarks, including Park Güell, the Miró Museum, Parc de la Ciutadella and the Sagrada Família, and they all look utterly dreamy. PDS

The World's Fastest Indian (2005)

Destination: Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, USA

This feelgood yarn has rough-around-the-edges Kiwi biker Burt Munro (Anthony Hopkins) travelling from New Zealand to Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats, aiming to beat the land speed record (just north of 200mph) on his trusty 1920 Indian Scout motorbike. A true story, it was filmed on location on an expansive salt pan in northwestern Utah that attracts petrolhead pilgrims to the annual Bonneville Speedway every summer. It also pops up in ‘Mad Men’, when a sweat-mottled Don Draper manages to blag a drive in a 1970 Chevelle SS, and ‘Independence Day’ . It’s another reason why anyone embarking on a movie-themed road trip should head straight for Utah. PDS

The Lost City Of Z (2016)

Destination: Tayrona National Park, Colombia Colombia has been South America’s go-to country for big-screen adventure since the days of ‘ Romancing the Stone’ and ‘The Mission’ in the ’80s. It offers a suitably mysterious landscape in James Grey’s dazzling epic about a British explorer (Charlie Hunnam) trying to find an undiscovered civilisation in the early twentieth century. Robert Pattinson joins him as a fellow military man with Ray Mears-like knowledge of the Amazon jungle. Grey and his crew used the Colombian Caribbean town of Santa Marta as a base, but you’ll need to head into the Tayrona National Park – the film’s Amazon scenes were filmed on the nearby Don Diego River – to follow in R-Patz’s and co’s boot prints. PDS  

Skyfall (2012)

Destination: Istanbul, Turkey There’s not many desirable locations that 007 hasn’t passed through over his 25 film outings. The Caribbean has been a popular pitstop, right from his first film outing in ‘Dr No’, while he’s ticked off more European capitals than a 19-year-old Interrailer. One of them, Istanbul, has hosted the big man three times and just about emerged unscathed. In ‘Skyfall’, Daniel Craig’s Bond takes us on a high-speed tour of the city’s vast and labyrinthine Grand Bazaar in pursuit of a mercenary with a vital hard drive. One day, he’ll go back and just have a nice browse instead. PDS

Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004)

Destination: Lech, Austria Beyond James Bond, ski resorts are a rare sight in movies. After all, there’s only so much drama to be juiced from fondue evenings and teenagers necking pints, right? Wrong! Bridget Jones (Renée Zellweger), who could ring drama from an empty packet of ready salted, delivers her own inimitable brand when Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) whisks her off to the Austrian Alps, hurricaning down the slopes and into a pharmacy to request a pregnancy test in strangled German, worried that she is ‘mitt baby’. Hosting the mayhem is Lech, a resort that promises ‘200km of high alpine powder’ and at least one skiable chemist. PDS

Unrelated (2007)

Destination: Tuscany, Italy  A spiritual cousin to ‘The Green Ray’, another movie that sets a woman’s personal crisis against a woozy summer holiday backdrop, Joanna Hogg’s debut film has fortysomething Anna (Kathryn Worth) joining some friends at their villa in Tuscany where she finds herself gravitating towards their young public school-y offspring – led by Tom Hiddleston in his first film role. It’s all surprisingly edgy stuff and culminates in a barney for the ages but the setting is to die for: the holidaying families staying in villa on the San Fabiano Estate just outside Siena, a world of rolling hills and olive groves. It’s a real B&B so you can check in any time; you just might not want to leave. PDS

Out of Africa (1985)

Destination:   Chyulu Hills, Kenya

Your grandma’s favourite film has Danish farmer Karen Blixen (Meryl Streep) and Tiger Moth-flying big-game hunter Denys Finch Hatton (Robert Redford) falling in love on the Kenyan savannah, despite the presence of hungry lions and (irksomely) an actual Mr Blixen (the astonishing  Klaus Maria Brandauer). It all goes on for ages which allows for plenty of time to take in the sweeping African landscapes, replete with watering holes, green hills and the vast, sunbaked expanse of the Great Rift Valley. If you’re looking for the ‘Out of Africa’ experience, head for Kenya’s Chyulu Hills where the film was shot. PDS

The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-2003)

Destination: New Zealand 

The action is plentiful in the big-screen adaptation of JRR Tolkien’s magical ’Lord of the Rings’ epic, but the setting is jaw-dropping enough to still be a distraction. While Frodo and his fellowship battle their way across Middle-earth to return the One Ring to Mordor, the only place where it can be destroyed, New Zealand’s sweeping plains, lush forests and snowcapped mountains are in the background like an 11-hour advert for Tourism New Zealand. A one-way ticket to Rivendell via Auckland International, please. EWA

The Green Ray (1986)

Destination: St Jean-de-Luz, France

Sometimes a holiday isn’t enough. Secretary Delphine (played by director Éric Rohmer’s muse Marie Rivière) finds herself dumped and facing the prospect of being stuck in sweltering Paris for the summer ( quelle horreur! ). But trips to Cherbourg, the Alps and Biarritz only serve to make her feel more alienated – from smug couples, flirtatious singles, clueless tourists and the whole seething mass of humanity. Then, she finds a transcendent sunset in the Basque beach town of St Jean-de-Luz. Rohmer’s classic is not only a funny, magical exploration of human connection but a snapshot of a French summer – complete with dodgy holiday fashion. JM  

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Screen Rant

15 movies and tv shows that created a tourism boom.

These movies' real-life settings have become must-see travel destinations for film fans.

One of the most magical things about movies is their ability to transport viewers to all-new places and make them feel like a part of those settings. Whether it’s a jump back or forth through time, lurking through the darkest depths of the sea, or venturing into the outer reaches of the known universe, the possibilities are endless for when, where, and how a movie can take us places.

One tried and true technique for a lot of filmmakers is to scout real world locations that suit their visual needs and set up production there, which means if and when these sites garner some audience attention and fanfare, they often become (whether willingly or not) tourism hot spots. Here are some of major motion pictures that have brought their real-life settings a boost in foot traffic as a result of their popularity.

15. The Shining

The Stanley Hotel was a creepy source of inspiration for Stephen King and his novel-turned-cinematic masterpiece The Shining . The author spent the night in the Estes Park, Colorado hotel’s Room 217, had a nightmare about his then-three-year-old son running through the halls, and thus the story was born. And although the hotel was called The Overlook in the story, and Stanley Kubrick’s film adaptation was shot in Mt. Hood, Oregon’s Timberline Lodge, King’s fans know just where to get their thrills.

The Stanley itself, of course, is more than willing to accommodate that interest. The hotel, which was built in 1909, has fully embraced its status as a haunted mansion of sorts, offering a ghost adventure package for visitors and even boasting about its visitors’ paranormal experiences onsite - recently , a visitor famously claimed to have captured a ghost standing in the lobby stairway and made national news for his encounter. Even its website gives a cheeky wink to The Shining by saying it hopes visitors “ will be able to feel the mantle of time slip away. ”

14.  Twilight

Although Stephenie Meyer never visited the Olympic Peninsula before writing her vampire saga, her fans have turned the real-life Forks , Washington into a Twilight haven. The small town’s Chamber of Commerce hosts an annual Forever Twilight in Forks event right around Bella’s birthday to commemorate its role in the supernatural romance series, which all but resurrected its economy from the dead. Before Twilight put Forks on the proverbial (and perhaps literal) map, the town suffered from a major decline in its logging industry, but the series ushered in a surprise new landscape of success for business owners in the area. By 2012, when the final Twilight Saga film hit theaters, it was estimated that at least 200,000 fans had made way to the Cullens’ mainstay to pay homage. Interestingly enough, none of the films were actually produced in Forks, despite its being named in both the literary and cinematic iterations of the story.

13. The Blair Witch Project

The curse of the Blair Witch might have been a construct of fiction, but fans of the found footage film created a Hollywood-based hex of their own when they headed to the real town of Burkittsville, Maryland (population: just 151 in 2010) in search of the film’s deadly namesake. The 1999 sleeper hit spawned a sudden spooky interest in the tiny town, and its residents were none too thrilled about the new visitors. Unlike a lot of cinematic landmarks, Burkittsville was not consulted about being shown in the movie, so its citizens have a hate-hate relationship with it from the very beginning. In fact, in 2010 , they put it to a public vote whether the town’s signs, one of which was incorporated into the picture, should be sold at auction to compensate residents for the “ trouble ” caused by the commotion. Oof.

12. The Beach

Maya Bay on Thailand’s Koh Phi Phi Lay may have always been a popular pristine paradise, but ever since then-tween dream Leonardo DiCaprio helped put the spotlight on the place in Danny Boyle’s 2000 film The Beach , it’s been an absolute mecca of tourism, for better and for worse. While residents of the area have been pleased with the prosperity that comes with it turning into a prime piece of vacation real estate, they’ve also been dismayed by the changes that have resulted to the land, such as environmental degradation and over-crowding . Local environmentalists protested the Thai Royal Forestry Department’s decision to allow the film to be made in its national parks in the first place because they had to raze certain areas of vegetation to make it suitable for production, which was against the law. The island, however, still welcomes its Beach -inspired visitors, offering snorkeling and diving tours as well as kayaking and, of course, scenic party spots.

11. Casino Royale

If having Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones partially filmed there wasn’t boon enough for the tourism industry in Lake Como, Italy (not to mention George Clooney’s oft-pictured allegiance to the vacation spot), James Bond lending his mysterious cachet to the place certainly did the trick. 007 visited the Villa del Balbiano in 2006’s reboot  Casino Royale and made the hotel many a Bond fan’s vacation plans easy peasy because, as one local tourism site boasts , “ James Bond is now synonymous with Lake Como in the eyes of local restaurants and second home owners ” as it draws in a new wave of guests who deign to order their shaken, not stirred martinis in the same place as Bond, James Bond. Lake Como is far from the only Bond locale to get a tourism bump after the globe-trotting franchise stops in for a visit, though.

“ Yo, Adrian, let’s go run up the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps. ” That’s a presumptive paraphrase we just made up and all, but it’s probably not too terribly off from the reality of when fans across the world decide to pay a visit to the Philly MOA in real-life. The public place, just like Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger,” has become an irreversible callback to the three-time-Oscar-winning 1976 picture and still boasts the bronze statue of Sylvester Stallone’s prized pugilist, which was erected for the third installment of the now-seven-film franchise. The town has even dubbed the landmark the “ Rocky Steps ” as a hat tip to its film-based fame and offers tours of some of its other story sites, including Pat’s restaurant and the Italian Market where Rocky Balboa once made meat slabs into his personal punching bag.

9. Field of Dreams

Dyersville in Dubuque County, Iowa might have been smack dab in the middle of nothing before Kevin Costner showed up and brought along his dream team to play some baseball in the cornfield. So the story goes, the Lansing Family, which owned the farm upon which the movie was made, first agreed to let the filmmakers utilize their yard for production after they got a knock at their door with the request and found out it was a movie about baseball, and, well, they liked baseball. They may not have been able to then anticipate the fact that their home would become a film fanatic’s must-see travel stop, but they certainly have done their part to encourage the long-lived trend by setting up their own lodging recommendations and visitor center . As the iconic verbiage says, “ if you build it, they will come. ”

The shale oil boom isn’t the only thing bringing people to North Dakota. The Coen Brothers’ 1996 crime drama Fargo , which has been followed up with the critically acclaimed FX television adaptation of the same, has turned its titular town into a tourist attraction. Among the photo ops available in the small town is the Woodchipper , which boasts its own fan frenzy  as thousands of annual visitors come to take a picture alongside the famed prop at the town’s visitor center. The city does, however, effort to distance itself from the “ brand ” it’s given by the movie and show, which depict it as a barren and chilly, not to mention crime-addled atmosphere. Fargo has become such an iconic stopover that one woman even died in 2001 after reportedly visiting the area in search for the treasure buried by Steve Buscemi’s character Carl Showalter in the movie. Interestingly enough, the film itself was shot in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, while the TV series is filmed in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

7. The Avengers

If there’s any movie series that can catapult a food item into next-level sales by mere mention, it’s Marvel’s The Avengers . In the 2012 pic, Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man asked Chris Evans’ Captain America, " Have you ever tried shawarma? There's a shawarma joint about two blocks from here. I don't know what it is, but I want to try it. " Then, in the end credits, the characters were seen grabbing a bite of the same. For those few who haven’t tried the item since The Downey Effect came into play, it’s a Mediterranean sandwich pita, usually filled with stuffings like lamb and tabbouleh, and subsequent sales of the meat-filled treat went through the roof, from Los Angeles eateries to ones in New York , per local restaurateurs reporting on the sudden phenomenon. The bad news is this shawarma boom has not been linked to any confirmed cases of sudden onset superheroism, as many of those who rushed out to try it no doubt hoped might happen. Talk about your superfood.

6. The Shawshank Redemption

Prisons might not normally be the ideal venue for a family getaway, but after The Shawshank Redemption , the Ohio State Mansfield Reformatory has become a tour hub for lovers of Frank Darabont’s 1994 adaptation of Stephen King’s crime novel. The prison, which has been out of operation as a real-life detention center since 1990, has its own inherent spookiness due to the 200-plus deaths which occurred within its walls over the years and offers a Paranormal Penitentiary experience to satisfy its haunting-hungry explorers. It became a true Tinseltown lovers’ tour destination, however, after Shawshank was shot there. The site still boasts guided tours of the Warden’s office, Andy Dufresne’s escape tunnel, and the Parole Board room where he was finally delivered his long-overdue walking papers.

5. Harry Potter

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is, unfortunately, all based on imagination, but for fans of J.K. Rowling’s series, the school’s magic lives on through various real-life locations erected across the United Kingdom to celebrate the series. Platform 9 ¾ , which was the portal through at the King’s Landing train station through which young wizards would access the Hogwarts Express, is but one of the real-life locations Potter fans are known to frequent. King’s Cross at St. Pancras Station, which was utilized for the exterior station shots in the film, now boasts a Harry Potter shop with a special Platform 9 ¾ photo op construction for fans to take pictures with, and Warner Bros. offers a studio tour of its London film sets. Even in America, which is only now becoming a Harry Potter series mainstay by way of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them , Universal Studios’ Orlando and Hollywood locations have entire Wizarding World sections set up in the theme parks.

4. Star Wars

What Jedi worth his or her lightsaber wouldn’t want to see the real-life setting used to create Tatooine? The Tunisian desert locales which were used to create Luke Skywalker’s home planet have enjoyed decades of tourism as a result of their connection to a galaxy far, far away, and even the Official Star Wars Website offers a day-by-day suggested itinerary for fans who do decide to take a trip to see some of the iconic sci-fi sets.

Mos Epsa, in particular, has received a bevy of international interest, even relying on outside fan funding to restore the site’s film-related landscapes after a sandstorm created destructive dunes in the area. Recently, however, after the sites were linked to potential jihadi terrorism in the media , visitation fell significantly, a downward trend with locals and Star Wars fans alike are working to turn around in order to preserve Tatooine for future generations.

3. Game of Thrones

Okay, okay, so Game of Thrones isn’t a movie, but given the undeniable impact it’s had on Northern Ireland tourism, it’s just got to be included here. The hit HBO series, which just concluded its action-packed sixth season, has brought in million of pounds of revenue thanks to fan tourism since the show’s production there began six years ago. One tourism official credits GoT with putting the country “ on the map from a tourism perspective ” because while the lands themselves are beautiful enough to attract a fair amount of visitors, the series “ brings in a new generation of people [thanks to its] cult status .” Among the sets visited by frequented the Westeros faithful are the Dunluce Castle, which serves as House Greyjoy of the Iron Islands, the Dark Hedges which made up the woodsy backdrop for King’s Road, and Old Castle Ward which is used as the set for Winterfell. All for the watch, of course.

2. Jurassic Park

Even in the mind’s eye, the very sight of Jurassic Park ’s fecund Isla Nublar from afar evokes a visceral memory of John Williams’ score that welcomed us all to the 1993 film’s perilous setting. Though the pic claimed its fictional park was set in Central America, it was actually filmed on the island of Oahu, which has drawn in loads of cinematic tourism ever since. Kualoa Ranch, for example, was the site of the Steven Spielberg-helmed franchise starter and has since enjoyed a deluge of Hollywood interest, both on the production front ( Pearl Harbor , Godzilla , and 50 First Dates are among the movies which followed in its use) and travel interest. The site offers tours of its impressive set pieces, which now include Jurassic World ’s Indominus Rex paddock and gyrosphere launch pad, and as of 2015, tourism officials at the ranch are “ still feeling the effects ” of the series.

1. Lord of the Rings

Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy was significant for more than just its visual effects-filled battle sequences and Frodo Baggins’ epic journey to cast the “one ring to rule them all” into the fires of Mordor. The films were also filled with lush landscapes which made the hobbits’ foot journey across Middle Earth stunning to watch. Those incredible backdrops weren’t built on a set with green screens but were instead shot in the scenic nation of New Zealand, and the country has received a massive influx of tourism interest as a result.

LOTR fans have made their own Kiwi pilgrimages en masse to visit some of the 150 locations captured in the film series, and annual visitation grew 40 percent after the series hit theaters. In 2012, tourism was cited as the country’s second-highest industry , with many of its international visitors admitting that the J.R.R. Tolkien-based series was their reason for checking out the outdoor sites , like Matamata which served as the set of the Shire and remains preserved as an attraction, or Wellington, the locale used for the beautiful city of Rivendell on-screen. Due to the popularity of the franchise fellowship, New Zealand Custom Service even stamps international passports with a “ Welcome to Middle Earth ” emblem upon arrival.

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25 best travel movies to inspire your own adventures

A list of our favorite travel movies, from classics to lesser-known films, plus tips to live your own real-life adventures.

Worldpackers Worldpackers

Nov 23, 2023

Feel like going on an incredible excursion without leaving the house? That's the magic of travel movies. Picture this: one moment you're exploring sun-soaked vineyards in Italy, then you're navigating bustling markets in Morocco. All without leaving home!

Travel movies let us experience cultures around the globe. They inspire our wanderlust and help plan real-life adventures . And sometimes they offer an escape when we need it most. Ready to dive into cinematic journeys that span continents?

In this article we'll remind you of iconic films that have shaped this genre and discover more recent gems . So, grab some popcorn as we embark on a reel-world adventure.

25 best travel movies that will inspire you

Here’s a list of Worldpackers team’s favorite travel movies, which make us feel like we’re out and about without leaving our couch. Some films take this experience up a notch, offering more than just beautiful locales - they shape our understanding of travel itself.

The Motorcycle Diaries (2004)

We start this list of travel movies with a great example of that power of broadening perspectives: The Motorcycle Diaries isn't simply about two friends exploring South America on a motorcycle. It's the story of Che Guevara, discovering social injustices that would later ignite his revolutionary spirit. It has inspired many travelers who crave authentic experiences over typical tourist attractions.

As Ernesto Guevara and his friend Alberto Granado travel through various countries, the film portrays their interactions with diverse cultures, people, and landscapes. They witness the disparities in wealth and healthcare, which ignite Ernesto's desire to bring about social change. 

The Motorcycle Diaries is a coming-of-age story that traces the evolution of Guevara from a carefree medical student to a passionate advocate for the oppressed. It's an inspiring story combined with beautiful cinematography that encourages us not just to see new places but also understand different cultures better.

Around the World in 80 Days (1956)

Feel like going for a classic? This film is based on the novel by Jules Verne and follows the journey of Phileas Fogg, an eccentric and wealthy Englishman who bets that he can circumnavigate the globe in just 80 days.

The plot of the movie revolves around Fogg's race against time as he embarks on an adventure across the globe, accompanied by his loyal French servant, Passepartout. They go on a daring journey using various means of transport - from hot air balloons to elephants - and encounter a series of comedic and sometimes perilous situations.

Eat Pray Love (2010)

You've probably heard of Eat Pray Love, a romantic drama film based on Elizabeth Gilbert's memoir of the same name. The movie follows the life-changing journey of the protagonist, Liz Gilbert, played by Julia Roberts, after going through a divorce.

She sets out on an expedition to find herself through food, spirituality, and love while traveling through Italy, India, and Bali respectively. This film emphasizes the healing power of travel and how it can help you find your inner self.

Into The Wild (2007)

Another book turned into film, this biographical drama directed by Sean Penn is based on the non-fiction book by Jon Krakauer. It tells the true story of Christopher McCandless , a young man from a well-to-do family who decides to abandon his conventional life and venture into the wilderness of North America in pursuit of a more meaningful existence.

He renames himself “Alexander Supertramp”, cuts ties with his family and embarks on a journey across the USA, eventually reaching Alaska . Throughout his journey, Christopher encounters various people who impact his life.

Wild (2014)

For those who love biographical tales, here’s another one: Wild is based on Cheryl Strayed's memoir, which chronicles her 1100-mile solo hike along the Pacific Crest Trail. 

It’s not just about stunning landscapes but also self-discovery and healing, since the character starts the hike after a series of destructive behaviors and the loss of her mother to cancer.

Throughout her journey, Cheryl encounters many challenges, including harsh weather, injuries, and the weight of her emotional baggage . Her journey becomes a test of her inner strength, determination, and resilience.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)

A modern classic, this film follows the life of Walter Mitty, a man who escapes his mundane existence through elaborate daydreams. He works as a photo negative manager at Life magazine, a job that involves processing photographs for publication.

One day he misplaces a crucial photograph negative taken by a renowned photographer and sets off to find the missing negative. This journey takes him on an adventure around the world, from Greenland to Iceland , going far beyond his comfort zone.

The Way (2010)

Dream of doing the Camino de Santiago, in Spain? The Way portrays one man’s pilgrimage along the Camino after his son's death.  

The main character is Tom (played by Martin Sheen), who encounters a diverse group of fellow travelers, each with their own reasons for walking the pilgrimage. Together, they share stories, hopes, and struggles.

As Tom travels through picturesque landscapes and faces physical challenges, he not only learns to honor his son's memory but also discovers profound insights about life, faith, and the power of human connections.

Thelma and Louise (1991)

A road trip movie classic, Thelma & Louise tells the story of two women who set out on a weekend getaway but find themselves on the run from the law after a traumatic incident. Their journey becomes a symbolic escape from societal constraints, leading to a series of events that challenge the roles they've been assigned as women.

With every scene, more beauty unfolds as they drive amidst vast American landscapes in their iconic convertible. The film is a thrilling and thought-provoking exploration of friendship, empowerment, and the consequences of defying societal norms.

Roman Holiday (1953)

Another classic, Roman Holiday transports viewers back in time while offering picturesque views around Rome's historic cityscape - perfect for those wanting both cultural immersion and vintage vibes.

The film revolves around the story of a young European princess named Princess Ann (Audrey Hepburn), who is on a diplomatic tour of Europe and becomes overwhelmed by the constraints of her royal duties and her sheltered life. 

It’s a love story that captures the magic of a whirlwind romance against the backdrop of the Italian capital.

The Darjeeling Limited (2007)

Directed by Wes Anderson, the movie follows the journey of three estranged brothers who reunite for a train trip through India . They board the Darjeeling Limited, a luxury train, each dealing with his own personal struggles and unresolved issues.

As the train journey progresses through the picturesque Indian landscape, the brothers encounter many  challenges and quirky situations . Along the way, they engage in both humorous and poignant interactions with fellow passengers and locals, leading to moments of self-discovery and reflection.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011)

Another treat for those longing to visit India, this heartwarming film tells the story of a group of British retirees who decide to spend their retirement years in a hotel in Jaipur . They face a variety of personal challenges and cultural adjustments as they settle into the vibrant and colorful environment of India.

The hotel is far from the luxurious paradise the retirees were expecting, but through their shared experiences and interactions with the local community, they find renewal, purpose , and unexpected opportunities for love and personal growth.

Lost in Translation (2003) Loneliness, connection, and cultural dislocation are the main themes of this drama-comedy directed by Sofia Coppola, which takes place in Japan. The story revolves around Bob Harris, a middle-aged American actor who is in Tokyo to shoot a whiskey commercial, and Charlotte, a young college graduate accompanying her photographer husband. Both Bob and Charlotte are feeling adrift in their lives and marriages , grappling with feelings of isolation and purposelessness in the bustling and culturally unfamiliar capital of Japan. Their chance encounter leads to a deep and platonic connection. The Holiday (2006)

This romantic comedy follows the intertwining stories of two women, Iris (Kate Winslet) and Amanda (Cameron Diaz), who are experiencing relationship troubles during the Christmas holiday season.

Iris is British and Amanda is American. Feeling the need for a break from their lives, they discover each other through a house-swapping website and decide to exchange homes for the holiday season . While their lives take unexpected turns, we feel like we're exploring the English countryside and sunny California along with them.

Under the Tuscan Sun (2003)

This travel movie follows the story of Frances (played by Diane Lane), a recently divorced writer who impulsively purchases a villa in Tuscany, Italy , in an attempt to start anew.

As Frances attempts to restore the villa to its former glory, she forms connections with the local community and undergoes a personal transformation , rediscovering her passion for life, writing, and love. The picturesque landscapes of Tuscany provide a stunning backdrop to the story.

Tracks (2013)

Based on the true story of Robyn Davidson, this travel movie chronicles her remarkable journey across the vast Australian desert with a dog and four camels . She went on a solo trek of over 1,700 miles from Alice Springs to the west coast of Australia, motivated by a desire for solitude and a deep connection with the land.

Along the way, she faces various obstacles, including encounters with curious locals, harsh weather conditions, and the emotional toll of isolation . The film is a visually stunning and introspective portrayal of an extraordinary real-life adventure.

Before Sunrise (1995), Before Sunset (2004), Before Midnight (2013)

The "Before" trilogy, directed by Richard Linklater and starred by Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, starts with the movie Before Sunrise , which follows the chance encounter of two strangers on a train traveling through Europe. They strike up a conversation and decide to spend the night together in Vienna, Austria, before Jesse's departure the next morning.

Before Sunset , its sequel, takes place in Paris, where Jesse and Celine meet again 10 years later. Finally, Before Midnight takes the same characters to Greece, almost two decades before their first encounter.

The trilogy is celebrated for its realistic and emotionally charged dialogue . Each film captures a different stage in Jesse and Céline's lives, offering insights into the complexities of love and human relationships, while they walk around beautiful cities.

Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)

This New Zealand adventure-comedy film follows the unlikely friendship between a rebellious young boy and his reluctant foster uncle as they become the subjects of a nationwide manhunt in the New Zealand wilderness.

As they navigate the rugged terrain, their relationship grows stronger, and they become unlikely partners in a wild adventure to evade capture by the authorities. Along the way, they encounter various colorful characters and face numerous challenges.

Patagonia (2010)

Probably one of the lesser-known films in this list of travel movies, Patagonia interweaves two distinct but interconnected stories that take place in different parts of the world, both involving characters on personal journeys of self-discovery.

One storyline follows Gwen and Rhys, a Welsh couple who travel to Patagonia in Argentina as part of a photography project. Their journey becomes a catalyst for Gwen's personal exploration as she grapples with her desires and the changing dynamics of her relationship with Rhys.

The second storyline follows Cerys, an elderly Welsh woman who embarks on a pilgrimage to visit her family's ancestral homeland in Patagonia, where there is a Welsh-speaking community. Along the way, she meets a young Argentine named Alejandro who is searching for his Welsh roots.

The Bucket List (2007)

This movie tells the story of two terminally ill men , Edward Cole (played by Jack Nicholson) and Carter Chambers (played by Morgan Freeman), who meet while sharing a hospital room. Both men have been diagnosed with advanced stages of cancer and are given limited time to live.

As they grapple with their mortality and impending deaths, Edward and Carter decide to create a list of things they want to do before they "kick the bucket." The two men embark on a global journey to check off the items on their list, forming a deep friendship along the way.

A Good Year (2006)

Directed by Ridley Scott, this movie follows the story of Max Skinner (played by Russell Crowe), a successful and ruthless London-based investment banker who inherits a vineyard in Provence , France, upon the death of his estranged uncle.

Max reluctantly travels to the vineyard with the intention of selling it quickly and making a profit. However, as he spends time in the picturesque countryside and reconnects with his childhood memories, he begins to reconsider his priorities and values.

A Walk in the Woods (2015)

This film is based on the memoir of the same name by the well-known travel writer and author Bill Bryson. After living abroad for many years, Bryson returns to the United States and decides to hike the Appalachian Trail , one of the longest continuous footpaths in the world, together with an old acquaintance, Stephen Katz.

As Bryson and Katz traverse the Appalachian Trail, they face a series of humorous and challenging situations, including encounters with fellow hikers and with wildlife, and the physical demands of the trail itself. Along the way, they also engage in conversations about life, friendship, and the beauty of the natural world .

This list of travel movies wouldn’t be complete without some heartwarming animations . Starting with Up, a Pixar and Walt Disney film centered on the story of Carl Fredricksen, a widowed elderly man who embarks on a remarkable adventure using balloons to fly his house to South America.

It all starts when Carl finds himself facing eviction from his beloved home and missing his late wife, Ellie, who had shared his childhood dreams of adventure, so he decides to fulfill their lifelong dream of visiting the remote Paradise Falls . 

During the trip, he learns to let go of the past, embrace new experiences, and find joy in unexpected places.

Coco (2017)

There are also plenty of animations that take us on a deep dive in foreign cultures. One of the best travel movies of this kind is Coco, an animated musical film which is also produced by Pixar and released by Walt Disney. The movie is set in Mexico and revolves around the Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) holiday , a celebration of deceased loved ones.

The plot follows Miguel Rivera, a young boy with a deep passion for music, despite his family's long-standing ban on music due to a past family tragedy. On Día de los Muertos, Miguel accidentally finds himself transported to the Land of the Dead, a vibrant and colorful afterlife realm where deceased family members reside.

The impact of travel movies on tourism

Besides being great entertainment, travel movies can wield a remarkable influence over tourism. They can kindle wanderlust, highlight unique cultures, and even steer the course of travel trends.

Movies often inspire personal journeys by portraying transformative experiences tied to specific locales. Take Eat Pray Love, which ignited a Bali tourism boom as fans flocked there hoping for self-discovery adventures akin to Julia Roberts' character.

Into The Wild, based on a true story, was another influential film. Despite its tragic ending, the movie encouraged many to seek their own version of an Alaskan wilderness experience.

Sometimes movies can create entirely new tourism trends. After Peter Jackson's Lord of The Rings, fans began traveling to New Zealand just to see the stunning landscapes that brought Middle-earth to life . This trend even led to unique travel experiences like Hobbiton tours and “Middle-earth” packages designed specifically for Tolkien enthusiasts.

However, this popularity has its drawbacks. When travel movies gain too much traction, they can cause stress on the locations they showcase. One example is the Maya Bay beach, in Thailand, which was made famous in the movie "The Beach”, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, and had to be closed to tourists due to the damages caused by overtourism.

Tips for enjoying your favorite travel movies

We hope you enjoyed our list of travel movies, but luckily there’s much more to watch after you’re done with those films! Unearthing cinematic gems that inspire wanderlust and fuel the desire to explore is an adventure in itself. Here are a few suggestions to keep that habit going:

Talking to other travelers

One surefire way to discover great travel movies is by connecting with fellow globetrotters. They often have a treasure trove of film recommendations based on their own experiences and personal tastes.

You could start these conversations on platforms like Worldpackers , where you'll find a vibrant community of seasoned and newbie travelers alike.

Keeping a travel movie journal

Maintaining a journal dedicated solely for recording memorable travel films can be rewarding too. As you note down details about each movie , it becomes more than just keeping track; it turns into an immersive activity that lets you savor each film long after the credits roll. This method also helps when sharing recommendations with friends or social media followers.

Planning themed movie nights

A fun twist is organizing themed movie nights around different countries or regions. Not only does this make for an entertaining evening but watching several related films in one go might highlight your next dream destination.

For instance, if South American culture piques your interest, consider watching films such as 'The Motorcycle Diaries' and other movies that take place in the continent, whether they’re actually travel-related or not. This is a great way to dive into the richness of this vibrant region. And why not making a themed dinner as well?

Traveling to your dream movie destinations

What about visiting some of the destinations portrayed in your favorite travel movies and living your own amazing adventures? It’s easy to do so with Worldpackers , a platform that connects travelers to hosts from all over the world for volunteer and work exchange programs.

In exchange for a few hours of help, you’ll get free accommodation and other perk s, like meals and tours. Besides saving a lot of money, you’ll get to meet other travelers and locals who can give you tips and insights into local culture, while living r eal-life adventures that might as well be turned into film someday.

Keep reading to understand how it works:

• Our step-by-step guide on how Worldpackers works
• Traveling with Worldpackers: your top questions answered
• Collaborative tourism: what are collaborative travel relationships?

If you liked our list of travel movies, keep reading our blog and follow our social media accounts for more travel tips and inspiration! We’re on TikTok and Instagram .

Join the community!

Create a free Worldpackers account to discover volunteer experiences perfect for you and get access to exclusive travel discounts!

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41 Best Travel Movies: Films That Inspire Wanderlust

Looking for some awesome travel films to fuel your wanderlust? Check out this list of 41 of my favorite and best travel movies to add to your watch list:

41+ Wanderlust Travel Movies

Eat, Pray, Love

One of my favorite books and movie, Eat, Pray, Love is the ultimate wanderlust/travel to find yourself kind of movie!

Watch on: Amazon , Apple TV , Google Play

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

“When his job along with that of his co-worker are threatened, Walter takes action in the real world embarking on a global journey that turns into an adventure more extraordinary than anything he could have ever imagined.” – IMBd

Into the Wild

“After graduating from Emory University, top student and athlete Christopher McCandless abandons his possessions, gives his entire $24,000 savings account to charity and hitchhikes to Alaska to live in the wilderness. Along the way, Christopher encounters a series of characters that shape his life.” – IMDb

Photo from IMBd

Midnight in Paris

“This is a romantic comedy set in Paris about a family that goes there because of business, and two young people who are engaged to be married in the fall have experiences there that change their lives. It’s about a young man’s great love for a city, Paris, and the illusion people have that a life different from theirs would be much better.” – Apple TV

“ With the dissolution of her marriage and the death of her mother, Cheryl Strayed has lost all hope. After years of reckless, destructive behavior, she makes a rash decision. With absolutely no experience, driven only by sheer determination, Cheryl hikes more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail, alone. WILD powerfully captures the terrors and pleasures of one young woman forging ahead against all odds on a journey that maddens, strengthens, and ultimately heals her.” – Google Play

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“Richard (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a young American backpacker, willing to risk his life for just one thing: the mind-blowing rush he can only get from braving the ultimate adventure. After hearing the improbable tale of a secret island – the perfect beach, unsullied by tourists – Richard sets off on a journey to find paradise on Earth. But Richard soon discovers that what seems like paradise can hide a deadly secret. Now desperate to escape, Richard explores the hidden perils and dark places that lurk just beyond the shores of paradise” – Apple TV

Photo from IMDb

The Darjeeling Limited

“A year after their father’s death, three American brothers who haven’t spoken since the funeral embark on a soul-searching journey across India. Their “spiritual quest”, however, veers rapidly off-course and a new, unplanned journey suddenly begins.” – Google Play

“180° South: Conquerors of the Useless follows Jeff Johnson as he retraces the epic 1968 journey of his heroes Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins to Patagonia. Along the way he gets shipwrecked off Easter Island, surfs the longest wave of his life – and prepares himself for a rare ascent of Cerro Corcovado. Jeff’s life turns when he meets up in a rainy hut with Chouinard and Tompkins who, once driven purely by a love of climbing and surfing, now value above all the experience of raw nature – and have come to Patagonia to spend their fortunes to protect it.” – Google Play

“Embark on the adventure of a lifetime in this visual masterpiece from Oscar winner Ang Lee*, based on the best-selling novel. After a cataclysmic shipwreck, an Indian boy named Pi finds himself stranded on a lifeboat with a ferocious Bengal tiger. Together, they face nature’s majestic grandeur and fury on an epic journey of discovery.” – Google Play

Life in a Day

“Life In A Day is a historic film capturing for future generations what it was like to be alive on the 24th of July, 2010. Executive produced by Ridley Scott and directed by Kevin Macdonald.” – on YouTube

Watch on YouTube

Lost in Translation

“Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson star in this flat-out hilarious film about two Americans who develop a surprising friendship while venturing through Tokyo.” – Google Play

Maybe not a movie you’d normally find on a list of best travel movies, but I love Up! “Carl Fredrickson, a retired balloon salesman, is part rascal, part dreamer who is ready for his last chance at high-flying excitement. Tying thousands of balloons to his house, Carl sets off to the lost world of his childhood dreams. Unbeknownst to Carl, Russell, an overeager 8-year old Wildnerness Explorer who has never ventured beyond his backyard, is in the wrong place at the wrong time — Carl’s front porch! The world’s most unlikely duo reach new heights and meets fantastic friends like Dug, a dog with a special collar that allows him to speak, and Kevin, the rare 13-foot tall flightless bird. Stuck together in the wilds of the jungle, Carl realizes that sometimes life’s biggest adventures aren’t the ones you set out for.” – Google Play

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Up in the Air

“Ryan Bingham (Academy Award® winner, George Clooney) is truly living the high life. Flying all over the world on business, he never stops moving…until he meets Alex, a fellow passenger and learns that life isn’t about the journey, but the connections we make along the way.” – iTunes

Out of Africa

“Hoping to forge a better life, Denmark native Karen Blixen (Meryl Streep) enters into a marriage of convenience with a womanizing baron. But when the couple moves to Nairobi, Karen falls in love with a free-spirited hunter (Robert Redford) who can’t be tied down. Director Sydney Pollack’s lush period drama earned seven Academy Awards, including statues for Best Picture, Best Screenplay and Best Cinematography.” – Google Play

Roman Holiday

“Roman Holiday was nominated for ten Academy Awards®, and Audrey Hepburn captured an Oscar® for her portrayal of a modern-day princess rebelling against her royal obligations who explores Rome on her own. She meets Gregory Peck, an American newspaperman who, seeking an exclusive story, pretends ignorance of her true identity. But his plan falters as they fall in love. Eddie Albert contributes to the fun as Peck’s carefree cameraman pal.” – Google Play

Watch on: Sony Crackle (free) , Apple TV , Google Play

“From the producers of THE KING’S SPEECH comes this remarkable true story of Robyn Davidson, a young woman who leaves her urban life to trek through almost 2,000 miles of sprawling Australian desert . Along her journey of self-discovery, she meets National Geographic photographer Rick Smolan, who begins to photograph her life-changing voyage.” – Apple TV

Under the Tuscan Sun

“UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN follows San Francisco writer Frances Mayes (Diane Lane) to Italy as a good friend offers her a special gift — 10 days in Tuscany. Once there, she is captivated by its beauty and warmth, and impulsively buys an aging, but very charming, villa. Fully embracing new friends and local color, she finds herself immersed in a life-changing adventure filled with enough unexpected surprises, laughter, friendship, and romance to restore her new home — and her belief in second chances.” – Google Play

Before Sunrise

“Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy star as two young people who meet–and whose lives are forever changed–on a train from Budapest to Paris. They may have only one night, but when soul mates find each other, anything can happen Before Sunrise.” – iTunes

The Endless Summer

“They call it The Endless Summer, the ultimate surfing adventure, crossing the globe in search of the perfect wave. From the uncharted waters of West Africa, to the shark-filled seas of Australia , to the tropical paradise of Tahiti and beyond, two California surfers, Robert August and Mike Hynson, accomplish in a few months what most people never get to do in a lifetime – they live their dream.” – iTunes

Watch on: Amazon , Apple TV

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

“Two young American women, Vicky and Cristina come to Barcelona for a summer holiday. Vicky is sensible and engaged to be married; Cristina is emotionally and sexually adventurous.  In Barcelona, they’re drawn into a series of unconventional romantic entanglements with Juan Antonio, a charismatic painter, who is still involved with his tempestuous ex-wife Maria Elena. Set against the luscious Mediterranean sensuality of Barcelona, VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA is Woody Allen’s funny and open-minded celebration of love in all its configurations.” – Google Play

Two For the Road

“ On their third identical voyage from London to the French Riviera , Joanna Wallace (Audrey Hepburn) and husband Mark (Albert Finney) explore their 12-year marriage in a series of wry and illuminating flashbacks. They reminisce about the glorious beginning of their love affair, the early years of marriage and the events that led to their subsequent infidelities. As they try to understand their relationship, they must accept how they have changed if they are to rekindle their original love… The film is arguably one of the most stylistically influential movies from the ’60s.”

“From Walt Disney Animation Studios comes “Moana,” a sweeping, CG-animated feature film about an adventurous teenager who sails out on a daring mission to save her people. During her journey, Moana (voice of Auli’i Cravalho) meets the once-mighty demigod Maui (voice of Dwayne Johnson), who guides her in her quest to become a master wayfinder. Together, they sail across the open ocean on an action-packed voyage, encountering enormous monsters and impossible odds, and along the way, Moana fulfills the ancient quest of her ancestors and discovers the one thing she’s always sought: her own identity.” – Disney

Watch on: Amazon , Apple TV , Google Play , or on Disney+

“John Krasinski (The Office) and Maya Rudolph (Saturday Night Live) star in the heartfelt film that explores the comedic twists and turns in one couple’s journey across contemporary America. Anticipating the birth of their first child, longtime couple Burt and Verona embark on an ambitious itinerary to visit friends and family in order to find their perfect home.” – Universal Studios

The Bucket List

 Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman star in the comedic drama The Bucket List, a touching, no- holds-barred adventure that shows it’s never too late to live life to its fullest. “Two terminally ill men escape from a cancer ward and head off on a road trip with a wish list of to-dos before they die.” – IMDb

“A five-year-old Indian boy is adopted by an Australian couple after getting lost hundreds of kilometers from home. 25 years later, he sets out to find his lost family.” – IMDb

Crazy Rich Asians

“This contemporary romantic comedy, based on a global bestseller, follows native New Yorker Rachel Chu to Singapore to meet her boyfriend’s family.” – IMDb

This is another movie that is not necessarily about travel, but after watching it, Singapore jumped to the top of my bucket list so I had to add it to this Best Travel Movie list!

Watch on: Amazon ,   Google Play , Hulu

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The Motorcycle Diaries

“Based on a true life story, The Motorcycle Diaries is an inspiring and thrilling adventure that traces the youthful origins of a revolutionary spirit. The film follows two daring friends, Ernesto “Che” Guevara (Gael Garcia Bernal, Y Tu Mama Tambien) and Alberto Granado (Rodrigo de la Serna), who hop on the back of a beat-up motorcycle for a breathtaking and exciting road trip across Latin America.” – Google Play

Letters to Juliet

“In Verona, Italy – the beautiful city where Romeo first met Juliet – there is a place where the heartbroken leave notes asking Juliet for her help. It’s there that aspiring writer Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) finds a 50-year-old letter that will change her life forever. As she sets off on a romantic journey of the heart with the letter’s author, Claire (Vanessa Redgrave), now a grandmother, and her handsome grandson (Christopher Egan), all three will discover that sometimes the greatest love story ever told is your own.” – Google Play

The Art of Travel

“Conner Layne  is about to embark on an adventure – just not the one he had planned. After discovering his fiance is having an affair with his best friend, he leaves her at the altar and heads off on his honeymoon alone. 

While experiencing the wonders that South America offers, he meets a friendly couple – Darlene and her husband, Christopher, who are planning a dangerous trip across the Darien Gap. Along with a ragtag group of foreigners, they venture on a 100-mile long journey through the undeveloped jungle that separates Panama and Columbia. Ready to leave his past behind, Conner joins the unknown for the quest of a lifetime.” – Apple TV

Rio + Rio 2

Laugh if you want, but after seeing this movie in theaters, I have been dying to go to Rio adn explore South America! 

Hector and The Search for Happiness

“Hector is a quirky psychiatrist who has become tired of his humdrum life, yet he’s offering advice to patients who are just not getting happier. So he embarks on a global quest in hopes of uncovering the elusive secret formula for true happiness.”

Couples Retreat

Couples Retreat is another romantic comedy movie that’s set in such a beautiful place, I just had to include it!

A Map for Saturday

“On a trip around the world, every day feels like Saturday. A MAP FOR SATURDAY reveals a world of long-term, solo travel through the stories of trekkers on four continents. The documentary finds backpackers helping neglected Thai tsunami victims. It explains why Nepal’s guesthouses are empty and Brazil’s stoplights are ignored. But at its core, SATURDAY tracks the emotional arc of extreme long-term travelers; teenagers and senior citizens who wondered, “What would it be like to travel the world?” Then did it.”

Watch on: Amazon

“Through the open country and desert lands, two bikers head from L.A to New Orleans , and along the way, meet a man who bridges a counter-culture gap they are unaware of.” – IMDb

“ONE WEEK tells the story of 20-something Ben Tyler (Joshua Jackson), who flees from an impending marriage, a ho-hum job, and a recent diagnosis in an attempt to live life to the fullest. His misguided road trip on a vintage motorcycle becomes an adventure of self-discovery set against the great Canadian landscape.”

Encounters at the End of the World

“Welcome to Antarctica – like you’ve never experienced it. You’ve seen the extraordinary marine life, the retreating glaciers and, of course, the penguins, but leave it to award-winning, iconoclastic filmmaker Werner Herzog (Grizzly Man, Rescue Dawn) to be the first to explore the South Pole’s most fascinating inhabitants…humans. In this one-of-kind documentary, Herzog turns his camera on a group of remarkable individuals, “professional dreamers” who work, play and struggle to survive in a harsh landscape of mesmerizing, otherworldly beauty – perhaps the last frontier on earth.”

“A powerful and inspirational story about family, friends, and the challenges we face. Martin Sheen plays Tom, an irascible American doctor who comes to France to collect the remains of his adult son (played by Emilio Estevez), killed in the Pyrenees while walking The Camino de Santiago, also known as The Way of Saint James. Rather than return home, Tom decides to embark on the historical pilgrimage to honor his son’s desire to finish the journey. What Tom doesn’t plan on, is the profound impact the journey will have on him. Inexperienced as a trekker, Tom soon discovers that he will not be alone on this journey.”

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

“An award-winning, all-star cast, led by Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith and Tom Wilkinson, lights up this “buoyant comedy laced with genuine emotion”. When seven cash-strapped seniors decide to “outsource” their retirement to a resort in far-off India, friendship and romance blossom in the most unexpected ways. Smart, life-affirming and genuinely charming, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is a “true classic that reminds us that it’s never too late to find love and a fresh beginning at any age”.”

The Tourist

“Frank (Johnny Depp), a mild-mannered American on vacation in Venice, Italy, is befriended by Elise (Angelina Jolie), a breathtakingly beautiful woman with a mysterious secret. Soon, their playful romantic dalliance turns into a complicated web of dangerous deceit as they are chased by Interpol, the Italian police, and Russian hit men in this suspense-filled, international action thriller.”

The Grand Budapest Hotel

“THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL recounts the adventures of legendary concierge Gustave H. and Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend. The story involves the theft of a priceless painting; a raging battle for an enormous family fortune; and a desperate chase on motorcycles, trains, sleds, and skis – all against the back-drop of a suddenly and dramatically changing continent.”

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert

“Resplendent in flamboyant ballgowns, looking down over the vast red Australian desert : for three showgirls it was the dream of a lifetime, a four week cabaret engagement in Alice Springs. The problem is simply getting there intact, along with their bus Priscilla.”

Phew! There ya go, my list of the 41 best travel movies to fuel your wanderlust! Any ones I missed?  Drop a comment below or  DM me on Instagram !

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My (Current) Ultimate List of Travel Movies

Way back in 2008, I created a list of ten of the best travel movies ever. It was a great list. But 2008 was a long time ago. Since I watch a lot of movies on flights and there have been many wonderful and breathtaking travel movies made since then, watching The Way a few days ago made me realize that we’re long overdue for a list of my all-time favorite best travel movies that will inspire you to get off the couch, pack your bag, and head to unknown lands:  

1. Lost in Translation

2. Whale Rider

3. Lord of the Rings

4. Into the Wild

5. In Bruges

6. Under the Tuscan Sun

7. Nowhere in Africa

8. Crocodile Dundee

9. Up in the Air

10. The Beach

11. The Motorcycle Diaries

12. Any Indiana Jones

13. Thelma and Louise

14. Lawrence of Arabia

15. Priscilla, Queen of the Desert

16. A Good Year

17. Eurotrip

18. Seven Years in Tibet

19. The Darjeeling Limited

20. Midnight in Paris

21. Monsoon Wedding

22. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

23. The Way

24. Vicky Cristina Barcelona

25. Y Tu Mama También

27. Before Sunrise

28. A Map for Saturday

30. Roman Holiday

31. Queen of Katwe

32. Jiro Dreams of Sushi

Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner . It’s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld . If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

• SafetyWing (best for everyone)
• Insure My Trip (for those 70 and over)
• Medjet (for additional evacuation coverage)

Want to Travel for Free? Travel credit cards allow you to earn points that can be redeemed for free flights and accommodation — all without any extra spending. Check out my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites to get started and see the latest best deals.

Need Help Finding Activities for Your Trip? Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can find cool walking tours, fun excursions, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more.

Ready to Book Your Trip? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I travel. They are the best in class and you can’t go wrong using them on your trip.  

Got a comment on this article? Join the conversation on Facebook , Instagram , or Twitter and share your thoughts!

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you make a purchase. I recommend only products and companies I use and the income goes to keeping the site community supported and ad free.

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Wander-Lush

18 Epic Adventure Travel Movies Like Into the Wild

A good travel film can transport you to a far-flung location without the need to leave your living room. But the best travel movies often lead you on a different journey: One of self-discovery.

Here are 18 adventure travel movies like Into the Wild that are guaranteed to leave you feeling contemplative, energised, and ready for your next journey into the unknown.

All of these terrific travel films are available on Amazon Prime and some can be streamed on Netflix. I’ve included a link to access each one – plus, for a bit of fun, I’ve also added my favourite inspirational quote for every movie on the list!

More movie inspiration: 25 travel movies like Eat Pray Love .

Please note: This post contains affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission if you make a purchase by clicking a link (at no extra cost to you). Learn more.

Movies like Into the Wild – quick reference

• The Loneliest Planet
• The Peanut Butter Falcon
• 180 Degrees South
• Inside Llewyn Davis
• Swiss Army Man
• Leave No Trace
• The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
• The Life of Pi
• The Way Back
• Seven Years in Tibet

18 epic adventure travel movies like Into the Wild (biopics, dramas and comedies)

Travel has a way of expanding the limits of your comfort zone – and these 18 movies like Into the Wild prove it. Live vicariously through these spirited, bold protagonists who push themselves to their physical and mental limits in search of something (or in some cases, nothing) beyond the ordinary.

Some of these films are about overcoming adversity ; others are about escaping reality . Some document journeys that must be taken alone while others tell of individuals who are humbled by nature or form unlikely friendships on the road.

If you liked Into the Wild , Sean Penn’s classic biopic about a young man who hitchhiked across the US, chances are you’ll love these 18 travel films like Into the Wild that explore similar themes of escapism, isolation, adventure, and self-discovery .

One of my favourite lesser-known movies similar to Into the Wild , Jungle (2017) is a biopic based on true events that unfolded in Bolivia in 1981.

“This is the last frontier on earth. The jungle shows us what we really are.” Karl, Jungle

The film follows Israeli adventurer, Yossi Ghinsberg (played by Daniel Radcliffe), as he attempts to trek deep into the Amazon Rainforest. After a series of unfortunate events leaves Yossi stranded and disoriented, he must fight to find his way back.

Jungle is a story of mental endurance and physical survival in the harshest conditions. Filmed in Colombia and Australia, the majestic backdrop is a reminder of nature’s wild and unpredictable beauty – the very thing that drew Yossi to the Amazon in the first place.

How to watch it: Rent or buy on Amazon Prime .

One of my favourite films like Into the Wild , Wild (2014), is yet another adventure biopic that brings a seemingly impossible journey to life on the screen. Based on Cheryl Strayed’s memoir of the same name, the film follows her quest to walk the Pacific Crest Trail.

“I was amazed that what I needed to survive could be carried on my back. And, most surprising of all, that I could carry it.” cheryl, wild

For Cheryl (played by Reece Witherspoon), it’s a deeply personal voyage of self-discovery and healing. She puts her body on the line, but in the end, her biggest triumphs are all psychological as she overcomes self-doubt and makes peace with her mother’s death and the breakdown of her marriage.

Despite numerous challenges, she digs deep and after more than 90 days, completes what she set out to achieve. This movie also touches on the theme of solo female travel and the particular challenges women often face when travelling alone.

3. The Loneliest Planet

Instead of a single protagonist, this adventure movie centres on a young couple, Alex and Nica (‎Gael Garcia Bernal‎ and ‎Hani Furstenberg)‎ – both of whom discover a lot about themselves, and each other, as the story unfolds.

The Loneliest Planet (2011) has mixed reviews, but it’s truly one of the most haunting and memorable travel films I’ve ever watched. The plot is simple: Whilst on holiday, the couple hire a guide to take them backpacking through a remote mountain pass.

When things go array, survival mode kicks in, resulting in some unexpected consequences. Both characters are forced to examine themselves (and their relationship) and their priorities.

I watched The Loneliest Planet long before I visited Georgia for the first time, not realising it was filmed in the Caucasus mountains ! The film’s extremely sparse dialogue (no quote to mention for this one!) and slow pace underscores the stunning setting and sharpens the themes it explores.

It’s real, it’s raw, and it’s uncomfortable at times – but hey, that’s what transformational travel is all about.

4. The Peanut Butter Falcon

One of my favourite travel films of late, The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019) is a comedy-drama set in North Carolina. It’s a classic adventure tale with Mark Twain vibes and nostalgic undertones of Americana.

“Yeah, you’re going to die. It’s a matter of time. That ain’t the question. The question is whether they’re going to have a good story to tell about you when you’re gone.” tyler, the peanut butter falcon

In the film, Zak (Zack Gottsagen) and Tyler (Shia LaBeouf) each set out on independent courses not so far from home before they cross paths and strike up an unlikely friendship. Travelling across the state by foot, the two travel buddies come to realise how much they have in common – including the fact that they’re both running away from something. Their journeys were bound to become intertwined.

In the end, both characters have some resolution – although it’s not what you might expect at the outset. This indie film is a bit of a tearjerker and absolutely heartwarming.

It will leave you in awe of travel’s uncanny ability to bring people together through adversity, and is a good reminder to always venture out with an open heart and mind.

5. 180 Degrees South

180 Degrees South (2010) is one of only two documentary films like Into the Wild that appear on this list. If you don’t know the names Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins, you’ll surely recognise the name of the brand they founded – Patagonia.

A classic in the canon of adventure films, 180 Degrees South retraces a formative expedition the duo took in 1968 from California to Chile overland.

“The hardest thing in the world is to simplify your life. It’s so easy to make it complex.” yvon chouinard, 180 degrees south

The movie intersperses Chouinard and Tompkins’ home video with new footage filmed when adventurer Jeff Johnson emulated the journey. As he follows in his heroes’ footsteps, Jeff explores the rugged landscape that inspired the duo to found their ethical outerwear brand and invest their savings in protecting the environment for future generations.

Interviews with Chouinard and Tompkins also appear in the film.

This travel movie captures the pure spirit of adventure while recalling the fascinating history behind one of the world’s most recognisable brand names.

6. Inside Llewyn Davis

Written and directed by the Coen brothers, Inside Llewyn Davis (2013) is a black comedy that toes the line between biopic and drama epic. Partially set in Greenwich Village and with energetic nods to Jack Kerouac and Bob Dylan, it’s a gritty film that channels some of Into the Wild ‘s darker undertones.

“In my experience, the world’s divided into two kinds of people. Those who divide the world into two kinds of people…” llewlyn, inside llewyn davis

The movie is partially based on folk singer Dave Van Ronk’s autobiography. Llewyn (Oscar Isaac) is a struggling musician with many mountains to climb in his personal life. The film peaks with his cross-country journey to Chicago by car, a fraught journey that brings yet more dilemmas his way.

Grungy New York City circa-1961 is the perfect setting for this earthy, stirring film.

I distinctly remember the first time I saw the preview for Lion (2016) at my local cinema. I bawled! In anticipation of the release, I rushed out and bought a copy of the autobiographical novel it’s based on. Although I preferred the book to the film, Lion is still one of my favourite movies of any genre.

“Every night I imagine that I’m walking those streets home and I know every single step of the way, and I whisper in her ear, ‘I’m here’.” saroo, lion

The story is breathtaking – it’s difficult to believe it’s all true. It begins with a young Saroo Brierley (played by Dev Patel), born and raised in a small town in India, who through some very sad circumstances becomes separated from his family after falling asleep on an intercity train.

Saroo tries, but he can’t get back home. In the end, he finds his way into an orphanage and is adopted by an Australian couple.

As an adult, Saroo revisits India to embark on the most important journey of all: The quest to find his hometown and reconnect with the family he lost all those years ago. How he goes about it beggars belief… You’ll just have to watch the film to find out what happens!

8. Swiss Army Man

I have to admit, it took me a couple of tries before I could get through the first 15 minutes of Swiss Army Man (2016). This film is pretty offbeat (especially in the beginning) and won’t be to everyone’s taste, but it’s worth persevering.

“I just had a thought about a thought. How do you hide your thoughts, and why do we have to hide everything?” hank, swiss army man

The story follows a classic plot: Man gets stranded on deserted island (in this case, it’s Hank – Paul Dano) and is ready to throw in the towel when all of the sudden, he discovers he’s not alone. Only it’s not another person, but rather a human corpse with superpowers (in this case Manny – Daniel Radcliffe).

Hank and Manny form a strange and macabre friendship as they navigate together through various trials. Peculiar and unlike any other movie I’ve seen, this one should definitely be on your watch list if you enjoy eccentric indie films.

9. Leave No Trace

If complete isolation in the wilderness strikes a chord with you, Leave No Trace (2018) will remind you of Into the Wild and the main character’s quest to go beyond the ‘regular’ world in search of a more idyllic existence.

“They don’t think I was where I was supposed to be… They just don’t understand that it was my home.” tom, leave no trace

This movie focuses on Will (Benjamin Foster) and his daughter, Tom (Thomasin McKenzie), who extricate themselves from their community to live alone in a forest in Oregon. After the duo is spotted one day by a passerby, their reality crumbles around them as they’re forced to return to civilian life.

Father and daughter grapple to hold onto their old lifestyle while realising their beliefs and needs are diverging. If you think it’s too far-fetched to be real, this movie, like Into the Wild , is also based on a true story.

10. Free Solo

The second documentary on this list of movies similar to Into the Wild is Free Solo (2018). Over the course of several months, filmmakers follow Alex Honnold as her pursues his dream of scaling El Capitan, the iconic 3,200-foot vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park.

“I’ve done a lot of thinking about fear. For me the crucial question is not how to climb without fear-that’s impossible – but how to deal with it when it creeps into your nerve endings.” alex, free solo

Alex is a free climber, thus he needs to complete the climb without a safety rope – something that’s never been done before. To reach his personal summit and push himself to the absolute limit, he must overcome other barriers in his personal life first.

As the camera rolls, his blind ambition – and at times, foolhardiness – is captivating to watch. This doco is painful at times, but you can’t look away.

Alex’s off-the-grid lifestyle, comfort with complete isolation, his stoicism and single-mindedness as he works towards the goal he is so fixated on reminds me a lot of Christopher in Into the Wild . Does he achieve his goal? You’ll just have to watch to find out!

As far as adventure travel movies go, Tracks (2013) is hard to beat. One of my top choices for movies like Into the Wild , this biopic recites the 9-month overland journey taken by young Brisbane woman, Robyn Davidson (played by Mia Wasikowska), as she attempts to conquer one of the planet’s harshest landscapes: The Australian Outback.

“The two important things I did learn were that you are as powerful and strong as you allow yourself to be, and that the most difficult part of any endeavor is taking the first step, making the first decision.” robyn, tracks

Joined by National Geographic photographer Rick Smolan (played by Adam Driver) and several animal companions (including a troupe of camels and a loyal pup), Robyn ends up walking 2,700km from Alice Springs to Australia’s west coast.

The actual journey took place in 1977; after several failed attempts to turn Robyn’s story into a movie, Tracks was finally put into production and filmed in South Australia and the Northern Territory.

The themes of this movie will remind you of Into the Wild : Solitude, being an outsider in a foreign land, and the unexpected acts of kindness one often encounters on the road.

12. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013) is a travel film with cult status – and for good reason. Adapted from a pithy short story, the film follows one man on his spirited quest across the planet in search of a photographer and a missing film negative.

“To see the world, things dangerous to come to, to see behind walls, draw closer, to find each other, and to feel. That is the purpose of life.” walter, the secret life of walter mitty

Walter (Ben Stiller) works a corporate job at Life magazine and daydreams of travel and adventure in his spare time. When he’s accidentally thrust into a real-life treasure hunt, he’s forced to confront his biggest fears, learning many poignant lessons about travel and life in the process.

This movie, like Into the Wild , proves that the greatest journeys of one’s lifetime often come from looking inward, not outward. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is a heartwarming and uplifting film – I promise you’ll want to re-watch it at least once!

13. The Way

While some of the adventure travel movies that feature on this list have an abstract backdrop, the location plays a leading role in The Way (2011). If you haven’t guessed from the title, this film pays homage to the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage (AKA The Way) that stretches across Spain and France.

“Most people don’t have the luxury of just leaving it all behind.” tom, the way

The story begins under tragic circumstances when the lead character, Thomas Avery (Martin Sheen), is forced to travel to France to recover the body of his son (played by his real-life son, Emilio Estevez – also the film’s director) who died while walking in the Pyrenees.

As a salve for his grief, Thomas decides to complete the trail and honour his son’s final wish by carrying his ashes with him.

Thomas falls in with a group of other pilgrims, all with their own personal reasons for attempting the Camino. Some are searching for something; others are trying to escape. Interestingly, aside from the main actors, everyone who appears in The Way is a real-life traveller who just happened to be on the trail at the time of filming.

14. The Life of Pi

With four Academy Awards to its name, The Life of Pi (2012) is considered a classic in its genre. This fantastical story follows Pi Patel (played in the film by Suraj Sharma), a young boy stranded at sea.

“To choose doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as a means of transportation.” the life of pi

After a shipwreck claims his entire family and leaves Pi stranded in the Indian Ocean with only a menagerie of wild animals for company, he must struggle to overcome the various challenges nature throws at him.

This movie is philosophical, introspective and beautifully poetic, with ‘believeability’ emerging as one of the key themes. When Pi is finally rescued, his saviors don’t buy a word of his story – but he doesn’t mind at all. The Yann Martel novel that the film is based on won the Man Booker Prize for Fiction and is definitely worth reading.

15. The Way Back

Not to be confused with the 2020 Ben Affleck basketball flick, The Way Back (2010) is a survival film created by legendary Australian director Peter Weir. Another stranger-than-fiction story, it’s based on the memoirs of Sławomir Rawicz, a Polish lieutenant who was held as a prisoner of war during WWII.

“Survival was a kind of protest. Being alive was my punishment.” mr smith, the way back

The film begins when Janusz (Jim Sturgess) is sent to a Gulag deep in Siberia. When he arrives, he meets several other prisoners who are planning a great escape. After making a break for it, they trek for months across Siberia before finally reaching their destination, the Mongolian border.

Their salvation from communism is short-lived, however, and the group must continue on foot to the Himalayas, eventually finding refuge in Tibet.

Questions remain as to the accuracy of the story – is it truth or fiction? – but the heroism and camaraderie of the characters as they persevere on their walk to freedom is epic.

16. Seven Years in Tibet

Seven Years in Tibet (1997) is the oldest adventure movie on this list, yet it’s another absolute classic. As much a historical document as a travel film, it chronicles the traumatic political, social and cultural events that took place in China during the 1940s and 50s.

“The absolute simplicity. That’s what I love. When you’re climbing, your mind is clear and free from all confusions. You have focus. And suddenly the light becomes sharper, the sounds are richer, and you’re filled with the deep, powerful presence of life.” heinrich, seven years in tibet

When Austrian mountaineer Heinrich Harrer (played by Brad Pitt) set out on a climbing expedition, he had no idea he would bare witness to one of the most significant chapters in China’s modern history.

Like The Way Back , the movie begins as a tale of escape when Heinrich and his companion give the guards of the POW camp where they’re being detained the slip.

After an epic journey by foot across the Himalayas, the pair end up in Lhasa where Heinrich forms a bond with a young 14th Dalai Lama (Tibet’s current spiritual leader). As Heinrich witnesses the Chinese invasion, themes of responsibility, loyalty and freedom bubble to the surface.

The movie was filmed in Argentina, Nepal, Austria and Canada – but it features about 20 minutes of ‘secret footage’ shot in Tibet. It was enough to get Brad Pitt, his co-star David Thewlis and the film’s director banned from ever visiting China.

17. Cast Away

We can’t talk about adventure travel movies without mentioning Cast Away (2000) – the original tale of physical and mental transformation through overcoming adversity.

“Now I know what I have to do now. I gotta keep breathing because tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide could bring?” chuck, cast away

Like the protagonist in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty , Chuck (Tom Hanks) leads a normal life in corporate America. That’s until a plane crash leaves him stranded on a deserted island, thrusting Chuck into the unknown and pushing him to the brink. He befriends a volleyball, and… Well, you probably know how the rest of the story goes!

Even if you saw it when it first came out, Cast Away is worth a re-watch, if only for the nostalgia factor.

18. 127 Hours

If you’re looking for an adventure film that speaks to mental fortitude and human endurance, look no further than 127 Hours (2010). The plot of this true story is the stuff of legend.

“I’ve been moving towards it my entire life. The minute I was born, every breath that I’ve taken, every action has been leading me to this crack on the out surface.” aron, 127 hours

Described as ‘painfully accurate’, 127 Hours is a film adaptation of Between a Rock and a Hard Place , a memoir by mountaineer Aron Ralston (played in the movie by James Franco).

When Aron’s hiking adventure turns bad and his arm becomes wedged between a boulder and a cliff wall, he grapples with an impossible decision and starts rethinking his life decisions – all the while narrating his inner thoughts in a soliloquy captured on video.

This film is an enriching story of triumph over adversity and a good reminder that even the most pressing trials can shape us into better people. If this movie like Into the Wild doesn’t ignite your passion for the great unknown, I don’t know what will!

Which of these adventure travel movies like Into the Wild is your favourite? Are there any other films you’d like to add to the list?

Movies like Into the Wild: Pin it

Excellent list but for some reason Paris Texas is my fav in this genre.

Thanks for your list

Thank you very much, very good selection for free spirits in quarantine 🙂

Into the wild is quite amazing

Thanks for giving us the best movies list.

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‘Strictly Confidential’ Review: Makeout Scenes and Flimsy Melodrama on a Caribbean Isle

Producer-star Elizabeth Hurley’s son Damian wrote and directed this sometimes amusing ersatz thriller, which often seems more a tourism lure for St. Kitts and Nevis.

By Dennis Harvey

Dennis Harvey

Film Critic

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“Some secrets are meant to stay buried” says the ad line for “ Strictly Confidential .” But you’d need a sizable underground bunker to contain all the effortfully shocking revelations sprung in this very silly sudser, which starts out looking like an erotic thriller-mystery, then descends into a series of flashback-laden explication monologues more apt for “Dynasty” than Agatha Christie. 

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That someone is Mia (Georgia Lock), who seems to wake from another such vaguely troubling reverie every 20 minutes or so here. She is the erstwhile best friend of Rebecca (Lauren McQueen), who presumably drowned herself last summer. But as the reasons for suicide were obscure, her body remains unfound, and her father had also died a rather murky death just weeks prior, the whole affair as yet lacks “closure.” 

Mia has a lot of questions about what happened last summer. No one else wants to talk about it — albeit not from painful grief, it turns out. Rather, it’s because they’ve all got guilty secrets to hide. They hide them pretty poorly, since gape-mouthed Mia keeps walking in on people caught making out with the “wrong” other party. 

There are also flashbacks to other makeout scenes, though the initial steamy musk redolent of vintage “Skinemax” and Zalman King movies proves deceptive. Eventually the film grows less interested in softcore suggestiveness than murder-mystery-adjacent plot mechanizations as convoluted (and flashback-laden) as they are increasingly ridiculous.

Somewhere around the two-thirds mark, escalating levels of pure tosh begin to perversely work in the movie’s favor. What had been a mildly scenic if paper-thin diversion turns into the kind of joint whose narrative big reveals also trigger big laughs — with considerable help from hackneyed dialogue and some awkward acting moments. The histrionic burden falls heaviest on Lock, who cannot be said to emerge unscathed. 

But in truth, as written and directed, these roles might flummox the most talented interpreters. Plausibility of action and psychology appears to have taken a distant back seat to concerns of how the performers look in the variably skimpy or low-cut costumes by Gabbi Edmunds. Likewise, George Burt’s widescreen cinematography eschews any suspenseful atmospherics in favor of a bright, bland showcasing of handsome getaway decor (Tom Downey is the production designer) and attractive beach views. Michael Richard Plowman’s original score further underlines that we’re basically watching a cheesy soap opera in B-movie form. 

Purportedly shot in just 18 days, “Strictly Confidential” is most kindly viewed as on-the-job training for the junior Hurley, who under those circumstances acquits himself well. His film has sufficient professional polish and passable entertainment value, intentional or otherwise. But one assumes his scriptwriting did not suffer from the same time constriction, in which case that labor should definitely be left to others in future projects. 

Reviewed online, April 3, 2024. MPA Rating: R. Running time: 88 MIN.

• Production: (U.K.) A Lionsgate release of an MSR Media International presentation of an MSR Media SKN production. Producers: Elizabeth Hurley, Philippe Martinez. Executive producers: Barry Brooker, Alastair Burlingham, Gary Raskin, Charlie Dombek, JT Foxx, Karinne Behr, Lee Beasley, Jacob Katsman. 
• Crew: Director, writer: Damian Hurley. Camera: George Burt. Editor: Frederic Fournier. Music: Michael Richard Plowman.
• With: Elizabeth Hurley, Georgia Lock, Lauren McQueen, Freddie Thorp, Genevieve Gaunt, Pear Chiravara, Max Parker, Llyrio Boateng, Aji Nanjosi, Centia Corbie. 

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‘Not a Pretty Picture,’ the movie that took on rape culture 50 years ago

Martha coolidge’s courageous, devastating debut film is as relevant today as it was when it first came out.

“Based on real events from the life of the director. The actress who plays Martha was also raped in high school. Names and places have been changed,” runs the explanation offered at the start of Not a Pretty Picture (1976), the courageous and devastating debut of the U.S. filmmaker Martha Coolidge (director of the cult rom-com Valley Girl and of episodes of popular series like Sex and the City and CSI: Las Vegas ), which was restored in 2022 by the Academy Film Archive and the Film Foundation and selected by fellow director Céline Sciamma for the Retrospective section of the 2023 Berlinale. The movie is currently being re-released in Spanish theaters by distributor Atalante.

In 1962, when she was a 16-year-old boarding school student, Martha Coolidge, who was recently interviewed by film critic Elsa Fernández-Santos for EL PAÍS, was raped by an older classmate who had invited her to a party with some other friends. It wasn’t until her college years, at the age of 20, that she began to go to therapy and learned that what she had experienced was rape. “I didn’t go out with anyone for two years. The next year I went to another school. I remember I went on a couple of dates and cried the whole time,” Coolidge says at one point in Not a Pretty Picture . Twelve years later, her attack would inspire that first feature film of her career, a mixture of fiction and documentary in which the director confronts, analyzes and reflects on the sexual aggression she underwent. The director attempts to recreate the circumstances under which it all unfolded with a group of actors in a New York loft.

Nearly 50 years after its debut, Not a Pretty Picture not only continues to be a pioneering film when it comes to cinematographic representation of rape, abuse culture and consent , but also a work in astonishing, chilling dialogue with our present moment. Did I get myself into this situation? Did I somehow provoke him into raping me? Do I have part of the responsibility for what happened? Does having certain fantasies make me guilty? Could I have avoided it? Maybe it wasn’t the guy’s intention to do me harm, and I actually did something that led to this? What have been the consequences? Why did this happen to me? These are some of the questions presented in conversations between the director and her two protagonists — Michele Manenti, who was also raped as a teenager and Jim Carrington, who tries to understand and at certain points, justify his character’s behavior — and likely, continue to be posed today by many other victims of sexual violence.

In the New York loft where the rape is recreated, Coolidge both stages the events and elicits reflection and discussion from the film’s cast, giving space to different points of view held by both the actors and the characters they play. “It occurs to me that, just as I willingly lent myself to this film, I willingly sought out to be abused by a man in this way,” Manenti begins, explaining her motivation to Coolidge for being part of the film. “The only question I think you could ask yourself is whether you could have done something to prevent it,” Carrington says, perhaps thinking that such a line of reasoning would be helpful. And: “I know of so many cases from when I was in college, in which a woman was technically raped because she wasn’t giving her consent . It was supposed to be something mutual but… And there wasn’t necessarily any bad intention on the part of the guy, it was just that in that moment he needed it and thought that what he was doing was OK.” These conversations that take place throughout the film are one of its most interesting aspects, which wind up serving as a revealing look into the mirror of who we are as a society, of the turbulent power dynamics that are inherent to sexual violence, of how we confront abuse through the place where we lived it.

The eternal blaming of the victim, the impossibility of understanding the motivations of abuse, of how we continue to live with its impacts despite our attempt to start new chapters, how feelings of guilt and shame have been socially constructed, the false façade of the sexual aggressor, and how abusers are often normal, ordinary, apparently harmless people who come from the victim’s own circles, people who they trust. The distance between fantasy and reality, between the imaginary and the truth, consent, of how deeply rooted and widespread rape culture is in society, the complicit silence of those who know and yet, decide to look the other way. All this is reflected in a film in which violence jumps out in victim-blaming phrases normalized to this day: “Why are you here if you don’t want to kiss me?”

“And here I am, 28-and-a-half years old, and I’ve never had a serious relationship with a man. Sometimes I wonder… Perhaps it’s to protect myself. In part, it could be out of protection. I mean, I think it would take something incredible, something special that probably doesn’t exist, for me to be able to trust myself, because… because it scares me so much,” Coolidge ultimately confesses, in a heartbreaking sequence. And perhaps this is the film’s most devastating moment, in which we see how abuse and rape mark a victim’s life forever (even if she manages to “turn the page,” the scar never truly fades away), the realization that, despite the passage of time, things have not changed as much as it may seem. Despite the real progress that has been made, we still do not have all the answers when it comes to rape culture.

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Gran Turismo

Based on the unbelievable, inspiring true story of a team of underdogs - a struggling, working-class gamer, a failed former race car driver, and an idealistic motorsport exec - who risk it a... Read all Based on the unbelievable, inspiring true story of a team of underdogs - a struggling, working-class gamer, a failed former race car driver, and an idealistic motorsport exec - who risk it all to take on the most elite sport in the world. Based on the unbelievable, inspiring true story of a team of underdogs - a struggling, working-class gamer, a failed former race car driver, and an idealistic motorsport exec - who risk it all to take on the most elite sport in the world.

• Neill Blomkamp
• Zach Baylin
• David Harbour
• Orlando Bloom
• Archie Madekwe
• 462 User reviews
• 182 Critic reviews
• 48 Metascore
• 3 nominations

• Jack Salter

• Danny Moore

• Jann Mardenborough

• Kazunori Yamauchi

• Matty Davis

• Lesley Mardenborough
• (as Geri Halliwell Horner)

• Steve Mardenborough

• Nicholas Capa

• Coby Mardenborough

• Antonio Cruz

• Frederik Schulin

• Patrice Capa

• Akira Akiba

• Skeptical Nissan Board Member

• Senior Nissan Executive

• Jack Man Jones
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• Trivia Jann Mardenborough plays a stunt double in the film for the actor who portrays himself.
• Goofs The emergency vehicle's sound at Nürburgring, Germany is of a US/UK vehicle.

[from trailer]

Jack Salter : If you miss a line in the game, you reset. You miss it on the track, you could die.

• Connections Featured in Sunrise: Episode dated 10 August 2023 (2023)
• Soundtracks Hold My Head Written by Kenny Beats (as Kenneth Blume III), Larry Brooks, and Warren Brooks Performed by Kenny Beats Courtesy of XL Recordings Contains a sample of "Now I Can Hold My Head Up High" Performed by The Triads Courtesy of The Numero Group

User reviews 462

• taylormellors
• Aug 7, 2023
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• August 25, 2023 (United States)
• United States
• Official Facebook
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• Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story
• Dubai, United Arab Emirates (location)
• Columbia Pictures
• PlayStation Productions
• 2.0 Entertainment
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• $60,000,000 (estimated)
• $44,428,554
• $17,410,552
• Aug 27, 2023
• $122,101,055

Technical specs

• Runtime 2 hours 14 minutes
• Dolby Digital
• TMH Labs 10.2 Channel Sound
• IMAX 6-Track
• 12-Track Digital Sound
• Dolby Atmos

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